§ Earl Greypresented a Petition from the Licensed Victuallers against the additional tax imposed on them during the present session. He stated, that having withdrawn the Petition on a former night, to give time for a consideration of the point of form objected against it, he should present it now, in the hope that alt obstacles to its reception were removed.
The Lard Chancellorsaid, he found, on looking into the subject, that in the year 1786, a committee was appointed to search for precedents, in a case of the same nature, where the prayer was directed against a Tax Bill, in its progress through parliament. The first of these was from the Lord Mayor and Common Council of London, respecting the tax on tobacco, which was received. The second was from the persons concerned in the trade, and was also received. But the Petition from the merchants, which related to another subject, and on which the investigation took place, was rejected. Such was the state of the authorities on the point.
§ Earl Stanhopesaid, that the precedents stated by the noble lord on the woolsack were conclusive in favour of the reception of the petition. As to whether they would hear evidence, it was quite another question; but if they were to decide against receiving petitions on the subject of Tax Bills in progress, how were they to know the merits of what they were enacting? He had himself presented a petition against a whole description of Taxes, some of which were then passing through Parliament; and as their lordships had such a precedent in favour of the rights of the people, he trusted they would not depart from it in the present instance.
The Petition was ordered to lie on the table.