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HOUSE OF LORDS . —Mohday , Apml II . Lord Cxkfbsxt . moved the second reading of the three Bill * by wkiA be proposed to transfer to the House of Lords the power at present possessed by the privy Council , of hearing appeals , to reform the appeilaie jurisdiction of the Boose of Lords , sad to render permanent the office of Chief Judge In the Court of Chancery . The motion was © pposad iy the Xord Oancellor , Iiord Brougham , Md the Dnis of Wellington i and Qa imendmtut being carried witheut & division , the Bflla were lost
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HOUSE OF COMMONS , Fmjut , Akol 8 . ^ j ^ * j _ jjxtscombb revived , in another form , the Question of the proceeding afternoon , as to the jKJraissibilifr of petitions against pending taxes ; hat as no notice bad been given of hia intention , it was agreed , after gome coBYersatios , that this debate should be adjourned to ilondsy-On the question that the report of the Committee of Ways and Means should be brooght up , ioni Johs BrssEii rose to move , by 'Way of jmecdnient , a resolution , the purport of which was , that the estimated deficiency of income to meet expenditure might be supplied by a jndicions arrangement of the duties on corn , sugar , timber , and coffee , and a reduction of the various prohibitory and differential
duties ; and that , considering the taxes ( nearly 24 millions } is ampBnt , -which , exclusjrely of tile income-tax , Jj ^ q been tien off between the termination of the war asd the year 1836 , and the various other means of supplying deficiency , the House wonld deem it not necessry , and therefore not advisable , to renew a tax . ( viz , on income ) inquisitorial , unequal , and hitherto considered as a "war reserve . He -was of opinion that the GoTemniect bad taien too gloomy a view of the COUEtry ' * jj «» T »» i * i difficulties ; tue difficulties which requ red the chief consideration were the commercial ones ; and accordingly the new burdens were proposed rather for commercial than for financial purposes . It was under pressure of war , and under great and increasing deficiencies , that an income-tax had on former occasions been
imposed ; at the return of peace it had always been removed r and there had been an understanding that it ¦ was to be reserved for seasons of war . The present deficiency was to the extent only of about 1-2 eth of the yearly revenue ; public credit continued high ; and money could be borrowed at an easy rate . The great objections to an income tax were these : —First , it taxed the funds , which l # d to the danger that some other metropolis of Eorope wonld become the great moneymarSet cf the world . Another objection was the inequality of the tax , for it assessed precarious incomes as heavily as the incomes of permanent property .
Again , it was & tax of which an inquisitorial examination must be part and parcel . There was a peculiar Enfitness , too , in the time of proposing it . When it ¦ was first brought forward , the valna of money was faffing by the operation of the paper currency ; but no such operation was in progress nsw , and the commerce of the country was at present in a state of great depression . He admitted the necessity of providing for the deficiency , and proceeded to specify several articles of consumption from -which he thought a sufficient revenue might be obtained for that purpose . These were sugar , timbe-, and wheat ; on the first £ 5 S 7 , 000 , on the second £ 600 , 000 , and on the third £ 530 , 000 ,
might have been obtained without pressure on the people . On coffiee , as on timber , a needless sacrifice of reTenne had been made . There -were various other suggestions from various quarters , most of which he thought preferable to the Government plan ; for instance , a duty on the succession to landed property , and an increase of the assessed taxes on ftur-wheeled carriages , male servants , and other items in the expenditure of the rieh . He Bhould not despair of succeeding in objects bo reasonable , were it not that he found the question now was , not what would be most nsefal , feat ¦ what would best uphold the present Administration . He and his friends were maligned as the bitter enemies of the farmer . He denied the charge ; he believed the principle of the fixed duty to "be a beneficial one for agriculture as well as for other interests . Men of the
greatest ability , and the most warmly attached to agriculture , had declared that even a fixed duty of 8 s . would not be permanently wanted for its protection- ; and yet persons , whose heads seemed to be made of the isme clay as their acres , called him the bitter enemy of tht farmers . Had he been the means of deceiving the formers ? He had cot prea and broken pledges on the rabjeet of their interest ; and if they were angry , let Vbpm turn their anger , not on him , but on their deceivers . Kow , he asked , wasan income tax of £ 4 , 000 , 000 —was that a partial and unequal tax , to be imposed , not for the necessities of the country , but for the avowed purpose of supporting an Administration ? If bo , be thought the nation would ere long regret that they had elected a House of Commons "which had so betrayed the trust reposed in it
Mr . Goclbc&s disclaimed any gloomy view of the country ' s condition , energies , or capabilities . He hailed the admission that the deficiency must be provided for ; and contended that it was not enough for the House to meet the mere present necessity ; they were bound to regard the state of affairs in the East , and the probable expences which the contests there would involve , and to place their finances upon a basis which would enable them to do justice to the country in future years . Mr . Pitt ' s ground for originating the Income Tax was not merely the existence of a war , but still more the existence of a great deficiency ; and so far fram proposing to confine that tax to the season cf war , Mr . Pitt proposed to pledge the proceeds to be raised from that tax after the return of peace far the
payment of the loans contracted during war . Lord Althorp , in later times , had declared -the necessity of meeting a deficiency of £ 2 500 , 000 , should it OCCUr , even in profound peace , by the imposition of an Income Tax . In truth the maintenance of public credit was juit as important in peace as in wsr , and a system of loans in peace was to be cartf uliy guarded againstthat system which had been so long the resource of the late Government . The . Noble iord had talfced cf tae evil influences of a tax on fnnrterf property ; yet the fends , which were but lately at 88 and a fraction , had sow , even since the announcement and discussion of this very tax , risen to above ° 0 . 2 » o dcubt an Income lax was unequal ; but ss was every tax ; and at least the inequality would here operate favourably for the « msn incomes . He admitted , too , the inquisitorial character of the tax ; but he hoped he should be able to remove , by various regulations , the most
considerable of the practical objections on this head . He then adverted to the budget of the late Ministry , particularly to the proposal for the admission cf foreign sugar . To that course the present Ministe s had objected , not on financial grounds , but by reason of the encouragement which 5 t wonld have given to "foreign slavery and the foreign slave trade . And at hst the Noble Lord's bndget would have left the country with a revenue deficient to the extent of about a couple of millions . Now as to the new suggestion of the Noble Lord . It seemed to be thought that legacies oa land paid no legacy duty ; but the fact was that they paid exactly the same legacy duty as if they were charged on land . It seemed also to be thought , on the other hand , that all personal property paid probate and legacy duty upon succession ; but th .= fact was , that that wherever personal property was in settlement , as the large properties in land most usually were , it paid no cntj Trhaterer . There were indeed some landed
properties mettled , but they were chitfly the smaller ones ; and it was not upon the holders cf a little that he thought it desirable to impose fresh duties . - By the best approximation he had been able to make , it appeared thst of a total of about £ 8 , 000 , 000 produced in iix years by the legacy duty , upwards of j £ 3 , ooo , ooo had been yielded by the legacies charged on land ; and he Quoted a speech of Mr . Baring , the late Chancellor of the Exchequer , corroborating these results . The Noble Lord had also recommended an increase of the assessed taxes ; but such taxes did not fail , as he seemed to think , on the rich alone . The window tax , indeed ,
had once been a very productive ODe , but that was when the smaller class of hcuses was inelu ' ed , which in later times the Government had been enabled to exempt ; audit could not be desirable to bring back the poorer tenants into such an assessment . . He qnotsd the speech cf a personage whom the Noble Lord , as member for lie City , -was bound to acknowledge as a high authority—a speech of Sir John Key , Lord Mayor of London , condemning the window tax as being " the income tax in its worst shape , unjust , oppressive , and b quisitoriaL" Full time had now elapsed for the people to form their opinions of the proposed measure , and he trusted that the House would enable the
Government to maintain by it the credit cf the country . -Mr . Willllms { Coventry ) disliked the income tax , cut thought lord John Russell had made out no very good ease in his other . objection * to the Ministerial finance . He hid himself given notice of two proposals , both of which he thought better than those of the Noble Lord . First , he would propose on all inheritances or devises of land a duty equal te the probate and legacy duty on personalty ; and secondly , a graduated per centre on salaries and other incomes payable out of the public revenue . He calculated that these two measures would produce from £ 4 , 000 , 000 to £ 0 , 000 , 000 , which would be sufficient to meet the deficiency .
Sir B . tSGLis suggested that , as incomes of £ 150 were to be wholly exempt , the possessors ef large acomea should have so far & proportionate benefit as to be taxable only on the surplus beyond the £ 159 . Ihus a ioan with £ 550 would pay o ^ Iy on £ 100 , the * aa with £ 300 would pay only on £ 150 , and so on . ¦ fie would , however , have preferred even a higher per jsaiage on property , with ft total exemption of mere * £ ome . Mr P . Stewjlbt said , that the , suggestion of ** Cng £ 150 the unit in the scale , and taxing enly ^ excess , was one which he should approve if he 9 b not wholly opposed to the taxes in any shape . *» thought it premature to include in the present 5 * cgement a provision for tite deficiencies of Indian rjsae , and for the probable expences of the Chinese J * - The Government were unnecessarily alarmed at ^ present dicnmitaBees of Hie nation . He approved j ** 8 duetion of the duty on coffee , but not on timber . t g * t room of this odious tax he wonld suggest some * , ?** subjects of assessment . Ha would t&x landed ^* wns , bbC that suggestion bad this recommend-
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ation—that no present owner would suffer from It . He wculd have a fixed duty on corn ; which duty would not only produce present revenue , bat serve u a stepping stone to a wholly free trade . Sng&r would be another resource . The West Indians WOUld Object in vain to a re-&dju * tmeat of the sugar duties , for they were ax all events doomed to destruction from Cuba and Brazil , and might as well make up their minds to their fate at once . He made some criticisms on certain points of the tariff , and concluded by deprecating a pusillanimous view of the present difficulties .
Mr . PALMES ( Essex ) vindicated boa own consistency on the subject of the Com Laws . It was impossible , in the case of any very large measure , that everyone of its points should be approved by every one of its supporters . The credit of the country must be obtained , and though seme objections might be made to an income-tax , there was no alternative but to accept it with a -good wiiL Having expatiated upon th » Chinese question , he referred to the tariff , which he condemned on the broad ground that it was a measure of free trade , though it gave a very large protection to the cotton manufacturers . He did not grudge thfcm a protection ,- but he wished to Bee all interests protected equally . Mr .- W . Someb . vu . lb thanked Sir B . Peel for having exempted Ireland , and for having taxed the absentees , but could not support this impost without a stem necessity .
Captain Hamilton supported the tax ; for while be felt the hardship of the impost upon the widow and the professional man , he considered also the great relief which the tariff -would give to them , and to all other classes of consumers . He regarded this arrange ment in-the same light as the organization of a military force in time of peace for security against the breaking out of war . Mr . Shiei was persuaded of the people ' s generous irilHngness to come forward for the pHblic safety ; bat it was a feeling of which the Minister should be slow to- avail himself . The Minister had said , that nnless he carried his tax and Ms tariff , he weuld retire ; but his virtue was not likely to be put to the test . His first difficulty would be his success—would be the
people ' s feeling of his income tax , with its pressure , its inquisitions , its conjectural surcharges , its whole traiu of vexation and injustice . They would then ask whether he had not availed himself of power to abuse it ? Surely it w&s rash to increase a deficiency for the purpose of supplying it with an income tax . The late Chancellor of the Exchequer , had he done so , would have been called an empiric The tariff should at least have been perfect to warrant such an impoBt for its sake . He then criticised the reduction of duty on timber , and the non-reduction of duty on sugar . Ministers talked of the foreign Blave trade , and yet lowered the duties upon the coffee of the foreign slave colonies . The present deficiency had been charged upon the Whigs ; but it was not by the Whigs that the debt had been raised
to hundreds of millions . By them , on the contrary , taxes to the amount of £ 6 , 000 , 000 had been remitted . ( Hear , hear . ) The Tories , too , had remitted many taxes ; the first they hod remitted was this very income tax , which they had taken off in 1816 , and " which was now the first to be reiruposed by the Tories of lSi 2 . The income Tax Act , passed by the Whigs of 1806 , - was framed to continue till the April following the treaty of peace , and no longer . He feared this blister ; the more it should draw the more it - would adhere . It had been condemned by all the greatest interests and authorities , among whom was the late Sir . Robert PeeL It had beei supported by Lord Castlereagh ; but ha had a much stronger case than the present Government , yet he did not succeed ; was success , then , to attend the Minister in a reformed Parliament ? Could he reconcile his measnre with his profession of care for the poor ? How unjust was it to
tax the intellect cf one man equally with the acres of another ! Ought the landed gentleman , " who lives at home at ease , " to pay no more * fr «* tiv * officer of tbe army or nary , or the widow struggling to maintain four or five daughters on a Blender jointure ? Nor was it fitting that a Government should create inducements to falsification . The House had been strongly exhorted to shut out perjury in the Irish registrations ; would they not be equally watchful against perjury in the collection of English Taxes ? If they were not hypocritical Pharisees , he hoped they would not show themselves remorseless publicans . And where was the necessity for the measure ? The Queen ' s speech , the speeches of Ministers to their own constituents , bespoke safety and fair prospects ; the country had had no disasters ; but when money was wanted , then the master of all the Ministers came down to the House with vague alarms and dark ' intimations ef danger .
Sir B » Peel rese . and Mr . Brotherton movedanadjournment Some question was made whether Sir It Peel was entitled , in speaking on the motion of adjournment , to enter upon the main subject The Speaker havisg decided that be -was at liberty to do so , Sir R PEEL proceeded . After expressing his anxiety to vindicate himself from the charge of exaggerating difficulties , he reviewed the financial state of the l&st few years , and showed that the late Ministers , who had come into office with a surplus of three millions , had quitted it with a deficit of five , making a difference of eight millions against the country . If tboBS facts were substantiated , -sras there any exaggeration on kis part ? He quoted a speech in which Lord John Russell , having then a surplus , had said that no Minister weuld so fir
embarrass and degrade his country , as to eommence the financial year with a deficit even of one million ; yet here was a deficit of five . The last speaker had said , there had been no disasters . When had England ever sustained such & disaster as that which had just annihilated , with the exception of a single individual , the whole of the British * force in one quarter of India ? Was not some decisive exertion necessary for enabling the Government to repair so great a calamity ? What , then , did he propose ? A tax nsually , indeed , reserved for -war , bus equally applicable to any other great emergency . Lord John Rassell himself had supported a resolution involving thsfc admission , and proposed in 1 S 33 by Lord Althorp , for the purpose of dissuading the House' from the removal of the window tax . The
Noble Lord now recommended a duty npon landed snecessions . His o \ ra Chancellor of the Exchequer , only two years ago , had recorded his oppositlsn to the principle of such a tax . Sir Robert Peel then reprobated Lord John ' s contumelious attack upon the'intellects ol the agriculturists . They , however , needed no vindication of their consistency , for the very objection of the Opposition themselves to his Corn Bill -was that it removed no substantial protection from the land . Now , what -wete the substitutes proposed this evening by Lord John for the income tax . Net an 8 s . duty : that resource was now disposed of by the passing of tne ComBilL Assessed taxes ? How would they relieve professional men , and tradesmen , and widows ? The rich might escape them by going abroad , but the less
aiBaent classes , -who could not travel , must Stay and bear them . It was said , retain the timber duty . In answer % o that suggestion he explained the various ways in which this remission would benefit the country at large , and especially the maritime interests . Sugar was another of the fu ^ jects pointed out ; but , after the sacrifices made by this conntryfor the extinction of the slave trade , and in the present state of onr negotiations on that question , lie had not deemed it justifiable to let in foreign su ^ ar for mere pecuniary considerations , without any security against the evils of slave cultivation . It was said that we wtre admitting coffee and catton , but these had been always admitted ; and the cultivation of them -was not attended -with the same severity to the labourer as the cultivation of sugar . He
was , indeed , proposing a new tax ? but be was remitting others to a great extent . He was reducing duties on articles of subsistence ; and he entreated his agricultural friends to suspend their judgments upon this part of the subject , persuaded that he ibcnld be able , at the proper time , to show the expediency cf that reduction for all interests , including agriculture itself . He would say , fairly , before they voted on this question , that he could . not consent to increase his low duties on the import of live cattle . No wonder , however , that the public mind was agitated when such efforts had been made to disturb it . Papers had even been circulated proposing to supply fresh , meat by contract from Hamburgh at 3 d . per pound , when at Hamburgh itself the price was 5 d . Bat he would
reserve himself for future and fuller explanation on this subject He admitted that an income-tax must be inquisitorial ; but it was necessary that honest men should be protected against the evasions ol their neighbours . The last speaker had pleaded eloquently against the income-tax-, might not an equally touching picture have been drawn on the other hand , of the father of a sick -family compelled by a new window-tax to shut ant the light and the access of air from his anguishing children ? To be Bure you might now get a loan easily , for the funds -were high . But what had raised them ? The prospect of this very tax , and the confidence that Parliament would maintain public credit He was net fairly liable himself to be taunted for having said that on the success of these measures the fate of the
Government must depend ; nor yet his friends , who , approving the . genera , principles of his administration , consented to yield their own opinions upon particular points . Some men might prefer one form of government and some another ; but he agreed with Lord Melbourne that of all governments that was the worst which , lacking-power to carry its measures , was content to linger out its existence upon the forbearance of its opponents . Xord johs rcsseli- desired to explain that his allusion to heads of clay had no reference to any particular class cf members . Mr . Beothesto > again mooted the question , whether Sir R . Peel had been entitled to apeak on the main snbject ? The Speaker again decided in the affirmative . Tbfi deb&t £ was then adjourned .
Monday , April 11 . Sir R . Peel" began the adjourned debate respecting ae petition from Finsbury , which Mr . Buncombe had resented on Friday , against the income tax . Sir . K . ' eel opposed the reception cf this petition , on the round of the ancient usage excluding petitions against ending taxes . If that usage should be rescinded , great bstruction to public business might be the consequence . t was true that a resolution now existed against the ebating of petitions , bnfc that resolntion had raised a sage of only five years , whereas the other was of 3 . 50 . [ e -was aware that much difference of opinion existed n this subject ; but be thought himself bound sot to
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abandon s practice of so long standing without taking the sense of the House upon it Lord Ho WICK thought the old objection to these petitions wa » removed by the modern prohibition of discussion upon them . SirB . Peel seemed to have no reason to urge against the change , except that ib was a change . Mr . MitNES supported the old practice , because he thought that if the House , by a large majority , should sanction a tax , -while the country in general was petition-Ing against it , aa opinion might grow up that the Housti did not duly represent the people . Mr . F . Berkelby . shortly supported Mr . Duncombe . .... ' ... , ¦ - . /; ¦ . ¦¦ . . '¦ ¦ : \ ¦' . :. ; - Lord F . Egebton also expressed his feelings that the doors of the House should be opened as wide as possible to the people ' s petitions .
Lord John Russell , tbouch reluctant to contravene a practice which had prevailed for 150 years , felt himself obliged , since the departure from the old usage of debating upon petitions , to support the motion of Mr . Buncombe . He could not consent to maintain the customs of antiquity only on the sile of restriction . Even if you should now shut out these petitions against the enactment of the pending tax , you could not shut out petitions next year for its repeal The rational course would be to allow the presentation of these like other petitions ; but , as in the case of other petitions , to exclude discussion . Mr . J . S . Wortley was disposed to support the motion . He thought the practice of the House on such a subject should not be construed with the strictness of s penal statute .
Sir James Graham observed , that this usage had originated soon after the Revolution , at a period highly favourable to the rights of the people , and had continued uninterrupted for a century and a half . The recent exclusion of discussion might perhaps be rescinded ; and if that should happen , the supply might be effectually obstructed , and the Crown left without a remedy . Lord John Manners , as an anti-revolutionist , would vote against a practice which the period of the Revolution was cited to sanction . Captain Hamilton opposed the reception of the petition . Lord Sandon desired to uphold the existing practice until there should be a standing order against the discussion of petitions .
Mr . GotLBURN deemed it highly important that the practice of the House should not be rendered uncertain , and above all that resolutions should net be left on the books and daily violated . If the practice ought to be changed , It should be done by a motion to rescind the ancient resolution establishing it Mr . BUNCOMBE said , his object was to break down a practice which he regarded , as an unconstitutional , however it might be an ancient , one . No antiquity could sanction such an injustice . If this petition should be rejected , another would be presented next day ; so that Ministers would Hot be much advanced by their resistance . If they wished to exclude petitions , the manly way would be to move a Btanaing order to that effect The people disliked the pending tax , and the object now was to gagthem . The House divided , and the numbers were—For the exclusion of the petition ... 222 For its reception . 221
Majority for the exclusion ...... 1 The adjourned debate on the report of the committee of ways and means was begun by Br . BowaiNG . He rejoiced that he had not been a party to the policy which had produced the deficit now to be supplied . He had seen no occasion for the Syrian nor the Indian war ; but neither did he perceive any intention in the present Ministry to terminate the hostilities in India , Still , if they had been content to assess income with some regard to its sources , he would have supported their measure ; tor he was persuaded that the principle of direct taxation was the true one ; but he could not accede to the levy of an equal per centage from permanent and from transitory incom& JJe expatiated on the general benefits of direct taxation ..
Mr . Gaily Knight sketched a draught of the will of the late Ministry , bequeathing to John Bull a deficit of £ 50 , 000 , 000 ; item , a wai in China , item , a wax in India , item , an unsettled boundary in America . He reprobated their reduction of taxes for the sake of popularity , and their resort to the expedient of loans . Referring to Lord John Russell's description of the landed gentleman as having heads of clay , be avowed his opinion that they would deserve that sarcasm if they did not show that they had the sense to support their friends against their enemies . Mr . Elphinstone would have preferred a revenue raised from the sources pointed out hi Lord John Russell ' s resolution . A tax levied upon all incomes , without reference to their duration , was peculiarly objectionable . It pressed the trading and manufacturing interests with disproportionate severity . The tariff was an improvement on the old system ; but'it was imperfect in many particulars .
Sir Walteb Jambs protested against the protraction of these debates , which wers suspending the whole commerce and manufactures of the country , embarrassing the capitalist , and starving the operative . In such a state of things it was the duty of the House rather to act than to talk . Gentlemen opposite had not been able to deny that the plan of Ministers was bold , comprehensive , and calculated to raise the revenue sought from it He defended its general principle , but thought that no man ought to be taxed for that portion of any lifd income which he laid cut in the insurance of the life . Mr . Wallace quoted a speech made in 1833 by Sir R . Peel , disapproving the exemption of Ireland from any income-tax that might be necessary for Great Britain , If Ireland was to be exempt , so ought Scotland to be ; and he would take the sense of the House on a motion for exempting Scotland .
Mr . Liddell commented upon the manner in which the Whigs had redeemed their pledges of reform , retrenchment , and peace . Reform they had carried ; but what had been their retrenchment ? They had retrenched income , and increased expenditure . And &s to the peace they bad procured for their country , he had only to refer to that expedition into Afghanistan against which the Buke of Wellington had so wisely and so early warned us . With respect to the measure now proposed for the repair of those evils , he gave it his cordial approbation . The proposal in the tariff for the reduction of the import duty upon live cattle had indeed given rise to much uneasiness among the graziers , but it was an uneasiness without foundation .
The markets of this country were more than equal to absorb any import likely to be let in through this reduction . Indeed , the countries of Northern Europe , from which so overwhelming a supply had been apprehended , were all , except Holstdn , importing countries themselves . He thought it but right that these things should be stated , in order to disabuse the agriculturists ; and , connected as he was with agriculture in all his feelings and fortunes , his statements came at least from an unsuspected source . He defended also the reduction of the duty on timber . But while he approved these reductions on the tariff , there -was one item of a contrary character which lie could not approve—namely , the imposition of a duty on coal .
Mr . Wasoj * quoted a speech of Mr , Huskisson { March , 1830 , ) , as marking the distinction bstween a property tax and an income tax . Against the latter Mr . Wasan protested . It was property alone which he would subject to taxation . For that purpose no inquisitorial machinery was wanted . He intended , if Lord J « hn Russell ' s amendment should be rejected , to move another , for the exemption of income "derived from industrial sources . " He should willingly take off those other taxes also which bear upon the poor , and he would mak 9 np the deficiency by a further tax upon property .
Mr . C W . WTKU begged the House to consider , that after years of temporizing , the day was now come when an exertion must be made to put public credit upon some substantial ground . He gave a history of the income taxes of 1803 and 1806 , and explained the reasons for imposing them . He observed that the incomes of most of the great landed proprietors were only incomes for lifo ; and said it was of no consequence whether the possessor , being only tenant for life , were to be succeeded by a son or by a stranger . He did not believe the c&nntry would allow the tax to last one year beyond the necessity .
Mr . MaCaulaI' began by stating the substance of a petition from Edinburgh , which the practice of the House had precluded him from laying on the table . He believed it to be true , as was said by Ministers , that a property tax was impracticable without an income tax ; but the inequality and injustice of an income tax were such , that its imposition could be warranted only ~ by extreme necessity . Mr . Roebuck had intimated that no man should object to disclose his income . That gentleman , in the position he held , might affbrd to indulge such a feeling ; but that was not the sentiment of the great body for whom the House was legislating , and with whom the half of life was a constant struggle against the appearance of poverty . This vras a tax to be adopted only in the last
extremity , and such was not our present situation . Was there ever , Sir Robert Peel had asked , such a disaster as the recent destruction of our Indian army ? In one sense , certainly , that catastrophe was deeply disastrous—deeply bo , with reference to British honour and to domestic feeling ; bnt in a financial view , the only view material to the present question , the disaster was not of the same importance . The fact was not even known when the Bight Hon . Baronet brought forward the present measure of taxation ; and it certainly was not likely to require any greatly expensive armament Ten or twelve thousand troops would be an ample force ; of -which the whole charge would probably faU short of £ 400 , 000 &-year . This was not an exigency like that in which you imposed an income tax to
protect yon against the nations of the continent leagued with France , when your navy estimates alone exceeded the aggregate charge of all your present establishment * He believed that , at this moment , England was better able to maintain a great war , than at any former period of her history ; and yet , from the late conrse of the MiniEter , the peaple of the continent might be led to suppose that England was in a state of the greatest difficulty and danger . The right hon . Baronet had introduced also the topic of Indian finance—an important topic , but not yet so far explained as to form a just ground for an income tax . Mr . Mfteaulay then touched upon the other resources which he considered as available for the present occasion . Sir B , Peel had objected to a suiar duty on the score of Blavery ; bat ., considering
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what was done about coffee and eottbn > and tobacco , he thought it a strong effort of charity to believe the right hon . Baronet sincere . Then as to timber . Sit R Peel had pitched over £ 600 , 000 at once , i greater Wow to oar finanoea than the disaster In India . Instead of founding ^ n income tax to meet a deficit , the Minister had made a deficit to found an income tax . Lord Stanley said , that whatever ^ might twithe difference between the two sides of the House In their conclusions , there was no disagreement in their premlsea ; the greatness of the deficit was no matter of donbt ; and the Opposition , now that they were no longer under the responsibility of having taxes to find > admitted likewise that the time for make-abifbB was over , that the finance of the country must be repaired ;
that the burden could not be thrown upon the commercial » rid manufacturing ^ interests / and that the budget of last year would not yield a revenue adequate to the ocsasion . On his own side it was equally admitted that a great emergency alone could justify such a tax . These were the points of general agreement On the other baud , there were disagreements to be noticed even among the opposHUii themeelves . Some said Tax property , but apt income j" While others , and Lord John himself said "if you tax property , you must need * tax income too / ' Lord John and Mr . Maeaulay objected to the course taken npon the sugar and timber duties . Mr . Williams , of Coventry , took a wholly opposite view to both of them ; Lord John had said , an Income tax has hitherto been a . war reserve—no
great compliment to his own aavernment , -which , after twenty years of peace , had placed our finances under difficulties equal to those of war . When had it been necessary before to hold 20 , 000 bayonets in Canada ? Who could tell what cost would be entailed on England by the war which the late Ministry had stirred up in China ? Talk of peace . ' Look at India . Tha Puke of Weitingtoa-bad prophetically told them what would be the consequences even of success in that quarter . » A disaster , certainly , " said Mr . Macanlay , ¦« . but / ' added he , :. «• not a financial one . " When he had thus estimated th « lives of those brave men in pounds , shillings , and pence , who could calculate the further cost in which we might bVtowoWed by the spread of that insurgency againBt the presliae of
England , which was but too likely to follow : suca an overthrow ? Trne , the GavernnieDt knew nothing of that calamity when they brought forward this measure : ill as they thought of the expedition , they bad not anticipated anything quite bo fatal . But they had looked a little before them ; they had foreseen the general probability of great expenditure-and , surveying the whole state of the country , they had come unanimously to the conclusion that direct tixation was the only available resource . ; The Neble Lord now wanted to drive us back uporiT that budget which bad been already rejected by two Parliaments . But the cern , which had been one ef its main items , was now dealt with , in another way ; and the Noble Lord admitted , that his budget , even if the corn were still available to it , wonld not yield enough to make up the present deficiency . The Noble Lord
talked of charging land with a probate and legacy duty . His own Chancellor of the Exchequer , Mr . Baring , had condemned that very scheme , and had shown long since , as Mr . Goulburn had done in the present debate , that land already bore an equivalent stamp ^ duty , though in another form . He acknowledged the inquisitorial nature of a tax npon income ; but the bill imposing it would contain alleviations of this objection . And what would the Noble Lord , who proposed an increase of th « assessed taxes , say to the' inquisitorial nature of those assessments ? The present call was made upon the country , not to pay off past debt , but to meet present annual expenditure ; and so far from an unjust tax , he believed it to be both an equitable and a wise one . In reference to Mr . Shiel ' s quotation from Waller ' s pane ' gyric as applicable to Sir Robert Peel , Lord Stanley regretted that Mr . Shell had not added the remainder of the
pasBage——— - " when , without noise , The rising sun night ' s vulgar lights destroys . " He was glad to claim the praise awarded to ministers by their opponente—that taeineasure now before the House was a bold and honourable one . Mr . Labouciiere , after defending Mr ; Macaulay from what he complained of as a misrepresentation by Lord Stanley of that part of his speech which related to the disaster in India , referred to Sir R . Peel ' s charges against the late Government of living on the forbearance af its enemies , and retorted , that Sir B . Feel himself had held office In 1835 without any majority in that House . He contended that the necessity now
alleged by Ministers was of their own creating , and that the income tax was a price which the country- was called on by Ministers to pay , for the continuance of the present system of duties on sugar and timber . Sir R . P « el was bringing but his tariff , aa if he were the author of its policy , whereas it was the policy of his predeceBBOTB , and he ^ was but taking advantage of the tide as it turned . He defended and applauded that feeliug of liberty and pride which induces Englishmen to resist any measure of an inquisitorial nature . Of the tariff in general he approved , and would take his share of tae responsibility attaching to the changes it would introduce . : : ; : :
Lord F . Egerton condemned , as being no longer a mere excusable party manoeuvre , but a positive crime , the delays by which Members of Opposition were paralyzing the trade of the country ; aud be read some passages tf a petition from Lancashire , very numerously signed , and praying for the despatch of this measure . The Opposition had spent their time during the holydays in getting np petitions ; and they had spent their money , too , if he might judge from the placards and standard bearers that paraded the vicinity of the House . So far from thinking that the course of Ministers had
lowered on the : continent the estimate ol Eagland ' a resources and spirit , he inferred from the foreign journals that the tone and measures of Sir R . Peel had impressed our neighbours with the highest respect for the country bo governed . He weuld support this measure on general grounds of confidence in the Goment ; and specifically , because that Government possessed in its councils that great man whose sword had achieved such successes in India as well as in Europe , and whose apitlt , in his advancing age , still burnt with the brightness and clearness of his youth . Mr . Brotherton moved an adjournment .
Lord John Rvssell imputed the delays complained of to the ; patties opposite , who had .: thought it . in ore material to displace the late Government than to discuss the important duties . As for the expedition to Afghanistan , he did not shrink from hia share of responsibility ; bat the papers relating to it had been laid on the table last year , and no motion had been grounded on them by the opposite party . He was ready to identify himself with Lord Auckland in this master . ¦ ¦¦'¦'¦ ¦¦ V ' . '¦ . : ¦'¦' . ¦ ¦ ' . Sir John Hobhouse cxpijesied himself to the same effect When the estimates fur the supplemental foice should be moved , he would take an opportunity to state the case of the late Government
Mr . Mark Philips bore testimony to the respectability of the signatures attached to the petition which had been mentioned by Lord F . Egerton . He eould not conscientiously support an income-tax , nnlees upon some greater necessity , at . with , a , view to some more extensive arrangement , than was now stated to the House . Some desultory conversation took place , which occupied tbn minutes more , and the debate was then adjourned . Tuesday , April 12 . A discussion on the same question which had occupied it at the- commencement of three former evenings —the question whether ! the House Bhould allow petitions to be presented against pending measures of taxation , was first called , on , It was raised by Mr . Cowper , who tendered a petition from Hertford agaiast the income tax .
Lord Francis Egerton desired a postponement of the debate until Thursday , on which day he would submit a resolution having for its object to admit petitions against taxes , -with a due precaution against their being debated . Colonel Sibthorp said a few words , and so did Lord J . Russell ; but the subject seemed to have no interest , the House being very inattentive , and keeping up a general murmar , which evinced that they regarded th » vision of the preceding afternoon upon the Finsbury petition as having substantially disposed- of the question . . / Mr . T . Buncombe had no notion of letting Lord F . Egerton make a feather-bed for Ministers to fall easily down upon .
Sir R . Peel was in no far of a full , and therefore wanted nothing to break his descent . He had opposed the abrogation of an ancient rule , and the Hcttie having sanctioned his course by a majority of 31 , he had also opposed the presentation of the Finsbury petition . The majority , however , having then shrunk to one vote , he now felt that it would be difficult to maintain the practice . But it was turely desirable ; if a change was to be made , that it 1 should be made without irregularity ; and he did therefore wish for a short Interval to frame such a resolutlen as would effect the object in a safe and decorous mannsr . When that should have been done , be trusted the meetings to be convened for the purpose of petitioning would be really public © nes . ; ; " - ; ¦ ' . ¦> .: . ' ¦ '¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦• • ' ¦' :: .. ¦ '¦ ;¦ ¦ .- . Lord HOWJCK would recommend it to'iMr- Cowper to withdraw hifl motion ^ if Sir R Peel would himself bring forward the regulation necessary to settle the question . '" - - '¦ ¦ . - ¦/• . ' /; ; ' . ' •'¦ . ¦" . ¦ . '' . . . .. : ' . ' . :,.. ' : . ¦¦;¦'
Sir R . Peel answered that ¦ without actually originating the regulation himself , he would willingly co-operate With LordF . Egerton in framing it Mr . cumming brdce w * a understood to recommend a Committee . ¦ . ; ¦ : ' . ; ¦ ' . - . ¦' . ;¦ •¦ ' : ¦ ' . " ' ' V- ^' . ;;/ : ¦ -..- '¦ ¦ The Speaker , on a request from Lord John Rubsell , explained that a resolution of the House , while it remained nnrescinded , was binding only on the Parliament which passed it ; but that a standing order , while unrescinded , was binding on succeeding Parliaments . ;\ ¦ ¦ . ' - /¦ . . ' ¦ " , ¦' ' ' ; "¦ . ' . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ; - : ¦ ¦¦'¦' . ' .. ' ' ¦ ' Lord Mahon meved , that this debate should be adjourned to the day succeeding that on which Lord F . Egerton should make his motion . ; Lord F . Egerton read the notice of motion which he proposed to put in . : Lord Palmebston would recommend it to Mr . Cowper to postpone his motion , if Sir R . PEEL would engage to snpport that of Lord F . Egeirton . Sir R . Pkel said he Was willing to support Lord F . Egerton in his general object / but could not undertake .
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without time for eonsideration , te support the specific motion . " ;¦ ; " . " .- ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ' .-. ¦" . '¦ . ' . ' •• ' ¦ ' ¦' . - '" . '¦ ¦ '¦' ¦ ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ..: ' - - ¦ •• Mr . Wak let wonld not consent to any motion for the admission of petitions , If coupled with a condition excluding debate upon them . Sir Gr . Gret explained to Mr . Wakley that there was no new compromise . The proposed motion would merely annex to the provision for letting in petitions a repetitipri of toe already established resolution against debating them . ; ¦ ., ' . -. ¦ . ¦ ¦; ... - ' ' / ¦ : :- .: ' : ' - .- : : : ' v \ Mr . Wallace was for debating all petitions . Mr . Cv&TKis thought Lord F , Egerton ought to let Mr . Buncombe , to whom tbi « Bnecess wbb owing have the . honour of making the motion which was to xitity u- ¦ ¦ ' ¦ '' ¦ ¦ y . ' " : ' ' ¦ ' " ¦¦ "" " ¦ - " ¦ ¦ , " ; ¦ •¦ ' / ; Mr . O'Cqiwell explained that there was nothing of compromise la wbat had been proposed . Mr . Cowper then consented that the debate should be ad jourhed to Friday .
Mr . Wason made a motion for restricting election council to one committee at a time . Sir . ; J . CrR > fiAM and Mr . Wynn showed the ' . im- . practicability of any sudh regulation ; Mr . WAtLACB supported ^ r , Waaon , and lamented the present ^ xpence of election petition ? . ; Mr , WoaxfiE'S said > that such expence could be prevented only by the appointment of a proper judicial tribunal for the trial of those matters ; Mr . O'CONNELi . concurred in deeming the present tribunal unfit for its purposes . ; Many petitions ,, he said , would be prevented by an enactment that every registered voter Bhould retain his vote for the year , notwithstanding a change of residence . The tribunal for ultimate trial might be also a court of appeal from the registering barristers ; and should be composed of lawyers belonging to the class from which the judges of the superior courts are selected . '
Mr .: AGI-IONBV exposed the impracticability of Mr . Wason ' 8 suggestion , arid advised ; that a committee should be appointed for considering the whole subject Mr . H . Fiizro y believed that the only remedy would be to place in the chair of each committee , some distinguished lawyer of the House . Lord Gr&AS'vii . LE Somerset observed , that the lawyers of experience in the House were too few for this duty . ; ' . ' - \ V ¦ " . :. . . ¦ - ¦ . : ¦• . . \ -. y .:. . : ¦ ' : ¦ , '¦ ¦ ¦ ; : ¦ Mr . Wason , after repeating an observation made by several of the preceeding speakers , that the whole question on an election committee was , what were the politics of the Chairman , withdrew bis motion . Mr . Childers , having just had twenty-one days * experience on a Committee , whose chaiiman , a Conservative , he acquitted ef partiality , felt , however , a conviction that the tribunal was not calculated to do justice . . ¦ . ¦ - '¦ ¦ > ' ; . -:: ' . ; : . .: ' - ' -v '¦¦'¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦ ¦'¦¦
Sir R . Peel said , that the arrangement about the chairman , was a suggestion , not of hia , bat of Lord Jshn Russell's . : ; ' Y Mr . E WART Wished for s regular legal tribunal ; and here this discussion ended . The adjourned debate on the financial meaanre of the Government was resumed by Mr . Brotherton . ; He admitted that at Manchester there was no very strong feeling against thei income tax . Perhaps , because a new generation had arisen which remembered not the pressure of a like tax in former
days—perhapa because they did not understand the distinction between a tax on income and a tax on property —perhaps because , as one of his friends had lately told him , the manufacturers , having got no profit last year , thought it no great hardship to compound at the same rate for the three yeara next to come . He thought the tax unnecessary , He wiBbed for no wars : be thought the trophies of peace more glorious . At all events he would hot tax income equally with property . He weuld assess the funds , and all landed property , as it was now rated to the poor , only raising the rate from the landlord instead of the occupier .
Colonel WOOD ( Brecon ) calculated that , out of the whole population of this island , being about 18 , C 00 , 000 persons , not more than 200 , 000 would be called on to contribute to this tax . How very much smaller a nnmber was tbl 9 than the number who must have contributed more or less to any indirect taxation ! He defended the conduct of himself and other couaty meaibcrs in snpportiug the principle of the New Corn Law against that of the fixed duty . Mr . Mangles , admitting the magnitude of the disaster in Afghanistan , yet regarded it as no sufficient ground for an income tax . it was a lighter disaster than that of the American war ; but there seemed to be a tendency in oir natute ever to Ulaguify present evils in comparison with past The Indian
Government ins Lvrd Wellesleys time had been pressed with great pecuniary difficulties ; its debt was then upwards of j £ 3 i , 000 , 000 , being more than twice its annual revenue . But in ' 1839 , that debt had increased by only about a million , while the yearly revenue had increased by £ 5 , 000 , 008 : and whereas , In Lord Weliesley ' s time , the Government was commonly borrowing at twelve per cent ., the present rate of its loans was only five per cent ; a rate so much lower than that of private discounts , as to prove the high credit in which the Government now stood . Ana yet we were told that this state of things
required us to charge « mrselves with an income tax ! He adverted to the heavy losses sustained by onr Indian army during the Burmese war ; losses occasioned , indeed , by sickness rather than the a word , but equally important in a financial view , though not so painful in point of feeling . He believed that India , if well governed , would maintain herself . He did not participate in the apprehensions entertained for the security of onr empire there . The Hindeo part of the people would always Bide with us against the Mahomedan . Our dominion rested not on a mere prestige , but on public opinion , —the impression of the natives , that the English dynasty is a truthful and uprJgbfc one .
Mr , QRAKviLLE Tern on was not satififled with the argument that the Indian finance was not very materially disordered in 1839 ; neither at that time wero the finances of England very heavily depressbd ; but the question was , hew far the deficiency had been aggravat 9 d uincei He deplored the policy whieh had prompted the expedition to A&ghanistan . A large force was now required , not only for India but fpr Canada ; and even in Earope the tone of some foreign Governments was such as to forbid the neglect of defensive preparations . These were our necessities ; and he did not think them adequately met by the suggestions of gentlemen opposite . He . f ^ lt tfee inequality of taxing temporary like a permanent income ; but this hardship was not peculiar to this tax ; it attached
just as severely to church-rate and to county-rate . Mr . C . Buller thought it not a little ominous that the tax * oiiginally proposed for three years , was now spoken of by fri- R . Peel as very likely to last for flve > and by no means sure to be removed even at the end of the latter period . Whatever objection Was made to the tax , the answer of the Ministerialists was always tbat the Whigs had committed this or that mistake . Such recriminations , even had thay been fair , wonld notbe logical ; but they were not f . tir , for the present Ministers were the puttie ? properly responsible for many of the very evils now charged on their predecessors . For instance , the Canadian expences , and the uneasy state of the negotiation about the American boundary ; and even to the Indian war
they had given a tacit sanction by dropping their notice of motion against the policy of the late Government respecting India . When the estimates were to be voted , the Conservatives had always recommended an increase of our armaments , and when the postage was to be reduced , they had given way , as the Whigs had done , to public opinion . Why was the Indian debt introduced into these debates ? Was England to be charged with it ? If not , it had no business in the calculation of the general deficit . There had been a great Indian deficit in 1830 . when Mn Goulburii was Chancellor of the Exchequer before . Did Mr . Goulburn come then to the house for an income tax ? No : he then diminished the revenue by taking ofF the tax on beer . Lord John Russell had now proposed a
resolution , in which he did not barely condemn the Ministerial measure , but tu ^ gested one of his own . Sir R . Peel's plan was to protect the great monopolies , and break down only the minor ones . Lori John ' s , on the contrary , sought to abolish the greatest . The articles on which Sir K . Peel waa remtttingMutieSj were not such as the poor consumed ; but all classes would have been relieved by Lord John RuBsell ' B reduction of dnfcy on corn " and sugar . Sir R . Peel bad done just what was beat for the landed interest , removing exactly bo much of the duty on corn as produced them obloquy without protection . Mr . C . Bailer then commented on the addtesses of the county members to their constituents , ridiculing Lord Stanley ' s assertions on the subject of the vast
quantity of corn grown at Tamboff , and the popular agitation of the Lincolnshire members againgt any alteration in the old corn law * Mr . Gaily Knight had last night repeated to the House what he called the will of the late Government The real legacies of that Government had been religious liberty to Catholics and Bissenters , emancipation to the negroes , municipal franchise to the . towns , and . freedom of commerce to the whole people ; but the executors of that will were those who had been their constant opponents , and for ten years had uBed all possible means to defame them . Mr . BoaTHWicK . insisted on the appalling magnitude of the late calamity in India . A parallel bad been drawn between our losses in this and in the American war ; but what had been the result of our losses In America ? That America had been wrested from us . For Ms own part , he came to that House unpledged , aad would give hia best consideration to
any suggestion , from whatever quarter , for the benefit ; of the country ; and , however , unwillingly , at a late hour , and in an . impatient House , he must discharge the duty of delivering bis sentiments ; The impatience of the ^ House , however , rose to such a height when the Hon . Member had spoken about half an hour , that be found It necessary to move an adjournment ; upon which , at a little after midnight , the galleries were cleared for a division . The Hoase , however , did not divide , bnt permitteji the Hon . Member to resume hia speech . He attributed the commercial dlfitress of this country , not to the Corn Law , but te the revolutions of the Continent , and warmly espoused the interests of agriculture . He thought there might have been a better plan than that of Sir Robert Peel , but it was the best that had been propounded , and he should feel himself bound in duty to give his independent vote in its favour . '¦ ¦ '¦ ¦ '¦ - - ¦¦ ' ... ¦ ¦¦ :: . -. > , '¦ ..: ' ; . ¦ .. •; ¦ .
The debate was then adjoaroed , Sir Robeut Peel expressing hi * hope that it would conclude the next night ¦ " : ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦'¦ •¦; .. '¦¦ . '¦ :. ¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦ - . '
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; Mr . Mastebmam deplored the injury occasioned to the commercial world by the delay ; and that evil was further inelsted on by 8 ir W . James . , : Lord J . Rtss 3 ELL expressed his confidence that the debate would , close on Wednesday night . - Mr . M . Phi LL IPS desired to observe , as to delay , that the conatry tad waited five dreary months to know the Intentions of Qpvettim « -nfc . . -.. SirR . P £ EL said that though it was quite fair to debate the questioni fully , -it was hardly allowa ^' e to put off the effective part of the bill till ten o ' clock of each evening . . - . ' ' - ¦ " ' ¦• • ¦ ' : ¦ ¦'¦ ¦ " ' ?¦ ¦ - ' ¦¦¦ . ' . "¦ . ¦'' . ' ¦ The other orders of the day were then read , and the House adjourned . ; ^ :
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BBIffHTOIT GREAT PtJBLIC ^ EETiNG .-TRIUMPH pF THE CHARTISTS . ' On the evening of Thnrsday , April 7 tli , a pnblio meeting was convened by a requisition of electors of the borough at the Town Hall , for the purpose of hearing the diffttrent canuidates for the representation of the borough at the anticipated election declare their political principles . At seven o ' clock , the hour appointed for the commencement of the business , the room was crowded to Buffocation . ;; On the proposition of Mr . Allen , Mr . John Good was unaniaioa 6 ly called to tho chair . . ¦ - ¦ ¦'¦ : ¦ /¦ ' : ¦ ' ¦ : ¦ ' ¦ ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦' .: ¦ .- ¦ ¦"¦ v ' - ' ¦ ' - ¦ : ¦ "¦ ¦; ' - ¦ ' ¦ . " ¦ ¦" .
. Mr . Brooker , the Chartist candidate , on entorinf the room , was received with ) oad cheers . Mr . Harford , the rejected o { Lewes , also mounted the platform , amidst the cheers of his party , and cries of '" Go back to Lewes , " "Nobribery , "&o . The Vestry Clerk hayibg read the requiaitioa ' calling thei meeting , TV ) eCHAiBWLA . N briefly addressed the meeting , claiming ah impartial hearing for each gentleman who would ad dress them . The ^ VestrV Clerk , read a letter from Captain Pecheil , " stating that in consequence of theiniportatit business ia the House of Cunimons he was uaabl © to attend . " . ' .. ¦ - ¦ . - ? - ' '¦ ¦ ' ¦' - ¦¦' ' . ¦ ' y : ' - : - ' - ¦'¦ ~ : - : ' : / V
The ChaIbsun then called upon Mr . CharleB Brooker , as ~ the Beniot candiclate , to declare his opinions to them . ; ' - '" .. :: Mr . BBodkBa , on risinjf , was received with loud cheers . He addressed them as electora and noiieleotora of Brighton . ThesCountry was in a sinking and ruinous condition ; they were now making the last trial : it was the last straw that broke the camel ' s back , and Sir Robert Peel was making the last trial upon poor John Bull ' s back . Sir Robert Peel had admitted that John Bull could have no more taxation in an indirect manner , but he waa making a trial of direct taxation ; but it was a reduction , and not an increase that they wanted in the taxation . As his
6 entimeuts were well known to them , it would be unnecessary for him to detain them with a long speech . He was the unflinching advocate of the People ' s Charter . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . Brooker explained in very clear language the six points ot the People ' s Charter , commencing with Universal Suffrage . He contended that the poor man had aa freat a stake in the country , and as great a ri ^ iht to e represented , through his reprc 3 entaiive in Parliament , aa the greatest nobleman in theland . As to Property . Qualification , it seemed that viniess a man possessed property , he certainly could ijot pos-Eiesa much wisdom . He contended to the cop trary , and would , therefore , abolish Property Qualilk-arion .
And again , - as to the Payment of Members . If a poor man Was sent as a representitive , why should he not be remunerated by the stato for services c | 0 Q 9 to the state ? With Annual Parliaments , he believed that where" they ended slavery began . Although h Q preferr- d open voting , yet , as a protection , he would advocate the Ballot . He also advocated thediyisioa of the country , into equal electorald ^ tricta , showing the absurdity of sending two Members for one place , it oft ^ n occurring that the voter eupported two men of oppositfi principles . He was for the total separation of Church and State , for the immediate Repeal of the New Poor Law , -which he declared to bo an invasion of the rights of Eaglishmen , and that the
Poor Law' Commission was a complete inquisition . Mr . Brooker related a case of a poor man , who hung himself at Jeyington , rather than go into the Eastbonrne Workhouse , on Monday last , to an _ elm tree , near the churchyard ; and that the jury brought in a verdict ; of Jelo de se . Mr . Brooker concluded a long speech by exhorting them to stand firm td the principles of t . ho . - People ' s Charter , and sat down amidst loud cheering . j . Mr , NiGaoLsoN , of London , being the next candidate was called for and appeared amii < t t loud cheering . He declared himself to be a Radical of the old school , one of Home Tooke ' s time , a supporter of the principles of William Cobbett ; he
lashed thb Whigs in fine style , amidst lond applause . You have the common enemy in front now , said ; Mr . N ., but don't be humbugged by the Whigs any more ; they call themselves Liberals now , only let them get into office again and they will be very liberal with your money .- He repeatedly cautioned them against sending a Whig , and after three quarters of an hour ' s lashing the soi disant Whi § Liberals , he sat down loudly cheered by cautioning them , against being humbugged any more by the Whigs . Tho Chaibman then called upon Lord Hervey ^ the Tory , but he had sent a polite note stating that
he should not appear before the electors until the day of nomination .: Air . Haspobi > was then called upon , who appeared amidst the cheering of his friends , and the groanB and hisses of the Chartists , with cries o ' < . "Na bribery "— * Go hack to Lewes ^ " Oh you advocate of the truck . system "—•** Wo won t have ye "—and many expressions of disEatisfaction ; however , Mr . H . tried to mft ^ speech by partly reading one to an assembly composed pF nearly threa huudred persons ; his topics of address was the income-t u x an d the new tariff , which he opposed ; he was in iavour of Vote by Ballot , Triennial Parliaments , and Household Suffrage . / ' ,
Mr . Harford concluded a speech full of Whig or Libexal pr 6 miseB , and was very glad to resume his seat , loudly cheered by his party , and the hisses of the Opposition . . Mr . John Sandy , in a very excellent speech , proposed CharJes Brooker , Esq ., aa . a fit and proper person to represent this borough in Parliament . Mr , Flower in a rather warm address sscouded the resolution j telling Mr . Harford that he was a Whig and hothiDg else , and he must not expect their support . '¦ ' . ' ¦ : ' . ' - . y . . . ' . ¦"¦¦' . ¦¦ ' ' ¦ : , ¦; ' ¦ ¦ . ¦ ' . ¦'¦ . : ;¦ ' : ¦ ¦'" . •¦ ' - Mr . George Faithfully a lawyer , moved , " That Mr . Summers Harford is a fit and proper person to represent the borough ;" Mr . Hilton seconded the nomination of Mr > Harford , ¦ - ¦¦ ¦ : ¦ "/ - ¦ -.- ¦ ¦ • ' ¦ : ¦¦¦ ¦ ' ¦ ' ¦¦ " ¦ - . ' ¦ . . ; :-. ¦ '
Iricousequenee of no person proposing Mr . Nieholsoi | his name was not put , however Mr . .. N : declares ho will be on the hustings at the day _ of election , that he will go to the poll , and fight it out to the last ; The Whigs of Brighton w < re never in such a quandary before . Mr . Nicholson will knock them on one side wrtb . his debt and taxation-riddance schame , and Mr . i Brooker \ yill goad them on the other side most strenuously with the Charter , backed by the working men of Brighton , assisted by that indpmiiable champion of the people , Feargas O'Coanor . Hurrah for the Charter !
ALLOA . —Mr . Abram Duncan left this tawn on the morning of Friday last , for London , being delegated from this district to the London Convention . He took along with him a box containing the signatures , from this district , to the National Petition ? and it is very , cheering to announce that the number of signatures from this district amounted to no l ^ sathau 18 , 090 . : . ' ^ - DUltHAKr ^—Tbe National Petition from this place has been sent off . It contains the signatures of 1 , 785 males , and 800 females—total 2 , 585 .: SOUTH SHIEIiDS . —The Petiltion from thi 3 place baa been forwaTded , -with 3 , 4 « 0 signatures attached , and supported also by £ 1 to the Cenvention Fund ? .
BIRMINGHAM . —The Chartist and New Move Conventions both dissolved on Saturday night , many delegates having left on Friday , On Sunday , the ( Jouncils of : the V 8 . vious localities met to draw up resolutions , and appoint movers and seconders to them , and for other urgent business , respecting the forthcoming great demonstration . In the evening , a funeral oration was delivered by Mr * E . P . Mtari , for Mr . Henry Frost The room was crowded to sunxjcation . BURY . —Mr . Rankih ,: of jiaochester , lectared hers ou Monday last , to a crowded meeting . At the close « f ids lecture , the sum of 6 ? . 3 ^ 3 . was collected f « the Manchester yictims . ' :... ' ¦ ¦ -. NITW MILLS . —Mr . E . Clarke , of Manchester , delivered a powerful and instjactive lecture , in the Chartist meeting room , New Mills , on ifdnday evening ^ last- ; ^ - v- ' - v ; :- : / : .,. ' , ' - ' . y \ ¦' :.: ¦'¦ -: ; -:- ' . : ¦ : - ' " . ;¦ ¦
; HUDDER 8 FIELD . — DELEGATE Meeting . —^ On Sunday last , the adjourned meeting of the General Councillors of the Huddersfield district was held in the ChartJat room , Honley , wheii couacillora from the follovrlng places were preseiit : —Holmflrtb , Thomas Haddock , Wm . Cattail ; Kirkheaton , JohnMarslahdi John Dyson ; Honley , Edward Haigh , Charles Boothrojd ; Dalton , Matthe ^ r Carter ; Barry BroWj Joshua Robin aon ; Yew Green , David Giedhill ; Lepton , Richard inmaa ; Almondbury , William Sykes ; Huddersfleld , Josiab Thomas , Edward Clayton . Mr . Joaiah Tiiomas was uranlmouflly called to the chair . The report ! handed in by the various Councillors from each locality
were gratifyiDg aa far as regards the Spreading of the principles of democracy , the number of members , and the spirit manifested fey the people . The forthcoming Convention having caused great excitement , all is quite alive , and a good Bpirit manifested . The propriety or impropriety of engaging a lecturer for the present waa discussed , when it 'Was " agreed , that for the present no one should be engaged—several local lecturers having volunteered to give their services gratia to any place needing a lecturer . After the business of the district had been dispensed with , and a vote of thanks given to the Chairman , the meeting adjoarned to that day five weeks , to be held in the « ame place .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), April 16, 1842, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct750/page/7/
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