Star.
London, England, 1816-02-10 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.

The Loan Nlnvoft, Aldermen, and Liverymen of
the City ul Linitlon, ran. yesterday in Guildhall for
the purpose of considering the propriety of petition-
ing Parliament against thv continuance or renewal of
the Tax upon Income, conimonly called the Property
Tax.

The LORD MAYOR hawing stated the object 'of the
Meeting, said he would only address them in two, or
three words, for he could hardly suppose that there
was more than one ()pinion in Vie Hall on the bilbi:Ct
they were called on to consi.lcr ; but shouk it be
otherwise, he had to request that they would give zt
hearing to both sides of the question.
The iteTikition, with the Signatures, was then
read, alter which,

Mr. Ltuts DAVVIS came forward, and attiT ad- I
vetting to the Requi.ition, said they had to iic know- :
ledge their obitgation to the Lord Mayor, tor the
prompt attention which he had petit) to it. It had,
talcs to his lot to address them un that most interes-
ting matter which they were now called oa to consider.
Atter some observations he would present to them
certain Resolutions which he had taken the liberty to
prepare, that they might express their opinion in suit-
le language respecting that most odious of all taxes,
fEe Property Tax,—(Applasur).—Ha felt hiinst.ll
inadequate to the occasion, and must expect front
them the exercise of their accustomed kindness and
candour. It was a satisfaction to bins on the present
occasion that the question was one which left no room
for party discussion. They were all of them com-
pletely able to appreciate its importance, and esti-
mate its pre-eminent claim upon them, in preference
to all other questions merely of a pa. ty or political
nature; so that he hoped the Resolutions would be
adopted 'with unanimity, if not with acclamation.—
They.all knew from experience the misery and suf.
feriogs which had been endured in conseqiience of
that odious tax ; and, their feelings rendered it super-
fluous for him to attempt to expose, at any length,
the hardships and degradations to which they had
' all been so long exposed. Besides the m *tier had
been so tu:ly detailed in another place, and came so
home to every man, that this enlargement was quite
unnecessary. It was to be remembered that not more
than sixteen years ago this tax had been first proposed
to meet the exigencies of 'the Government. All of
them knew that it had been proposed as a temporary
measure to meet the existing financial ditficultiei—
that it was only to be continued as a War Tax, and
to cease on the restoration of Peace. They all
recollected, also, that there was a period, though
very short certainly, in which this Tax ceased to ope-
rate—a period similar to that which had now again
returned—though it was almost presently reimposed,
from the country's being again plunged in another
war. They were indebted to the Councils of a Mi-
nister, whose monument was then in his eye, for the
first. enactmcnt of that Tax, and its long continua-
tion. They had, however, now arrived at a period,
.when. from the great exertions which had been made
last year, with such effect, ai a reward for their pub-
lic spirit, decision and constancy—they had a right
to look for an alleviation of their sufferings. H. had
only to appeal to the concessions of Ministers last
year, in justification of 'what he had vs submit to
them. Were it not for the unhappy circumstance of
the country having been again plunged in war, in all
probability they would not have had any renewal of
the Tax, which would, as a. matter of course, have
ceased to operate. How extraordinary was it then,
even at a moment when the Commissioners of his
Royal Highness stated to the Houses of Parliament
that peace was likely to be permanent. in conse-
quence of the great and signally successful exertions
of the nation, the Chancellor of the Exchequer
should think proper to put the feelings of the peo-
ple to a fresh trial, and announce his intention of
proposing a renewal of the Property Tax. ( dtplasur.).
--It would almost seem as if he had thrown out this
merely with a view. of. seeing how the people would
take it. He hoped, then, they would .let them see
in a becoming manner how they took it.. But, to dot
away the objection to it, he had 'told thern that U
would be reduced one half in its amount, :tad that
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