MR. HUMEsaid, he begged to inquire whether the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer would detail the course which he intended to pursue with regard to the public business of tomorrow? By the paper which he held in his hand, he saw that the right hon. Gentleman proposed to bring forward—first, the question of the Inhabited House Duties; second, that of the Tea Duties; third, that of the reduction of the duty upon Malt; and, lastly, the Property and Income Tax. The House must vote separately upon all these propositions, and he wished to know whether one vote was to decide the fate of all.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he desired that the decision of the House should be taken upon the whole of the financial scheme. He understood that to be the wish of the House, and it was certainly the wish of the Government. It was for that reason he had placed all the Resolutions upon the table. It would of course be necessary formally to take the decision of the House upon the first Resolution, but he would look upon that decision as conclusive of the general policy they had recommended.
§ SIR JOHN SHELLEYbegged to give notice that he would move, as an Amendment of the right hon. Gentleman's Resolutions, that the whole subject should be postponed until after the Christmas recess.
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERbegged to state that with respect to the Committee which he should move the House to resolve itself into, it had been a question whether it should be a Committee of Ways and Means, or one upon the Bill. He had consulted the highest authority upon that subject, who was of opinion that it might be either. It was his intention, therefore, to propose with respect to the first Resolution, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of Ways and Means, and upon the Tea duties he should move that the House go into Committee upon the Bill.
§ MR. FREWENsaid, he would now give notice that he should move, as an Amendment upon the Malt Resolution, that the Duty on Hops be repealed altogether.
§ SIR DE LACY EVANSsaid, as he observed a difference between the Financial Statement and the Resolutions which were laid upon the table of the House, he should wish to know whether the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer had abandoned his original intentions?
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that in Resolutions of this nature it was not customary to explain the reason of any alterations. But it was not his intention to alter in any important point the general statement which he had the honour of salmitting to the House on a previous occasion.
§ Subject dropped.