Star.
London, England, 1816-03-07 00:00:00

M4NSION HOUSE MEETING.'

Yesterday a very numerous Meeting of tho Bankers,
Merchants, and Traders of the City of London, took
place in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House, in
pursuance of :: Requisition, signed by some of the
most eminent Bankers, Merchants, and Traders, di-
rected to the Leto) MAYOR, in order to take into core
sideration the propriety of petitioning the two Houses
of Parliament, against the renewal of the Property Tax.
At one o'clock the Lotto MAYOItt in a short ad-
dress to the Meeting. ...wed the purpose for which
they were convened. His Lordship stated, that when
he came into the distinguished situation he now held,
be bad distinctly intimated that he would never take
up any party matter, bit act, on all occasions, as an
independent Magistrate. That feeling bad hitherto
actuated his conduct, and be was determined still to
,persevere in that line of action. But on an occasion
like the present, be felt no hesitation an complying
with the desire of his fellow citizens, in calling them
together s and it was a rdost gratifying circumstance
to him to °bottle so highly respectable and nume-
rous alleeting, noon such a question. Although
i
this was not a k occasion for him to enter into a de.
tail of his owls sentiments upon the subject of the
Property Tax ; yet he thought he had a right, even
in that situation, to declare his opinion that, of all
others* this was the most obnoxious impost ever in
vented. He should forbear entering into a detail
,particulars - juttift Mg -that opinion, but he could net
abstain from mentioning one instance within his awn
knowledge, where the operation of the tax was most
oppressive—it was the case of a Gentleman in Or
country who had sustained a loss in trade of eighty
thousand pounds, and the Commissiowers in the
country nut knowing how to act with respect to Ilia
assessment, represented the ease to the Commissioners
in. town, who. after taking the subject into roosidera.
lion, the result was that an extent was sent down
against the Getelernan's property for two thousand
pounds, and his Lerdshir had himself become surety
for the deism. He then read the Reqii.eition,
Mr. HIBBFAT opened the busiiiess of the day, and
commenced b; adverting to the part he had himself
taken in the year 1798, when in that very Hall he
had prrpeseal a string of Resolutions, which were
ea tied by a very numerees meeting of Merchants
Imo Trotters. in the presence of Sir Richard Carr
Glyn, the then Lord Mayor. Ile availed himself of
nis opportlinity to read those Resolutions. the object
of which was to induce the City of London, by vo-
luntary contributions, to lend its aid in defraying thel
expenses of the war in which the country was then
engaged. Unfortunately, these Resolutions were the
forereitnere of that Tax, against which the present'
Mectitit; was convened to express its sentiments. No'
idea, howevcr,.ve,s then entertained that*luch advan-
tage would be taken a the feelings and sentiments
of the Citjetin that occasion. '1 hat certainly was a
seas"n which required great exertions, and for his
ownpart, in adopting the course which he then took,
he was actuated oily •by 'an anxious regard to the
public welfare. He crefld put his hand upon his'
heart and say, that then. as now, he hhd had no com-
munication with the Minister. Actuated by a sincere
apposition to the •priesiple of a tax, with the conti.,
nuance of which the country was now threatened. he,
had come forward to invite his fellow-citizens to raise
their Unanimous voice against a measure threatening
the best interests of the country. Every one knew that
the Property Tax had continued ever since the 25th
of April, 1798, with little intermission. But who',
could have imagined that the Ministers would have
had the hardihood to continue it, after the grounds
upon which alone it could be justified had ceased ?.
Altar the Negociatioos at Lisle had been broken off,,
it was found necessary to make some great exertions)
for therettoration of peace, and therefore the country
cheerfully volunteered in a cause which promised ulti-
Mate success • to make such exertions effectual, they
consented to ;hit novel and unprecedented tax—a tax,l
which be wok leave to say, had dethroned Bonaparte;
and yet, for seventeen years had imposed shackles
upon the commercial and agricultural resources of
the country. He would not say that it was, an un-,
constitutional Tax, because any Measure concurred
in by the three branches of -the Legislature, could
not strictly be called unconstitutional ; but most cer-
tainly it wanted that which alone could render it
acceptable in a constitutional point of view, namely,
the tree assent of the people. To speak in detail of
the principle pnd operation of this Tax was unneces-
sary—every man's experience upon the subject bore
out tie eeclaratini, that it was unfair, unequal, and
Ont. It reuuced all to one common level. The

profits arising from the works of genius and industry !
were subjected to its influence, although there was
no capital engaged in such works. The sick and
helpless were confounded with the healthy and pros-
perous; nor did even the reverses of fortune,- and
the fluctuations inseparably incident to all .commer-
cial transactions, make any difference in its operation.
But this was not the worst of its features—its inqui-
sitorial and oppressive exactions rendered it intole-
rable in a free country. The Honourable Gentleman
adverted to instances bearing out this statement, and
illustrative of the character ascribed to it. It was
true, when first this Tax made its appearance, there
was nothing very alarming in its aspect ; but year
alter year it presented some new and ugly featuroo
affright the people-e-year after year it put forth its
rapacious hands, grasping all within its reach.—
The arrival of Peace had now put it into the power
of the people to exterminate that dreadful monster,
aid he trusted that power would not be exerted
in vain. He had heard some apologies made for
it, in the nature of vindieation, byline of pal.
flue all that he had heard upon. the
subject was fallacious 'and dehasive ; and he could
not but look with a great deal of jealousy at
such arguments as had been urged in its favonr.—
'rhe thief argument suggested for it, was the facility 1
it afforded in supplying the wants of the State. Such
an argument was most dangerous, for it was
to raise money rather too easy. Temp Tary cooed;
ency, as matter oi police, might Instily the suspension
of the Habeas Corpus ; bailie argument now relied
upon in support of the Property I'es, would go to
overturn the Constitution. Somethiog had been said
of taking some classes of people out of its operation;
but that would no. make it less objzctienable, for he
objected to the principle of the Tax itself. It was not
the Smallness of its amount which could render it
palatable. The Tax must be put down altogether,
and he invited every man present to concur with him
in the Resolutions which he should have the honour
to propose. He could not conclude, without advert-
ing very shortly to the strength of the country, with
regard to its outer defence, although that subject was
not within the scope of his present objection. lie could
not conceive upon what principle a standing army
could be justidA. It was high time that. the soldier
should return to domestic retirement, and that-the dis-
tinctions of soldier and citizen should cease. What
had the Minister to fear ? Was it the loyalty of the
people, or their attachment collie Constitution? He
had always considered the strength of a country to
consist in the excellence of its government, and the
disposition of the people—not in standing armies.—
The s tidier lived in his native land separated from
domestic habits, and a stranger to many of the feel.'
jags of his countrymen. No free constitution could
endure long where the government placed its trustin
any security except the loyalty and and affections of
its subjects. Well had the poet exclaiened,
M For oh ! may neither fear, aor stronger love—
Love, by thy virtuong princes nobly woe—
Thee last of many wretched nations more,
With mighty armies gradated round the throne,
To trod thy every. Then, farewell the c'astua
Of heeling ! tier proud records to the dames!
Then bear an offering at Ambition's shrine;
Whate'er thy ancient pairio.s dared demand
From furious John's or tabbies, Charles's hand,
Or what great William seard for big adopted lbw.*
He shout-1 trespass no longer on their time, except to
express his hope that, from that same Hall where the
first invitation which led to the tax was heard, a de-
cisive voice might now issue, declaring that the only.
object of the tax was now eccompiiihed, and that its
existence was therefore no longer necessary.;--(Lotid
a/t/t/atue).—Mr. Hibbert then readhie resolutions, for
which we refer our Readers to the Advertisement.

Mr. Tunt.en, in a neat and appropriate speech,
seconded the ResoititiOUlL He strongly argued
against the renewal of the Property Tax in a time
ot Peace. It had always been held to belong ex-
clusively to war, and what had been recently said of
no pledge having been given last year that it should
not be revived, inasmuch as the words " and no
longer" had been omitted in the Bill then passed, he
held to be a quibble that would disgrace the meanest
pettifogger of an honourable profession—( efolaare).
—lt was singular that the worthy Gentleman who
moved the Resolutions of 1798, should be- the first
:to come forward this day, to oppose the continuance
,of that impost which had grown on those Resolutions.,
He trusted this circumstance would have due weight,
and that he who had in some sort been the means of
causing this Tax to be imposed, would succeed in his
',frau to abolish it. This Tax, it was said, touched
'the miser, who could not by other means be brought
to contribute his share towards the exigencies of the
State. In criminal law it was a maxim, that 99
guilty prisons had better escape punishment, than
that one innocent man should suffer unjustly. A
principle diametrically opposite was adopted with re.
spect to the hoarder of money, when on such grounds
a measure like that now in contemplation was, re.
Arted to. Much was said of the ,equality of this'
Tax, but how was its merits in this respect establish-
ed I Two persons of the same profession, and with
the same means, paid equally to-the Property. Tax,
though one had no family, while the other had an
aged mother to support, and a wife and children.to
maintain. The one could spare from his luxuries,
what was extorted from the necessities of the other.
What the one could well afford, the other could not
pay without a dereliction of duty as a husband, a
father, or a son—without diminishing the comforts
of the aged, or withholding improvement from the
Y°unit•—(4lo/4"").
Mr. PLUMMER supported the Resolutions.
Mr. ROWCROFT with some difficulty obtained a
hearing. He ag'reed in the first three Resolutions,
but he was a,little jealous of the honour of the Fe.
sent Meeting, with respeet to the fourth Resolution,
which asserted that the faith of Parliament had been
pledged to the country, that the Property Tax should
continue only during the mar, and that upon. the re-
storation of peace. it should not be continued nor re.
Wed. lie gays all the credit that was doe to the

I respectable Gentlemen who harm d the !tacolations,
but he objected to the absolute manner in wkich ilia
tact was asserted. For li;s own part, sle had neither
memory nor opinion ulna the subject ; be, however,
denied that the faith of Parliament or of the Minister
had ever been pledged to discontinua the Tax. If
this were the fact, how came it that the fealings of
the people were so blnot or obtuse upon the sniiject,
as to endure the Tax so patiently fiar the last Ity years?
Such things as these would not have been enslaved,
had any pledge been given. (Here the oftl2 sition to Me
Honourable Gentleman was so deanout Jill, 113.0 he could not
proceed for some minuter).—Many days would n a
elapse, before those who were so clamoumus against
him, wauld concur in his sentimo‘as. He had nei-
ther knowleke nor memory on the subject, but ire
would venture to ,assert, that Parl:ament had Tv)
pacer to give such a plede.e.—(The Honourable Gen-
itlentan was here kissed into ei!finee). .
i Sir WILLIAM
,CURTIS then came forward amidst
tbe cheers of the Meeting, and said he tit:light it ne. •
cessary to say a few words in answer 14 Ut..t 1)14
fallen from the Honourable Gentleman who spoke
Inst. As a Member of Parliament, .'e decl are.i tins
it had heen his understanding, and he lent •sed the
understanding of every man in the House. when the
Min;sterintr gifted the Tax, that it was merely a
War l'as, f'.r the purpose of rai•ing a large slim of
money within the year, and that when the war 0., “Lit
cease, the Tat should ccase—(Hear, hear.) Tiv. Act
of Parliament itself did oat, to be sure. use the words
" no longer," but it was a more cribble to sulyoan
that the Legislature intended it slin,dd c-ntinue lone
g
er than the war, or that tlt Citinceilor ..f Itar Ex.
chequer would shelter himself under suet. an omis-
sion. He was astonished to hear the Honourable
Gentleman make the observations which h..d laden
Irian him. It the Chanctilltir of the Exch,quer did
not use the words 66 ilf) longer," he certainly meant
it, and every body understood ham so; and dins
could now shelter himself under such a suatertuee,
he would be unworthy to hold his station in ih. Ga..
vernment. The Tax was ins; osed open the grounds
of necessity—the necessity had now ceased, and in his
(the Worthy- Baronet's) opinion it (lbin to be alao.
1 lished (Loud am:tau:et.)
• Mr. WAMISIAN was sorry to obtrude himself upon
the attention of the Meeting; but he could not be
silent after the observations of the Hol. G. nth man
who spoke last but, one.. He totally disagreed with
him in his assertion that there had been no pladge
given to abolish the Tat at the end of the way. If
there had been no express pled.:e upan tie subject,
there had been a tacit one in the conduct of Minis.
ters, and the continual assurance that this was only s
war tax. The time had now arrived when the coun-
try, as it were with one voice, cried aloud for the re-
demption of that pledge. The Honotirable Gentle.
man renewed his observations upon the principle of
th. tax, repeating those objections which he had so
frequently urged with so much eloquence and ability
on this interesting question elsewhere, coutendmg
against its invisitorial and unconstitutional opera-
tion. He next adverted to what the Honourable
Mover had so delicately touched upon—the estabish-
ment. of a standing army in time of peace—a thing
unknown before in the annals of the country. He
regretted that this point was not embraced in the row
solutions. - It was his decided opinion, that it the
Property Tax were continued, it:would* be absolutely
necessary that the collectors of it should wear red
coat:, and carry muskets upon their shoulders (Hear )
Adverting to the history of the country, it was re.
markable,• that in the reign of William 111. when
there was a pretender to the throne, anJ when the
Stuarts were supported by foreign arms in their pre-
tensions to the Crown of these realms, at a time when
a standing army seemed most necessary, the then Mi.
nister of the country dared not propose a standing army
in opposition to the teelingsand prejudices°, the people.
The standing army was then no more than 10,000
men, and yet, in these modern times, when n6' dan-
ger was threatened to the country, the standing army
was 150,000 strong. Was it from France—was k
from the Allies, or was it from the people of England
that danger was to be apprehended ? Had the peo-
ple endured all manner of privation and taxattoits
and were they to be told that at the present moment
they could not endure the relaxation of taxes ? He
deprecated the Germanizing system, which the Mini-
ster was so desirous to encourage. The proper and
natural defence of England was her wooden walls,
and the stout hearts of her people. After a variety
of other observations, of the like tendency, he con•
chided by • proposing a Resolution similar to that
passed at other meetings against the standing army.
But, at the suggestion of Mr. Hibbert and other
Gentlemen, he agreed to postpone this Resolution
until the others were passed, as it was not compre.
hended within the Requisition by which the present
Meeting was convened.
Mr. Rawcaorr explained, but met with the like
opposition as before.
Mr. Alderman 1-11/MATS warnily opposed the Re.
solutions.

Mr. EMMY. in a warmly applauded speech, se-
conded Mr.• Waithman's Resolution.
The original, Resolutions were severally put and
carried unanimously ; and on the motion of Mr. Nib-
hem a Petition to both Houses of Parliamcnt, founded
thereon, was agreed 10%
Mr. Waithman's Resat:don (for which see the
Advertisement) was next put and carried by accla•
mation. •

A motion was agreed to, requesting the Repre-
sentatives of the City is present and support the Pe-
tition in Parliament.

•

Sir Wii.uale Cuarn and Sir JAMBS SUAW
rally assured the Meeting that they should readily
comply with the request thus made..
The Thanks of the Meeting were then voted so the
Lord Mayas for his ready acquiescence in the Itegmi.
laitios. and bit impartial. conduct in the Chair. A
siataat vote was passed far thanking the Mover and
&Noir of Os Resolutionls.4clioorna‘

•

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HODS! OF LORDS Mtr CH ft.

r

P.IRLIAMENTeiRT PROCEALINGL

Counsel were 71;ar.1 fns th. AT.pellaut in the cram appeal of
.41 iStarlipole v. Ssockpele " Percher hearing to take place oo
The Pad of WAI.DEGit AVF took the oaths and his seat.
A Peti-fm was prevented in the Sr-as cause of " Fullerton
ilstd lkfnkav st. Dal.ymple Hamilton. Bart." against certakn In-
terlocutors -f the flour- n. Session ; and for the lodgment of an
Appeal. And a Cnion:,. Peition was presented from Sir H. D.
Estnilton. against :shove beire received, on the ground of In-
eampe•ency. Both the' Pr.:riot's were reeved to the consi-
deration of the Aireil Committee
Mr. 'GUNS° N. from the Irish 4leeretarf of State's Office. re.
Slanted at the Isar Accounts of the Proceeds of the Public Income,
Old the Corsolidated Fund of Ireland, with other subordinate
tar ern pnt 4, which were tuaiered to Ikon the table.
The Bank Loan Bill passed thrones a C0,1131;t• re of the whole
/louse, and was rep,.rtvel r.-.thou' any amendment.
The Private Bills upon the table were. respectively forwarded.
Adjourned till to-morrow.