The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-03-21 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, *MARCH 21, 11122
" 2116. Om* ft. which HAMPDEN Al In the Pied, and SYDNEY died osi the Secifuld!" Paws ;slllll3l paw. R.
%dimwit,
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friths et.. , and with 'how who said that suf.
orient relief been granted, and thought that with
the very minsitierable surplus of income over its expen-
di Ire which the country now possessed, more might
have bees done, and more efficient assistants* might
have been yielded to the distressed. He therefore called'
rallaittees in the name of the country to do eorne.l
air vaave, for there was scarcely a man in the country
who did net hold the relief granted to be perfectly
iteproportionate to the degree of suffering which
prevailed. If nothing in the shape of relief should
result from the labs irs of the. Committee, lie did
call upon the Ministers to see if the hrd not seesethbeg
further in their powet to grant. He was sure that it
would be most gratefully received by the country, mod
would. perhaps, he the only oaten' ot inducing it to heat
up with patience and fortitude in the hope that dine
would more materially better do. condition of the ma-
iming clamor. If, therefore, any thing presented itself
which a peered likely to produce that ef,
414 y
St‘rt
linty than to give it
etatstiiiii. If he calla even ;heir this jrd
("ability of affording relief by any particular measure, It
was entitled to the first consideration of the House. The
Honourable Member then alluded to the effect of Agri-
cultural Distress, contending that it fell upon 'all
classes; and that it was alike detrinieutal to the Wett-
est§ of the producer and the consumer. lie argued that
the importation of foreign tallow had a share in causing
this general distress. The tptantity of foreign Milder
Imported was in the preportton of one-third to the Eng-
lish tallow used in this country. The English tanner
could not compete with the Russian farmer when the
differences of his expenses were considered. The lewd
upon which lie produced his tallow stood him, upon an
ge, at a rent of two• ponnds per acre, while that of
the Russian farmer cost him nothing, and the animal
were frequently killed for their tallow alone. He there-
fore called npou the House to give that protection to
the English farmer which be had a right to have at
their bands. What they now imposed upon the helper-
holes of Russian tallow was not more than a duty of
10 per cent. whilst 33 per cent, was imposed upon the
importation of hemp—an article not iu competitioo with
the produce of this country. Could any system be so
bad, either with regard to its policy or its justice, as
that which imposed a bigb tax upon the importation of
what was not grown in the country, and a comparative
low one upon that which was its natural produce? How
were they treated by Russia io return for the favour be-
stowed upon her producers? Why by an export duty
of 8 per cent. upon the very article; thus we paid to her
70.0001. a year for &dog allowed to purchase her tal-
low. Re eortaoded, that the Coast:cinema. of increased
itopeetatioa duties would be to remove those to which
he bad Just alluded. as in tke.case of Spain end Holland.
As soon as we pot on the Import duties upon wool, the
Government of Spain took the exports off. In the same]
manner Mho& (moored them whoa we put a tax opeo
the importatimog hatter sad cheese. And if they wail
to pot on the importation duties upon tallow,'
Russia would tabatise lame coo ree, and take off her
p~stdssties. onstaisied also. that Ireland would he
Wised
hy .weamerm Is moo*/ . that a
• Warp mewhmhestioatlimeolgoot. it coo,
0.4111111$ ii.oll6llbe f.N miens a duty el
leper cent, upon the importation of foreign tallow, in-
stead of the slaty which it new paid. The Russian far-
mer would then have two-pence halfpenny per pound
for hie tallow instead of three-pence halfpenny, which
was quite so adequate remuneration. The effect st
nicht duty. would be to give about 300,000/. annually'
to sllopsuiser. He calculated that as there was alms
33.000 tops of tallow imported lly. the increased
duty womb' produce 600,0001. besides the differed=
which would be saved, if Russia took off the exports.—
The effect would be to raise the price of tallow to the
consumer about 5/. 10s. per ton; and to compensate the
consumer. he should propose to take off the tax upon
candles, which was about 300,0001. although it did not
bring that to the Government. One seventh of the du-
ties was spent in collecting them; and both the manner
of its collection, and the oppression of the tax itself, is-
dependent of its comparative unproductiveness, were so
grievous as to call for its earliest reduction. He codes.
roared to show, also by calculating the expenses, that is
bounty of four-pence per pound would accrue to per-
sons who could make their own candles. From other
advantages which he expected would arise from the
measure, he should have the honour to propose, the sum
which it would bring in would amount to above a mil-
lion, the remainder of which would be at the disposal
of the Government. If therefore the fanner could gain
by such a plan, a relief to the annual amount of 3011,0 M!
without any detriment to the cousumer, it must he for
the general benefit of the country to adopt. If the Go-
vernment were afraid that it might be injurious to oar
cointnerrial relations with Ritssia,why not commute the
tax upon candles altogether. It would he a great relief
to us, and cot iuviiluous towards that country. Upon
these grounds he should submit his motion to the House.
unless Ministers themselves should have the subject an-
der their reflection. Ile would not have brought it for-
ward if he hail thought they meant to uo so, and if they
still proposed to take it into their consideration he
would withdraw it He always thought it better that
sack measures sl 1.1 originate with the Got eminent.
because they came with more weight thin from an in&
victual. Thet acre hound to apply their utmost anew
lion to the sn ject, with the sincere determination to do
all they could- to relieve the distresses of the country.
and particularly that of the graz:ers, whom lie believed
to be suffering most of ell. With the view of affording
them some relief, he should move, "Thu a Committee
of that House he app4.111:13.1 to inquire into the pro-1
prier), of increasing Ilie ant upon the importation oh
Foreign Tallow, its under thereby to take oil the Tax
upon candles."

which the insuries of the age created, ivbereas a geed
portion of the tabour of the mechanic was done by else-
dle-light. lie was convinced that nothing wouldle
mote beneficial to the poor man than the reduction of
this tax, and that it could lw reduced without materially
affecting the general revenne. He was one who agreed
in the necessity of maintaining a clear surplus of reve-
nue over the espenditore, tint that was all he would sap-
port. With regard to Sinking Funds, he thonght them
very well in theory, but he knew, from the history of
all 'Sinking Fonds, what they came to in the end.—
They knew how Sir H. Waipole's Sinking Fund had
been destroyed ; and they had sees in their own day
how the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the
Exchequer had treated that of Mr. Pitt. He could not
agree to the motion, because it was likely to disturb our
commercial relations with Rustle.
Mr. ROBINSON said, that the Honourable Gentle-
man who had jest sat down, had made exactly the same
objectioot to the motion, upon tome iiilsts, 'Lick bad
knealltrod. in hina He should be "site as ready to cup-
port any measure as the lion.. M-ver fur the relief of
the avrtcultnring interests, if it. would give that relief
withogt detriment to others. That whidb was now pro-
posed Must produce one of two effects; it either would
raise the price of tallow, or it would not. If it did so,
he contended that it would pro lento increase the die-
-1 tress, by raising the price of candles. According to the
I lionourahle Member's calculation, the duties, as they
now stood, were 10 per cent. upon the importation of
tallow, and three per cent. epos candles, making in
the whole 13 per cent. upon the price of candles to the
consumer. Therefore, if he took off the duty upon
candles, and raised the imports to twenty per cent., the
ditty upon candles wonld be raised to that mancient. The
Irelief thus afforded to the agriculturist most be put up-
'on the consumer. The great advocate of this question
' had taken care to pet forth his opinions and arguments
in its favour. He did not mean the Honourable Member
opposite, hut he understood that a person wherairocoted
the measure was exceedingly interested in its success.—
(Hear, hear.) Ile did not mean to say that this was the
case, but it was commonly understood in time city.—
(Hear, hear.) This individual endeavoured to make it
appear, by going round about, that although the import
duties should he twenty per cent. not more than Id. 1 a.
would fall upon the consumer. 'That would give no fur-
ther relief to the farmer than. three shillings upon an
ox. upon thus writer's own chewing. Was it then,
worth while, for such an object, to put a direct tax upon
the consnm-r, and npoo the farmer himself as a con- •
sumer, and at the same time to incur thh risk of die-
whin; our commercial relations with another country.
The Hononrable Member had stated at one moment that
his measure wonld raise the price of tallow for the-tw-
ee& of the fanner, and in the nest breath that it would
sot raise the price to the detriment of the consumer.
He had the greatest objection to see alterations made on
slight grounds is laws which affected and disturbed the
progress of commerce. Nothing could be more noise'
to those engaged in the particular branch which might
be so affected, and who bad made their arrangements
and neeckdAlla sae* the rtsalatioss in force. It such
principles wenn, Giese Baia:lM and commercial
sreemiceintskAa. 4egt efieleep at weer. and
qtter,
have so Minim st du(User4Sese.) Lire them
grounds he must oppose the motion before the house.—
With regard to the effect upon our relations with a fo-
reign power, he would not only view it in its effect apes
that one power, but he would consider its operation
upon all countries. If they were to go upon such a
principle, they would naturally excite the jealousy of
other nations. If they first said they would prohibit
one thing, and then another, for the benehtting parti-
cular interests, they should soon be .00ked upon by the
world with suspicion and distrust. He repeated, that for
these reasons he felt it Lis duty to meet the motion with
a negative.

,

Mr. RICARDO had heard with great pleasure the
liberal sentiments which had just been exp d by
the Right lion. Gentleman, and he only wished that
Governuient would act upon such principles mere -ge-
nerally than they slid. Ile must confess his surpris.. at
the astonishing calculations of his Hon. Friend (Mr.
Curwen), by which he could not only tell them the
effect of his proposed plan opal the Russian farmer,
upon the measures of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg,
upon the quantity of tallow to be imported, but also the
exact anus of 5/. 10s. as the increase of price which
would ensue to the consumer. Now how his Honourable
Friend arrived at these conclusions, he was at a loss to
conceive. His opinion was, that the produce of all
countries would be regulated by the general demand.
and that the price given to Russia for her tallow would
always he that for which she could afford to prance it.
The tueasnre lie was convinced. would go to impose a
direct tax upon the people of England. Ile would never
consent to relieve one class at the expense of another
who were the consumers. He should say no more upon
the subject of the motion. but lie wished to snake an oh-
sere:l4lm upon an argument used by the Hon. Member
for Hull (Air. Sykes). lie had stated that the Ministers
were right in establishing a clear surplus of live millions,
and then he went over the history of Sinking Funds to
shew that they ought not to be maintained. Now, if
this excess of income over expenditure was not a Sink-
ing Fund, he knew not what the Han. Member meant to
make of it. His own opinion was, that Sinking Fend.
were right in theory and in principle, and lie should he
among the first to support one if he hail any security for
its proper application. He would do so because lie s!tonl.l
then know that the debt was provided for. lint it %Ca ;
only on the of paying off debt that he would
support a Sinking Fund, and therefore he %%mild never
consent to leave it in the hands of Ministers—be
t id not meats his Majesty's present Ministers,but any
Ministers, let them come from a hat part of hat 1103.,,`
or f what part of the country they may. With r,-
gard to the reduction of the tax upon candles, every
tientkinsu seemed to have his favourite tax fur refine-
tiott. One proposed the Malt Tax, another the Salt
Tax, another the heather Tax, and another the Candle
Tax. Now, lie had a different opinion, for he thought
none of them were tie taxes which might lot repealed a ilk
the greatest advantage, although undoubtedly the Salt
Tax was very oppressive. Ile would say that the most
ahoirinahle of all taxes was the tax upon law proceed-
ings.—(flear„ and a laugh.)—lt was a tax which pressed
more itpota the poor and middling classes of society than
any other. As lion. Members had all declare.( their fa-
vourite taxes, he hoped he should be excused for men-
tioning. that which appeared to him to be most grievous
and oppressive.—(idear and laughter.)
Mr. T. Wila.vl/N expressed his satisfaction at the
principles which had been expressed by the Right lion.
tientleui.o below him. He had the strongest objection
to the in,ssure proposal, and it was very doubtful what
would be its effect upon Russia. The Hon Member al-
luded to the important duties on wool, whirls he con-
ilemoi.d as having been most doubtfil in their origin,
and injurious is their street. The lion. Member 02p04
site (Mr.Corwea) bad stated, thrst when the Duties un
Woo) were imposed, the Spmaish:Gio.ferninent 104 0(
'the exports, but he forgot tbe circumstance thaf Spain

Mr. SYKES agreed with Isis lion. Friend that the
tax upon candles, which it would be most edits, just.
and useful to repeal, as ohe which pressed upon the
lower et of the reaple. and was very oppressive in
mattniw of its bring levied. Hut his Ilan. Friend
called upon the house to make up the deficiency of this
reduction by making an 41a s ming increase to an already
high tax upon the impottation of an article of foreign
produce. Ile conceived it to be most material to tile
coustnercial interests of this country, that it should have
a good understanding and proper influence with the
Cabinet of Petersburg, and that no measure of an irri-
tating tendency towards that country shonid he adopted.'
Under the peculiar circumstances in which Russia now
stood, it would he invidious and suspicious to lay on
these I srge prohibitory duties and must be followed by
ret„havoey treasures. It might to he remembered also.
that great speculations were now going on upon thane.
tiele in question, and the horse ought to he extremely
elusions haw it lent its sanction to such proceedings.--,.
(Hear.) The only effect of the measure, as it appeared
to him, wools' be to lost money into the pockets of 'pe-
culators. lie agreed that the tax in question was One
whirls ought to be restored. It pressed news. upon the
poor than upon the sign, :Ilse. rich man need wax-1
lights, Argyll-lamps, and other elegact inventions,