Star.
London, England, 1816-03-06 00:00:00

PROPERTY TAX.

Petitions praying for the Repeal of th• Property
Tax, were presented front the quarters
From the Commissioners or Supply for ti“ C se ay
of Kirkcudbright ; I[ool ►he Farmers and Ozcupient
of Land in the same District; from the LanJilakirro
of the County of Essex; from the Inhabit ins of
Chippeoham ; from the Inhabitants of Glinbarglis
tram the Inhabiters of Horsham, in Sosu:x (c.nu.
plaining also of the excesses of the Civil List) ; fro,*
the Inhabitants of Ludlow; from certain lithahitanto
of Kingston, in Surrey ; from the Intiebitants of
Clapham, in Surrey; from the Inhabitants of Dirt.
mouth, in the Couaty of Devem (pr lying aho for
Parliamentary Reform). 'rhey were all brought up.
read, at►d ordered to lie on the table.

On presenting the Petition from the inhabitants of
the City of Edinburgh against the Prop-ry Tax,
Mr. W. DUNDAS thought it necessary to state,
that although he presented this Petition in discharge
of the duty he owed to his Constituents, yet he ed.
feted entirely from the sentiments expressed in it. It
was absurd w call a tax uncenstitutnual, which had
been sanctioned by the vote of Parlia:nent in pr*
As to what was said of a pledge beint given for the
cessation of this Tor, he denied that any such ii!e.l;-ta
bad been given, and thought it impossible to give
*ltch a pledge. The Tax bad been laid
on as a War Trz, and WAS now propose.d to 1:1
tinned as such, namely, for the purpose of herlieg
the breaches made incur financial system, during ure
conduct of a war, unexampled both in the rna.;ni-
tude of the efforts ity which it had been c:irried on,
and the success which had attended theie tfr rt .. ire
stated that he had five other Petitions float the state
quarter to the same effect, which he Ll:uld move to
bring up altogether.
Tile Petition was then read—and on the gie!szicts
that it shoulithe laid on the table,
Mr. J. P. GRANT expressed his eat'sfietien at
the circumstance of this Petition comirig Irons a
.quarter whence the House very rarely received any
such application. It shewed how universal a te.ling
was entertab;ed against the continuaree of this osi ions
ITAL. He understood that the bleetnig assembled
,for the impose of prepating this Petition had been
:uuusually numerous and respectable. The Honour.
able Gentleman said that the sentiments of the Peti.
tiOn did not accord with his own es to the expediency
of this Tax, and at the same time took the eppor. us
city to pass an eulogium upon it ; to rraioe it as a
war-tar, and on that account (with much consistency )
to recommend its continuance during peace. The
Honourable Gentleman said too, that no fledge hid
been given for the discontinuance of this Tax ; it
seemed, however, that there was a ¢rre convittain
in the minds, not only of the Honourable Gentle-
man's constituents, but elso of every t lass of the
people, that such a pledge had been give::. It was
in vain endeavoured to evade this, by saying that it
was is pussible that such a pledge could be given,
because it could not be denied that such a promise
had been given ttpon the subject as was tantamount
to a pledge. He again expressed his setistactiea xt
finding that the people of S. edam, wet coiniN for-
ward so unanimously to address to Perlianiert there
sentiments on this vital cpestion.
The Petition was then ordered to lie on the Table.
[The other live Petitions (including the Prose of
the Inhabitants of Leith and other place* ia the lab.