The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-02-01 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN:

PROPERTY TAX.

COUNTY OF HERTFORD MEETING.

A Meeting of the County of Hertford was held at
she Town-hall, Hertford, on Saturday, the 28th of
January, to take into consideration the propriety of
petitioning Parliament against the Property Tax.
The business was opened by Mr. HALE, jun. who,
in a clear and energetic manner, pointed out the
oppressive operation of the Tax; the engagement that
had been made with the public, that it should cease
a: a certain period ; the reason they had to believe
ministers intended its renewal, which made it tteces-
vire in his opinion to petition Parliament against
loch renewal in any shape, or under any modifica-
tion; he then proposed a string of Resulutions,which
were seconded by Mr. Halsey, in the same strain of
pointed eloquence against the unequal and oppressive
operation of the Tax.
Mr. N. CALVERT differed from the Gentlemen who
proposed and seconded the Resolutions, and entered
into a comparative statement of the operation of the
property Tax compared to the Salt Tar, Coal, Malt
and other taxes, which might he repealed to the great
seller of the poor, while the Property Tax made the
rich contribute their full share of the public burdens,
for those reasons he should oppose both the Resolu-
tion% and Petition.
Mr. !Au hoped the people would not be disap-
pointed by having other taxes as had in the place of
She Property Tax; he trusted there would be econo-
my and retrenchment in every department, it was
but a very bad argument to say a few hundred thou-
sand pounds was nothing, it was like a man whose
affairs where in so despairing a state, that he dare
not look into them. _ _

Mr. BAaEIL rose and stated, that he considered
the tax most certainly as expiring at a given period,
and whether it would be necessary that any other
should be substitoteti in its stead, he could not de-
ride, as he was apprehensive we could not long re-
main iu a state of peace ; but while he stated this
opinion, ha begged the Meeting to understand he did
not come tare to speak against the tax, as some Gen-
tieme'l had done in other counties, to court popu-
larity. i".(• had read in a Norfolk Paper, that Mr.
Coke had said he thanked GOD he had newer voted
for war or taxes ; then, Sir, 11r. Coke has never
voted for the honpur of his country.—LLoud hisses
and disapprobediois,j—llaving, however, made this
declaration, he thdught the engagement of Govern-
ment should bt; kept with the country, and he there-
fore approved of the Resolution to petition against
the continuance or reneeal of this tax.

- .
Mr. BRAND then rose, and stated to the Meeting
the inequalities of the tax, and its oppressive ten-
dencies ; showed it to make professions pay '2O per
cent. and the land in proportion, and was particu-
larly distressing to the tenantry of the country. Ile
regretted there were not more of that description of
people present ; but he accounted in some measure
for their absence, by stating, that a very large dis-
trict in his neighbourhood was obliged to attend an
appeal, occe,ineed by the surcharges under the Act
we were now met to oppose. He objected to the
fez, on account of the facility it gave to a profligate,
or a Supposed profligate Court, to be lavish la their
expenditure. Mr. Brand also regretted the attack
which had been made on Mr. Coke by Mi. Baker.—
Ile concluded by supporting the Petition.
Mr. GEORGE FORDIIAM Said he could not approve
of the Petition, as he did not allow the tax to be ne-
cessary ; the -war that caused the tax was, in his
opinion, itself unnecessary ; he expressed his sur-
prize, that those present who had thought the war
just and honourable, should stand up to oppose the
tax; it Was the consequence of the war, and if the
war wasjost and honourable, the tax was also just
and honourable. He strongly objected to the Peti-
tion, because it declared the necessity of the tax,
and declined supporting it, as he himself had never
voted for or considered the war necessary.
Mr. FLOWER rose and said that various as the
motives were which induced people to oppose the
tax, his was something different to any that had
been expressed ; he stated that there wai no necessity
for it ; and that those Gentlemen who wished for its
continuance, bad net shown that necessity ; he
called upon the friends of the Ministers to prove
tbeir case. Mr. F. paused for a few minutes, but
no one comirg forward to show the necessity of the
tax, Mr. F. thought it right to content himself with
the assertion, that the renewal or continuance of
the tax, was both unjust and unnecessary. He also
expressed his regret at the attack which had been made
on Mr. Coke, and expressed his surprize at the quarter
whence it came; whatever might be the political
opinions of Mr. Coke, he stood high in the estima-
tion of the public for consistency and integrity, and
was incapable of acting from so unworthy a motive as
bad been imputed to him ; he might have said to his
Constituents what the Honourable Gentleman
could not do, be might have said—l have
never unfurled the standard of liberty before you,
and when it answered my purpose deserted my stand-
ard, and turned upon my very friends. Would to
God that the Genlenian who attacked Mr. Coke
could put his hand to his heart and say, neither his
pride nor his passions had contributed to shed the
blood of his fella% men ; he thought then the decline
of his days would be more peaceful.—Ple. F. mat
Men called to order, amidst much tumult of appro-
bation and disepprobation.i—Mr. F. said, he must
consider the attack that had been made upon Mr.
Coke was like the barking of the cur at the bright lu-
minary of the moon.—[Cries of order.]—Mr. F.
then said he was ready to stand corrected, if
it vas allowed that the attack on Mr. Coke,
which produced the retort, was also irregular.
—[This was admitted.]--M. F. then gave i
other reasons why there could be no necessity
for the Property Tax, except for the purpose of
affording a facility for granting money as lavish
E the Ministry did last Session. If the Ministry
meant to send Ambassadors with large salaries where'
there were neither Kings nor Courts, then they would
not only want the continuance of the Property Tax,
but double its amount. He said, by the ovidence
t ikee before the House which he had penned with
attention, it was proved most clearly to his mind,
tire impossibility of the landed interest to support the 1
present amouet of taxation. If then, Sir, Ministers
declared they could not do without that which it was
impost:Rile to collect, it was nothing short of an-
eoeutiog a national baultreptcy, the friends of Mi-

Miter* therefore dared not attempt to prove its
necessity. It would have been natural to suppose
the feeling of the Ministry towards the people for
their patience in bearing the sufferings and privations
during the war, would have been exhibited by an
endeavour to relieve them as soon as possible from
the burdeus they had endured, instead of which a
contrary course has been pursued, and an attempt
has been made to perpetuate their sufferings. It has
been my lot to attend lately, as well as yours, the
festive board, and join in the triumphant chorus
that Britons never will be slaves; but if, under
present circumstances, you bad passed over such
treatment as you have met with, without expressing
your disapprobation, you would have been the
tamest slaves that ever existed. An Honourable
Gentleman at the beginning of this meeting stated
his objections to the present petition, and wished
that the tax on malt, on coals, on salt, which •p.
pressed the poor, should be repealed rather than the
Property Tax. Mr. F. had expected after such a
declaration, that the Gentleman had intended to pro-
pose this as an amendment to the Petition, and if he
was sincere in this declaration, he hoped the Meeting
would adopt this measure also. He remembered the
Chancellor of t&,* Exchequer, Mr. Pitt (whom he al-
ways hated)---{ Loud uproar of applause and approba-
tion]— once proposed a tax, and a Gentleman oo the
opposite side of the House objected, and proposed
some 'other ; Mr. l'itt adopted both and Mr. P.
wished the Meeting would imitate him and adopt
both propositions of the Gentlemen, by petitioning
against the continuance of all the War Taxes, which
certainly might be spared if economy and retrench-
ment were resorted to on the part of Government ;
he should be happy if the Petition was amended.
Mr. BAKER rose only to reply to the observations
of the last speaker. It was but necessary to state
to the Meeting what he had before stated to them en
his conduct, and to refer to the marks of their ap-
probation which he had so repeatedly received ;
only in one instance had he failed of success, when
he was taken by surprise by such a coalition of par-
ties that he had never before witnessed, and which
he thought could not be justified ; he expressed also
his surprise that the Gentleman who has censured
his attack on Mr. Coke should have spoken in such
severe terms of Mr. Pitt, now dead, and could never
enter into his defence, if necessary.
Sir Jolts; SEBRIGHT rose, and expressed his regret
at the attack made en Mr. Coke, by his friend Mr.
Baker, and equally regretted the remarks that it had
drawn from his friend Mr. Flower, because he knew
that the latter Gentleman had a great regard for the
private virtues of his friend Mr. Baker, as he had
heard it from his own mouth: and as it regards thelpoli-
tical conduct of his friend-, however improper it
might be in him to enter into his defence who was so
able to defend himself, he must say, that if he had
not acted with perfect uprightness and integrity, then
was he mistaken in the character he had formed of
him. Sir John also expressed, in strong and ener-
getic language, the impropriety of the continuance
or renewal of this tar (being e war Cu) when we
were at peace with all the world. _ _

The question being now called for, the Reso-
lutions were put, with the dissent of fire on the first,
eight on the second, and three on the third.
The Petition was carried, as it originally stood,
against the renewal of the Property Tax.

ESSEX COUNTY MEETING.
Pursuant to Requisition, a Meeting of the County
of Essex was held yesterday at Chelmsford, on the
subject of the Property Tax.
ROBERT WILSON, Esq. the Sheriff, took the Chair,
and in a short speech stated the object of the
Meeting.
Mr. C. T. TOWER rose to propose the Re olu-
tions, which he did in a speech of very considerable
length. lie went over the usual grounds which have
been 40 often taken on the subject, and in a very able
manner argued against the renewal of a Tax, w ich
he described as inquisitorial, unconstitutional,►, nd
oppressive to the extremest degree.
Mr. BARNET LENNARD seconded the Resolutions
in a speech of considerable merit, which he delivered
with much energy.

Mr. J. C. WRIGHT rose to do justice to the
abilities and eloquence of the promoters of these
Resolutions, while he described them as being ac-
tuated solely by party views. In the course of his
speech he made an allusion to Mr. W. Smith, the
Member for Norwich, who was seated in the Grand
Jury Gallery, whom he accused of inconsistence, in
cautioning the public against hoping for a decrease of
taxes, while he was urging the repeal of the Pro-
perty Tax. After many •bservations against the
Resolutions, and in favour of the conduct of Ad-
ministration, he moved, as an Amendment, that
4 6 Notwithstanding the oppressive nature of the tax,
particularly upon the annuitant, the Petitioners mill
continue to submit to it until the accounts of the late
glorious and successful war were wound up, and the
good faith of the country discharged."
Colonel CARR seconded the Amendment.

Mr. Wm. SMITH said, after the pointed attack
which had been made personally upon him, some of
his friends might think it necessary for him to say
something in reply. He found himself accused of
the most egregious inconsistency ; but he was ready
to repeat and to act upon what he had said at the
County Meeting to which the Gentleman had al-
luded. That Gentleman seemed to think all tax-
ation alike; but because he (Mr. Smith) thought
the necessary expellees of the country were to be
maintained, and the debt of the country paid, was
he bound to maintain that every method of doing
this ought to be supported ? The Gentleman had ne
right to say it would appear like a party meeting;
it was not a party question, bet a question of the
tenantry, of the landed interest ; the landed in-
terest themselves were only taxed according to their
receipts, the professional man the same ; but a
tenant holding a farm might have to pay a tax for his
loss. As to the winding up of the war, he thought
Ministers, when they framed the Act, must have been
very well an are that there would be a tail end to a
war; but the
year would
received nett
termination

odium upon

tax, he woo
wally kw'.

less in the support of Government, a few months be.
fore Mr. Pitt proposed' this tax in the Commons,
there appeared the very substance of this tax, pur-
porting to be neither more nor less than the acme of
despotism, as what was likely to be imposed upon
the French people in a year or two—when, behold !
in about three months after, Mr. Pitt proposed this
very measure to the British Commons. After some
observations upon the impolicy of telling the poor
that the rich are rising above them, Mr. Smith traced
the tax from its creation to the period of the present
meeting, and said, that what the Poet had said of
vice might not inaptly be applied to the Property
Tax :

" Vice is a momter of such frightful mien,
That to he hated needs hut to he seen;
But teen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure—then pity—then embrace."

lie hoped, however, we should never arrive at the
'degradation of embracing it by going and begging Mi-
nisters to continue it another year. hear !]
--Lfloar,
Mr. TowEa and Mr. %LIGHT explained.
Mr. HALL was In favour of the Resolutions.
Mr. C. W. %Volrsaw agreed entirely with Mr.
Smith, and pledged himself to support the cause of
the.country in and out of Parliament.
C4neb Cann seeing the sense of the Meeting
against the Admendment, desired to withdraw kis
nanseas the Seconder thereof!
Mr. WitIGILT then withdrew his Amendment, and
the Petition was then unanimously adopted.
Mr. nommen expressed his willingness to present
it, but refused to support it.
After some explanation from the SIIERIrr, relative
to hit mode of advertising the Meeting, Thanks were
voted to him, and to the Mover and Seconder, and
the Meeting adjourned.

COURT-MARTIAL.

TRIAL Of' LIEUT.-GEN ER AL SIR J. MURRAY.

TM:ADA lir - TEN Tll DA Y.

Captain Milner uas again called in, and examin,
ed es to the letter sent by Sir John Murray to Lord
Wellington. The witness repeated his assertion,
that theburry was so great, teat there was not tuna
to copy it.

Q. What did Sir John Murray then do with the
dispatch ?—A. lie took it into the after cabin,
where, I belierc, Admiral *llallo‘sell was at the time.
Q. Do you know how long after I came on hoard
my dispatch was sent otf?—A. It was ready to he
sent off in a liale more than an hour. I do not briloll
when it Wag actually sent oir. _

Admiral liallowel! then expressed a wish, that the
evidence of this witness might be tend over to him,
before he proceeded to cross-examine him, in order
that he might correct any part of it that be 511011 q
see required correction. Ile did not oi6h to take
any advantage of Capt. Milner.
Capt. Milner said, that lie had no wi'h that it
should be read to him, and was not aware that there
was any thing to be corrected in it.
Cross-examined by Admiral Ilallorcell.
Q. Did you keep any diary of the proceedings of
which yo•u spoke yesterday, or do you rely altoge—
ther on your memory ?—A. I kept a jour:•.il of the
whole campaign, but not particularly of what I
spoke of yesterday.
Q. Do you think that at the distance of eighteen
months you can speak with accuracy respecting par-
ticular dates and expressions ?—A. I may not be
able to speak with accuracy as' to dates in general,
but I can speak with accuracy as to dates about the'
time of raising the siege ; and I tlo think I can
speak with accuracy of the Admiral's expressions at
that time.

Q. At what hour did the fleet anchor on the
2cl of JUIN', in Tarragona Bay ?—A. I cannot suite
the exact hour, but I think it was about 12 o'clock
at noon.
Q. Do you recollect at what time Sir John Mur-
ray, Colonel Cabanes, and myself went on shore
on that day l—A. It was soon after the Admiral's
dinner.

Admiral Hallowell said, that this was no answer
to his question. He could dine at two o'clock, or
he could dine at six.

Q. What hour was it ?—A. The Admiral dined
about four; and I think it wasa little after five whew
they went on shore.
Q. Was it dark or not when we returned ?—A.
It was dusk when the Admiral returned.

- i - ,
sii. Upon recollection a . iltiet-trid
i•'! that I never saw a
s as you must know,
and myself .-1 .fr f;ur.so'keernedi4lll"glrg ;.'
I. that
. ;wards came on board in a
~.boat" o e game, and Colonel Cabanes returned
- : in a boat ifelenging to one of the nun-boats I—A. I
t ! know nothing about the Admiral's gig, although I