The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-02-21 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

liett,of
.Arap,ooo,ool. w)th %0,0134.
of perinsoeiss hotsktplif fri %Saki
at all agree with. ithnse iwbo, IstirePi4stititthrtiass,
en grope rt y; desuri *I to be As: ?dim in pinch*,
as it was arbitrary in its assessment and collection,
he certainly should not now express.anyhope that
Parliament wotilditill-coiiiiiWr it 'ai.a reee-Wd. f
re-
source for future tars 9r ccitical„easergtiA*',..l4.,l
knew it was common to hear it called oppreSOie and
Inquisitorial, but he sincerely believed that the gen-
tlemen
who gratuitously discharged' the clutitut of
Com Missioners had shown as much attention, justice,
and impartiality, as, makitig due allowances for hu-
man
infirmity, could be reasonably expected from
any body of Ain n.hittever. , fhey were composed
of persons who widertook. the
,ofice from the Most
lendable and patriotic motites,; they 'were the same..
gitttlenaen who filled the Commission of the Peace,
and maintained in the different functions, of the Ma.,
glstracy, the internal order and tranquillity of the,
[kingdom. He should never, therefore, listen to any
' remarks derogatory to. their character without doing
his best to repel them. With:respeCe to the,powers
conferred upou them by the Act,
,if
„we comsalted,.
precedents we should fine) no *ion to consider them
as excessive. By the Act Ist Antii,ject, 1, 'chap. 15,
on the renewal of the French MU', a^tat subsequent
to that on land was imposed on personal property.

The tax amounted to fifty shillings on capital,
twenty-five.on income, four on trades, and four on
professions. The Assessors were empowered to levy
penalties, and the Commissioners to summon, en-
quire, and examine upon oath. By the law as it
then stood every trader was obliged to deliver in an
account of his stock iu trade. The present tax on.
property made on, pe,rtional enqiriries, atul selkateyer,
might be its inconvenience", and .tlefeos,, as qpplied,
to income derived from trade, hesousideved
affected land, to ,approach to, perfection. A .cleOse
had been inserted iu 1803, for the purpose of tumedy..
Ng, in some degree, this evil, by referring cane' tqt
private arbitration,, but it. was "uhserioetitly omitted.,,
He was anxious to state his view. oft the importance
.and advantages ,of this measure, the event of cir-,;
cumstancea hereafter renderiqg it necessary to call it'
once more into action., It 'undeublvd)i.Was strictlyr
a war tax and though it stood, plethed ter mayoral
years at the peace of Amiens, and althopet by. out.
ting off so productive a .source of' revenue at
.4 tinie
when the war expenditure still remained. to be.wrentir.
up, the loan for the serriceof the
_year most neces-
sarily be large, he still thought that the, great, vari-
ation of prices must render it,,.eptltiaired,
far more vexatious in its operative, jtpt) on yell .(lo
its pressure, thou at, any former,.netiod. Tim fay.,
mer, in particular, must be.e"pesed to a cliame,cOn!..i
siderably higher than any..e4titnate of his reellsrukts
would justify, as itbad been the Firectlce bititecto to .
calculate
moot. It tiad beep proposed to ItiM, „propabli.
similar seggesti coos Itad,presented. them** tn,pnitky
who,now ?marl hire, to continue the tax orkproperty
under different modifications.. One ,pf these pans
proposed to exempt the class .of faimers,allogether,,
and. apply the tax only. to, property of 4.. mixed
'caption. The obvious objection to tbys.was, .
in every Loan Act,, a clause was jutroduced,.exempt;
to the stock of _ Ave. contractors-fromAl', tat. j. sod.]
whenever the principle of exanoOtion should, be ad-,,
Milted, the stock-kobler, as kpublic,creditor, would;
have the best title. viz, ,the faith ef„ Parliammt.tc,!
plead in.his behalf. A,tiother plea. atek,t,o apgmetst
the tax considerabry on the .great .proprietors, sad
reduce it 16 it affected persons of limited and.narrairt.
incomes. A .very etteution, ho wever,would show.
the Impracticability of such a project. „jilts. Act at
present gave no insight into the real property .of any,
body: the tax was levied without reference Ito Abe
name or business of
,the proprietor. ,To,illeatrate
his meaning, he should suppose that e person who
was a banker in London might 'be ,merchant in
Bristol, and.a.manufacturec at LiKikor, and that
he should hare a large landeds,estatetri)99ool.
_
linsPe

. ,
tokkof '35,173,0001. and, with the,additien of the; sired, and also that it referred to persons elms had
Oihei_ebergeif, amounted to 37,5n,0p01i leiringl4:.,hi erto been liable to the Property Tax, he thnught
.peetaanintAtijptus of 3,418,0001. If to this :were it was a computation not much to be complained of,
te. be aiiiiii the annual taxes, substituted far the add that it would be more agreeable than the tar
land and malt; a sum total of 8,418,0001. would be from which they were relieved. It was estimated at
found ipplicable to the supsiort of the establishments 500,0001. and yet it would be seen on investigaike
of thiCaunliii eisagliegreaVirearartiiir. wills - that the persons paying it would not, in fact, pay el
which wenAkh ati.. WaVlSsid fi that time be. so large a proportion as at the begintiiiigfof the war,
sides a SiniCing •-Fund of 1,300,0001. only• "we had .The aggregate amount of these.several..items ass
nese one of more than 114000,000._ Thedebt, in:. ! 950;0001. It -witeaftiFifilitilt-tht•tkitfittllrextekno
deed, was.MiCh'lstiarfs.bot.oir Means of meetiaLit : dety_cenneeted with the Pest,effice. A laza_ it
bid increased, in ik conr7fold pricporAißcyr-[//ear, i would be bad op .elery neyspiaper serit..ll Ihe Ge.
hear !3—COniaereble eleitiona, 'hewevdf, were still i ntryiiPast. As. long aga as, in 171'v a similar'
necessary. The House must beicware of
,the requisite lis erne of bixtrtion,bid been iecotnisended. It might'
' extension of oar military.esiebßiliment, from the ne- ; Perhaps be thought that the stamp duty'wesuld be ae
' cessity of preserving our. colonial settlements, for : fected by this arrangement; tstatthose Gentlemen who,
' Malta, Ceylon, and eopecielly, far Canada. Ali this ' when in thecouatrylitidefOlhiniselves with a London'
being taken into consideradma, it word be found,l paper, wouldhaidly forgo eltiaikiiriertiVehieh every
that
,the peade military eitiblialwakirt.would not' ball body who heard him was so well acquainted, for the
far short of what it was at the . commencement of mere sake of the additional *petliiyl' Meibbers of
the war. When also it was recollected,. that our the House were exempt to• the ambunt of an ciente
navy hid been engaged in thoardithuiwar. for twee! Weight, and if it were thought necessary, might be
1
•ty years, it must be seen at once, that very extensive i still further exempted. This duty would produce
repairs were necessary... The House, therefore 50,0001. . Other measures which would hereafter be
• would probably hear, without surprise, that the !detailed were in contemplation with respect to the
expeisce of the peace establishment would be eighteen ; Post-office, as to the foreign poitage, and especially
or nineteen millions, including the Irish establish- , regarding the carriage of letters to the -East Indies.—
merit. He sincerely hoped, that at no distant period The amount of all the taxes now detailed would be
some reduction might be possible; but, at present he . 3,728,0001. but five millions were wanted. On a
must assume that amount as the sum demanded, which, : future occasion be would give the details of the rest
subducting two millions for Ireland, would leave 17 • of the intended taxation: he would now merely state
millions for Great Britain. To meet,this demand, ! what wooed' hereff.o4 by the proposed taxation.--
there were in the first place about 6f midione of 1 A considerebteedunce awes Weedieonr stamp duties
perinanent annual taxes i . he shirid propose a con. I (not relattettola4 proceedings), which it' war cal.
tiuuance of the war taxes, the'Custome,_ and'eacise,l ciliated wOuit'produce about 700,0001. ; but the
' for a limited time, which would . in:White a Souther ,I process of collecting the amount of stenspa-,riis so
sum of six, illions; mid he should lay before the' icompliCated, thafGentlemett Weald-Ka be mink
House aplan for new taxes to the amaiint of fire Milo I,that no schedule could yet b 4 ediaptetid. About
lions, making in the whole 17 millions and a half. 000,000. still remained to be supplied, and he hoped
But the House would recolleet,that thechargee.ofalteltisit the system of bounties and drawbacks would be
loan must be defrayed out of these taxes ; and,. ii. j able to obit it% ; Ile :.proposed particularly a con.
1 died even if the expenditure could be redeem! to 13 tinuance of this system as to printed cotton and
..
millions, stUerinsiset.be e.eecessity 'for new• taitee.,l sugars: There was another subject, on which he
unities the.: Ai. Void. wiFe IA biresorted to, Ish ea- I had received repeated applications :he alluded to the
padleut particularly to be wielded.. It would be great article of beer. A considerable increase had
foetid owexaminttion, that . after every war. there ; some time ago been imposed on the price of beer: the:
' wee a winding up of-great amount, and of cousi. I public at present seemed to be convinced, and be
t datable duration. .The. expenses of the Ames icani was disposed to agree with them, that this price was'
' war, were not cleared even, in 1788.; and after the ; nowtoolligh. Hewes, certainly unwilling to in.
s
peace in I,763,,aerears elf the war were still unpaju in.; crease tne price of this article, and would rather
177,5, lie would .therefore readily coufess, that the ' -relieve the piddle than add to theft burthen. Ile
present war expeuces could no( be wound up within Iboped, therefore, that the hint now thrown out
• . shorter period.. than four years, that s, till 18114. i would not be lost. Government would wish not to
and till that time be supposed some leap twig* be I interfere between the consumer and the maker;
necessary each year. , Ile had
.the eothereity. of Mr.,' bask it. would not be neutral upon this occasion;
;
' Eitt for the kind of anticipation which his plan might fore In conseqaeoce of the application of the
seem.toinvolve. ',lle first resource, then, would be lirewitte, be. and Lord Liverpool had on a former
' a.steutinuanee of tbeovar. taxes... kart of these had occasion been parties to the rise, and he must,
alreed,y,eapired. at Christmas,. namely, the tax on , therefore, now distinctly declare that they could
.! tonnage of, goods parried . coastwise : no renewal of., slot hold. themselves responsible for the - continue
i these,wee intended ;, tar was, it the intention ef.. tbe snipe of, thalitscased price.—{llear,hear I] —Upoa
Government .to otnitinue the duty on cotton-wool, the whet; it thought. advisable not to touch the
' ifimported in Iltitish ships, especially., as this Wel...Si:llolw ?nail,. but alloWit to increase for four years
gencs might eperate.as an encouragement to the lea- at compound interest ; so that, if so enfortresate a re..
.' proventent of..oar plautations. .Without any detail, . mashes:4d beiipeu, it might be a resource for future
he should merety.state, that the total amount of the . wars; and, on the other hand, might extinguish the
war tales was 9,867,0001. from which, deducting the .40$ ytolaptealite, 'Cat. le ;Nil . 43*years. It would hi
l'elinosit'of the 'spired taxes, and the 2,032,0001,1,7w0005tent1y growing resource. At the same time, he
~, parked for their:ma, theamount to be continued would hoped that peace would'be cOneelidiied and secured;.
W 6,519,0001. lie now came to the new taxes. To.Atud, that the hostile spirit, generated by so long a
r tweet .the, curiosity of the House on this subject, he !War, would subside every year, even every month.—.
Ishould begin by showing what it wns not hie in. ritt any rate it would be. cleft,' that wldle we were,
tentionito do. The Assessed Tastes would be naturally,,tdisposed to be transquil and act with moderation, we
, looked to: and to thiasubjeet he would take theliberty !were prepared against all the possible contingent at.
.' of. first addressing himself. He did not intend to itempts of our enemies. It was with no email alio-
move any addition to the window duty in inhabited.; faction that be new looked back upon the late war.
houses, as this would fall hard on many classes who ; altd congratilated theirouse on the expiration of,
could least afford it : but be should'propose a tax of , that Masao( taxation witiewhich the country had been
a al:idler—nature oil green-houses, hot-Nooses, and encumbered.Ninemillioneoftaxation waren:Hermes'''.
conservatories. This estimate would be -made on 1 ad! He hoped dot. this reductiokyeald prove sdnisß,
their superficial extent, sod 48 square feet of see.. tageous not only to private comfort, but to the future
taco would be considered as equal to a window, and extension of public revenue: for rho doilit this sur-
rated at 35..61 Thus, supposed .a •geeen-house.ti, Plus ,would be employed in trade, and find its way
be 60 fest in length, and 12 feet height, its surface' ultimately to the public revenue. lie must also can.
would beequel to 15 windows, which, at the rate gittelete ,tjie Mut*. on the• progressive enceease of,
of the IViudow Tax, would he...31..71..6d. Ile sup. thirevemm(adependently of the.property tax) within
posed thatlew Gentlemen would be inclined to oh. the three lastyeam, which promisedthe best results fur
ject to.this tax.. Considering, on the other hand' the future. ..The three last years;presented the fisl.'
how much the trading breaches would be relieved by ; levying . progress:. the first of them prodoesel
the removal of the Property Tax, he conceived that :47,000,000,1i ; the. second 48,468,0001.; the la.r,'
tradesmen would not. object to such a substitute as 51,00Q,Q0Q1e. The country might now-be proud thit
he should now propose, which was a tax on the win- it had achieved all its great objects, while It was at'
dews of shops and warehouses, in the same proper. ; thosameAmit in the most flourishing condition,' Ile.
tion of.3s. 6d. a window. It was difficult to procure - malt- beg leave.of the Committee to tell a story-whir:la
an accurate osculation of the amount of a new tax, had relation to the present subject. The late Mr.
but it was estimated that the produce would hellbent- Burke, on some occasion at the beginning of the.
50,0001. a year. The next tax related to •inhabited , French war, being among his friends,. drank success
'
houses: he should propose an augmentation of SO . to • " the long war ;" the company, not expecting the
per cent. on the, present tax on therents•of inhabited war to be long. expressed some surprise; but Mr.
houses, and the rent of warehouses would be charged Burke repeated his sentiment, telling them that it
ism thesemearanner. .It was reckoned. abet the first must be long,' adding'. " ',utak et aurora rebus.
measure would. produce 396,5001. and that the Ware- • selvage secuidis." Such was the opinion of that
house Tat e ould produce 150,0001. The next class of great Statesman: -he felt . that all that was to be
lasatiou would embrace servants, carriages,' aisd horses feared was a feverish hripStieuj. co.
011, the part of the
usg.l for.pleasure and luxury ; a considerable addition people at the necessary burthea. •Thecotintry, hew-
woeld be imposed on them, namely, 'about 80 per cent. ever, had borne-all :- it had sigdyperseeired, We'd it
Gentlemenperhape, ;would net be very eager to oh-. new remained for Kt* estiex the preepetittreselting
jact to this proposition, when they consideredethe from that perseverance.4Bear, keeribeßietit
diffewenee of amount between this tax and the Pro. Hon! Gentleman then moved itii'lteiergebes, ac-
pert!, Tax. The.increase on servants was estimated carding to tbe.tinoUr'of bleS.PeeCh.,
at 41.0,0001.; on carriages at 31:3,0001. ; on horses,'. . Mr. WHITBREAD said, it was not his inten-
at 63'2,5001. .irsien anti liorseserepleyettinliesbandry tion (o have pot s'Of tlaivi on* present occasion,,
were not included, but an addition of 301. -er• 401. haillt stetslneite..fece census taunt et; sneer that the
por.,eeat. on .horses used its trade would amount to . Right. Hon. Gentliman-had, in a
scertain part of his'
about .85,80301.,and on lain to about 148;0001. An speech,,4ltweittgpropet tokloar tgt against the trade
increaser on ..the tax on dogs would . amount to of which he had the honour (6 be an humble,aiem-
-105.5001.. •AU increase also on the defy on game. bee. in that part-of the epieelt to'whiela he alluded,.
certificates was reckoned at 42,000. lee should Pro- the Rigid' Me. Gentlettaiti hiLl pia,,,.g. that
pose, that all unmarried men who already pay an reeived several hintsOlffit as adilitioetitaz might be.
addithanatl. rate on servants and horses, should pay a pilot on beer• heti the Isigh.
_otitis* *hoh it was'
still further rate of 501. per cent.. on. their servants- • kejet .9pe,"... The itlg'hi• iViii. •.Gentliman had this.
horses, and carriages,which would peotluee 1204001. night. offered his plan of fin lisce,' and many were of
he had
[a loud ingth.3 The aggregate amount of i these' eAnien,Bialtlititeoc Itiii,artiiilei for raisin the...aoesii
g .
. .....
sevecat sums was ft .milliene and a halfr • Ile came he wanted would be a tax on beer. The Right Hoe.
now to .the customs.; .andbere he intended an Atli- Geittletati !vtt' keek,eiterycireaktitenesi retail's
.to
timed duty on tobsioo, and this the rather because his plan eatZfiniiy.stsee and close. Not a Whisper
there was reason,to believe that piece with Atneri6e` had made its way.to tie public till the whole proinui-.
would milks tobacco .cheapere • The duty wouta getietehtekjus( Jseqedefrom hihretirulnouth- , ,tilt. e""
bleat.thevatref Grt.. in ,ithe pound, undi wind() pro. quiries made by himself otitis friends bad been fruit.
dacw.flatis,oool. An additional duty •of 9.01. a tun less and inetrectual. Hi would not give the imitiest
would be imposed an foreign wine, nna:an increase hintiti aiiivi: ha., Afiii.A.; to licessi Is ;. pi that the
waultbe laid out chg. lieeticesto ()eaters in eicisable trade to which he belonged could net ford anv tree
articles. Ile was aware that this last impost was judgment by which they were to act, as to the coeti-
not free from objection, as it might be said to affect nuance of the present prices of beer, till they Wl'r"
small trades ; but whets its moderate nature was con. able to ascertain what the intet,tiont4 of the 114'1