Star.
London, England, 1829-02-21 00:00:00

ri,ionary ; and lie wily a keJ that a Committee mitt*
i:e formed on the subject ; auJ if such v e c the case, Le
had no apprehension as to the resol. G. est reduction
m'ght be made with advantage in the present taxation.
tie had noticed these points in compliance with his diry;
and with imp ct ro the duties of the Finance Coo;
mince being discharged by the Ministers, be certainly
was of opinion that Minims' had already sufficieutto
Jo without node, taking more. He had no wish tont,.
harts,. the measures of Goirernment, and he should be
leery willing to adopt Any course which would .suit the
IMinisters without injuring the country.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, feeling
that h: concurred geisetally in the opinions that hid
!alien from the Honourable Baronet, begged to be'
excused it he declined, on that occasion, to enter into
such a detail of observation as the discussion of all the
topics alluded to by the Honourahle Baronet as was •
cul.ied to elicit, particularly under the pressure of ins:
portal I matter at present occupying theattintibis of tot
Government. The Hon. Member for Abingdon had
said that, on the subject of reviving the Finance Con;
mince, he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had given
a distinct refusal to revive the Committee. NoW shot
he really said was this, that there was no indisposition
on the part of the Government to renew an iovestip.
tion into the subjects that had occupied the attention
of the Comlbittee last Session ; but, as much time
had bees given to the matter last. Session, and as
the Government bad under their consideration the
adoption of several economical arrangements, end
under the present uigency of more important measures,
they thought it most expedient to postpone the con-
sideration of the matter to a later period of the Session,
particularly as there existed among the very members
of that Committee various.and many opinions as to the
best method of renewing their investigations i • signs
thinking that they should he carried on by the,Com.
mittee, while others were of opinion that they should
be conducted on the responsibility of the Government.
On that occasion be had said that it was better to wait
until the pressure of mere heavy business on the Co:
vernment should have passed, away; after that period
they could -consider the mod; of proceeding best fitted
to promote the interest of the country. For the pretest
it was resolved that the revival of the Finance Com-
mittee should be postponed,
MGM/ME said nothing had been done all last Ses-
sion to reduce the press' e of taxation. It was said that
a report on the labours of the FicanceCommittee would
be laid before the House early this Session. Now, no
such thing was done. Indeed it was clearly the opinion
-of Ministers to let the Session pass without doing any
thing-in the way of reduction. He did not wish to op.
pose Ministers, or throw any obitacle in their way it
present; but be really felt it to be for the good of the
country to recommend economy to them. They ought
to alter their course of proceeding on considering the
estimates. The King's Speech. had recounts/oiled en.
nomy. Now, before. Ministers called on the House to
vote eight millions, as they were going to do that night,
for the army and ordnance, they ought to know what re.
ductions they bad made in thy expenditure of thote de-
partments ; they night to cot down the expenditure to the
lowest possible scale. The reductions they bad made
in the Army, Navy, and Ordnance were mere trifles.
What was the use of an increase of revenue if there was
to be no lessening of expenditure and meadow, The
increase of two millions to the revenue was a misfor-
tune rather than otherwise, inasmuch as it induced Mi.
nisters to keep up establishmenta at the old extravagant
rate. Only think of 90,000 men for the Army, and
30,000 for the Navy, altogether 120,000 men, in .a time
of profound peace! He hoped the intended measure
of conciliation to the Catholics would ' let 15.000 sol-
diers free from Ireland. If the discontents of Ireland
were healed, 12,000 men would be quite enough' for
that part of the country, instead Of the present army cf
45,000. In the year 1792 the whole amount ofthe army
for the colonies and.all was only 68,000 men, and that
number was justified oa the ground of the then disturbed
state of Europe. He hoped that the number of troops in
Ireland would be reduced, and the expenses of the
colonies diminished. The Government ought to repeal
three millions:this year. The House ought to compel
Ministers to makett e reductiops required by the neces-
sities of the PeciPle• The taxes were very unequally im-
posed; capitalists paid little or none, while the hard-
working middle classes were obliged to bear the great
burthen. The industry of the manotacturers was checked
by this taxation. The Finance Committee ought to be
revived, otherwise their labours would go for nothing,
and the information they had collected would be lost.
It it would not be revived the Government would be
guilty of a breach of faith with the House and the
bigotry. He gave much credit to the Hon. Secretary
(pope reforms which he had introduced; but they were
OA small. scale, and not sufficient to satisfy the neces-
sities of the country.
-Mr. MABERLY wished to know if the Chancellor of
the Exchequer had said that the question of refusing the
tenewal of the Ciamittee was postponed ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had
said that at the pass- t moment it would inconvenience
and embarrass Ministers to enter upon the subject of the
Finance Committee. He had said that various susses.
tions had been made as to economy, and be *wished- to
postpone to the latter part of the Session the considera-
tion of adopting any of those courses suggested.
Mr. BARING would make up his mind as to the
appointment of • a Committee, when he had heard the
Estimates. He should like to hear a statement' frees
the different departments of Government, and which
would decide the propriety of re.appoioting the Cam
mittee. The original appointment of the Coonskin
was the consequence of excessive expenditure, and of I
fearful defalcation in the revenue. When Mr. Canning
announced his intention of formins a Committee
of Finance, in the then ensuing Session, the country
was in a very different situation from what had
been represented. Instead of having a large sink•
ing fund, the revenue of the country did not yield its
ordinary expenses. Whatever remedy the Government
proposed would bate been strengthened by the Repot
of the Committee. The country had saw en overplea
of revenue to the extent of three minims end a MK
,which was extremely different from the pews soder
which the Committee was first ptomised and at last cep
pointed. It was only under the pressure of difficeltist
that the subject of expenditure was ever searched ea
'probed. The House would please to recollect thumbed
of the Finance Committees bad sat over a mid
f several Sessions of Parliament,.and it would be
hopeless to expect that the labours of such a body
could be effectively concluded within the short pried
..f a fee months. At the same time, if he found the,
work of reduction carried on without the suggestions Or
the Finance Committee, he should rest perfectly satisfied.
But it should be recollected that hie Majesty's Govern.
.meat was at this moment ortupiel with another gnat
question—a question of such vital importance to the
general it ter eats of this as well as of the sister killifdol4
mat he was ready to wait, and make all due alleluia '
.or the delay which must unavoidably take place. II
uld, of course, be gratit)i•is to the House and the