Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-11-13

Being an increase of .......... 3l2, 764
upon the ordinary revenue of the year. There is
deficiency upon the total revenue of the ueay, de-
rived from all sources, ordinary and extraordinary
Of 81 ,O42,26S; but as the former year enioyed.''
as the Times says, !" the benefit of that wndfalI,
the China money, to the amount of g968 ,5O3,''
the ordinary revenue of the two years vary yery
immaterially Among other facts disclosed by these
returns, may be noted that the customs have been
diminished by the repeal of the corn laws, and in
creased by the additional importation and consump-
ton of sugar, coffee, Cocoa and foreign spirits tea
alone standing still. The excise has been affected,
to the amount of about g750,O0O by the decrease,
during the first six months of the year, in the guam
tity of malt paying duty, which, owing to the high
price of barley, was about eight millions of bushels.
There is also decrease of nearly two millions of
gallons in the British spirits paying excise duty
during the first six months of the year but there is
large increase in bricks and glass, and some other
minor articles.
Although the dminution in the quarters revenue
arising from all sources, when compared with the
corresponding quarter of last year, amounts to
91,500,000, yet, according to the apparently cor
rect reasoning of the "Tmes,' great part of the
difference has arisen from extraordinary items that
do not depend on the fluctuations of trade and the
principal falling off has been in the customs and
excise as above detailed, and which arose from the
suspension of the corn law duties, and the dimin-
ished consumption Of malt and sprituous liquors.
All arising from the bad harvest of 1916, and not
occasioned by any of the late great commercial
reforms.
Among other fiscal changes said TO be contem-
plated by Lord John Russell early in the approach
ing session, is plan by which the principal part Of
the revenue is to be collected from source the
customs,) and upon only nine dutable articles. OF
course this excerpts the income and assessed taxes,
and stamp duties, which will all be dealt with sepa-
rately, and circumstances will direct. The plan
is, lst, To abolish the excise department Ia toto,
and place British spirit distilleries and the coec-
ton Of the malt duties under the supervision of the
customs. To accomplish this object, some of the
most efficient and experienced excisemen will be
transferred to the custom-house department, and
amalgamated with the staff of that body. IDLY, To
raise the revenue hitherto arising from customs and
excise, through the customs alone and, as been
stated, from nine articles of general consumption
These would be acceptable changes, would much
simplify the collection of the revenues diminish the
expenses of collecting it, and also the Government
patronage, and would do away with, what has
always been very obnoxious part Of the English
taxation system, the ercise laUs and the erciseua
Among other may be mentioned because
there is both novelty and plausibility in the dea
that tax upon GAS is seriously talked of in infu
entail quarters"
An impression has been on the public mind, at
least the subject has occupied part of the public
press during the last week, Z" that there are diff
cultes in the condition and requirements of Ireland
which nobody but Sir Robert Peel can successfully
grapple with ; and that the present Administration
will be overwhelmed by them Now, that the
Irish question does present great difficulties cannot
be denied but they do not appear to be such as the
Administration will, of necessity, find unconquera-
BILE. What is this Irish difficulty when turned into
plain words Nothing more than that Irish land
lords are trying to sweep the whole country of its
produce, in order to put their rents into their own
pockets, and then throw, if they can, the supporter
the people upon England. But Sir Robert Peel
would, in all probability, find more difficulty with
Ireland than Lord John Russell will he certainly
would not enjoy the confidence Of the Irish landed
arstocracy, and the repealers would be his most
determined opponents. Some of the Journals, in
the interest of the Free-trade party, have amused
themselves with framing Administration with
Sir Robert Peel at the head and Mr.. Golden as
his Chancellor of the Exchequer and say that the
slight and neglect which the present Administration
has always manifested towards their free-rade sup
porters have convinced them that the Wing Gov
eminent can never be cordially upheld by the latter
These are mere rumors, and are stated such;
nevertheless they show, in some degree, the direc-
ton that portion Of the public mind is running in
and may serve to interest amidst the general dearth
of home news. There is very excellent article
in the " Examiner of last week. headed "PeePs
Bill and the Bank Of England, in which the whole
question of the restriction of the Bank issues is
ably and fairly stated 1t ought to be studied closely
by all who are friendly to unchecked issues OF paper
money, and although it contains some fallacies about
railways, and the absorption of capital it will help
many persons to correct notions about banking,
paper money, &c. The Times reprinted i at iuli
length, and the other leading papers speak OF It In
the highest terms.
NTEyICO--commercal ariffs Regulations Resources,