On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (6)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
3Zm$mal l^arltammt
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
HOUSE OF LORDS . —Monday , Apsil II . lord Campbell moved the second reading of the tfcxee Bills by ¦ which lie proposed to transfer to the Boose of Lords tlie power at present possessed by th « prny Council , of hearing appeals , to reform the appeLjate jurisdiction of the Hoose of Lords , and to render permanent the office of Chief Judge in the Court of Chancery . The mo ' aon iras opposed by the Lord Chancellor , Xord Brcngkam , and the Date of "Wellington ; and the amendment being carried -tritieut a division , the Bills were lost
Untitled Article
HOUSE = OF COMMONS , Fkidat , Apeil 8 . Mr . T . Dr 5 C 0 MBE revived , in another form , the tjnesSon of tne preceeding afternoon , as to the admissiidlitr of petitions against pending taxes ; bat as no notice £ &d been given . of Mb intention , it was agreed , after gome conversation , that this debate should be adjourned to Monday . On the quesBon that the report of the Committee of T ? Fays and Means should be brought up , lord Jobs BrssELL rose to more , by way of amendment , a resolution , the purport of vrtdeh was , gi&l the estimated deficiency of income to meet expenflitnre might be supplied by a judicious arrangement of the duties on corn , sugar , Umber , and coffee , and a redaction of the various prohibitory and differential
gnties ; and that , considering the taxes l&early 24 millions ) is amount , -which , exclusively of the income-tax , bad been taten off between the termination of the war and the year 1836 , and the various other means of supplying deficiency , the House would deem it not necessary , and therefore not advisable , to renew a tax . ( viz , ob income ) Inquisitorial , unequal , sad hitierto considered &s a war reserve . He was of opinion that the ( JovarnmeEt had taken too gloomy a view of the coontry ' s financial difficulties ; the difficulties which reqnred the chief consideration were the commercial ones ; and accordingly the new burdens were proposed xaihex for commercial than for financial purposes . It was under ^ ressure 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 alwayB been removed ; and there bad been an understanding that it was to be reserved for seasons of war . The present deficiency was to the extent only of about l » 20 fh of the yearly Teviaane ; pnblie 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 Isd to the danger that some other metropolis of Europe would become the great moneymarket 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 a tax of which an inquisitorial examination must be part and parcel . There was a peculiar unfitness . too , in the time of proposing it . When it
was first brought forward , the valua of money was falling by the operation oT tiie paper currency ; but no such operation was in progress new , 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 pnrpose . These ¦ were sugar , timbe-, and "wheat ; oa the fiat £ 587 , 000 , on the second £ 600 , 000 , and on the third £ & 3 O , ooo , intent have beea obtained without pressure on the people . On coffee , as on timber , a needless sacrifice of revenue had been made . There were various other suggestions from various quarters , most at which he thought preferable to the Government plan 5 for instance ,
a duty on the succession to landed property , and an increase ct the assessed taxes on ft-nr-wheeled carriages , male servants , and other items in the expenditure ot the rieh . He should not despair of succeeding in objects so reasonable , were it not that hs found the question sow was , not what would be most nsfefnl , knt what would best uphold the present Administration . He and bis friends were maligned as the bitter enemies of the fanner . 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 same day as their Acres , called Mix the bitter enemy of the farmers . Had he been the means of deceiving the farmers ? He h » rl not given and broken pledges on the nibject of their interest ; and if they were angry , let them turn tbeir anger , not on him , but on their deceivers . Now , he asked , was an 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 so , he thought the nation would era long regret that they had elected & House of Commons which had so betrayed the bust reposed in it
Mr . Goclbces gisciaamed any gloomy view of the country ' s condition , energies , or capabilities . He hailed the admission that the deficiency must be provided lot ; 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 expenees 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 . Jlr . Pitt ' s ground for originating the Income Tax was not merely tbe existence of a war , but still more the earistenee of a great deficiency ; and so far fxem proposing to confine that tax to the season of war , Mr . Pitt proposed to pledge the proceeds to be raised from that tax after the return of peace for 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 just as important in peace as in wsr , and a system of loans in peace was to be carefully guarded againstthat system which had been so long the resource of the late Government . The Noble Xord had talfced of the evil influences of a tax oh funded , property ; yet the funds , which were but lately at S 8 and a fractien , had now , even since the announcement and discussion of this very tax , risen to above 90 . No doubt an Income Tax was unequal ; but a * was every tax '; and at least the inequality would here operate favourably for the ¦ m&IX incomes . He admitted , too , the inquisitorial character cf the tax ; but he hoped he should be able to remove , by various regulations , the most
considerable of the practical objections on this head . H « then adverted to the budget of the " lat « ilinistry , particularly to the proposal for the admission of foreign sugar . To that course the present Ministe s had objected , not n financial grounds , bat by reason ol the encouragement which it would have given to foreign slavery and the foreign slave trade . And at last the 2 focle Lord ' s budget wonld have left the country with a revenue deficient to the extent of about a couple of millions . Jfow as to the new saggesfioa of the Noble Lord . It seemed to be thought that legacies onlsnd paid no legacy duty ; but the fact was that they paid exacUj the same legacy dniy 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 rnecessien ; but ths fact was , that that wherever personal property was in settlement , as the large properties in land most usually were , it paid no duty whatever . There were indeed some landed
properties unsettled , but they were chiefly the smaller ones ; and it was not upon the holders of 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 ol about £ 8 , 000 , 000 produced in tixyears by the legacy duty , upwards of £ 3 , 000 , 000 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 result * . The Xoble Lord had also recommended an increase of the assessed taxes ^ b ut suchtaxes did not fall , as he seemed \ d think , on the rich alone . The window tax , indeed .
tad once been a very productive one , but that was when the smaller class of houses was included , which in later times the Government had been enabled to exempt ; and it could not be desirable to teing back the poora ierants into such an assessment . He quoted the speech cf a personage whom the Noble Lord , as member for the 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 lax in its worst shape , unjust , oppressive , and isgnistoriaL" Full time had now elapsed for the People to form their opinions of tie proposed measure , and he trusted that the House would enable the
Government to maintain by it the creiiit cf the country . Mr . "Williams < Coventry ) disliked the income tax , but thought Iiord John Russell had made out no very good ease in fcis other objections to the Ministerial finance . He had 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 dfcViBes of land a duty equal to the probate and legacy duty on personalty ; and secondly , a graduated per centage on salaries and other incomes payable out of the pnblie revenue . He calculated that these two measures would produce from £ 4 , 000 , 000 to £ 5 , 000 , 000 , which would be sufficient to meet the deficiency .
Sir B . Isglis suggested that , as incomes of £ 150 ¦ jrere to be wholly exempt , the possessors ef large « comes should have ao far a proportionate benefit as to be taxable only on the surplus beyond the £ 159 . Bms a man with £ 250 would pay only on £ 100 , the ** H with £ 300 would pay only on £ 150 , and so on . 2 e would , however , have preferred even a higher per * > fege on property , with & tetal exemption of mere 8 CQ 22 . fi . fe . P . Stetfxrt said , that the suggestion of r * iBg £ 150 the unit in the scale , and taxine enlv
r * excess , was one which he should approve if he c * e sot wholly opposed to the taxes in any shape re thought it premature to include in the present j ^ fcgement a provision for the deficiencies of Indian ** aie , sad for tie probable expences of the Chinese ~* The Government were unnecessarily alarmed at 5 * Present circumst&aces of the nation . He approved 5 j * Ruction of the duty on coffee , bnt not on timber . f ^~* room of this odious tax he would suggest some J * - | £ ? Bibjeets of assessment He would tax tended ^" * B 5 iTn . i n-pfl that suggestion , had this repomyiond »
Untitled Article
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 , but serve as a stepping stone to a wholly free trade . Sugar would fee another resource . The West Indiana would object in vain to a re-adjustment of the sugar duties , for they were at 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 . PalmEB ( Essex ) vindicated his own consistency on the subject of the Corn Laws . It was impossible , in the ease of any very large measure , that every one of its points should be approvod 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 wilL Having expatiated npon the 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 manuf&cturer& He did not grudge them a protection , but he wished to see all interests protected equally . -. - - . Mr . W . Sosieryille thanked Sir R . Peel for having exempted Ireland , and for having taxed the absentees , but could not support this impost without a stern necessity .
Captain Hamilton supported the tax ; for while he 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 arrangement in the some light as tke organization of a military force in time of peace for security against the breaking out of war . Mr . Shiei . -was persnaSei of the people ' s generous ¦ Wil lingness to come forward for the public safety ; but it was a feeling of which the Minister should be slow to avail himself . The Minister had said , that unless he carried his tax and bis tariff , he wauld 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 , Ms inquisitions , its conjectural surcharges , its whole train of vexation and injustice . They would then ask whether he had not availed himself of power to abase it ? Surely it was rash to increase a deficiency for the purpose of supplying it -nath 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 wan ant such an impost 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 slave trade , and yet lowered the duties upon the coffee of the foreign slave colonies . The present deficiency had been charged upon the Whigs ; bnt 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 had remitted was this very income tax , which they had taken off in 1816 , and which was now the first to be reiniposed by the Tories of 1842 . 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 ; tke more it should draw tbe 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 been supported by Lord Casttereagh ; bnt he 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 hia measure . with his profession of care for the poor ? How unjust was it to
tax the intellect of one man equally with the acres of another I Ought the landed gentleman , " who lives at borne at ease , " to pay no more than the officer of the army "or navy , or the : widow struggling to maintain fonr or five daughters on a slender 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 ? Tbe Qneen ' s speech , the speeches of Ministers to their own constituents , bespoke safety and fair prospects ; the conn try had had no disasters ; but when money was wanted , then the master of all tbe Ministers came down to tie House with vague alarms and dark intimations ef danger .
Sir R . Peel rose , and Mr . Brotherton moved anadjournment . -Some question was made whether Sir R . Peel was entitled , in speaking on the motion of adjournment , to enter upon the main subject The Speaker haviBg decided that he was at liberty to do so , Sir R Peel proceeded . After expressing his anxiety to "Vindicate himsalf from the charge of exaggerating difficulties , he reviewed the financial state of the last 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 those facts were substantiated , was there any exaggeration on Ms part ? He quoted & Bpeech in which Lord John Russell , having then a surplus , had said that no Minister weuld so far
embarrass and degrade his country , as to commence the financial year with a deficit even of one million ; yet here was a deficit of five . The last speaker had said , tiiere had been no disasters . When had England ever sustained such a 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 usually , indeed , reserved for war , bnt equally applicable to any other great emergency . Lord John Russell himself had supported a resolution involving that admission , and proposed in 1833 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 successions . His own Chancellor of the Exchequer , only two years ago , had recerded his opporitien to the principle of such a tax . Sir RobtO"t Peel then reprobated Lord Joan ' s contumelious attack npon the intellects of the agriculturists . They , however , needed no vindication of their consistency , for the very objection of the Opposition themselves to his Com Bill was that it removed no substantial protection from the land . Now , what were the substitutes proposed this evening by Lord John for the income tax . Not an 8 s . duty : that resource was now disposed of by the passing of the Com BilL Assessed taxes ? How wouli they relieve professional men , and tradesmen , and widows ? The rich might escape them by going abroad , but the less
effluent classes , who could not travel , must stay and bear them . It was Baid , retain the timber duty . In answer to 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 eupjects pointed out ; but , after the sacrifices made by this country for the extinction of the Blave trade , and in the present state of our negotiations on that question , he had not deemed it justifiable to let in foreign sugar for mere pecuniary considerations , without any security against the evils of slave cultivation . It was said that we were admitting coffee and estton , 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 he 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 npon this part of She subject , persuaded that he Bhould be able , at the proper- time , to show the expediency of 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 . But he wonld
reserve himself for future and fuller explanation on this subject He admitted that an income-tax must be inquisitorial r but it was necessary that honest men shonld be protected against the evasions of tkeir 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 eat the light and the access of air from his anguishing children ? To be sure 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 ~ not 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 ihe . general principles of his administration , consented to yield their own opinions upon particular points . Some men might prefer one form of government and some anotner j 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 . Lord Joh > " KtssELL desired to explain that his allusion to heads of day had no reference to any particular class cf members . Mr . BB 0 THEBT 03 again mooted the question , whether Sir R . Peel had been entitled to speak on the main subject ? The Speaksb again decided in the affirmative . The debate was then adjourned .
Monday \ April 11 . Sir R . Peel began the adjourned debate respecting the petition from Finsbury , which Mr . Buncombe had presented on Friday , against the income tax . Sir R . Peel opposed the reception of this petition , on the grcund of the ancient usage excluding petitions against pending taxesT If that usage Bhould be rescinded , great obsfcnetion to public business might be the consequence . It was true that a resolution now existed against the debating of petitions , but that resolution had raised a usage of only five years , whereas the other was of 150 . He was- » ware that much difference of opinion existed OQHusfulnect ; but be thought himself bound not to
Untitled Article
abandon a practice of ao long standing without taking the sense of the House upon it . . . Lord HOWicK thought the old objection to these petitions was removed by the modern prohibition of discussion upon them . Sir K . Peel seemed to have no reason to urge against the change , except that it was a change . Mr . Mil > "ES 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 petitioning against it , an opinion might grow up that the House did not duly represent the people . Mr . F . Berkeley shortly supported Mr . Dancombe . Lord F . Egeeton also expressed bis feelings that the doors of the House should be opened as wide as possible to the people ' s petitions .
Lord John Kcssell , though reluctant to contravene ft practice which had prevailed for 150 years , felt him * scif obliged , since the departure from the old usage of debating upon petitions , to support the motion of Mr . Duncombe . He could not consent to maintain the customs of antiquity only on the si Je of restriction . Even if you should now shut ont these petitions against tbe enactment of the pending tax , you could not shut oat petitions next year for its repeal . The rational course wonld be to allow the presentation of these like other petitions ; but , as is the cose ot other petitions , to exclude discussion . Mr . J . S . WO&tlst was disposed to support the motion . He thought the practice of the House on such a subject Bhould not be construed with the strictness of a 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 diacussion 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-revolutlonist . would Tote against a practice which , the period of tbe 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 erder against the discussion of petitions .
Mr- QouLBOES deemed it highly impottant tbat the practice of the House should not be rendered uncertain , and abore 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 . DVNCOMBE 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 , tke manly way would be to move a standing order to that feffect- The people disliked the pending tax , andtha object now was to gag them . Tbe House divided , and the numbers were—For the exclusion of tbe petition .,. 222 For its reception ...... 221
Majority for the exclusion 1 Tbe adjonmed debate on the report of the committee of ways and means was began by Dr . Bowbing . H « 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 ; for he was persuaded that the principle of direct taxation was tbe true one ; but he Could not accede to the levy of an equal per centage from permanent and from transitory income . He expatiated on the general benefits of direct taxation .
Mr . Gally Knight sketched a draught of the will of the late Ministry , bequeathigg to John Bull a deficit of £ 50 , 000 , 000 ; item , a war in China , item , a war in India , item , an unsettled boundary in America . He reprobated their reduction of taxes fot 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 , he 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 . Elphinsxone would have preferred a revenue raised from the sources pointed out in 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 disproportionaVe severity . The tariff was an improvement on the old system ; but it was imperfect in many particulars .
Sir Walter James protested against the protraction of these debates , which were suspending the whole commerce and manufactures , of tbe country , embarrassing the capitalist , and starving the operative . In such a state of things it was the duty of tbe 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 life income which he laid out in the insuranoe 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 be -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 as to the peace they had procured for their country , he had only to refer to that expedition into Afghanistan against which the Duke 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 rednction 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 beea apprehended , were all , except Holstein , importing countries themselves . He thought it but right that these things Ehould be stated , in order to disabuse the agriculturists ; and , connected as he was with agriculture in air 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 he could not approve—namely , the imposition of a duty on coal .
Mr . Wason quoted a speech of Mr . Huskisson ( March , 1830 ) , as marking the distinction between a property tax and an income tax . Against the latter Mr . Wasen protested . " It was property alone which be would subject to taxation . For that purposa 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 sonrces . " He shcald willingly tafee off those other taxes also which bear npon the poor , and he would make up the deficiency by a farther tax upon property .
Mr . C W . Wtnn 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 gronnd . He gave a history of the income taxes of 1803 and 1806 , and explained the reasons for imposing them . Ho observed that the Incomes of most of the great landed proprietors were only incomes for life ; and said it was of no consequence whether tbe possessor , being only tenant for life , were to be succeeded by a son or by a stranger . He did not believe the country would allow the tax to last one year beyond the necessity .
Mr . MacadlaY began by stating the substance of a petition from Edinburgh , which the practice of tee 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 bis income . That gentleman , in the position he held , might afford to indulge such a fdeling ; 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 was & 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 us 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 ; but 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 Right 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 ampfe force ; of which the waole charge would probably fall short of £ 400 , 000 a-year . This was not an exigency like that in which you imposed an income tax to
protect you against the nations of the continent leagued with France , when your navy estimates aloha exceeded the aggregate charge of all your present establishments . He believed that , at this moment , England was better able to mMntoin a great war , than at any former period of her history ; and yet , from the late course of the Minister , the people of the continent might be led to suppose that England was is a state of tbe 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 . Macaulay then touched upon the other resources which he considered , as available for the present occasion . Sir R , Peel had objected to a so | % x duty on tbe score cf slavery ; but , considering
Untitled Article
what was done about coffee and eotton , anil tobacco , he thought it a strong effort pf Charlty to beUeve the right hon . Baronet sincere . Thenas to timber . Sir R Peel had pitched over \ £ 6 oo , opo at once , a greater blow to our finances than the disaster io India . Instead of founding an income tax to meet a deficit , the Minister had made a deficit to found an income tax . ^ Lord StamLey said * that whatever might be the difference between the two sides of the House in their conclusions , there was no diaagreeinent in their premises ; the greatness of the deficit was no matter of doubt-, and toe Opposition , now that they were no longer under the responsibility of hating tales to find , admitted likewise that the time for make-shifta was over , that the finance of the country must be repaired
. that ihe burden could not be thrown npon the commercial and ^ manufacturing interests , and that the budget of last year wpuldnot yield » revenue adequate to the ocsaslon . On his own side it was equally admitted that a great emergency alone could justify sncha tax . These were the points of general agreement . On the other hand , there were disagreemfents to be noticed even among the opposition themielves . Some said , •' Tax property , but not { Income ; " while others , and Lord John himself said ' if you tax property , you must needs tax income too . " Lord John and Mr ; Macaulay objected to the course tokea upon 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 Government , which , after swenty 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 whatcost wsuld be entailed on England by the war which the late Ministry bad stirred up in China ? Talk of peace i Look at India . The Duke of Wellington had prophetically told them what would be the consequeiiees even of success in that quarter . "A disaster , certainly , '' said Mr . Macanlay , "but , " added he , " not a financial one . " When he had thus estimated the lives of those brave men in pounds , shillings , and pence , who could calculate the further cost lin which \ re might be involved by the spread of that -insurgency against tbe prestige of England , which was but too likely to follow such an
overthrow ? True , the Government knew nothing of that calamity when they brought forward this 1 measure : ill as they thought of the expedition , they had not anticipated anything quite so 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 bad come unanimously to the conclusion ' that direct taxation was the : only available resource . The Kftble Lord now wanted to drive us , back upon that budget which had been already rejected by two Parliaments . But the earn , which had been one of 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 , would 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 Bhown 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 tb £ inquisitorial nature of a tax npon income ; bat the bill imposing it would contain alleviations of this objection . And what would the Noble Lord , who proposed an increase of the assessed taxes , say to the inquisitorial nature of Hose 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 WaUer ' a panegyric as applicable to Sir Robert Peel , Lord Stanley regretted that Mr . Shell had not added the remainder of the
passage———i " when , without noise , The rising sun nights vulgar lights destroy 8 . " He was glad to claim the praise . awarded to ministers by their opponents—that the measure now before the House was a bold and honourable one . Mr . Labouchere , after defending Mr . Macanlay from what he complained of as a misrepresentation by Lord Stanley of that part of his Bpeech which related to , the disaster in India , referred to Sir R , Peel ' s charges against the late Government ; ot . living on tbe forbearance of its enemies , and retorted , that Sir K . Peel himself had heldofficelnl 835 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 tbe present system of duties on sugar and timber . Sir R . Peel was bringing out bJs tariff , as if he were the author of its policy , whereas it was the policy of bis predecessors , and he was but taking advantage of the tide as it turned . He defended and applauded that feeling of liberty and pride which induces Englishmen to resist any measure of an inquisitorial nature . Of the tariff in gen « ral he approved , and Would take his share of the responsibility attaching to the changes it would introduce .
Lord F . Egekton condemned , as being ho longer a mere excusable party manosuvre , but a positive crime , the delays by which Members of Opposition were paralyzing the trade of the country ; and be read some passages of a petition from Lancashire , very numeronaly signed , and praying for the despatch of this measure . The Opposition had spent their time during the holy ' days in getting up petitions ; and they had spent their money , too , if he might judge from : tbe . placards and standard bearers that paraded the vicinity of the House , So far from thinking tuat the course of Ministers had
lowered on the continent the estimate of England ' s 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 so governed . He weuld aupport 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 aa well as in Europe , and whose spirit , in his advancing age , still burnt with the brightness and clearness of his youth . Mr . Brotherton moved an adjournment .
Lord John Russell imputed the delays complained of to the parties opposite , who bod thought it more material to displace the late Government ttian to discuss the impoitint duties . Aa for the expedition to Afghanistan , he : did not shrink from his share of responsibility ; but the papers relating fo 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 . '¦ ¦ ; :, ' ¦ - . . . ; - ¦ .- . ¦ -J- \; . , ¦¦ '" . ¦ X Sir John Hobhouse expressed himself to the same effect . When the estimates for the supplemental foiise 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 could not conscientiously support an income-tax , naless upon some greater necessity , or with a view to ^ some more extensive ; arrangement , than was now stated to the House . . . .. ¦ ¦' - - ' ¦ . . . ' : ¦ ; ; - ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ : ¦ ' .. Some desultory conversation took place , "which occupied ten minutes more , and the debate was then adjourned . 1 : Tuesday , April 12 . A discussion on the same question which hstd occupied it at the commencement of three former evenings —the question whether the House should 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 against the income tax . ; .- - : ' .
Lord FRANCIS Egebton 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 murmur , which evinced that tbey regarded th « * ivision of the preceding afternoon upon the Finsbury petition as having substantially disposed of the question . : X Mr . T . DUNCOHBB had no notion of'letting , lord F . Egerton make a feather-bed for Ministers to fall easily down upon , . X
Sir R . Peel was in no fear of a fall , and therefore wanted nothing to break his descent . He had opposed the abrogation of an ancient rule , and t&e House having sanctioned bis course by a majority of 3 X , he bad also opposed the presentation of the Finabury petition . The majority , however , having then sbrnnk 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 ahould be made without irregularity ; and he did therefore wish for a short interval to frame such ' a resolution as ; would effect the , object In a safe and decorous mannsr . When that akould have be « n done , he ttusted tbe meetings to be convened for the purpose of petitioning would be really public ones . ¦'' - X : . XX ; . ¦ ¦ . X . / X ¦'¦' ' - . ¦ ¦ ' : XX ; - - ; Xr ' -- " :- ¦ ¦¦ LordHowicK would recommend it to Mr . Cowper to withdraw his motion , if Sir B . PeelXwould himself bring forward the regulation necessary to settle the question . ' , . XX . - : ' . ' - ' ¦ . : - ' " ¦ . ' . '¦ ¦¦ " - ~~ -: '¦' " ' . / . '¦ : X-X-K :
Sir R . Feel answered that without actually originating the regulation Tilmself , he would willingly co-operate with Lord F . Egerton in framing it Mr . Cumming Bbuce was understood to recommend a Committee . - . ¦ ¦ - ; ' . X . . ¦ : ¦ ¦ - ¦ -. - . ' _ . X , •¦ ' . ' -v ' : The SPEAKER , on a request from Lord John Russell , explained that a resolution of the House , while it remained unrescinded , was binding only on the Parliament which passed It ; but that a standing order , while unrescinded , was binding on succeeding Parliaments . - . . . ' . ' ;_ ''' . ' . ' :. . .- /; ' . XX .- '¦ ¦ / ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ -. XX ' - ¦¦''¦' Lord Mahon moved , 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 . ; X . XX Lord PALMERSTON wonld recommend it to Mr . Cowper to postpone his motion , if Sir K . Peel would engage to support that of Lord F , Egewton . Sir R . Peel said he was willing to support Lord F . Egerton in his general object , but could not undertake ,
Untitled Article
without time for consideration , Xte support the specific motion . -X : - '\ : ¦ ¦'¦ , - ; . ¦ . .. ; . X ' V " v ;' .. - ¦ V-v Mr . wixm wontd not consent to any motion fot the admission of petitions , if coupled with a condition excluding debate upon them . Sir G . Grey explained to Mr . Wafcley that ^ there was no new compromise . ; The proposed motion would merely annex to the provision for letting in petitions a repetition of the already established resolution against debating them . " . : "¦¦ . ¦ '¦ "¦ ' ¦ 'X ,. - .,., X .: \ X ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦¦ . '¦ ¦ : . ¦ ¦; Mr . Wallace was foi ¦ debating all petitions . Mr . CcBTBis thought Lord F . Egerton ought to let Mr . Duncombe , to whom this success was awing , have the honour of making the motion which Iras to ntltyit . ¦ - " : ¦ ¦ : ¦ : ¦ : ¦ ¦ .. / : ¦' : ¦ ,: ; X . ¦ :, ' ,. "¦ : ; - \ Mr . O ' CoNNEii , explained that there was nothing of compromise in what bad been proposed . Mr . Cowper then consented that the debate should be adjourned to Friday . XX XX
Mr . Wason made a motion for restricting election council to one committee at a time-Sir . J . Graham : and . Mr . WtNN showed the impracticability of any such regulation . Mr . Wallace supported Mr . Wason , and lamented the present t-xpence of election petition ? . . Mr . Wortlbv . said , that such expence could be prevented only by the appointment of a proper judicial tribunal for the trial of those matters . > Mr ; O'Connkli . concurred in deeming the present tribunal unfit for its purposes . Many petitions , he Baid , 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 . Aglionbv exposed the impracticability of Mr . Wason ' s suggestion , and advised that a committee should be appointed for considering the whole subject . Mr . H . FiTZRoY believed that the only remedy would be to place in the chair of each committee , some distinguished lawyer of the House . X ¦'•/¦ : Lord Granvills Somerset observed , that the lawyers of experience in the House were too few for this duty , v ' . XX : - 'X •• " ¦ ¦ ¦ . - '¦ ' ' :. ' ; . ' -X . ; . ¦ ¦' - - . - ¦¦¦" 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 his motion . Mr . Guilders , haying just had twenty-one days' experience on a Committee , whose chairman , a Conservative , he acquitted ef partiality , felt , however , a conviction that the tribunal was not calculated to do justice . X XX . x . .: XX'X XX . X . ¦'¦' . vX X ¦ . ¦¦ /¦'¦ .. ' XX
Sir R . Peel said , that the arrangement about the chairman , was a suggestion , not of his , but of Lord John Russell '? . ' ¦' ¦ : ¦ ' ¦ *' " X ' . :: 'X ' -X " ' ¦¦ '¦ ¦¦ Mr . Ewaut wished for a regular legal tribunal ; and here this discussion ended . Tbe adjourned debate on the financial measure of the Government was resumed by Mr . Brotherton . He admitted that at Manchester there was no very strong feeling againBt the income tax . Perhaps , because a new generation had arisen which remembered not tha pressure of a like tax in former
days—perhaps because they did not understand the diBUnction between a tax on income and a tax on property —perhaps because , as one of his fhends 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 years next to come . He thought the tax unnecessary . He Wished for no Wart ; he thought the trophies of peace more glorious . At all events he Would not tax income equally with property . He would 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 .
Colond Wood ( Brecon ) calcnlated that , out of the whole population of this island , being about 18 , 600 , 000 persons , not more than 200 , 000 would be called on to contribute to this tax . How Very much smaller a nhmber was this than the number who must have contributed more or less to any indirect taxation . 'He defended the conduct of himself and other county members in supportiug the principle of the New Corn Law against tbat of the fixed duty . Mr . Mangles , admitting the magnitude of the disaster , in Affghanistan , 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 beX a tendeiicy iA pmc nature .. ^" ever to magnify present evils in comparison with past The Indian
Government in Lord Wellesley 'a time had been pressed with great pecuniary Sifficulties ; its debt was then upwards of £ 31 ; 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 , 009 : and whereas , in Lord Wel ! esley ' B time , the Government was commonly harrowing 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 . AEd yet we were told that this state of thinga
is quired us to charge eurselves with an income tax I He adverted to the heavy losses sustained by our Indian army during the Burmese war ; losses occasioned , indeed , by sickness rather than the sword , 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 our empire there . The H indop part of the people would always side with ns against the Mahomedan . Our dominion rested not on a mere prestige , but on public opinion , —the impression ef the natives , that the English dynasty is a truthful and upright one .
Mr . GRANVILIE VEHNON was not satisfied with the argument that the Indian finance was not very materially disordered In 1839 ; neither at that time were the finances of England very heavily depressed but the question waa , hew far the deficiency had been aggravatad since ? He deplored the policy which had prompted the expedition to Affghauistan . A large force was now required , not only for India but for Canada ; add even in Europe 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 felt t&e inequality of taxing temporary like a permanent income ; bat 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 * originally proposed for three years , was now spoken of by Sir B . 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 MiniBterialists Was always tbat the Whigs had committed this . or ' . that mistake . Such recriminations , eiren had they been fair , would not be logical ; but they were not fair , for the present Ministers were the partiesr properly responsible for many : of the very evils now charged on their , predecessors . For instance , the Canadian expences , and the uneasy etate 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 alwayB recommended an increase of our armaments , and when the postage , was to be reduced , they had given way , as the Whigs had done , to publiq 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 Mr . Gdulbprn was Ghancellor of the Exchequer before . Did Mr . Goulburn come then to the house for an income tax ? No ; he then diminished the revenue bf taking off the tax on beer . Lord John Russell had Xnow proposed a
resolution , in - wbich be did not barfly condemn the Ministerial measure , but iuggested one of his own . Sir K . PeelVi plan was to protect the great monopolies , and break down only the minor ones . Lsrvl John ' s , on the contrary , sought to abolish the greatest The articles on which Sir R . Peel was remitting duties , were not such aB the poor consumed ; but all classes would have beea relieved ty Lord John Russell ' s reduction of duty on corn and sugar . Sir R .: Peel had done just what was best for the landed interest , removing exactly so much of the duty on corn as produced them obloquy without protection . Mr . C . Buller then commented on the addresses of the county members to their constitnents , ridiculing Lord Stanley ' s assertions on the snbject 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 relipioua liberty to Catholics and Dissenters , emancipation to the negroes , municipal franchise 1 to the towns , &u < X freedem of commerce to the whole people ; but the executors of that will were those who had been their constant opponenta , and for ten years had : used ail possible , means to defame them . Mr . Borthwick insisted on th « appalling magnitude of the late calamity in India . A parallel had 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 on . For hia own part , he came to that House unpledged , aad would give his best consideration to
any suggestion , from whatever quarter , for tbe benefit of the country ; and , however , unwillingly , at a late hour , and in an impatient Houae , he must discharge the duty of delivering his sentiments . The impatience of the ' House , however , rose to such a height when the Hon . Member had spoken about half an boor , that he found it necessary to move an adjournment ; upon which , at a little after midnight , the galleries were cleared for a division . The House , however , did not divide , but permitted the Hon . Member t « resume his speech . He attributed tbe commercial distress of this country , not to the Corn law , bnt ta the revolutions of the Continent , and warmly espoused the interests of agriculture . He thought there might have been » better plan than that of Sir Robert Peel , but it was the best that had been propounded , and he ehould fe « l himself bound in duty to give his independent vote in its favour . - . '¦ ' .: / . ¦' : ¦ : ¦¦ ¦ " ¦ '' - ' -x : . : . ' ; .-X : ' - : ' X ¦ ¦> . ¦ ¦ - ¦' ' ;'
The debate was then adjourned , Sir Robert Pbkl expressing bis hope that it would conclude the next night xx -: ' . ' . : . x .. .. ¦¦ ' ' ¦" ¦ . . ¦ -. ¦ - ¦ ¦ ¦ , ¦ ¦ ¦ - ¦ ¦ : ¦
Untitled Article
Mr . Mastebman deplored the injury occasioned to the commercial world by the delay ; and that evil waa farther inBist 6 d on by Sir W . James . : LordJ . . Russell expressed his confidence that tha debate would close on Wednesday night . ¦ '• . Mr . M . Phillips desired to observe , as to delay , that the ' couatry hid waited five dreary months to know the intentions of Government . '¦ '• ¦ : ' . : : . jSirB . PBEi , said that though it was quite fair to debate the question fully , it was hardly allowable to put off the fefRictive part of the bill till ten o ' clock of each , evening . " " . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ -- - _ X ; X ' - . ' ¦ . , -X- ' :. / . '; '¦/•¦ ' : ' ¦ ' . ' ; . .. . The other orders of the day were then read , and the House adjourned . . X .-
Untitled Article
AIiX . OA .-rMr . Abram Duncan left this tovvn oa tho morning of- Friday last , for London , being delegated from this district to the '¦ London ; Convention . He took along with him a box containing the eigna-( ures , 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 less than 18 , 090 ^ :: ; ; DTJRHAM . —Tbe National Petition from this place has been sent off ., It contains the giguatures of 1 , 785 males , and 800 females—total 2 , 585 . : SOUTH SHIELDS . —The Petition from this place has been forwarded ,, with 3 , 400 signatures attached , and supported also by £ l to the Convention Fundi .
BIRMINGHAM . —The Chartist and New Move Conventions both ' dissolved on Saturday night , many delegates having - left on Friday ,: On Sunday , the Councils of the various localities met to draw up resolutions , and appoint movers and seconders to them , and for other ui-geat business , respecting the forthcoming great demonstration . In the evening , a funeral oration was delivered by Mr . E . P . Mead , for Mr . Henry Frost The room Was crowded to suffocation . BURY . —Mr / Bankint of Manchester , lectured here on Monday last ; to a crowded meeting . At the close « f his lecture , the sum of 6 s . 3 jd . waa collected for the Manchester ' victims . '¦• , : ¦ . .. ¦ .. ;• ¦ ¦ NEW Mitts . —Mr . E . Clarke , of Manchester , delivered a powerful and instructive lecture , In the Chartist meeting room , New Mills , on . 'Monday ' evening last . ¦ . ¦ ¦ •' . . ' . ; . " - " . '¦'¦ ¦ , '¦ . ' ¦ ' ;• - . .., -,. . . '• X ¦• - ¦ X' : . y . "' . ¦ X ¦ ¦ '
HUDDER 8 PIELD . — DELEGATE MEETING . —On Sunday last , the adjourned meeting of the General CouncillotB of ihe Huddersaeld district was held in the Chartist room , Honley , when councillors from the following places were present :- —HolmSrth , Thomas Haddock , Wm . Cuttall ; Kirkheaton , John Marsland , John . Dyeon ; Honley , Edward Haigh , Charles Boothroyd ; Dilton , Matthew Carter ; Barry Brow , Joshua Robin-, son ; Yow Green , Divid Gledhill ; Lepton , Richard Inman ; Almdndbury , William Sykes ; Huddersfield , Josiah Thomaa , Edward Clayton . Mr . Josiah Thomas was unanimously called to the chair . The reports handed in by the various Counoiilors from each loralltr
were gratifying as far as regards the spreading of the principles of democracy , tbe number of members , and the spirit manifested by the people . The forthcoming Convention having caused great excitement , all is quitealive , and a good spirit manifested . T , he propriety or impropriety of engaging a lecturer for the present was difcussed , when it was agreed , that for the present no one ehoald be engaged—several local lecttucers having volunteered to give tbeir services gratis 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 adjourned to that day five weeks , to be held in a »» aiae place .
3zm$Mal L^Arltammt
3 Zm $ mal l ^ arltammt
Untitled Article
BBIGHTON . GREAT PUBLIC BIE ? TIN ( & . —TIlIUMiPII OF THE GHARTISTS . v On the evening of Thursday , April 7 tli , a publio meeting was convenedby a requisition of elector ^ of the borough at the Town Hall , for the purpose of hearing the different candidates for the represeritation of the borough at the anticipated election declare their political principles . XXAt seveii o ' clock , the hour appointed for the commencement of the business , the room was crowded to 8 ufibcationi X On the proposition of Mr . Allen ^
Mr . John Good was unanimously called ta tha chair . - " . ¦' ' ¦ " ' .. - - " ¦ ¦ - ^' ¦' ..- ¦ ' ¦' ;; : ; ¦¦ -: : ¦ - ¦ :: Mr . Brooker , the Chartist candidate , on entering the room , was received with Jottd cheers . MivHarfopd » ' thB-: r « j < oted ' of- Lewes , also mounted the platform j amidst the cheers of bis party , and cries of h Go back to Lewes , " ** No bribery ^ " &c The Vestry Clerk having read the requisition calling tbe meeting , \ X The Chairman briefly addressed the meeting , claiming an impartial hearing for each gentleman who would address them . The Vestry Clerk read a letter from Captain Pechell , stating that in consequence of the important business in the House of Commons he was unable toattendi ¦ ' 'X ' . ? . . ' ' .. ¦¦ ¦ ' , : ¦¦¦ - ¦ ¦ : ¦'¦ ¦ -. ' . .. " / .: " . -Xi .: X
The Chairman then called upon Mr . Charles Brooker , as the . senior ' - candidate , to declare hia opinions to them . X ; X X Mr . Bkook eb ^ on Tising , was received with loud cheers . He addressed them as electors and nonelectors of Brighton . The country was in a ' siiiking and ruinoiis , condition ; they were how making tha last trial ; it was the last Btraw that broke the camel ' s X back , and Sir Robert X Peel was making the last trial upon poor John Bull ' s back . Sir Robert Peel had admitted that John Bull could have ho more taxation in an indirect manner , but he was making a trial of direct taxation ; but : it was a reduction , and not an in « crease that they wanted in the taxation . As liis sentiments were well known to them , it would be
unnecessary : for him' to detain -them with a long speech . He was the unflinching advbeate of the People ' s Charter . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . Brooker explained in very clear language the six pointa of the People ' s Charter , oonaniencing with Universal Suffrage . He contended that the poor man had as great a stake in the country , and as great a ri ^ ht to te represented , through his representative in Par > liament , as the 1 greatest nobleman in the land . As to Property Qualification j it seemed that unless a man posBeBBed property , ha certainly could not possess much wisdpni . He contended to the contrary , and would , therefore , abolish Property Qualification . And again , as to the Payment of Members . If a poor man was sent as a representative , why should
he not be remunerated by the state for services done to the state j With Annual Parliaments , he believed that where they ended slavery began . Although he preferr d open votingj yet , as a protection , he would advocate the Ballotv He also advocated the division , of the country into equal electoral districts , showing the absurdity of sending two Members for one place , it often occurring that the voter supported two men of opposite principles . He was for the total separatioh of Church ; and State , for the immediate Repeal of the New Poor Law , which he declared to be an invasion of the rights of Englishmen , and that the Poot Law Commission was a complete inquisition . Mr . Brookeif related' . ' . a ' -, case of a poor man , who hung himself at Jevington , rather than go into the
Eastbourne Workhouse , on Monday last j to an elm tree , near the . churchyard ; and that ther jury brought in a v erdict of felo dese . Mr . Brooker conoluded a long speech by exhorting them to stand firm to the ; principles of the People's Charter , and Bat down amid&t loud cheering . -,- '¦' r - '~ , . ' Mr . I >( ICHOLSON » of London , being the next candidate was called for and appeared amuUt loud cheering . He declared himself to be . a Radical of the old school , one of Home Tooke's time , a supporter of the pfinciples of William Cobbett . ' ; ho lashed the Whigs in fine style , amidst load applause . You have the common enemy in front now , said yix N ., but don ' t be humbuggecl 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 Whiff , and after three quarters of an
hour ' s Ia 8 hih s the so * disdnt XWhijg ; LiDtrals , he sat down loudly cheered by cautioning them against being humbugged any more by the Whigs . , The Chairman then called upon Lord Hervey , the Tory , but he had sent a , polite note statiug that he should not appear before the electors until the day of nomination . X x ' ? , ^ Mr . Harfobd was then called upon , Who appeared amidst the cheering of his friends , and the groans and hisses of the Chartists , with , cries ot "No bribery "—* ' Go back to Lewes" - — "Oh yon advocate of the truck system "— "We won ' t have ye "—arid many expressions of dissatisfaction ; however , Mr , H . tried to make a speech by partly reading one to an assembly composed of nearly three hundred persons ; his topics of address was the income-tax and the new tariff , which he opposed ; he was in iavpui ; of Vote by Ballot , Triennial Parliaments , and Household Suffrage . ; .
Mr . Harpobd concluded a speech full of Whig or Liberal promises , and was very glad to resume his seat , loudly cheered by his party , and the hisses of the opposition . v X i X Mr . John Sandy , in a very excellent speech , proposed Charles Brooker , Esq ., as a fit and proper person to : represent this borough in Parliament . Mr . Flowek in a rather warm address seconded the resolution , telling Mr . Harford that he was a Whig and nothing else , and he must not expect their support . ; X . ¦ . : ¦ ... ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦" : ' XX "X .-Xx ; . " . ' - .. ¦; ¦ ¦'¦ ¦¦ ¦'¦'¦ . . ¦[ .. ¦ ¦' Mr . ' George Faithfull , a lawyer , moved , " That Mr . Summers Harford is a fit and proper person to repreaenVthe boroueh . " . ^ - _ Mr . HiLTON / secondedthenomination of Mr . Har - ford . ¦ ¦ 7 : " - "'¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦ : -: . -:: - ' ¦ ' - . ' , ' ' - . " - '¦ . ¦ ¦ ¦ . ¦
In cohsequence of no person proposing Mr . Nicholson his name was not put , however Mr . N ; declares he will be on the hustings at the day of election , that he will eo to t , he poll i and fight it out to the last ; The Whigs of Brighton Were never in such a , quandary befora . Mr . Nicholson will knock them on one side with his debt and taxation-riddance scheme , and Mr . Brooker Xwill goad them on the other side most strenuously with the Charter , barked by the working men of Brighton , assisted by that indomuable champion of the people , Feargas O'Connor . Hurrah for the Charter !
Untitled Article
, _ - - . THE NORTHERN STAR- ; : -U >; - : K > H ^
-
-
Citation
-
Northern Star (1837-1852), April 16, 1842, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct886/page/7/
-