exempted altogether. The greateft addition is to be laid on thofe which go under the general denomination of Confolidated Duties. Thefe are of that defcription, where ftamps of the fame denomination have been applied generally to different kinds of inftruments. They include a variety of articles. The principal of thefe relate to the transfer of property, to deeds, adjudications, and proceedings in the Ecclefiaftical Courts. My object, as I have juft obferved, is to fee what augmentation may take place by levying a tax on the whole mafs of ftamps. But it is my intention to exempt from the general tax all inftruments that relate to law proceedings in Courts of Juftice. I know that an opinion has prevailed, and with fome degree of juftice too, that by taxing articles of this defcription, and by that means increafing the expences of lawfuits, the frequency of litigation between parties might in a great measure be prevented; but this rule is not in general true. If the cofts of a fuit are increafed to a large amount, it may fall very heavy on perfons who only fought to recover their property; and particularly on feveral of the lower claffes of the people, who are often under the neceffity of appealing to Courts of Justice against those who would with to take advantage of their inability, and refuse the payment of debts which may be juftly due. I would alfo except from taxation all probates of wills under certain fums; nor do I mean to propose any tax upon legacies, because a recent duty has been laid upon them in another form; under the fame clafs, I would alfo include policies of infurance. On the general bulk therefore of ftamps, I would propose to double the prefent amount, and that will produce annually a fum of 320,000l. But I mean to exempt from this general plan, fkins of parchment which have been itamped, and, inftead of doubling the duty on, I fhall propofe that where one skin has paid a duty of 7s. an additional duty only of 35. fhall be laid upon it. From the fulleft information which I have received from the different offices on this fubject, it has appeared to me, that this is the beft mode of taxing the article in question, and that by fuch means it will be equally productive with the other taxes of the fame defcription. TAX ON TRANSFER OF PROPERTY. "With respect to the Duties on Transfers of Perfonal Property, where ftamps may be neceflary to give it validity, there is no fubject of taxation which ought more freely to give a contribution to the public, than that which muft fall fo lightly on every individual who may happen to be in poffeffion of ample means to defray a charge that muft, in fuch circumstances, be comparatively trifling, and no ways burdenfome to the individual who pays it. Over and above the duty upon this branch, I mean mean to propofe fome fcale for transfer, according to the amount of the property transferred. In offering this tax, I am only extending a principle which has been already adopted by Parlia A duty of 6d. in the pound in every 100l. has already been laid on all property transferred by public Auction: and if it be admitted that a tax on Auctions is a fair tax, what objection can there be to laying a fimilar tax on property fold by private contract? The only objection that has occurred to me on this fubject is, that of the tax operating in cafes of diftrefs, against which, I fhall, when the Bill comes in its proper ftage before the Houfe, make a provifion. The duty I mean to propofe, therefore, will be 4d. a pound on every 100l. obtained for property transferred in this way. I cannot form any very accurate eftimate of the produce of this tax; but from the great increase within the last three years of the Auction Duty, I do not believe that this additional tax will prevent the transfer of property. If all the Duties were paid on Auctions, the property transferred by Auctions annually would not be lefs than four millions. But when I confider the proportion which Auctions bear to Private Contracts, I have reafon to believe that a much larger fum than 100,000l. would be procured. I fhall take the produce at 170,000l. supposing no more than ten millions of property to be fold in. each year. AUTHENTICATED COPIES OF DEEDS. "In addition to this, no Deed is now valid that is not stamped; but Authenticated Copies of Deeds are admitted as evidence. If the principle of ftamping Deeds be a good one, I fhall propofe, that no Authenticated Copy be admitted as evidence until it has previously been ftamped. This, I calculate, will produce 40,000l. PROBATES OF WILLS. "The next article relates to Probates of Wills. I mean to make no addition to fums under 300l. but a moderate advance on all above that fum, and alfo to enforce the Probates of Wills. This tax I eftimate at 40,000l. ADDITIONAL TAX ON NEWSPAPERS AND ADVERTISEMENTS. "The next subject I have to offer to the Committee, is one that will produce a great deal of difcuffion out of this House. It relates to a certain fpecies of property well known in this country; but it will be the vehicle (and that not a verbal one) of conveying to the different parts of the country, what I am now ftating. When I confider the great prevalence of this vehicle of general intelligence; when I confider the amazing extent to which it has been carried; that the luxury of it has been fo very generally felt and practifed; that the tafte of the public is not likely to be fhaken, by any trifling increase in the price of an article fought fought after with fuch univerfal avidity; when I confider alfo the immenfe profits produced by thefe articles of luxury, which are of a nature that ought not to exempt them from their share of general taxation, I conceive that the laying an additioual duty on Newf papers, is a measure that cannot be in any manner objectionable. This might be done without any injury either to the Editors or the Authors of fuch publications. The prefent duty is 2d. on each paper; in addition to which I fhall propofe a further tax of one penny halfpenny; and even in that cafe, confiderable gains will be produced to the proprietors of papers. I fhould conceve that the price to customers ought not to be raised any higher than this additional duty; becaufe on a former occafion, in confequence of an increased duty on paper, the price of newspapers were raifed far beyond that proportion, and has continued fo ever fince; therefore, I do not imagine the proprietors of them can now have any equitable claim to an increase in their price. The fum produced by this duty will amount to 114,000l. The next thing I have to propofe, is a modification of the duties on advertisements publifhed in newspapers. According to the regulations that exift at prefent, there is no diftinction in the duty between an advertisement of three lines, for which fix fhillings are paid, and an advertisement of any length, which rifes to the dignity of pounds. I fhall propose to vary the prefent mode, and according to the regulations which I fhall offer, there may be advertisements the duty on which shall amount only to fome fhillings, while on others the duty fhall rise up to fome pounds fterling. The eftimated produce from this fource will amount to 20,000l. ATTORNIES' CERTIFICATES. "In addition to this, I propofe an augmentation of the tax on certificates of Attornies and Solicitors. This will produce 15,000l. PLATE. "There is one more article of luxury which I fhall propose to lay a tax on; that is, all Plate that fhall be manufactured for the purpose of ornamental ufe, which will produce the fum of 30,000l. All thofe taxes which I have juft enumerated will produce 834,000l. prefs as lightly on the general bulk of the people as any I could think of; and tend leaft of all to increase the national difficulties. TOLL DUTY. "There ftill remains one more to be added. I have endeavoured to find one, which, although I confefs it is not free from fome fpeculative and practical objections, will not, however, be found inconvenient to the public at large. It is a fubject which has often been thought of before this time; which has been once before before this House, but was withdrawn. This is a tax on carriages of all forts, and on goods of all kinds conveyed by carriages which país through turnpike-gates, where the tax is to operate by an increafe of the tolls. To this it will be right to make fome exemptions; fuch as exemptions on all new tolls, till they fhall have rifen to a certain amount---general exceptions to be provided for by general laws---and local exceptions in certain diftricts. The fame exceptions that now prevail in tolls ought alfo to prevail on the part of the public; and I fhall propole that the fame duty may be taken for the public, that is now paid for tolls. I cannot exactly fay how much this will produce; but I know that when it was brought forward here about fifteen years ago, it was estimated at no lefs a fum than between 4 and 500,000l. I have had an opportunity of knowing the amount of the tolls of the gates about the metropolis, which are not a tenth part of thofe throughout the whole kingdom. By this means I can in fome manner afcertain the amount of the prefent tax; and I think it will produce between 4 and 500,000l.--With respect to the principle of this tax, it may be objected to on the ground of its being a great hardship to lay a burden on paffengers and the conveyance of goods; but I hope when Gentlemen will confider how small a portion muft fall to each individual, that they will not look upon this as a grievance, but rathe as a manner of lightening the general burdens. "I have now ftated every thing which I conceived material in as concife a manner as I could; and I return my thanks to the Committee for the indulgence they have thewn me during the length of time I have trefpaffed on their attention. I have no other excufe to make than that I am pleading the neceffity of dwelling on a fubject which I did not wish to bring forward imperfectly. And I now fubmit this pleating circumftance to the confideration of the Houfe, that in the midft of difficulties, and apparently furrounded by calamities, we have ftill been able to find fuch ample resources, as thofe which have been stated to them this day. I call upon them to reflect, that at the moment when we are ftruggling with a great conteft---while we are labouring under preffures as heavy as they are unexampled; we ftill fee the ftrength and powers which we poffefs; and that if we are not to be alarmed at imaginary evils; if we are not to be dif pirited by events which are not fo calamitous in themselves as they have been conceived to be; we shall find the radical wealth and the ample means of this country fully fufficient to support us in every conjuncture of our affairs, and ultimately to restore us to that fituation from which we have been removed for a time, by circumstances as extraordinary as they have been unavoida 7 R No. 33. ble ble. He then concluded by moving Refolutions founded on his ftatements, as follow:-- SUMMARY OF THE NEW TAXES. The Confolidated Duties on Stamps in general doubled Tax on Property transferred by Private Contract On Probates of Wills above the Sum of 300l. On Attornies Certificates On Ornamented Plate Duty equal to the Tolls on all Carriages paffing through Turnpikes £. 320,000 170,000 40,000 40,000 114,000 20,000 15,000 30,000 450,000 £.1,199,000 Mr. Fox.---" Though I cannot but exprefs my concern at feeing Gentlemen, at such an important crifis, fo ready to leave the Houfe; yet, the fubject now before them is of fuch a nature, that during its difcuffion, I with rather for an attentive than a numerous audience. The fubject now proposed to the confideration of the Committee, is of fuch vaft and ferious importance, that I think it unneceffary to apologize for following the Right Honourable Gentleman through fome of the various statements and calculations he has made, and offering my reasons for dif fering moft eflentially in opinion with him, not only with regard to the ftate of the Finances of the country, but also with refpect to the deductions which he has endeavoured to establish from the pofitions which he has brought forward. The road, Sir, we have to travel, is not befet with flowers, but opens to our view a comfortless and dreary profpect, and, while we rafhly continue to purfue it, we are deprived of every means to avoid the impending precipices with which it is on every fide furrounded. intreat Gentlemen to confider and compare the statements they have heard this day from the Right Honourable Gentleman, and thofe with which he has, on former occafions, but too fuccessfully deluded them. But however fpecious and unfounded his financial calculations have formerly been, they are even exceeded in delufion by his statements made this day, which I maintain are altogether unprecedented in the history of Finance. "The Right Honourable Gentleman came forward in the month of December laft, and having fucceeded in obtaining a fupply of 18 millions, he now repeats the experiment, and calls on us for the fame fum. But how has he prefaced this fudden and extraordinary demand? He has declared, that the task of applying to the House, after fo fhort an interval, and for fo large |