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    1200 THE LEADER. [Satprsay, '

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    The Parliament Of The Week. Financial De...

    the inequitable character of some of the Income-tax distinctions : — " By a fiction of law a bishop draws his income from land , and has 50007 . a-year , and you tax him 7 d . in the pound . A judge has 5000 ? . a-year also for his life ; he is in schedule D ., and you tax him b \ d . in the pound . Take another case . A widow receives 160 ? . a-year , charged on land in the shape of jointure , and under the Government proposition she would be taxed 7 d . in the pound . We have heard of a Mr . Moore ( great laughter ) who has 7000 ? . a-year from a patent place which he contends is a freehold . " You tax the widow who receives 160 ? . a-year charged on land at the rate of 7 d . in the pound , while Mr . Moore , upon his sinecure of 7000 ? . a-year , is to pay only 5 % d . You talk about realized property . Now , any person having property in land in the colonies , any person having

    property in land in any part of Europe , any perso * having property in the foreign funds , is to be charged only 5 ^ Well , with all your care and anxiety for realized property , you will find , in the very heart of schedule C , which relates to fundholders , for whom you profess the tenderest regard , the holders of terminable annuities , some of whom lose their capital at the end of 1860 , and , while you only require the holders of realized property abroad to be taxed 5 $ d ., your own holders of terminable annuities are absolutely , by your amended schedule , paying 7 c ? .-in the pound . Take , again , the case of Ireland . The Attorney-General for Ireland is not to he taxed a farthing , while his clerk who receives his briefs with 100 ? . a-year is to be charged b \ d . in the pound upon his salary . A tide-waiter on Loch Foyle with a small salary of 120 ? . a-year , , is to be taxed o \ d . in the pound , while the Bishop of Derry , living in his palace by the side of the lake , is not to pay a penny . "

    As to direct taxation , Lord Derby himself had expressed wise fear that Free-trade rigidly carried out ( " lie would say rashly" ) would embarrass the finances ; and Sir Robert Peel had approved of direct taxation but for a special and temporary purpose . For the Income-tax exemptions now proposed to be abolished there were , he thought , some good reasons . " I am of opinion that that class having incomes between 100 ? . and 150 ? . a-year in this country constitutes exactly that class of persons who feel the greatest trouble in maintaining their position . It is exactly the point where skilled labour ends—where , if I may use the expression , the fustian jacket ceases to be worn , and broadcloth

    becomes the clothing of the people . It is , more or less , a class of persons compelled by circumstances to maintain a position somewhat higher than their income will allow . I will give instances in explanation of what I mean ; clerks in counting-houses , the humblest clerks in County Courts , many of the ministers of the established religion in this country , and many of the Dissenting ministers , have to maintain a position somewhat higher than their humble means will permit . ( Hear , hear . ) And , then , with respect to indirect taxation , I have here a list of twelve articles—[ tea , spirits , malt , sugar , soap , postage , corn , coffee , paper , butter , cheese]—yielding , in the gross , a revenue of 32 , 369 , 0002 . annually , which press heavily upon the class I havo alluded to . "

    Direct taxation should be reserved for an emergency ; if a war arose , the people could bear an additional burthen . But it should he only a war-tax . Lord Liverpool ' s ministry—a strong ministry—fell because it wished to continue the 10 per cent , property-tax ( imposed as a war-tax ) one year after the war had ceased- The Government should be guided by that experience , and reserve direct taxation as their great resource in time of war . Hir J . L ' akinoton stated that the principle of extending' direct taxation was involved in the resolution immediately under discussion ; but the Government would not be "imprudent" in that extension . The

    frequent votes of former Parliaments attecting , sometimes wholly repealing the Malt-tax , . showed the importance of its repeal . The remission would serve the consumer . Mr . Bass had calculated a reduction of 6 . ? . per barrel ; that would bo tr > a poor man lG . v . or 18 s . in the year , which would & o far towards paying his house-rent . The Exchequer Loan Fund was not now resorted to ou account of" the change in the moneymarket , lie warmly protested against the offensive imputations made by Mr . Osborno and Mr . Peel , that the Hutlgot was a measure of revenge or retaliation on the middle classes . He was surprised to hear Mr . Lowe , an able member of tin : " liberal" and " progress " parly , advising that things hIiouKI be left as they were . If the combined Opposition succeeded in overthrowing f lie Government on t . hia question , how would they deal

    with the Income-tax ? Mr . Cobdon and Mr . Huuio culled Mr . Disraeli ' s mode of dealing with it merely justice , while Mr . ( Joulburii , Mr . Gladstone , and Lord John Kussell culled it spoliation . iSir AMcxANPKit OoOKimitN then moved that , the chairman do report progress . Upon this an explanatory discussion arose ; in the coin-He of which , Mr . DWaoli re-stated " t-lm situation . " Government , would tiiku the vote on the extension of the House-tux as conclusive on the principle of tho l * u <« g <* - Tll *> <> ovornincnt , certainly intended to propose doubling as well as extending the House-tax , but that , intention did not preclude an amendment suggested by the Houfio itself , or by the Government ., of t . ho proposition to that ofloct already notified . Thumlay ' B cUneuHttiou decided the Mo of tho Bridget .

    After a very long and confused discussion as to the exact question they were going to divide about , it was agreed on all sides that the whole of the resolution doubling the House-tax and extending its area should be read , and the division taken on that . The opening discussion , carried on by Sir AIiEXAMOEB Cocsbuen , Sir Feancis Basing , Lord Dbumxanrig * , Mr . Blair , Mrv Moobe , and Mr . Peacock :, was followed by the two main speeches of the erehing—those of Mr . Disraeli and Mr . Gladstone . The Chanoeixor of the Excheqtteb rose to vindicate his propositions , remarking that he had listened to nothing that had successftilly impugned his policy : —

    He first addressed himself to his estimates of revenue , and began with the 4 O 0 , O 00 Z . from the Public Works Loan Fund , and , entering into the history of that fund , defended his proposal for its extinction , and for the mode of repayment he recommended . In especial reply to Sir James Graham , he pointed out , not only that the high rate of interest demanded for these loans kept first-class securities away , but , as a circumstance of more weight , he represented that the fund had been applied by a succession of Ministers to far other purposes than those of local improvements . The Thames Tunnel Company had received 25 O , 0 O 0 Z ., which never could be repaid . Battersea Park , a woful speculation , had 150 , 0002 ., and owed 12 , 000 ? . for interest . 700 , 000 * .

    had actually been lost to the country , though Sir J . Graham had asserted that not a shilling had been lost . As a guardian of public interests , he had felt it his duty to put an end to so iniquitous a system ; and after duly considering what was to be done with the repayments , which he had estimated at the 4 OO , 000 Z . in question , he had decided , not to lock it up in the Exchequer , or unlawfully to reduce the public debt , but to apply it to the latter purpose , through the medium of the arrangements of the Budget . After this explanation , ( which occupied exactly an hour ) he proceeded to the mistake he had been charged by Sir C . Wood with making as to the produce of the Malt-tax ; and , stating the details of the calculations he had made ,

    assisted by the best authorities in the trade , he described them as fully justified , as also was his conduet in regard to the drawback he had announced . He declared that the Kafir war was finished , and that the latest news had confirmed his statement that no . increased expenditure would be required , though after a war in a savage country there might long remain a flickering ember , and an officer might be occasionally shot . The Kafirs had no meansof subsistence ; they were lingering in the bush , and dying , and then * skeletons were found there . In support of this view , he

    read General Catlicart ' s despatch of the 12 th of October , He had made no estimate of the loss to the revenue by refining 1 sugar in bond , because he believed there would be none ; but for prudential reasons he would not enter further into that subject . After some general replies to party charges , and after denying that he had ever sought to deceive the farmers , he adverted at some length to the careful revision which Government had given to the financial system of the country , and intimated that before long tho question of removing burdens on succession and on the transfer of land would have to be considered . Tho

    Government also had to consider how the country would allow such an increase of direct taxation as would enable them to carry out their plans . Then , turning upon Sir C . Wood , he retorted upon that honourable member ' s financial failures , with a series of sarcasms which brought down the loudest applause from the Ministerial benches , especially when , standing motionless , and with a most peculiar tone , ho slowly enunciated some bitter sentences , concluding with a fierce declaration that Sir C . Wood ' had yet to learn that petulance was not sarcasm , and insolence not effectiveness . ' He then defended the

    course Government had taken on the Income-tax , and on taxation generally , and said that they had had two principles to assort , first , that there ought to bo a difference recognised between precarious and certain income , and secondly , that thfc basis of direct taxation should be enlarged , and this latter principle he predicted would ultimately becoino popular . As to what had been said about the franchise , ho would say that ho had never been too fond of associating it with mere money , but ho would observe that ho could think nothing more ' fatal than that a large body possessed of . political power should use it to throw an undue weight of taxation upon other clausuu . Referring to Sir James Graham , he

    said , ' I do not ho much respect him—but I greatly regard him ; ' he quoted one of his former speeches , from which the speaker deduced a , n inconsistency on tho subject of taxing ' the- poor clerk , ' which drew loud cheers from his supporters . Tins allegation that tho reduction of tho multtax would be rendered useless to tho consumer by tho brewer , he met , by reminding the committed that the same kind of argument had been adopted in reference to br , ead and tho villanonK millers and bakers . Protection dead ! It was rampant , and had boon inherited by tho Opposition with tho Protectionist benches . . Likening Mr . Goulbiirn to a weird sibyl , ho refused to agree with him that tho public revenue waa endangered , and ho read a

    letter from an eminent actuary to refuto Mr . Lowe , and to show that our population was likely to bo increased rnther than diminished by emigration . Ho announced that ho looked to a great reduction in tho public expenditure of tho country , but that could bo only achieved with regard to efficiency as well as economy , and therefore could not bo accomplished until lW > 'h-r > . An un iimtnnct ) , ho adduced an arrangement which tho Marquis of Chamlos had made , by his direction , for the hotter management of the Irish Chief Secretary ' s otlico , and offices conned od with it , whereby an expenditure of ai , 7 UH / . u year hud boon reduced to " 6 , 170 /! . ; ami in tho oilico of tho Woerolary-af-War a similar improvement hud taken p luoo . ltut Government had been attempting to doiil with much larm \ r catabliHumonts , aiul ho had arrived at tho concluoion , that groat retronohtnenta were possible .

    But such refqrms \ rer < T impossible vnfboxit the fair « ,, « * oftheHouseyCommons * When he £ m 1 oUuSSFE * surplus was insufficient , he replied that he hadI iv resources on which to depend , and it would be the faUR ?« S 5 w Se rf ft" * * etrenchments w <* e not made i 1854-5 . He would pass over some small matters foT « S present . In conclusion , he said that he had been aavi £ d to withdraw his motion , as Mr . Pitt and ' others * ( chS had done . He did not aspire to the feme of Mr Pitt W * he would not submit to the degradation of ' nfhl t ( Cheers . ) When parties were baLced ida Govern

    , ment could not pass its measures , the most importantZ htical dogmas became mere party questions . Direct taxa tion had become one , and so would an administrative reform which would save a million to the country ttl knew he had to face a coalition : it might be successful , as coalitions had been before . But he would appeal from that coalition to the public opinion of the country which little loved such things , and before which it became but ' the baseless fabric of a vision . '

    Mr . Diseaeli concluded a speed of two hours and forty minutes amid tremendous ministerial cheers . Mr . Gladstone rose , but for several minutes was unable to obtain a hearing in consequence of the agitation which prevailed in the house . At length he said : "lam reluctant , Mr . Patten , to trespass upon the com - mittee , but it appears to me that the speech we have just heard is a speech that ought to meet with a reply , and that ,, too , on the moment —( loud cheers from the Opposition ) ; and , sir , I begin by telling the Chancellor of the Exchequer that I postpone for some minutes the inquiry

    whether he knows business ; but there are somethings which he , too , hasyet to learn . ( Great cheers , counter cheers , and confusion . ) There were other reasons besides the reason of triviality and irrelevancy why a discussion should have been avoided to-night on the sub ject of emigration ( Renewed confusion and cheers . ) And I tell the right honourable gentleman more—that the licence of language he has used ( cheers and disturbance )—the phrases he has applied to the characters of public men ( tremendous Opposition cheers , and interruptions from the Ministerial side of the House)—that the phrases he has applied to the characters of public men , whose career ( a renewed outburst of clamour from the Ministerial benches drowned

    the remainder of the sentence , and the right honourable gentleman , was obliged to remain silent for several moments . When order was in some degree restored he said ) —Mr . Patten , my wish is to keep jnyself , although I confess that I could not hear those phrases used and remain totally unmoved—my wish is to keep myself strictly within the bounds of Parliamentary order ana propriety , and I beg of you , sir , that if in one syllable I trespass beyond those bounds you will have the kindness to correct me ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) I do not address myself to those gentlemen belonging to the great party opposite , from whom I have never received anything but courtesy and

    forbearance ; but notwithstanding the efforts of some gentlemen in a remote corner of the House , who avail themselves of darkness to interrupt me ( loud cheers and confusion ) , I will tell them this , that thoy must bear to have their Chancellor of the Exchequer , who is so free in his comments upon the conduct of others , brought to the bar of the opinion of this committee , and tried by those laws of decency and propriety - ( Tremendous cheers and confusion , which drowned the remainder of the sentence . ) Sir , we are accustomed here to attach to the words of the Minister of the Crown a great authority—and that disposition to attach nuthoritv . as it is required by the public

    interest , so it has been usually justified by tho conduct and character of those Ministers ; but I must tell the right honourable gentleman that ho is not entitled to charge with insolence men who—— ( ltenewed uproar and cheers again drowned the remaining words of tho sentence . ) 1 must tell tho right honourable gentleman that he ih not entitled to say to my right honourable friend the member for Carlisle , that he regards him , but that ho does not respect him . ( Loud cheers . ) I must tell tho right honourable gentleman , that whatever ho has learned—and no has learned much—ho has not yet learned tho limits of uibcretion , of moderation , and of forbearance—( great cheering and confusion)—that ought to restrain the conduce and language of every member of this House , tho disregard of which is an offenco in tho meanest amongst us . committed io

    but it is of tenfold weight when by me »<" ' "' tho House of Commons . " ( Loud and long-repeated cheers . ; "Then , addresHing himself to the question before thoeoinmittee , Mr . Gladstone said that an unbounded 'l j , ^_ action was no doubt allowed to every member ol i " " mont , and that id was open to members , nfter passing ¦ resolution , to alter it in any inconsistent way they I '"" ? '' ' but tho constitutional object of a parliamentary conn"ui ^ wan to sift and sanction tho proposals which caino no it . The Chancellor of tho Exchequer ' s memory (• ' ""_ as to past dates and withdrawn -budgets ; but did lie * - member the proceedings of that debate , and tho vary I , thm 1

    declarations that had been made by Minintorsnfl to " * of tho vote that was asked r There had never been a m o - ment at which greater vigilance was required . . Ho y'J " . fc to tho resolution , either us a house-tax , or as tho 1 »» ll K' ' For all tho Chancellor of tho Exchequer had done , i might as woll have proposed his fax directly ho came >»• oflieo . Hut . a broader objection to tho Budget was , U "' introduced but two direct taxes , imd theso " woro adroitly contrived us to strike upon tho Htt "! " , UIU . " The Chancellor of the Exchequer wight have little bvi pathy for " tho poor clerk , " but lie would mHtan « o him ' the condition of one of his own yeomen , hu < I < <¦'< J smitten by his friend ' s hand with throe now u » ¦ hitherto unknown to him , but amounting to hvo por ««¦ of hi * income . Tho clergy ho declared to hayo »» reason to complain of tho Chancellor of Um h * olioq «« ' - Mr . Gladstone also opposed the House-tax bccuiu * u was connected with tho repeal of the Malt-tax . J " " ' though conterminous with the eld English boverat , ^

    1200 The Leader. [Satprsay, '

    1200 THE LEADER . [ Satprsay ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 18, 1852, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_18121852/page/4/