verted into scavengers, he, for his own part, demanded their attention-the tranquilcould see no degradation in their becoming, lity and happiness of a large portion of what they had been before, coal-heavers. the empire which required the patient de. At least, if the sword was now to be turned liberation of the legislature, in order to into a ploughshare, why might not the ascertain whether or not a permanent, soldiers be turned into ploughmen? With not a temporary, remedy could be dis. respect to the extent of the peace esta covered for the evils under which it blishment, Mr. Pitt had not proposed laboured. He concurred with the right nearly so large a one, at a time when this hon, secretary, that under the existing country was exposed to the ill-will of many circumstances of Ireland, a less military of the continental powers. In considering force in that country would be insufficient. the means of defence which we possessed, with reference to that part of it which the honourable gentlemen opposite had was to be applied to the putting down totally overlooked the yeomanry, a force of illicit distillation, he confessed that he much better adapted than regular troops wished other remedies could be applied. to the suppression of any popular disturb. Great as were our financial distresses, the ance. Adverting to the garrisons pro- revenue we derived from that source was posed for our possessions in the Mediter- purchased at too dear a rate by the conranean, he contended that they were too tinuance of the present system. He conlarge. He approved, however, of the curred in almost all that had been said by number of marines to be retained, but the right hon. gentleman, and his inference contended that there ought to be a pro- was, that parliament should apply its colportionate diminution of land forces. As lective wisdom to the subject. What was to the fortifications of our dock-yards, the the present state of Ireland ? A great militia would be the best garrison for them. mass of unemployed population. If habits To the force to be sent to Canada he had of labour were not impressed on them, no objection, as that waste of human life the House might depend upon it that which took place in the West Indies did they would not be idle. The right hon. not there occur. But if such a force was baronet concluded by expressing the necessary for the latter as had been pro- astonishment which he had felt on hearing posed, he maintained that they were not in the speech from the throne at the openworth keeping. Under the former system ing of the session, nothing said of so large of reducing our establishments in time of a portion of the empire as Ireland, labourpeace, the country had grown up to its ing under so much distress. Under these present colossal greatness; and it was a circumstances the attention of the legislasystem infinitely preferable to that of con- ture ought unquestionably to have been suming those resources which ought to be called to Ireland. Unless some proposi. carefully preserved for the demands of war. tion of that nature was made by the right At whatever department of the estimates hon. gentleman opposite, or by some indihe looked, he saw a wasteful expenditure vidual more competent than himself, he of the public money. This was in no case pledged himself to bring the subject under more apparent than in the staff. At the the consideration of Parliament. peace of Amiens, when the domestic esta. Sir Frederick Flood observed, that at blishment consisted of 70,000 men, the so late an hour, he would not take up the staff consisted of 18 generals; now that time of the House at any considerable the domestic establishment consisted of length. With what had fallen from the 50,000 men, the staff consisted of 36 right hon. secretary for Ireland he exgenerals [Hear, hear!] But this increase pressed an almost total coincidence. He of a military disposition pervaded every proceeded to draw a picture of the dispart of the empire. To keep up the mili- tresses in Ireland, and concluded by tary mania, already too prevalent, every stating, that 25,000 men would be requirpart of the globe was ransacked, in ordered for at least five counties in Ireland. to find some excuse for patronage. The Lord Folkestone, in consequence of the hon. gentleman concluded by saying, that lateness of the hour, moved an adjournwhen the estimates went into the comment of the debate till to-morrow; which

, he was put the nature which he had before described. Mr. Brougham gave notice that he

Sir John Newport begged to call the should to-morrow call the attention of the attention of the House for a few mo. House to a most extraordinary return meals to a subject which imperiously made by the commissioners of the laxes.

The other orders of the day being dis- / undergo the most advantageous discussion. posed of, the House adjourned at half past He hoped, that the bill would be allowed one o'clock.

to be read a first and second time, and committed for the purpose of filling up the

blanks, as until that was done it would be HOUSE OF COMMONS.

quite unintelligible. The hon. baronet Wednesday, February 28. concluded by moving, “ That leave be WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Bill.] given to bring in a bill for ascertaining Sir George Clerk, in moving for leave to and establishing uniformity of weights and bring in a bill to ascertain and establish measures." uniformity of weights and measures, made Mr. W. Smith complimented the hon. a short statement of the objects of the baronet on the ability and patience with proposed measure. About two years ago, which he had prosecuted the inquiry that a committee had been appointed to exa. led to this measure. mine the standard weights and measures Leave was given, and sir G. Clerk subkept in the exchequer. It was found that sequently brought in the bill, which was those weights and measures were very read a first time. disproportionate, and inaccurate; a cir. cumstance which materially added to the PetitioNS AGAINST THE PROPERTY great inconvenience felt by the public, in Tax.] Petitions against the Propertyconsequence of the different weights and tax were this day presented from Monmeasures used in different parts of the trose, the Hundreds of Loes; Colneis country, and opened a wide door to the and Carlford in the county of Suffolk, practice of frauds on the subject. . Many Arundel, Fife, the ward' of 'Cheap in the attempts had formerly been made to rectify city of London, York, Brandon, Swaffthis evil

, but without effect. The bill pro- ham, Monmouth, Coventry, Black Torposed, that the standard weights and mea- rington, the owners of Dairy Farms in sures in the exchequer should be regu- Devon, and also from Nottingham. lated. The measures in the exchequer Sir Samuel Romilly, on presenting the were very inaccurate. The bushel, which petition from Arundel, observed, that the ought to contain 2152 cubic inches, con- petitioners understood that a pledge had tained only 2124. The gallon, the quart, been given for the discontinuance of this and the pint measures were also far from oppressive tax, as soon as the war should being proportioned to one another. Dis- be terminated. It was hardly necessary missing the mode of regulating by capa. for him to say, how far his opinion coincity, it was proposed to regulate by weight, cided with that of his constituents. But and the pound avoirdupois was chosen for he wished to take this, the earliest opporthis purpose, instead of the pound troy, as tunity of correcting himself, in a statement being in more general use. It was pro- which he had made, relative to the perseposed, that the pint measure should con- cution of the protestants in the south of tain 20 ounces of water, and consequently France. He had yesterday stated, that the bushel 80lbs. It was also proposed to the number of houses destroyed in the abolish the present distinctions of ale and department of the Garde was two thouwine, and other distinctions of measure, sand. This was quite a mistake. What with the exception of that of coals. Some he ought to have stated was, that nearly exceptions also would be proposed, which that number of individuals, of the protesrelated to the drugs of apothecaries. Al tant persuasion, had been robbed by the though it would be necessary, should par populace, under the pretence of levying liament adopt the measure, that a suffi. contributions. The number of houses cient time should be allowed to elapse destroyed was only 240. There was ane; before its operation, to prevent inconve- other error on this subject, which was pience, yet it should be considered, that not his. He had been represented as the recent investigation of the subject, having said, that the number of women had very much distressed the makers of who had been treated with indignity was weights and measures, some of whom, in 150: whereas he had only said, that 30 consequence of the uncertainty that pre- women had been abused, and of these vailed on the subject, had not received a that eight had died in consequence. He. siọgle order for the last twelve months. concluded by moving, that the petition be In the committee on the bill, any altera- read. tions that might be suggested, would Mr. Jones wished to take that oppor.' tunity of stating his reasons for opposing should probably not have another oppor. the property tax. Although he approved tunity, he would take the present occaof the amount of the proposed military sion of entering his humble but solemn establishment, he by no means wished the protest against the continuance of the proexpense of that extensive establishment perty tax. It appeared to him to be to be defrayed by the continuance of a totally inconsistent with any principles of tax of so unequal and oppressive a na- policy or good faith, to render that which ture. Until the present military fervour was a temporary and a war measure, a subsided upon the continent, he felt how peace and a permanent one. He was necessary it was for us to keep up a large aware that the chancellor of the exchearmy. His opinion on this subject was querhad declared his intention of proposing not so much grounded upon an apprehen- it for two years only ; but this proposition sion of a reaction in France, as from the for a certain time had, in several instances, immense preponderance of a great conti- been already made, and the result had nental power, whose dominions extended always been the disappointment of the from the Sea of Asoph to the Gulph of hopes of those who were hostile to the Bothnia, and which, not even contented tax; so it would, no doubt be, in the prewith such a prodigious extent of territory, sent case. As to the question of public had added thereto almost the whole of credit, he was persuaded, and had been Poland. He agreed with an eloquent assured by individuals conversant with the writer, who said that Europe might one money market, that a small loan would be day owe the preservation of its liberties much less injurious to public credit, than to the military power of France and the the perpetuation of this odious measure ; naval superiority of Great Britain ; and on the inequality of which, in subjecting the this principle he was not one of those capitalist only to the same burthen as the who wished to see France curtailed of man who derived the same income from its due proportion of power on the con. the labour of his head or his hands, from tinent. Yet, however necessary it might six in the morning until six at night, he be for this country to support, for some forcibly exposed. time longer, a great military force, there Sir Robert Heron begged the indulgence was no plea thereby afforded to justify the of the House, while he explained the reacontinuance of the property tax. He re- sons which induced him, having voted for ferred to the words of the nobļe lord who the property tax in the last session, to had been prime minister of this country at vote in opposition to it in the present. the time of the peace of Amiens, on the In the last session, he felt that a large occasion of his taking off the property sum was necessary to carry on the war, tax on the conclusion of that peace, as and he was convinced that that sum could showing the opinion of that noble person not be raised so advantageously as by the to be, that the continuance of this tax property tax. But now he was convinced, during peace was illegal. He would be that the money which it was intended to glad to know the opinion of that noble be raised by the property tax, ought not

One great objection to this to be raised at all: and that the enormous tax, independently of every other conside. military establishment of the country ration, was this, that it bore so unequally ought to be diminished by an amount on the poorer classes of society. The hon. equal to that which the property-tax was gentleman concluded by animadverting estimated to produce. Reductions ought on the sarcastic expressions of an hon. to be made in the civil list also; and if baronet (sir R. Heron), as to the country any money should subsequently be requir. being s covered with glory." He saw ed, the best way would be to raise it by very plainly the disposition which dictated loan. this expression ; but he would tell the General Wemyss having presented a hon. baronet that he believed there were petition against the property tax from the very few in the country of those who had tenants and owners of lands in Fifeshire, laboured most under the burthen of taxa- Mr. J. P. Grant congratulated the tion during the war, who would not cheer- House and the country on the commencefully bear much greater privations rather ment of petitions from a distant part of than see this country run the danger of the empire against this oppressive measure. becoming the province of some continental As he came from that part of the island power.

whence the petition just presented by the Mr. Serjeant Onslow said, that as he hon. general proceeded, he would under

lord now.

take to say, that though it was among the numents, and other showy useless buildings first it would be by no means among the representing that in the present unparalleled last of the petitions that would be sent state of the country'all such expenses from that quarter, if a sufficient time was ought cautiously to be avoided. He had allowed for that purpose. It was evident great satisfaction in presenting this petithat these petitioners had not heard the tion; and he trusted that the effect of this ingenious observations of the right hon. and the ionumerable other representations gentleman last night, by which he endea of a similar nature, which had been made, votred to convince the House that the and which were about to be made, to parfaith of parliament was not pledged against liament, would be to arrest his majesty's the renewal of the tax. The petitioners, government in that course, which, if púr. it seemed, had not waited for the right sued, must lead to the consummation of hon.gentleman's explanation, but no doubt the ruin of the country. when they heard that in the act of last Mr. Peter Moore presented the petition session, the three words “ and no longer" from Coventry complaining of the weight had been omitted, they would be perfectly of taxes in general, and of the inquisitorial satisfied that the faith of parliament would nature of the property tax in particular, not be violated by a continuation of the The hon. member began by stating his tax! It certainly was a very clever and claims to attention, ifon no other grounds, at dignified way which the right hon. gen. least as the representative of a great city, tleman had discovered for getting out of whose interests were immediately involved a difficulty from which he found it neces in the consideration of this subject. Last sary to escape. Whether, when the pe- year he had voted against granting money, titioners heard of it, they would change in order to restore the Bourbons, and on their opinion, he would not say. At pre- the same principle, he would continue to sent they were certainly under the impres- vote against the present enormous proposion-a mistaken impression according to sed expenditure, the object of which was the right hon. gentleman-that parliament to support a great military establishment were pledged not to continue the tax. to maintain that family on their throne, When he left Scotland many similar ap- The petition which he had the honour to plications to that House were in prepara- present, represented sufferings in a strong tion, and when the slowness of the Scotch point of view, and yet he would venture people to petition parliament was con- to assert that it did not depict the onesidered, that circumstance ought to be fourth of what the people really endured. deemed a strong proof of the impression He would mention one fact that came that existed throughout the empire on this within his own knowledge, and which told important subject.

more than any language, however exaggeSir Francis Burdett, on presenting the rated, could convey. In the House of

' petition from Monmouth, said, that the pe- Industry, which was supported by public titioners complained of the attempt to expense, for the maintenance of the discontinue the property tax as a violation of tressed, and of those who had no other faith. The tax having been levied as å asylum, premiums were regularly offered war tax they insisted that it ought to cease to gain admission, and advertisements put with the cause of its imposition. The publicly forth to farm the industry of the petitioners also complained of the large poor. 'He requested that attention would expenditure of the country, and of the be paid to the statements in the petition, number of unmerited pensions that had as during the fifteen years in which he been granted; they said « unmerited,” had the honour to be a member of that because they by no means grudged those House, he was so to observe that petipensions which had been merited by pub- tions in general were paid as little attenlic services. They also complained of tion to, as though they were no more than those enormous sinecures which still ex. so much blank paper. The hon. member isted, notwithstanding the recommendation adverted to the cunning with which an in the speech from the throne to measures attempt was made to pledge the parliament of economy, and they could not but con- to a continuance of the property tax-at sider that the forbearance from all mea- first they were induced to approve of the sures calculated to carry that recommen. peace and the treaties, by which it had dation into effect was little short of adding been concluded; it was now said, that insult to injury. The petitioners likewise they were in consequence bound to vote complained of the sums expended in mo- a large supply, in order to support a large

military establishment founded on the session. As he had always given the terms of these treaties. The proceedings chancellor of the exchequer credit for at of ministers on this occasion was, he said, I least candour, he would allow him the becontrary to every rational principle of nefit of it on that occasion. But whatever conduct amongst private individuals on excuse there might some time ago have similar occasions. It was usual, amongst been for ignorance, there was no plea for those who had any wisdom, to regulate it at present, when there were every day their establishments according to their accumulating proofs of the misery which certain income, and not to depend on a prevailed throughout the country. He precarious revenue for the support of was sorry to observe that retrenchment, establishments extravagant beyond their of which so much had been promised, was means.

so little practised, but he hoped that the Mr. Butterworth supported the petition House would do its duty by compelling of his constituents. He remarked, that ministers, if they did not voluntarily enter had the tax been imposed on real or funded on the subject. He concluded by advisproperty it would not have excited such ing the chancellor of the exchequer to general opposition as it did at present, give up the question of the income tax, or from its affecting precarious and uncer- he would find himself engaged in a cause tain income. The generally distressed to which he would not be able to ensure state of the commercial interests in the success. country, rendered the pressure of such a Sir T. Acland presented a petition from tax much more severe than usual. He the inhabitants of the south and west dihad known several houses in Coventry vision of the hundred of Black Torrington, which had paid from four to five hundred which, on being read by the clerk, appounds a week in wages to workmen, now peared to pray for relief under agricultuunable to pay more than forty or fiftypounds, ral distresses against the property tax, and and such a state of distress required, he the duties on malt, leather, salt, and thought, the removal of so oppressive a tax. iron. He objected to the tax on many grounds, and Mr. Lockhart considered the last petion none more than the facility it afforded to tion which had been presented as the most favouring one person more than another. sensible that had come under his observa• The commissioners constantly favoured tion, inasmuch as it pointed out the cause their friends, and many suffered consider- of public distress, and at the same time able injury by developing their private suggested those measures, the adoption of concerns to persons with whom they had which was likely to afford relief. *It did been in habits of business. The tax was not, like many others which had been laid also an injury to public morals, by the in- on the table, petition generally against the ducement it held out to perjury, and giv- property tax, but, adverting to the diffiing false returns of property. With regard culties which the agricultural interests had to the distress mentioned in the petition, to encounter, at once referred to schedule he, from certain information could corro- B. as the great cause of those difficulties. borate the statement, by declaring that It was evident, that the great burthen felt greater distress never existed at Coventry by the farmers was attributable to this than at the present moment, and he firmly schedule, and to afford them any prospect believed that no party feeling was mingled of relief, that must be abandoned in limine. with the statement of grievances, but that It was in vain, however, to expect any ra. it proceeded from the general sense of the dical advantage from this modification of people. After all that had been brought the tax, unless those persons who posforward already on this subject, he would sessed exchequer bills, or property in the not detain their time longer.

funds, were brought under its operation. The Hon. Mr. Lyttelion expressed his The great evil of which the country bad surprise that no notice had been taken by to complain, under the effect of the tax in the hon. gentlemen on the opposite side, its present form, was, that those persons of what had been stated so 'ably on this who had no property were as liable, if not subject in the course of the evening. For more liable, to its operation, than those his part, he would not take upon himself who were large capitalists; but to contend to determine, whether ministers were ig- that there should be no property tax at all norant of the distresses of the country, was, in his mind, an absolute absurdity. when they talked of its prosperity in the Independant of this tax, there was, in his speech delivered at the opening of the mind, another essential cause of public