The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-08-15 00:00:00

TO ADVERTISERS.

Mr Egg respectfully to call the attention of
ASzrolzants, Brokers, Auctioneers, and others,
the important fact that the

LIVERPOOL STANDARD
IS NOW THE
ONLY NEWSPAPER
ÜBLISHED WEEKLY 01‘,1 TUESDAY,

;Aka can be read on that day by the thousands
of Manufacturers and others attending
111-1 E TUESDAY'S MARKET IN
MANCHESTER.
me, STANDARD is taken at all the Newsrooms
and respectable Inns in that town and the
as-rounding manufacturing district.
Ai SECOND .EDI7ION is published at Half-past
Two, in time for the North Nails, containing the
WRKETS, and any news of importance that
nay arrive in the course of the morning.

Ike Ztherpoot cttanbatt.

TUESDAY MORNING, AUG. 15, 1848.

THE motion brought by Mr. Ewart before the
Rouse of Commons on Tuesday night, for a " re-
on of our present system of taxation, especially
with a view to extend the commerce of the country
=id to increase the employment and comforts of
tie people," suggests one of the most important
wisolects to which Parliament can devote its atten-
tion during the recess. Our present fiscal system
is one of the most anomalobs pieces of patchwork
I:te found in any country. ft was framed origi-
nally, bit by bit, without the slightest expectation
a its becoming permanent; successive Ministers
aciwd upon whatever form and object of taxation
waned most likely to supply the wants of-the
3tornent; and, when we set about reducing its
magnitude, a very slight discretion was used in
selecting where the knife was to he applied. We
m•.-nitted this or that duty, in preference to dealing
with the system as a whole system, because it re-
prrsented the amount which we could spare at the
or because some party in office had pledged
1:'-znself to the particular subject of the community
most interested in its remission. We have, in fact,
1137.itematically pursued the very course most likely
to, prevent a comprehensive effort of remodification
Being attempted, by cutting away inconsiderable
itains, reducing our income to the margin of our
trzpenditure, and thus leaving the larger items,
both of customs and excise, untouched, because
we were not in a position to risk a possibly large
orieleiency. To some extent it may be said that
Wic Robert Peel's revision of the tariff was a com-
prehensive measure. But even that measure was
cue-sided. It was not so much a modification of
tc_ration as a measure for the encouragement of
'the manufacturing interest, and a bid for the trade
of the foreigner, at the expense of British industry.
We are not at all inclined to enter into this ques-
tion with the same views professed by Mr. Ewald
and the party of whose opinions he is the repre-
tratative on this occasion. We cannot see our
way clearly to a system of direct taxation, which
can be adopted to fill up any large breach made in
national revenue. The experience of the past
zeision of Parliament has shewn us with what un-
willingness direct imposts are submitted to ; and
we know how unwillingly our present direct taxes
me paid. Moreover, it is a principle in political
tmonotny, now pretty generally acknowledged, that
moderate import duties fall as much upon the
Foreign grower and producer as upon the home
consumer. The object, therefore, we apprehend,
of any minister who is induced to attempt the
of dealing with our system of taxation, must
be to avoid, as much as possible, the unpopularity
of any large increase of direct taxation, and to
seek for articles of taxation upon which reductions
may be made, which will promote consumption,
aml thus save the revenue from any large diminu-
tion, and, at the same time, of which the benefits
cvM be directly felt by the mass of the people.
Sach an article, amongst those subject to the
mactorns, is that of tea, a reduction of the duties
on which will be felt as a boon to every consumer,
and will promote the increased morality of the
people, whilst it will give an incalculable impulse
• our commerce with one of the most populous
countries in the globe. A few other articles may
he beneficially dealt with in the same manner;
and amongst the first of these we may mention
French wines, the substitution of which in this
country for some of our more potent and stimula-
tEng drinks would be most grateful to a large por-
ton of our middle classes.
But we would not confine ourselves, as appears
tali be the favourite object with our political econo-
,- mists_ of the free-trade school, to the customs de-
portment of our revenue. There is much to be
achieved in the way of benefit to the community,
t- a few judicious changes in the duties levied
ii der the heads of excise and stamps; and espe-
lly as regards some articles, the manufacture of
Which is injuriously affected by the interference of
•,21,e, officials engaged in collecting the revenue de-
ived from them. Amongst these are the duties
ma soap and paper, both of which are impolitic, as
hindering the spread of cleanliness and of know-
Duke, and at the same time preventing improve-
ment in the processes of manufacture. The win-
dow tax might, with infinite sanitary advantage,
be removed; and we should most gladly be able
tc afford a remission of the duty on advertisements,
and cheapen the poor man's dwelling, and at the
same time add to the amount of his industrial
occupation, by abolishing the duty on bricks.
In the stamps department, without entering at
present into the much-mooted question as to the
Mice or injustice of the legacy and probate du-
we feel assured that a considerable modifica-
tion might be made, and important benefit con-
ferred upon the community, without a farthing of
foss being incurred by the revenue. The taxes
upon conveyances of small properties, by way of
mortgage or absolute sale, are enormous, and de-
eat their own object, so far as revenue is concerned.
'They are glaringly out of proportion to the taxes
noon large properties, and also to those upon mer-
cantile transactions; and operate as a serious dis-
couragement to investment in the soil, or in build-
ings, by parties engaged in business, on account of
the cost of rendering such investments available
tin any sudden emergency. If all that is desirable
to be remedied in these departments cannot be
done at once, let a portion be attempted; but let
that attempt be made in a bold and comprehensive
!spirit. Let us have a modification of some of the
most productive items, rather than attack this or
that petty impost, the existence of which is scarcely
alit, and thus tie up our hands for years from
grappling with duties of greater amount and im-
portance.
There is another question—and an important
ape—which we should gladly see occupy more of
fAe attention both of Parliament and the public.
We refer to the cost of collecting our revenue, and
lie constitution of the boards of customs and ex-
cise. We should like to see the boards in question
made more immediately responsible to Parliament,
and a little light occasionally thrown upon their
proceedings, and especially, so far as the Board of
customs is concerned, to know the rule by which
their appointments are regulated. We did expect
to have seen the whole subject of our system of
baation entered upon by the Financial Association
o Liverpool, as one peculiarly fitted for the consi-
lcration of the members of a great commercial
community—infinitely more fitted for it than in-
tuiries into the pension list, and semi-chartist
attacks upon the Royal expenditure. Would that
they would take our well-meant hint !

PRESENTATION.—Mr. M'Vitie, station master at Wam-
Aray, Caledonian railway, having fora considerable time,
with the full consent of the session authorities, been at
mach trouble in transmitting a letter bag, and thus con-
earring au obligation upon , the district, was recently pre-
sented with a handsome family Bible, as a token of respect
and gratitude. An elegant set of china was at the same
time presented to Mrs. M`Vitie.
CRICKET.—A match between the St. Helen's and
Merton Clubs was played on Wednesday, on the ground
of the former, which terminated, after a very spirited
contest, in favour of the St. Helen's Club. On Friday a
match was played between the Liverpool and Wrexham
clubs, on the ground of the former, Liverpool winning by
17 runs. On the 2nd, 4th, and 10th instant, a match
between the Kensington and Olympus clubs was played,
as the ground of the latter, which terminated in favour of
tie Olympus by 47 runs.