Star.
London, England, 1806-06-07 00:00:00

have had to oppofe a meafure, brought forward byi
Gentlemen with whom he had voted for thirty years,
on one Ready principle, and to whom he looked op
rather than to any other fet of men, for the falvation
of the country at the prefent period. The tax which
was now, for the prefent, relinquifbed, could only be
confidered as a boon held out to a certain dcfcription
of perfons, he meant the public brewers, who could
hardly be confidered as entitled to any fuch favour,
when the quality of the commodity which they pro-
duced was taken into account.

Sir R. BUXTON, though he had from the WI
confidered the tax as objeetionable, yet was glad to
hear, that the meafure of introducing the excite into
private families had been finally abandoned. But he
was extremely lorry to learn, that the Noble Lord
intended to perfiß in the meafure, and again to bring
it forward next year ;—though he united that he
would, in the mean time, fee reafon to alter his de•
termination.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
replied, that he had already Rated, that the regula
tion, as to the Excite, had been finally abandoned ;
and he inuft fay, that the various reports which had
gone abroad on this fubjeft were founded on grofs
mifreprefentation. It had uniformly been his opi.
nion, that the forcible introduction of the Excife
into private families could not be juftified on any
principle whatever. It was never meant that this
part of the Bill fhould be enforced, but that it fhould
be left entirely to the option of the private brewer,
whether he fhould fubmit to the laws of the Excife,
or pay the duty on the leak of the Alleged Taxes.
He fhould ever contend, that the tax was fair and
equitable in itfelf, as obliging the private brewer to
pa in a jet proportion to the other confumers of beer.
Mr. BAKER thought, that the foundation of the
tax, as originally propofed, was the introduftion of
excifemen into private families, and Rated the refult
of a eonverfation which he had had with the Noble
Lord on the fubjee, which was loon after followed
1 by an abandonment of that part of the meafure. He
trufled and expected that the tax would be relin.
quifbcd altogether. From what he had teen of the
candour and ability with which the Noble Lord filled
his prefent office, he, for one, had certainly no ob-
jection to his remaining in that fituation ; but he was
not prepared to fay, with his Hon. Friend behind
him, that the fafety of the country depended on the
continuance of the prefent Adminiftration. Indeed,
from the experience of the left 'twelve years, he did
not feel difpofed to place the fame confidence in all
his Majefty's Miniflers.
Mr. LONG obferved, that the introduction of the
mire into private families would have been attended
with intolerable inconvenience, as they wocld thus
have become fobjea to the various Excife Laws.—
With regard to the propofed addition of to per cent.
on the Miffed Taxes, it &fermi to be confidered
whether the increafe might not be puttied fo far, as
to counteract the very pupae in view, and to dimi
nifti, inftead of increafing, their general producc ?
At the fame time, this fubflitute met with his com-
parative approbation.
Mr. FOX was of opinion, that the tax in queftion
was a good one, as putting the private brewer only
on a footing of equality with the other confumers of
beer. All that part of the meafure which related to
the cadre was intended to be dropped; but he mall
fay, that it only meant, that every perfon ftiould
have his option ; and that if, on the principle, welenti
RON fit iajuria, any man fhould choofe to fubmit to
all the inconvenience of the excite, inflead of paying
un the fcale of the Afraid Taxes, he might be at
liberty to enjoy his option. This was all that was
intended by the word " accommodation" which had
been tiled, and on which the Right Honourable
Gentleman who (puke lag had dwelt. But, on the ]
whole, whatever might be his opinion with regard to
the tar, he was glad that it W 26 poliponed for the
prefent. In the difficulties in which the country was
placed, we could only make choice of the !call of]
two evils, and it became necefrary for the Hoof. to
confider, principally, what tax might be kali objec-
tionable. With regard to the addition to the Alreffed
Taxes, there was reafon to believe that it would be
productive in lame degree. It would be found itta
poffible to avoid preffing, either more immediately, or
more remotely, on the poorer elates of fociety. Even
the Miffed 'Faxes mull have this effect to a certain
extent —Mr. LONG explained.
Mr. WILBERFORCE obferved, that had the tax
been perfilled in, he fhould have congratulated the
Houle, that the part refpeeing the Excife had been
left nut ; but he now felt (till more gratified, that the
Noble Lord had relinquiffied the meafure, at leaft for
the prefent ; and he mull fay, that the condo& of the
Noble Lord on this occafion had increafed that re-
(pee which he had uniformly felt for his character.—
He had (hewn, that he remembered that he was the
financier of a free country, and that the general Rock
of good will towards the Government (hould not be
diminifhed. Had the tax been petrified in, he fhould
not have oppufed it, as he had already refilled a pre.
ceding meallire, which he confidered as hofiile to the
nianolafluitli of the country ; but he fhould have re.
Fretted the effects which he feared it would have had
in many parts of the country; where it was common
for families to brew their own beer—a praSice which
he Gould ever confider as equally favourable to com-
fort and fobriety, and as deferring of every encou-
ragement. In the main, he confidered the propofed
addition of so per cent. on the Affiefred Taxes as an
excellent meafure, though it might perhaps be better
to make the increafe greater on fame of there taxes
than on others. A very ennfiderable increafe on
the tax on men fervants, for Inftance, would never
bear hard on the poorer daffier of fociety.
Mr. JOHNSTONE espreffed his aßonifhment and
regret, that the Noble Lord lhould have abandoned
a former tax, and relinquished the prefent, while
nothing hitherto had been impofed for payment of
the intent of the loan, except the trifling tax on
appraifemente, and on tobacco, &e. He contended
that the principle of the tax was good, and that it
only required courage and perfevcrance on the part
of the Noble Lord to render it productive. He
quoted the words of Dv. Adam Smith, who had
long ago recommended a tax precifely limilar, though
he hadpropofed that the duty Illould rather be int-
por ed on the malt, than on the private brewer. On
the whole, he coocei it , that Minders had thought
the relinquifhment of 'ftseafore neceffary for the
rapport of the military .is of their Right lion.
vcis4
Colleague, and not produ&l by anv consietion•es;
its hut dud tendency. -