Star.
London, England, 1816-03-19 00:00:00

INCOME TAX.

The House baying resolved itself into a Commit-
tee of Ways and Means,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
rose to submit his proposition for the continuance of
the • Property Tax. When the very important and
serious nature of the subject was considered, he ex.
pressed his hope that the Committee would apply it-
self to the question with that calmness and iinp.utia-
lity which its importance demanded. lie was now
to submit for the serious and deliberate consideration
of Parliament his proposition for the continuance of
the Property Tax; and as the House had already
sanctioned the Estimates for a considerable naval and
military establishment, it was an obvious consequence
that the necessary means must be allowed for the
support of those establishments. It was said that the
general sense of the country was strongly adverse to
the continuance of this Tax; but that prejudice, lie
was persuaded, would be removed when the subject
came to be better considered. He had boos of
the • vast number of petitions which had come up
against the measure : still be thought it his duty to
submit the question for the calm and deliberate con.
sideration of Parliament, and_ by. its jutisment he
would abide. The petitions contained only the sea-
timents of a very small proportion of the people,
;(11rar, hear.) It could not be contend:a that the
signatures to those petitions contained a very great
proportion of the whole population of the country..—
' (Hear, hear.) But even if a much greater nutulser
had petitioned against the measure, he should still
'consider it his duty to submit it to the consideration
of the House, and' to give Parliament an opportunity
of judging of its propriety, by laying before them the
grounds, upon which he thought it fitting to snake the
proposition. The petitioners had only attended to
the pressure upon themselves, which they were /mh.
rally anxious to remove, because they. thought it no

. . .
neeestait ; but he wai
would not hove been their judgro
:la opportunity of being fully ;
whole matter, and of deliberll
partially upon the subject. Hi
vinced that the petitioners had
subject, and had never coolly an,
dered it, when he observed that
petitions contained the unfound(
Government and Parliament stoo,
Tax should cease with tne w

whit' liAd been last resented (
signed, Ii admitted, by a gt4:-.11
44 the highest respectability, the
strougly put .fortvarJ ; -but it
agreed to upon the };round; and

th-e Worthy B.vonet (S is Willed
i
certainly wider it es any
calm mid deliberate juJgitkent
chants, and trader, of thc city of
tby ILtrourt sal,' that the 'nog of
ing of merchants, Ba::kers, an,

am.; that it Wit thereupon adopts,'
distinct pledge that it should not
the conchision of 4 general peace.
gument of the worthy Baronet ; 4
rested on that, they would present
matter really 'oboe. In the year 17;f8; le c,:ik.,`w r' t,
of the alarming state of public CreJlt, 4
inept H,l"
Add in the city of Loud n, mid thereaBier4
was subscribed by several very respecialiti4;7l:,suis
by way of wit. contribution. M. Phei,,,461'44.
previously determined to 'three in some ine,wit t.'n'
pressure on the funds by the Aid and enntebe-:
fax, which was celled also by the name ate T.O""e
A vieliMellt Tsz. TN% lie atteruen scd • lan nu-
gel ti 4
the far less burthensome and less tejcctineatee ext
we, the Income Tax ; but, inured of • •
Rivilig oti
pledge that the 'I as should cease with the -
distinctly stated. that it should be centir
one year 01 pewee for every year ot veit s
if the war e•ottiittied doer years. then 1
to remain ler three yeas. of peace. of
only did nut propose that it eheuld et
' war, bin a propm thin of the intrrext
tund ot loans was charged upon it foie
produce in one year. S.l;2pose the le
s;eking fund four milliofs and a jute,
sum borrowed twenty miltions, Elie interest
ing fund proportioned to fit teea miiiioe.
charged on the income tax. The coolegt
this system, which completely ceutradicter
ment of the worthy Baronet. was, that
Tax w.ts pledged to the public creditor di
years of peace—so that it was peiLctiy
when the Income fax originated, it teas .
templation that it must cease with the war. .e t,
peace of Amiens, hieeever, the T4l was set see
by Lord Sidman!) ; but that was done by impcel-'
(a large MASS ul p-:rinanetit taxes, ainountieg Len
iess than five giillions a ye:tr. On therettraal OM
war, Lord S.dniotaft pioi,i),c,l the Property TA
ehieli was adapted, !pit no pledge whatever es
given that it sli,iuld imnictliately cease with the aa.
In chit; situation the matter stood when a coateel
able addition was made to the ernouta of the 'reek
Lord Henry Petty, then Chancellor of the Eallie
quer. From the necessity of the occasion, the Tat
!f was at that time raised from 64.4 to 10 per cent. lad
the fin .racial plan was submitted to Pdfrii.M.lr,
; which he had occasion to Stier to oil slate subjeelms
Wh:tt. he had then seid had been much mule,
hend:.d, and t.,:i.s: Tient!), misrepreserged. What
had stated was, that the plan in (Fitment wassoc, el
structed as to Ruder it necessary, in cet taia MO*
that the Tax should net cease with the war. n't
had been commented on id another place, es if iv
had represented that the Noble Lord then at dieleab
iot the Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exch.'
I quer, eel expressed a wish teat ttie Tax setae! te,
continued during peace. He had never said t He
halt oniy said that they had cone...l.:red it me yis
a Tiestion of expediency, and not a question o, sad
Lid' ; and had never cunceived that t'ailialueiltcs
pledged to put an end tit the Tax with the war: la
the matinee in which he had alluded to that plan, Le
had expressed hinhelt wish all those feelings of it.
spect .and regent which he ever ought to cinema
towards them ; but he must not lose the benefit of
their high authority to shew that no distinct piece
was given that the lax should cease with these.
In the developemeni ot that plan it was expressie
stated, that it might be expected to cease enema
very short time atter the co nclusiea of peace. This
was not the language of one who meant to convey 1
pledge that the Tax shenld at all events cease oath
the war. II .such had b.ea the meaning of tii,':e
noble persons, would they not have distinctly stieef
that the property was not to be ptedged at all w the
public creditor ? But they spoke of it as a shot
question of discretion. In the sei ice of papers then
laid on the table, marked [2], it tiuuld appear that
it was contemplated that the 1..11 night be piel,ei
for large sums. He was aisle to go eialewhat torten,
and shew from a reported sperctt litA fie by taeElea
Chancellor of the lexchequ.e. in reele w erne obel•
stations offered by the ROIL Eloa. the Treasurer et
the Navy,- that the plan of finance thee ptopuseii Cl.
pressly contemplated, the possibility of the 'fax exist.
ing in peace: The Noble Lord (Lord Henry rate)
had then said, 44 that he made no pledge of his mei
opinion respecting the permanency of the taxes if
time of peace."
Mr. BARING rose to order. JI insisted that it
was extremely itregular to lead a paisage et- airport.
cd account ot a speech in Parliament—(Order, ceder.)
The CHANCELLOR 111 the EXCHEQUEk
answered, that a Speech of his own had ficee eui):lJ
and commented on in anther p:acc.—(Hear, kart
fro Me Ministers).
grelfrat.dCureriALnceiteAjirweeenbsegruvoeidin,gth:::iti there was
report, and a speech which had be, n corrected si:i;
published under the eye of the Right Hutwura •
I Gentleman.

Mr. ROSE observed, that nothing was ;Ivaco:am
neon than to refer to a Member's speech delivcr,ri or
a former occasion; but it the amour Able
man would prefer an oral recollectirm ut wlt.tt pot,"=
go that occasion to a written account of it, he loci;
_tell it them from his own inemory.--(Mar, Ag
a /asr44).
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEOVI
continued, and remarked, that the speech iMog
in another House been quoted as his, h ul been 11IL
lished without his authority. He would, ibovsaa.l

I;6i:tided
,thlst
wi
nielits it they t ,c(l.l.4inied sr;
'ting calmly :01,1 .4 re
le was the motet. di
not understati
ansl impartiellv et/ 10
t almost all ts,l ti
led a:legation that
00l pledged that tb
v.tr. In the petit' (the Lnntl,4l ()ethic, f
,tt nanibtr (4 pc •
e s • tne allegation wtp
had .
arg nts SUN b
4111 Cult's), slyjuir 1
!I:1g rather than I
01 the hcatkew,ll
of Liodon. 'hep
originated io.
Id others in Lai", I
ted• b)* Mr. Pittoe4 , I
c)te.be..fc
t ; nnJ if the petit'rctenily see

Me waili
'nu
'h.
Kai 4
We 614.4
Me Tait.,
ease %di tit
and sinti:„
tiaz
interest es
►lf, azj
•es: and 4
ras
Islam*
'Led CA arp,
the Int42e
during tq.
clear,
not in .-se
v.r. Ant.

4

rev

LI

en
at
~.t

ll'
'l'

41.
PO'

Pt
likl'
lio•

.•
• t
imp pettntivon o the °trek k *, en is natal
lewrat had been the opinion of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer at the period before referred to.—( Rassa,
wed),_The Noble Lord had said, that 40 if he were
disposed to hazard an opinion as to the expediency of
continuing the Property Tax after a Peace, it was
bin opinion that it was desirable to retain a small par-
don of that duty, as less borthensome than some of.
the War Tani. The propriety of continuing or re-
vealing it would be regulated, however, not by his
own opinion; but by the public opinion and feeling."
Osar, hear, from the Oft/to:Woe ).-t—His (the Chan
calor of . ,
the :chequer'-) own speech, which had
m q
weeo d corresponded exactly in sentiment with
be
of the Noble Lord. He had, indeed,'
rat no one had ever thought of proposing a tseh
Tax in Peace, in the shape of an annual
ant; but, at the same time, he had asserted, that if
tiara*, under particular circumstances, could he
a„ssla to consent to such a preposition, the Tax
j'aVe be wisely resorted to. He theufht he had
iloucunpletely made out his case, that in 1802 no
plejae bad been given that the Tax might not be
toed under some possible contingencies. He
bad shurn it from written documents, and could
osfirm it by his own personal recollection of what
Ibis took plade. He came now to the transactions
attest year: and certainly he could say, that at least
the circumstances of that period afforded do sea-
seeable opportunity of making a pledge to the calm-
ay. It was true that when the Ca: was proposed,
li rat many Gentlemen suggested various modifi-
cations: but he had recommended to the House
not to eater, at that important crisis, into minute
details, expressing, at the same time, an opinion,
that the consideration of the modifications would
come on better at the end of the year, when the
question of renewing the Tax would be discussed.
That time had now arrived, and now was the oppor-
tunity for proposing and debating on the modifica-
tions. He bad, perhaps, detained the House some-
"ha; too long with these preliminary remarks, but he
bad done so because he felt that a very strong Ito-
pressrun prevailed out of doors that there had been a
breach of a solemn pledge. Nor was it to be won-
dered that those who did not possess the knowledge
of Henow able Members on this subject should be de-
aired, when it appeared that even Hon. Memh
themselves, with all their opportunities of accurate
knowledge, had been completely mistaken. (Hear.)
It certainly was highly honourable to the maimed
character, that the people were so actively alive to
say supposed violation of faith on the*part ot public
men. But Ix must say, that, in this case, it was al-
most impossible that ary pledge of faith could have
been given. It was almost impossible, because the
supposition implied, that a contract could be entered
into between the people and their representatives, that.
these same representatives should never, under any
ruble circumstances, reconsider whether a particu-
measure might not be beneficial td the people.—
(Hear, hear.) A minister must be very indiscreet,
and entirely unworthy of his situation, who could
wake such a kind of promise. But, however that
:night be, it was undeniable that, in the present in-
stance, no such promise had been made. Nothing
bad occurred which ought to prevent either hims.:lf
teeny other person from proposing a renewal of the
tax. No Minister had ever pledged himself to its in-
dimeasible disCOntinuance ; and Mr. Pitt, or. the
contrary, had gone so far as to expressly pledge its
continuance. The question, therefore, of its revisal,
from all these circumstances, might be pronounced to
be wholly open to discussion. He came now to that
pert of the
.subject which, though in some points ot
view not so momentous as the question of public ho-
mier involved in the supposed breach of faith, was.
bowerer of more immedi .te and practical impor-
tance—and this was, the necessity of imposing this
lbarge. Here he was ready to meet the Alderman.
It was true, as he had said, that the teat was brought
b when public credit required it. The pet iod of 1797
Its one when the necessity of supporting this public
eedit was of the severest an I most urguit nature.—
'he different misfortunes which then pressed upon
the country were aggravated by the loans, amounting
to fety-six millions—a weight beyond what the :no-
' upmarket could bear. The depression of the funds
was consequently very great—so great, that it was
thought advisabie to raise the supplies within the
Par. Now, what had been the case with respect' o
the two years 1814 and 181 S? Exactly 100 millions
lad been borrowed—a sum so large, that Parliament
Wii called upon to use ail its exertions in order to re-
Sere the burthens of the.moncy-market. There had
ken in fact no period when public credit more re-
quired support.. At the peace of Amiens—a peace
hr less glorious and secure than the present, a peace
which, in all its relations, was rather a contrast than
a parallel with the present peace—yet even.then, at
the very naoment of negotiating the loan, the funds
were as high as 75. Gentlemen need not be told bow
different were the present prices ; nor was it matter
of surprise, when it was considered, that in the four
last years no less than 165 millions had been borrow.
ad. And here he must be allowed to say, that what-
ever animadversions might be made on the enormity
°ribose loans, yet whenever he considered the asto-
Wing series of successes and of glory which had
resulted from them, he could not but esteem it the
highest honour that could have befallen so humble
as individual as himself, that he bad been the in-
!,tnirnent of proposing ouch a plan of finance to the
rarliament. The effect of the measures which had
been carried through that House had been felt
-through all the operations of the war. No service
had been delayed for want of adequate pecuniary
ratana.--cto success, ha:. been checked in its
earl for want of the efficient supply of proportionate
resources. Large, indeed, our expenditure had been,
lest there had been no waste, and that had been
found CO be the truest economy, which, by expending
la Proportion to the occasion, produced results pro-
Pettionate to the expense.--(Hear, hear.)—He was
aware that there was another species of economy
likely to be recommended and enforced by the Hon.
Pointleman opposite: all he would say on that sub-
leCt at present was, let Gentlemen wait till the pro-
Pr opportunity and proper documents came before
than. He would merely add, that he himself an-
Paled a considerable reduction in several branches
"a public expenditure. Au Honourable Baronet had
roPued four alternatives for the Property Tax—all,
weever, founded on the principle ot borrowing in-
stead of raising money. lie stronglyobjected..to this
Itißeiiics Wes u b. laild alludy SWIM, the

money uteri:et should be relieeel, not burthenea.
There was A time when the very idea of a loan in a
miri• d of peace would have excited general- alarm.
The institution of the Sinking .Fond had served tb
relieve much-of these tears ; and wuen the system of,
credit shaft ;cot,- taecome improved, a-loan may be
resorted to: but the loan most tollow, hot nreceoe,
the improvement of this credit. He had heard in.
deed that it had been said, that a small loan would
give animation to the money market. Now, though
he was inclined to respect the opinions or practical
men, whose experience he had generally found very
sate to rely upon in ale practical matters ; yet dive
was something so paradoxical in this assertion, that
he could not subscribe to it, notwithstanding all his
respect for the quarter from which it came. Though
he had no doubt that the assertors of this opinion be-
lieved themselves to be perfectly disinterested in the
advice which they gave, yet it was not easy to
acquit them of some sort of bias. Same latent
motive, unknown even to themselves, might be
created by the difference between paying 5 per cent.
out of their income, and adding 20 per cent. to it.—
On a former occasion he bad illustrated the advan-
tage. of taxation over borrowing, by supposing the
familiar instance of a miraculous shower of. gold—
(/' laugh)—by which every man might have a guinea
in his pocket. In this case no man would. irons the
possession of a single guinea, be the mare able to pay
a debt of 510. No man, in fact, woula •delive any
serious or permanent advantage from such au acqui-
sition. On the other hand, let the collected mass of
these individual guineas come into the hands of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and then pass through
the different channels of the Bank, and the country
batiks, into the hands of those who most want it, it
would thus become an active productive capital to the
nation. Agriculture and commerce would be encou-
raged, and the system of money speculati ns would
revive and flourish. Eve:). Gentleman laws., he be
lieved, see the applicability cf. this illustration; every
one must see that .he principle of it had been the cause
that, under all its difficulties, the country had not beta
irrecoverably depressed—that in tact its re:out-eels had
accumulated, and that the largest loans and mist
extensive expenditure had only d:rangt..l, and could
not destroy. the uttancial means of the nation...-
lie was unwiliing in the present stage to troaule the
Committee by entering into pat oculars, but he trusted
he had proved that nu other tax could raise the large
sum required with so little pressure as the Property
Tax. Among the many opinions el winch he had
listened. he had hardly ever heard the general rpm-
ilt), and equity 01 the Property Tax denied - (Near,
hear, hear, front the Opposition side)—he meant
I compared with the circumstances of tue individual
and the weight at other taxes ; those upon articles of
' consumption bore with a very unequal pressure, not
being in proportion to the resoarcts, bat to the ex•
penditure of the individual, which a thousand circum-
stances might affect. In the course of the last Ses-
sion, with a view to provide a substitute for the tax
in question, he had suggested the adoption of various
others—to the nature of them he need not now refer,
but he was willing to submit the Property Tax to
be tried by that criterion. Those substitutes were
selected by him after the Oiliest consideration ; and
the general sentiment in the House and the country
seemed to be, that they would be much more bur-
thensonse and injurious than the impost they were
chosen to succeed. Previous to the meeting of Par-
liament, he had received many suggestions from dif-
ferent quarters as to the modes of regulating parts of
this measure, and among them there certainly was
j shown a disposition to exempt from the operation of
the bill 41:1 profits derived from industry. He was
'ready to allow, that could this object be fairly ac-
complish..d, some advantages might result; but,
in the first place, the landed interest would then have,
a right to complain that the whole mass of commer-'
cial property was exempted from all payment.—
The Committee was also aware that a questwu of de-
licacy existed with respect to money in the funds,
and it had been uniformly contended by Mr. Pitt
that that species of property could not justly be sub-
jected to taxation, if All Littler sources of emolument
were ti, t also rendered Wide. Then, indeed, a real
question of a breach of public faith would arise, for in
in every Loan Act a distinct clause was inserted,
providing treat the chvidend of the loan should never
he subject to taxation. If it were the pleasure of. the
House to entertain the Bill in the first instance, he
thought that means might be sound in its progress to
remove or weaken the major pit of the objections to
it. (Hear, hear.) That portion of the tax raised upon
money in the Funds, deducted by the officers appoin-
ted to pay dividends, was the most perfect machine
that could be devised : neither more nor less than
the fair amount was retained, without the possibility.
of evasion or over charge. He admitted that in that
past of the measure which related to incomes derived
from industry there were considerable defects ; the,
machine here lost its simplicity and its facility.—
Those defects divided themselves chiefly nato two great•
branches, distiognished in the Act by schedules B.
' and D. the first referring to the landed, and the last
to the commercial interest. Under the present pecu.
liar circumstances of the agricultural tenants, it could
not be denied that they were entitled to great relief,
of which he had spoken on- a former night, and lbw
' modifications then noticed, lie believed, had given
general satisfaction, as being adequate to the object.
He scarcely thou ht it necessary to restate what be
had then said; the committee was, aware that the
profits of the tenant had hitherto been calculated at
three-fourths of the rent he paid : under the new Bill
these proits were only to be estimated at one-third of,
the rent, which, besides being a great immediate re-
duction, would also operate mach in favour of a
large portion of the tenantry of the country, by bring-
ing them within the aliases entitled to abatements.—
The accounts spot* the table shelved, according to the
last assessment, that of the tenants of land entitled to
exemption only amounted to 114,000, but by the pro-
posed modification t
hestumber would be increased to
527,000: those not entitled to any allowance amounted
to 400,000, and their number would in future be re-
duced to 53,000; and 42,000 tenants, who hitherto
had not been permitted to make any abatement, bold-
ing farms of the yearly rent of 5e4511 would hereafter
be only 6,000. besides this rdliet, it was his intention
to propose a diminution Of the tax upon horses em-
played in agriculture : it the Property Tax should
pass, be should suggest that only 7s. 6d. should be
paid for each horse, and that.all farmers occupying
Iliad* a has amoral awn than £lOO, should not be

•
required to tenth rite at a ma—This alto
is •
tion would be a most important advantage to the
Western Codfities and to Wales. -As to schedule D.
Jae CULILIACd that he had not been able to discover any
remedy for the complaints of persons included in it:
the same grievances that afflicted the tenant did not
operate against the tradesman; for the tenant of land
was not charged upon 'any return made by himself.
but upon an assumed profit calculated by the amount
or the rent ; therefore an increase of tent, though it
reduced his emoluments, compelled him to par a
heavier -contribution to the State—(Heer, hear.)—
With respect to him, therefore it was the wish of the
supporters of this measure to afford as much relief as
was consistent with the nature of the case; and it was
intended to give the Commissioners some additional
powers, to enable them to make a fair allowance, in
Case of unexpected and extraordinary losses on the
part of the Lumen—(llear, hear.)—The merchant,
on the other hand, could never be assessed but ac-
cording to the amount of his own tem% and any
deficiency in his income could be stated in the return
of the succeeding year. In order, however, to obviate
some of the objections on this part of the question, a,
clause would be introduced into the new Bill, under
which an individual in trade might be charged ac.
cording to his estimated profits of the last year; St.
that he would not be called upon to make a fresh
seturn, but might pay the 5 per cent. upon a sum
previously stated. If the Merchant submitted to this
charge, of course no further inquiry would be neces-
sary ; and it was consequently in his power; by the
payment of the sum he contributed last year, to
avoid any painful and inconvenient disclosutet—
(Rear, hear, from the Opposition side.)—Undoubt‘,
edly, many cases might occur where the profits bad,
diminished, and then fresh returns would be deemed
necessary ; but if they bad increased, no addition
would be made to the assessment. It would, there-
fore, ue enacted, that every person in trade not laying
40 appeal within a fixed period, should be charged
to the Amount of his previous return; if an appeal
were laid, his affairs must necessarily be subjected to
a new exansioation.—(Hear, hear.)—The regulations
ander which this inquiry would be conducted, he
moped, would weaken the strenuous opposition by
Gentlemen on the other side of the House, for it
would be proposed to revive the clause of 1806,
which gave the trader the liberty of being charged
by referees of his own nomination; if, however, he
preferred to make his return to the Commissioners,
the investigation should not be made, as at present,
by all the Commissioners, but only by one of them,
to be selected by ballot, or any other impartial mode,
assisted by the Clerk ; they should receive the expla-
nation of the party appealing, being themselves
distinctly sworn to secrecy, and to destroy all
memoranda or other documents that might lead
to an exposure of the affairs of the Merchant.—
the tribunal would thus consist of only two persons,
and the report of the Commissioner so chores: should
be final. With these further, and in his opinion very
material improvements, he hoped that the House
would not only entertain the proposition in the first
instance, but, with such other amendments as its wis-
dom might suggest, would sanction its adoption.
(Hear.)—lt might be proper to mention again whit
had fallen from him on a former night—.that, in order
to give saiisfacticn to the public, and to set all hearts

at rest as to the continuance of the TAX, the time of
its duration should be stated in the preamble, with
the addition, that it was contiloaed only for the pur-
pose of defraying the extraordinary charges occa-
sioned by the war in the first years of peace. The
fact of the existence of those charges, he apprehended,
could not now be a matter ct discussion, the estimates
on the table communicating the details: if there ap-
peared that eight or nine millions would be required
tor the service of the present year, and four or five
tor the service of the next.
Mr. TIERNEY eked across the table for some of
the items of charge.
Tne CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
replied, that it would be difficult for him to state thei
particular articles, with their amounts. One charge
was tor repairs of the navy, which would be exten-
sive, not only during the next, but several succeeding
years: there were, besides, considerable naval expenses
of other kinds. A large sum was devoted to the ord-
nance, and others to various military departments.
If the opinion of any Gentleman should depend
merely upon the question, whether twelve millions
were necessary beyond the amount of the peace esta-
blishment, he could undertake in a very short time to
satisfy him upon that point. 'Io raise this sum was
the object of the Property Tax, and he earnestly re-
commended it to the House as a measure of urgent
necessity, and of great importance.—(Haar, hear.)
He had been most anxious to render the burden as
light as possible, by the introducdon of practicable
modifications; and he should be happy to adopt
others at the suggestion of Honourable Gentlemen
,on either side of the House, if they did not diminish
the amount to be produced by weakening the powers
of the measure. The passing of this Bill would fad!.
litate most materially the operations of the whole
financial machine of the country s while the Property
Tax was affording a temporary supply to a temporary
want, that machine, of late years much disorganized
and complicated, might be put into a state of repair
and activity which would facilitate the whole pro-
ceedings of the nation • with the Property Tax, the
money market would 1:e relieved, and he anticipated
a certain, if not a rapid, improvement in the public
pecuniary copcerns ; without it, the people would be
heavily burdened in other ways, Ind he could foresee
nothing but a long succession of difficulties and em-
, barrassments.—(Herr, hear, hear.) Upon this point,
it was not necessary for him to enlarge, since pro-
spects far more gloomy than any he was accus-
tomed to paint could be drawn by Gentlemen on
the opposite side of the House. Some persons bad'
required that, after the struggle, a breathing time
should be allowed to the country—he only asked a
breathing time to public credit, which was, in
troth, almost the same thing.—(Hear, hear 4—
Although, during the last three years, a burden of
100 millions had beet: thrown upon the money mar-
ket by repeated loans, yet he congratulated the House
that it bad been accompanied by no increase of taxa-
tion that system he hoped to see continued, and he
called upon the Thuse to continue a Taz calculated
to raise little more than bad been saved during the
two last years. By the operation of the plan of
nuance of 1813, the public had been spared the
weight of nearly nine millions of permanent taxes

Sit the Mating Fund bad 1611 bees
tail for all pm : It COlll.l tacit, hi

sent sustain any greater pressure,
tested, would be attended Rs,

consequences, more especially to the
and for this ~,ason the plan ot the Et
net (Sir J. Shaw), which proposed
diminution of it, was least eligible, b
mittee would be aware, that whether
borrowed in the market, or taken fr,
Fund, the operation was nearly the
litical and military glory of Ore it Britain had bees
carried to its utmost height, but it had been attended'
by a pressure upon her finances, from which they
could not be relieved without a virrous sertio
It was true that we had gained a happy An i secu e
peace, but we ought nut to be-in tin great haste :o
enjoy its advantages! precipitation mrgirt be rumor's.
while a wholesome restraint, a short dell, mtuid

enable us to render our blessings substarviai and p.ra
manent. He concluded by moving a It..solution for
the continuance of the Property Tax, ssitti the modi-
fications noticed in the coarse of his speech.
The question having been nut,
Mr. W. SMITH would almost oppose this Tia
'in war or in peace. He particularly objected t its.
inquisitorial operation, with respect to commercial
men. The proposition of the Chancellor of the Es,
chequer that Merchants should pay on their old as-
sessments or submit to a new enquiry int- their
fairs, he did not approve. It was known that many
had sustained great losses in the present year, and to
conceal these they w.buld pay on their old ass .ssmt-rits.
The tax would thus become a tax upon outgoings ra,
ther than income. He dwelt with much warmth on air

hardships endured under this tax, and hoped if any
Irish Gentleman had been brought over the Channel
to fix this impost upon England, that they would pause
before they carried this design into effect, and red..ct,
if they acted thus, whether it was not probable the
English would soon determine upon extending it to
Ireland. He proved the Tax to be at variance with
almost every page of Dr. Adam S nith, in winch
be treats on what should be the principles of taxation.
A loan he (Dr. A. Smith) considered would be a
less inconvenient mode of meeting the expenditure of
the year. He particularly objected to the tax, on
account of its pressing heavy on professional men,
whose incomes not only ceased with life, not only
with health, but often through caprice or accident.-
rhis, which was one of the_ greatest hardships sits.
tained under it, the Chancellor of the Elk h gun- had
not proposed to modify—he had not aeemei to thi,ak
it worthy of his consideration at all. He denied the
truth of the assertion so often made, that it till e e n
the rich, and ant upon the poor. The I.:come Ti.,
was a conscription upon property, and, as impased by
Mr. Pitt, was is tyrannical as that of B.inaparte upon
men. He should not enter into details ; this vs is not
the proper time, and he was oifident end time
would never come, but that on the very. first question
this odious tax would be lost. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. ROSE, amid loud cries of Queth,n,proceed,4
to defend the character of his departal iris ;td ( 71,-.
Pitt) from the attack that had been made sewn it 'lr
the Honourable Gentleman who had just sat dm.
That Honourable Gentleman had denied Mr. Pitt's
financial abilities, and, describing a test by uelieh
talents were to be tried, denied that by that teat &s
departed trimd could be considered as a gre it
financier.—( Here an evident impatience was test tied
by the House, and cries of Question were re 3 uhied).
—Mr. Rose cantinued. Shah an attack be permitted
on the•character of an indivilual, and shall it not
be permitted to his friends to offer any detente ?-..
He was willing to adopt the test of the Honour.
able Gentleman, and he was persuaded that Mr.
Pith's character would be established by the ap.
plication of it beyond the reach of question or
dispute. The Honourable Gentleman had said,
that great abilities were proved by the amen.
plishment of great undertakings, through great
difficulties, and with small means. Let the House
look at the first period of Mr. Pitt's Adminispationa
and, considering the circumstances in which it corn.
menced, compare them with the state of the country
after two years of his exertions and services, and there
could not remain a shadow of doubt of the greatness
of his financial character. When he entered upott
office at the end of the American war, he found pulse
lic credit exceedingly depressed, the national re.
sources in a state of great exhaustion, and the re.
venue of the country insufficient to defray the peace
establishment, with the interest of the debt contracted
in a long, lextensile, and unfortunate struggle...-. '
He found it necessary to impose £950,000 of new
taxes ; but by this addition, by economy, and by
an improved collection of the revenue, 'he not only
' brought the annual income of the nation to meet the
annual expenditure, but provided a million for the
Sinking Fund, which he established in the year 1786.
Before he came into office, the war expenditure ex.
ceeded the war revenue by three millions a year.--
What the Honourable Gentleman had stated con.
corning Mr. Pitt's opinion of the Property Tax, was
founded in error, or at least was without authority.
He had never called it a War Tax, or declared that
it could not be continued in peace. So much was
his conduct: opposed to such a suppos:hon, that •be
bad mortgaged it for 56 millions. Had the interest
of this great sum not been provided for from another
source by Mr. Addington, who succeeded Mr. kat,
in 1802, it was calculated that the Property 'fax
could not have been disengaged or removed for nine
years of peace. rie (Mr. Rose) allowed, with an
Honourable Alderman, the liberality of the Bunke, c,
Merchants, and Tiaders,of London, in fiist suggeh.
lag this Tax, _ and submittitig to it with such cieer.
fulness; but he denied that there was any pledge
given to abolish it at the end of the war. The T.I x
produced at first three millions, which they raised to
six.—[Here the cries of Question became so frequent,
that although the Hon. Gentleman continued to
speak for some time, nothing but unconnected sen-
tences could be heard from the gallery.]
Mr. WHITSHED KEENE r ,se, in the midst rf
the same interruptions. The Honourable Gentkinass
(said, that it was the duty of his Majesty's Mtilistei a
to get money for the public service, and to get it by
the best means. He wished to increase the froeerty
Tax to 20 per cent. and to take .off all the other taxes,
n
especially thosi on leather, beer, salt, and those that
bore on the poor. The Mined-r had sham right
endeavouring to continue the tax. It woutu, he eon-
shirred, be much more effectual to relieve the tampers
and to give him an increase, than to 4114011tIalie a

. •

•
preavved
sffec-
however. .1t pre-
And a loan, Is
post detrimental
e Sinking Fu id;
ronour4ble 800,
I a still lurthtr
o.eause the C
the money were
inns the Slating
!lune. The

,
t
1
1

' •

..

, .
•t ax. The. Molise should ciasside the small effect of
abolishing re-tax, and the great effect of an increase
of prices to the agricultural interest. 1-fe thought t
much better that the Minister should have • time to
lessen geofnally the great taxation that pressed so
heavily upon the pe..tple, and to increase the agricul.
tural prices, -es the _Property and other taxes were
gradually diminishine.
Mr. HART DAVIS considered the pro Posed Tax
. not as a permanent measure of finance, but as•one
arising out of the expense of the war, to wind up
which would require the continuance of it for two
years longer. He had heard, with great satisfaction.
Vie luminous statement of the Right Honourable the
ChanCelior of the Exchequer ; but there was one
point'upon which he wanted some further explana-
tion. He did slot clearly understand what were the
P.; e'it Honourable Gentleman's intentions with re-
. speet to-those lendlnrds whose farms are given up,
e who consequently receive no rent for them ?44 I
think, (said the Honourable Gentleman, that the
stainism: of Governrient—(This verbal mistake caused
the loudest laughter, and Icing continued cheering),
think that the Alinisters of Government are jirsti•
fled in their proposition for a continuance of this Tax'
for two years longer, in which time they will be able
to look ir.to the final z.ituation and prospects of the
countiY, and to recommend permanent measures, the
result of deliberate consi.leration and experience."—j
The lionuurable Gentleman objected to the surges-
. tion of a loan. The Agricultural litierest, he said, had
a decided chiim uteri Governmeet ir protection, and
if there were no further bate the consequence would
be that Stocks would preserve their price, or continue
to advance o':il the interest upon funded capital was
so low as to occasion the divOrrsioa of it into low's to
country bankers, who could thus afford accomiondi
tion and relief to the agricultural interest. He was
sorry, upon the question of this tax, to differ in opi-
nion frovi a great number of his most respectable
censtituente, but he felt Coo he should not consci-
entionsly.de his duty if he did nut give his vote in
favour of it.
• The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
explained, that he intended to introduce a clause in
the Bill to relieve landlords, who should not have re-
ceorei tlreir rents through the flight or the insolvency
of their to (Crier sf Qaestifin.)
Mr. B RING .illudeif t-) tile Right Honourable
Treasure• cf tae No:y as eiie general preen-list
ot all taxes and all Tax-gatherers.—(lleer, hear.)—.
He had no doubt that Use Ilenourable Olorbei fur
Bristol (Mr. Hirt Davis) had strong reasons for
punitig aside the Pieitioris Of. his Constitu.oits, bat he
feared they never would lied out how the Pr )petty
Tax would raise the value of their cows from £lO to
sel I. He called upon Cie Honeurebie Gentleman I
t') fIiSeTVC, T. at contrary to his aseertinn, the Ch in-
tenor of the E %del iter had not pledotel hints of to
coot nu: the Tax ter two years oniy. The elij of
ffie;siers wee re have tar otinc;ple of the Property
Tee (ice fix :d in time of oeace, and then the country j
.ver sir its end--(,11.,w). A I? :;1:t if '
1.:n• n hid corn 0.. rel tn. peo.o of 17..7 ••••':i tee
post et. test Core: 4. es no Ihz
1,1 •j,ete as i:oor Exelevici a reit
Ceti etry• o thee n rces etr y t Ora w tle
est :Lie ot t: (ere-try Otte de Ettletooter Lilt
new :her, w toe ExOtelecr a peer coun-
try, -old the teiiet te he hes:need on the country
a).! not or, the EXZbi --(Beer, ht..zr, hear )- •
'fee o the col:rely weir on very well; there
Wits HO diiicnity in bin rmc'u'g, and the cOstrtes of
every class wes to tie nee, noi: to: taking more tweet).
out of their packets, bat by takiiig off taxes.
(licae, hear.) Tl:e Chancellor of the Excheqaer
treated the courery as a seat C 1 p They
not want to borraw money, but a inerket for the r
produc=e—(Near, hear!)—He Oett the fund)
were in a wee of theolessien :hey !ielled at this
tr.cment more than five per cone Tliey :.ere far
metre likely to be affected by the shrOtking of the
property of the count: y, when people would be so re-
duced as to sell stocks out of e bulk. The
effect product:; by a l0•t:1 01 nine milli is; would le:
nothieg in comparison, and in one week er two wetdd
tot be felt in citculation. He would he the last,
however, te tecouniend a lain': but exchequer Oilis
might be issued, and a floating debt created to be
!Ceded at a more levourable opportunity. The Cien-
celior of the Exchequer had shewit :to reouvial nt cos-
city for ti:e Tax. It tie wanted it only for EV/0 year's,
supposing his former pledges good, tie might taise
his ten millions in a different manner. If he took
five per cent. from the Sinking Fund, the whole Uur-
then would lie one million. The question, therefore,
was, whether it would be preferable t o revive this
oppressive Tax, loaded with the execration of the
country—to sacrifice the character of Parlieetemt—
or to take one million out of the twelve millions of
the Sinking Fend ?-•-•(llear, hear.)
Lord CAS TLERLAGH assured the Hogue, that.
nothing but a strong sense of duty could induce the
Government to risk losing the favour of the country,
and to oppose itself to its mutual desire to be relieved
from taxation. noisiers should turn their backs on
their own duty, if they gave up the painful.task.—
He had the highest respect for the petitions oL the
people, but it was not beyond its walls that Parlia-
ment were to seek for guides in the execution of their
duties. When he looked at the Petitions themselves,

he was not disposed to believe that the country was
disposed to turn its back un that financial system
which had carried it through all its difficulties. He
was not astonished at the number or the nature of the
Petitions presented to the House. Many of them con-
tuned extraneous matter, which, if attended to, would

shake the security of the enTire to i:s foundmuous.—

The meetings had not been called. to discuss the
opc_ity Tax alone—it liaJ .been mentioued becittitie
4 popular %%cal on to wit:11; but had been usect
0:4 to introduce other sentiments.. Ile sltould tam-
tion as an kstance a cutain niecting,. where an
ntiorable cl.posite (Mr. Ikon&tam) had
come to speak ag.ttust T.ot, and 11\dt:or
bTen alele to it'ut:ein a hearing, so little was the Tax
itself the oljecL ct th M.-.;;;ng. 1-16. contended that
ooiy one-feuith of the curit..ies of Great Britain had
pe.ittuned. t:era wcie nutty connties, and only 19
bad czoie.ised their rnt:nleilts. flier:: were in alt'
about lour fetitior.q, and ,:tte-thild of those
had co:net-Imo COW110:S, los the Of I..etiti.niing
b', poet hi had Leen I.iteiy akic.pted —l2O had thus
been i,iodaced ty 1)f:1,61144e and sn,,
!lot) la the otucx cutibUCS. LA4 corauterci.d 1,60 WU;

; -

were divided in Opinion- (Po, no.froon the Oftparit ion.)
When he reflected on the course followed by the
Gentlemen opposite, on their influence in the country,
•
land their endeavours by clamour to persuade the
people that his Majesty's Ministers were guilty of a
breach of faith, far from being astonished at the
number of Petitions, he only wondered that it was
not more considerable. He owned that there was a
strong expectation throughout the country, that the
Tax would terminate with the war—(Hear, hear)—
and if it could be done, consistently with theitsluty
to the Nation, Ministers would be bound to do it.—
But it was a delusion tosay, that they were pledged
to-discontinue the Tax with the War ; so far from #s
being in contemplation, all Administration had' in-
tended to mortgage it in time of peace. He then
repeated, that Lords Grenville and Henry Petty
must have had that in view when they proposed their
plan of finance, and therefore could not consider, it
as a breach of faith. He contended that his Right
Hon. Friend. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had
distinctly stated that the Property Tax would be
only wanted for two years. Ile would, in round
numbers, explain the financial situation of the cOuh-
try. • Its expenditure this year would be .10 millions,
hot next year only 20 millions sterling. Ti
revenue in Annual Taxes and surplus of the
lidated Fund was six millions. Out of '24 !if
War Taxes, only two millions and a half we,
) gaged—X2l,soo,ooo therefore still reniainet
with the six millions already mentioned, one
! 028,000,000, to meet an expenditure of £30,4
It was now intended to remit eight millions
ito the people, or nearly one-third of the
which must be made up this year by the advance from
I the Wink, and the surplus of the Consolidated Fu
l
I The reduction of the Property Tax to live per cell
I end the removal of one million of taxes from t
agriculture, would bring down the clear revenui Ict
1 41 4X0,000 per annum. If the whole of the Propertf
Tax were suppressed, only £9,000,000 would remainf
i to meet an expenditure next year of 18 er '2O indlionsf
If that tax were abandoned, it would not be only a
loin of six millions, but of 12 millions that would be.
required from the Bank. Ve the advance of sit'
indiums on the pervot that ertablishment was notliink'
in reality, but a loan obtained on advantageous tuna.;
This sysiem of borrowiee would not be tor one year
only—het every year it would be necessary to borrow
the difference between twelve millions and tweetj
million, or eight millions sterling ; for it would be
ruin 'ur to put the country on a peace establishment
of twenty millions:with a revenue of nioe or twelve
millions only, and in Case of war, all her strengo
Would be paralized. The Sinking Fond only con-
s:sted of X 11,200,000, and was not, therefore, of a
sufficient magnitude to allow of its being drawl
upon. Ile conjured the country to Irk at the great
prtaciple tit finance on which their safety was built.
It was on treat ground that he should woe the mu-,
surd, not as one erf expediency, but of fionseial up.l
cesity. It it should he given up a debt of 12milliossi
would be incurred this year. and every other year,l
one of either six or eight million, He trusted the
country would not turn their backs on thensselves,
and he put it to the spirit of the nation, whether tleel
would shrink from nseaeures neceseery for ti,eir pre-
servation. (Lcrul Cries of Questioa,Qaeolies.)
l's.h.. betOUGH AM 41.04 that the Noble Lord's
allusion to what had taken place it the Westutiustti i
Meeting was completely unfounded. Ile bad* at..
tended thetournerous anus respec table assembly merely
as a et:meteor. lie !;.rd no tight to speak, not being
a householder in NVtotminster, and had not retired itt
consequence of any observations respecting his con.'
duct, for none had been made. The assertion was
therefoie on a par with that et the Noble Lord, that
only nineteen ()et of the 90 counties, thus doubling
the number of the counties in England, had pen-
tiened. With respect to the appeal attempted by the
Noble Lord to %Overt the atteeron of the independent
part of House, those who were unconnected with
eny party, it would fed as it deserved. Fur neither
he, nor those independent men cared what pledges
Mr. Pitt, Lord Grenville. or Lord Henry Petty-might
have given and notated. they looked at the pledge
recorded in the Journals 'Ol the House. Instead of
leaving recourse to the constant recrimination of par-
ties, he should. npplY to those records, and terminate
his appeal by reading the pledge which they con-
mined, in the 227th sectiou of that interminable Act.
He then reed from the Journals of the House the
following clause in the Act of the Property Tax:
" Be it en tctrd, that this Act shall commence and
take effect from the .sth of April, 1806, and that the
staid Act and the duties thereuf shall continue iu force
during the present war, mid until the 6th of April,
next eater the definitive signature of a Treaty of Peace,
4411 no ,'tree."—.(Sleeted of hear, hear, earl repeated
eriga of Qmejcn. questian.)
, - Mr. WILLiEitFORCE. conceived it 'fair to con-
clude, that Ministers were actuated by what they
eensidere_d a strong sense of dury, in persevering in
' a measure so unpopular. Yet, after the concession
of his Noble Friend, that a great feeling of expectro .
tion had been entertained by the country that the
Tex would expire with the War, he thought its re-
newel would be harsh uuder any circumstances.--
' (14ar, dear).—But under what circumstances. was it
proposed, when it was rather expected that a bonus
would be given to the people ?—(lltere, hear, hear).
—His Noble Friend hod given a tremendous view of
the subject. If he understood him rightly, he bad
:beim, that at the end of two years the necessity for
the coutinuatiou of the taz would be as morn as it
now was said to bo.—(!Prat, hear).—He had there.
fore proved too much ; he had-proved that the
country would never obtain the relief which it
ought to receive, and that the only means of gain.
ing it, was the curtailment of her expenditure,-,(lfe-
ftea‘cd shows of hear, /mar, hear, for several minutee).—i
't'he question was, which should be relieved, the
toting market, or the people P (Hear, hear.) When
'the plop's of Englend should know the Amount thus'
inirosed on them, they would think that the House''
had been carried away by speculations on general
prieciples, and had net telt for but contemned those,
'distresses, which were very great indeed, .and were iu-
created, as his-Neble Friend himself had seid, by the
confident expectation of relief, an expectation which
wou:d have been sacrificed to the wish of assisting'
the teipney market.—[Here the sholits of Hear! were
so frequent, and the en :it .y of the Heutre to divi.le,
so tomultutrus, that little more became audible in the
{allay, but by the thundering peal which attended
the cio4e of thelso...ourable Member's speech, it was'

.. •

understood tlot he had once more expressed his in
tention to vote against the Tax.]
genet ory for the exclusion of strangers imme-
'diately fotteiWed, and the House divided—
For ;e Property Tax - 201 '
.
Ag tt - . . . 23S
tylority against the Resolution for
renewing the Property Tax 37
Tlte declaration of Members was received with
long and reiterated shouts of c which
ph reed all the avenues of the H...ase, and were au-
dible at a great distance. Strangers were exclikkd
for some time by this expression of the lUMUILU AIS
.feelings of the twijority.
When the general cheering hail subsided, ant the Gallery was
se-ovenvd, we found Mr. Bemis F. T T moving Mr the pi (Houton
of several -Papers relaive to the ;:ommisssriat Departme-J.
11 The Report of the Committee of Sulyit on the Pi nice Re-
heat's Message with respect to the Marriage n! the Princess
Ciiarlotte, was received, and the Re,oluti ins read a second dine.
A Bill w w ordrred to he broniit in conform.:,:y.
The cumtnittre oh :lie Sate of the National Agriculture vms
postponed till Thursday next.
Mr. I.USIIINC.: FON brough! in the American Commercial
Convention Bill, wkich was read a first titni., anu urdaed to he
printed.
read 'a secoud time, and or.

LONDON. •
• •
TUESDAY, MARCH IP, ISIG. •
PRICE OF S roms THIS DAY Al' 1 WELYE O'CLOCK:
Reclucc.l(.hut)—Cotis. m0.61,15—f0r acc. 6 •
•, 4 per Cent. (ellut)—.l per Cost. 901-,l3orstli :e. pr.
CHIVII. 171 i pr.—Do. pay. kWh 4s. 41:s. pan
•

A Dutch Mail arrived this morning, blot the con-
tents of the papers broug:it by it are comparatively
unimportnit with the dis:ussion on the Income Tax,
iti the details of which we have been very ample.

By the way of Greenock we have received New.
York Papers to the 20th l'he's mast impr-
tant article is the New Tariff, or tAle. Importa-
tion Duties, issued by the American Givernment :
in its discriminations it is precisely sinsilar to the.
Tariff which existed ions to thu war. We shall give
it at length the first day we hive room. It is net
true that the inhalntints of Catliagens w.:re rms.
sacred, or even ill-treated, on its surrender to the
Royalist Spanish troops.

TUB OVISTITLITICN Yon UV Ea is—Tns PAILIAMMI
roa Evia i..- OLD ENGLAND FOR EVER !—Tile coil-
,' duct of the Hnuse of er.stianons, last night, has dJne
more to preserve the Erryire from ruin, than all t!iat
was effected ,hy Ile patience, rerseve.Tanc, and 5.4-
-agates of the cooktry, during the war of twenty-five
years which we were forced to carry on with an im-
placable enemy. Thanks to t orrect British feeling,
and its natural product, the unanimity of all parties
for general safety—thanks to the ready exercise of
he right of Petition—thanks to the honest exertions
of a Free Press—thanks to the incorruptibility of the,
virtuous Majority of the House of Commons, the
project for entailing on this free country an uncoil-
,stiintional inquisitorial Tax, disgraceful to free men ;
in its very nature ruinous to industry, and cons?
quently to the finances and resources of the country,
was last night consigned to contempt and execration
by the Iteprescotatives of the People!

By what infatuation could Ministers allow them-
selves to be induced to propose, for a time of Peace, a
Tax which, even as a IVar Tax, was held —and justly
too, in such detestation, that all the othvr talcs to-
gether when compared with it, were held to be light
and trivial—a tax which threatened more real dan-
ger to the safety of the State than all other evils
united—a tax which (for we may speak out senti-
ments freely now that the dander is over) a tax wt.ich
it persisted in, would sooner or late, have exi-ioscd this
great Empire to the danger of a civil War l Will( evil
geniuscould induce them to attempt reasoning away the
force of promises and pledges of Ministers and Parlia-
ment, by pettifogging quirks and quibbles, which the
nervoue,manly,buld, independent and unsophisticated
rood sense of Britons must ever spurn anYdespis,,
while they retain the character and privilews of free
men! What opthaimic malady could give them such a
distorted view of the scene around them, as to induce
a belief that the Representatives of the Nation might
be so wrought upon as, in deference to Ministers, to
treat the unequivocally expressed sentiments of their
Constituents with contempt and scorn ? Wlsat delu-
sive feeling of confidence in their own stability could
induce them to set at defiance the voice of truth and
justice—the voice of a great, a power ful, and a free
People ? Let them learn, by the lesson they have.
just receiiedohat the voice of the Nation, when the
Nation chooses to express it, cannot be
.resisted by
any Administration with a hope of success. That
this voice, when occasion calls for its mandate, can
overwhelm Ministers with disgrace, and, if deemed
necessary, with expulsion from employments, and
from all their attendant benefits.

We shall not detain our Readers with the slightest
epitome of the discussion which took place last night
in the House of Commons on this abominable at-
tempt to sequestrate the twentieth of every man's pro-
perty, without leaving to him die power of any ap-
peal to a jury of his Peers against vexatious impesi-
ticias and surcharges. Suffice it to say, the defence