HC Deb 25 June 1819 vol 40 cc1373-6

On the order of the day for the third reading of this bill,

Mr. Western

said, he felt himself bound to oppose the motion. Much had been said on the subject of taxes affecting the poor, and taxes affecting the rich. The distinction was more apparent than real; for taxes on the poor must inevitably be felt by the rich, and taxes on the rich must diminish the funds for the employ- ment of the poor, and consequently affect them as well as the rich. But certainly the more immediate operation of these taxes would be first felt by those whose means were already so inadequate for their proper support. For this reason, he objected to the tax on malt. He objected to it, as throwing a heavy burthen on the lower orders, and pressing with peculiar severity on an article of the first necessity. The new taxes amounted to three millions, and two millions of them were on an article, the consumption of which was of the utmost importance to agriculture—there being 1,500,000l. on malt, and 500,000l. of additional duty on British spirits. Were the House aware, that at that moment there was no less a sum than nine millions of taxes on malt, beer, and British spirits? The effect of this heavy taxation on malt must be, to diminish the consumption, and consequently the growth of barley. In 25 years, the consumption of malt had been reduced one-fourth. In 1790, and ten succeeding years, the average consumption of malt was 3,390,000 quarters. For the ten years ending 1816, the average consumption was only 2,907,000 quarters; so that, at this last period, there was a reduced consumption of 420,000 quarters. But it appeared from papers on the table, that if, in comparing the consumption of the two periods, an allowance were made for the increase of population in the latter, the consumption of 1816, in order to be equal to that of 1790, ought to have been above 4,200,000 quarters. Did not this clearly show, that when taxation was carried beyond a certain point, it had the effect of diminishing consumption? The House here saw the most useful articles for the consumption of the people positively reduced by the operation of this tax. In the period commencing with 1790, the price of barley was 31s. the quarter, and the duty 10s. a quarter. In the tatter period, barley had advanced to 40s., when at the same period the duty had advanced to 24s. Under these circumstances, it was thought necessary to take off the increased duty. By the imposition of taxes at the present moment, the House were taking a dangerous step. Whatever effect might be produced on our finances by having an actual sinking fund as contradistinguished from an imaginary sinking fund, he thought any advantage to be derived from this would be bought too dear by adding to the burthens of the country. He did not wish to underrate the resources of the country; but at the present time he thought the best policy would be to husband them, and not to press too severely on the people. For this reason he would move as an amendment, "That the bill be read a third time this day six months."

Mr. Ord

said, he should not discharge his duty, if he did not protest in a more formal manner than by a silent vote against the present bill. Nothing could, in his opinion, justify any additional burthens on the people at the present moment.

Mr. Farrand

contended, that it would be highly unjust to levy the new duty on the stock in hand. On account of the great fall in the price of barley, by the importation of foreign grain since the beginning of the season, the malster would not be able to realize from his malt the cost price of the raw barley.

Lord Ebrington

could not help calling the attention of the House, to one point connected with this question, which he thought of considerable importance. When the proposition for the new taxes was first brought forward by the chancellor of the exchequer, it was accompanied with a resolution on the subject of economy and retrenchment, which could not have been forgotten by the House; and he (lord E.) was much disappointed, that, whilst the House had so readily acquiesced in the imposition of these burthens, no measure whatever had been proposed by ministers, for carrying the above resolution into effect. But how much was that disappointment increased, when, by the paper lately laid on the table, entitled "Increase and Diminution of Public Salaries," it was shown that the expense of the public offices for the last year, had exceeded the former one by above 100,000l.; that, in the two departments of Customs and Excise, 136 additional officers had been appointed in 1818; and that the increase of expenditure, under different heads, in these two branches alone, amounted to 107,000l. It was true that some reductions had been made in other departments; but setting the one against the other, there still remained a clear increase of no less a sum than 103,000l. in the course of the last year. He could not but hope, that those who had been so ready to impose burthens on the people would give some more specific pledge of their disposition to enforce economical reform than was contained in the high sounding but empty professions, the vox et prœterea nihil of ministers.

Sir R. Wilson

once more entered his dissent to the proposal now before the House. At this moment new rumours of disturbances were afloat in the manufacturing districts; plots probably not planned by desperate leaders, but by insidious instigators. But what materials would these men have for their work, were it not for the burthens under which the people were groaning. The new taxes were, when compared with the whole present amount of taxation, said to be small; but it is the last feather that breaks the horse's back.

The question being put, "That the bill be now read a third time," the House divided: Ayes, 134; Noes, 65.

List of the Minority.
Barham, J. F. Heygate, ald.
Barnard, viscount Hume, J.
Barnett, J. Hutchinson, hn. C. H.
Becher, W. W. Lamb, hon. G.
Bernal, R. Lawson, M.
Benyon, Ben. Lefevre, C. S.
Birch, Jos. Lemon, sir Wm.
Brand, hon. Thos. Monck, sir C.
Brougham, H. Moore, Peter
Burdett, sir F. Neville, hon. Rich.
Byng, G. Newman, R. W.
Buxton, T. F. North, Dudley
Burrell, Walter Newton, Wm.
Calcraft, J. Onslow, A.
Calvert, Nic. O'Callaghan, Jas.
Calvert, C. Palmer, C. F.
Cavendish, lord G. Pares, Thos.
Coffin, sir I. Parnell, sir H.
Colborne, N. R. Phillipps, C. M.
Concannon, L. Powlett, hon. W.
Crawley, Sam. Price, R.
Crespigny, sir W. De Robarts, A.
Davies, T. H. Robarts, W. T.
Denison, W. J. Rowley, sir W.
Duncannon, visc. Smith, John
Ebrington, visc. Smith, Wm.
Ellice, Ed. Smith, hon. Robt.
Fane, J. Wharton, John
Farrand, R. Wilson, sir R.
Fitzgerald, rt. hon. M. Wodehouse, Ed.
Grant, J. P. Wood, ald.
Gordon, Robt. TELLERS.
Griffiths, J. W. Orde, W.
Gooch, T. S. Western, C. C.
Harvey, D. W.