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such as they are now compelled to meet.|" and provincial banks. In the town The Ministers had to choose between" of Athy, county of Kildare, where I taking off a great portion of the taxes," believe no branch of either establish and ruling us by sheer force. If they ment exists, so extreme was the panic had chosen the former, they might yesterday, that some credulous and have effected their purpose with ease" foolish creatures exchanged 17. notes and with equity; having chosen the" for seventeen shillings each. In all latter, they must employ force. I can-" places where the 'run' has occurred, hot say that I expected them to do the" there has been a diminution to a conformer, or that I had any ground to "siderable amount in the prices of hope that they would do it; and, there-" farming produce. In the west the fore, I am not at all surprised at the" influence of the 'run' has been alcourse they are how pursuing; for, in-"ready slightly felt, but the worst feadeed, they could pursue no other if they "ture in the matter is connected with the meant to keep on the taxes. This course" savings banks. The accounts from will be fatal to them in the end; but," Limerick state that the artisans in in the meanwhile, it may be efficient for" that city have given notice for the their purpose, for a year or two; and " withdrawal of their deposits to some my readers, at any rate, will not, I extent. Never was there a more trust, be at all surprised, if they see" groundless and monstrous delusion Irish government attempted to be" than that which now prevails respectintroduced into England, whenever" ing gold, nor one which was calcuthe necessity shall arise. The chances" lated to produce more disastrous conare that the attempt would be defeated" sequences to the people themselves. by some movement of the paper-money;" But the popular prejudice has been but, indeed, so many accidents arise in" excited and increased by an injudisuch a state of things, that it is utterly" cious advocacy of a sort of bank reimpossible to form anything like a fixed “ striction to stop the 'run' by some opinion as to the precise manner in" of the Irish journals. This sugges which the end will approach us. In the "tion, working upon ignorant minds, meanwhile, I earnestly caution my read- “induced a belief that all was not right ers to be prepared for the worst. The" with the banks when they required THING will lay about it in a strange "such a protection. In the city of manner when it comes to its real agony. Dublin, where the people are more What every man should aim at, is, to" keep, at all times, if possible, more or less of gold safely in his pockets or his chests.

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correctly informed upon the subject, “ there has been nothing deserving the name of an increased demand upon "the banks."

This shows nothing but the foolishness of the writer. If he were not foolish or insincere, he would know, and say, that no man can tell when a bankrestriction may take place; that, whenever it do take place, it must take place suddenly and without warning to any body; that it must be done by order in council, and in all parts of the kingdom at one and the same moment; that the pig-banks must be protected as well as the sow-bank; and that, every person having money deposited in any bank whatsoever, will lose, at the least, one half of the real value of that money, at the first blow. That great statesman, Mr. Pease, was, apparently, not aware

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of the effect of talking about a bank-re." " knowledge, that such is the state of striction beforehand. I shall say no I shall say no" trade in this great metropolis (hear more upon this subject at present than hear), and its immediate environs, merely to tell my readers what I myself" and so unable are its inhabitants to do; namely, never to sleep with a bank," pay these imposts we say, my note in the house, and never to keep "Lord, that it is our painful duty to one in the day-time, longer than during "state our firm conviction that these the time required to send it and get it "taxes can no longer be collected. turned into gold. This is the safe way; "(Hear, hear '). for though the Ministers will not resort "Lord ALTHORP said that he felt to an issue of assignats, if they can" considerable difficulty in addressing avoid it, no man can tell to what a point "the meeting on this subject at the they will be pressed; and for my part I present moment, although it was one think it likely enough that they will be" which he had taken into his most se pressed to this terrible point. The arti-"rious consideration, and looked upon cle which will follow this, will show to" in all its different details, preparatory what a point they are already pressed;" to laying his financial statement beand to what a point the people are "fore Parliament. He had maturely ruined. After inserting the article, I" considered the subject, and was aware will make some remarks on it. The" of the difficulties by which it was reader will perceive that it is a subject" beset, and all who heard him must be of monstrous importance. I beg the" aware that it would be most inconvereader to pay attention particularly to nient, and indeed impossible for him, what is said about the bankruptcy of "as a single member of his Majesty's Regent-street. I beg him to read the "Government, to decide upon the exwhole with the greatest attention; and pediency of repealing any particular then to be pleased to hear what I have "branch of taxation. He was afraid, to say upon the subject. "therefore, that he could not give the "Yesterday, at twelve o'clock, a nu-" deputation a satisfactory answer as to merous body of gentlemen, consisting "what course he should hereafter feel "of the members for the metropolitan" it his duty to pursue. He was aware "districts, and of deputations from the" that this answer would not give sa "metropolitan parishes, waited upon the "tisfaction to the numerous body whom "Chancellor of the Exchequer, in " he had the honour to address (cries of "Downing-street, for the purpose of" No, no); but filling the situation impressing on him the necessity of" which he filled, he was bound by repealing the whole of the assessed public duty, however numerous and "taxes. Amongst those present were "respectable might be the meeting, to "Sir F. Burdett, Mr. Byng, Mr. "confine his communication within "Hume, Sir J. C. Hobhouse, Sir J." those limits which were compatible "Key, Alderman Wood, Mr. Grote, Mr." with his situation, as a confidential "Briscoe, Mr. Hawes, Dr. Lushington," member of his Majesty's councils. "Mr. Tennyson, Major Beauclerk, Mr. "Mr. E. BROWN said, it had been Goring, and Mr. D. W. Harvey; to- "stated that there had been no general gether with several gentlemen offi-expression on the subject of these "cially connected with the metropolis" taxes; but he would say, that if agi" and its environs. "tation were necessary to show the "general feeling, he could command

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"Mr. CORDER, the vestry clerk of "St. Paul's Covent-garden, addressed "Lord Althorp at great length, and argued on the oppressive character "of the taxes in question. My Lord,' "he said, in the course of his speech, "it is the painful duty of this deputa❝tion to state, from our own local"

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plenty of it. The amount of assess"ment for thelast year was 11,154,000l., "of which enormous sum that for the county of Middlesex alone amounted to no less than 5,143,0. (Hear). Thus "the metropolis an metropolitan districts alone paide than half of

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peace, had a right to expect that these taxes should be repealed.

"the whole assessment. (Hear, hear). "It had been stated that this was one "of the fairest taxes, because every "Mr. HUME said, it was his firm con"man was assessed according to the "viction that unless Government made "situation of his supposed property;. a timely concession, the people would but he could show, that the inha-" before long effect the repeal through "bitants of the principal thoroughfares, "the medium of the House of Com"for instance, those from Holborn to Ox-" mons. However, as he believed that "ford-street, from the Strand to Cheap- "the meeting had no wish to embarrass "side, and from Piccadilly, Regent-" the Government, it might perhaps be "street, &c. where rents were highest "advisable to know what day the "and trade most prosperous and profit." noble Lord intended to bring forward "able, the inhabitants had been bank-" his financial statement, in order that rupts in the proportion of one house-"the hon. Bart. (Sir John Key) might 66 keeper to three. "be prepared with his motion on some early day after the budget. (Hear, "hear).

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"Lord ALTHORP: Do you mean to say, that one out of three of the house"keepers in Regent-street has been a "bankrupt?

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report which they might hear with "regard to the course which Government intended to pursue respecting "these taxes. Such reports were equally unfounded and mischievous, and could not tend to advance any measure which the advocates for the

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"Mr. JACKSON, one of the deputation

"Mr. BROWN: I do, my Lord; and "I can prove to your Lordship, that "within the last five years the propor"tion of bankruptcies amounted in a "ratio to more than three and a half for" "Regent-street alone. If his Lordship “doubted his assertion, the Gazettes" repeal of these taxes had in view. "were before him; and if so many "bankruptcies occurred within so short" from Marybonne, said that Sir Wil "a period, every gentleman must know" liam Horne would have attended the "that at least three compositions oc- meeting, but for the shortness of the "curred for each bankruptcy. His ob notice. The parish of Marybonne "ject was to show, that although for " paid no less a sum than 150,000l. "the last five years an embarrassment "annually for taxes, being as much as "of trade existed beyond all precedent, "the whole of Scotland paid; and yet, yet these taxes were enforced with" in the parish of Marybonne, there a severity almost beyond example. A were no less than 1,500 houses empty " report had been circulated, which he" (hear, hear), and almost every house "had no doubt was intended as a ca- "that was occupied was either let out "lumny on the Government, that his "in lodgings, or divided into two, in "Majesty's Ministers intended to take" order to meet the demands of the "off the house duty on all houses rated "tax-collector. "under 60l. per annum. He never "Lord ALTHORP said, it would in his "could believe that such an idea could opinion be premature to call the at"enter into the thoughts of an enlight-" tention of the House of Commons to "ened Ministry. Those present were "the subject, on so early a day as that "old enough to remember that when" fixed for the motion of Sir John Key. "the people of England sought for a "All that he (Lord Althorp) could do in repeal of the property tax, the then" that case, would be to move that the "Administration declared that they" discussions be postponed until after “would stand or fall by that tax. And the Easter recess. It was impossible σε yet it was repealed to the extent of " that he (Lord Althorp) could say what "fourteen millions at one fell sweep, species of taxation he could with pro"without displacing the Government." priety remove previous to the 5. of "The country, after eighteen years of" April, because it would be necessary

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"to include in his statement the ac- "Mr. BRISCOE said, that whenever he "counts of the past year. The noble" asked his constituents what portion of "Lord concluded by observing that he" taxation they wished to be relieved "should bring forward his financial" from first, their invariable answer "statement as soon after the Easter re- was, Relieve us, if possible, from cess as possible. "the house and window-tax.' (Hear, " hear).

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"Mr. C. PEARSON said, that in his << opinion the motion of Sir John Key "The deputation then withdrew, and "ought to be brought forward previous" having adjourned to the British Hotel, "to bringing forward the budget, other-" Cockspur-street, it was determined "wise the noble Lord would be in the that the question should not be urged "dark respecting the merits of this" in the House of Commons until after question. "the Chancellor of the Exchequer

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"Lord ALTHORP: I don't think I can "be much in the dark. There is a good "deal of light in this room. (A laugh). "Mr.PEARSON: I wish your Lordship "had a little more fire. (Renewed "laughter).

brought forward his budget."

How often, from its very first laying-: out, have I told my readers what this tinsel street would come to! More times than I have joints in all my fingers and toes. Mr. Attwood, when he was angry "Dr. LUSHINGTON concurred in the with me at Birmingham, told our hear "proposition of the hon. Member (Mr. ers, upon the occasion of our grand dis“Hume) that this question should not pute, that I had expressed a wish to see "be brought forward in the House of a parcel of jolly mowers going, with "Commons, until after the noble Lord a good swarthe of grass before them, up "had brought forward his financial Regent-street. I did not say that I : "statement. The effect of what the WISHED to see it; but I did say that "noble Lord stated amounted to this: I thought I should see it; and I think "I have not changed my opinion with so still. It was not a wish, but merely regard to these taxes, but as a mem- a fore-telling; not a prayer, but a pro"ber of his Majesty's councils I am phecy; which prophecy, according to "not at liberty to tell you what the Mr. Brown's account, is in a fair way intentions of the Government are of fulfilment, and, I shall be no more· 666 respecting them; I must reserve to blame for that fulfilment than Jere"this disclosure for my financial state-miah was for the destruction of the """ ment.' temple of Jerusalem, and for the dis"Sir J. C. HOBHOUSE begged to as-persion of the Jews, and their having sure the noble Lord that it was not left to them, as their sole possession, "for want of feeling on the subject their own filthiness.

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"that the public had not remonstrated But Regent-street was not the strik "more generally on the unjust imposi-ing example to quote. Fleet-street, "tion of these taxes, and he conceived that street of all streets for business, "that it was a pretty strong indication had, only the other day (and it may now "of the feeling of the metropolis, that have more), thirty-five shops shut up. "thirteen out of the sixteen metropolitan Twelve or fourteen years ago, those "Members were now present to press shops fetched on an average, double for their repeal. The noble Lord the rent they fetch now; besides a high might be assured of this, that when-premium given over and above the rent. ever the subject should be brought I had a house in Fleet-street, taken, Ter "before the House of Commons the think, in the year 1821. I gave a high "whole sixteen Members would be premium, besides the rent, for eight "found voting for the entire repeal of years. It was a showy, but not a con"those taxes. He (Sir J. C. Hobhouse) | venient, place for me. I quitted it two begged to add a hope, that after their and a half years ago: it has been fur repeal he might see the noble Lord bished up and beautified in all sorts of holding his present situation. (Hear). ways, at a very great expense; and

has stood empty from that day to this! | keep up those establishments; to call
And this is the street of the greatest upon the Ministers to maintain the
business of all London. The inns of tithe system by force of arms; to vote
court; the vicinity to Blackfriars-bridge; for the bill now before the House rela-
the thoroughfare from the west end of tive to Ireland; and, at the same time,
the town to the city: no street equals it to call upon them to take off taxes! It'
for business, and this is now its state; comes, at last, to this: there must be a
and I know that there are tradesmen in very great reduction of taxation, and a
it, and good tradesmen too, who do not, very great reduction of tithes, or force
for weeks together, take more money must be employed to continue to effect
than is sufficient to keep house and to the collection of both; and, though force
pay rent, taxes, and rates. Therefore, will fail at last, it will serve for a while,
the question is not whether they will An issue of assignats might prop up
continue to pay the taxes, but whether the thing in appearance for a short time
they can. When Mr. Brown said that but then, as in the case of Robespierre,
every third tradesman had been a bank- the end would be inevitable convulsion.
rupt, he did not include the composi- Nothing can prevent convulsion in one
tions. If he had he might have said way or another; but taking up the NOR-
three out of four.
FOLK PETITION and acting upon it
with sincerity and with promptitude. I
am not sure that it is not too late even
for that to be effectual; but I am
quite sure that nothing short of that
can bring about à peaceable settlement

And, is this a state of things to con-
tinue? Can this go on? It cannot go
on; that which is exhibited thus in
London, is only a'specimen of that which
is going on all over the kingdom; and
this is precisely what I predicted in my of the country.
petition to the House of Commons in the
month of February, 1826. This ruin
was inevitable from the bill in 1826;
that bill, like Peel's bill before, doomed
the industrious classes to ruin : doomed
to ruin all who did not live on the taxes
or on usury or on fixed incomes.

PETITIONING WORK.

My readers have been already ap prized of the new orders of the House, This scene at Downing-street was a which have been adopted with regard to turious affair, view it in what light one the presenting of petitions; they have. may but, perhaps, the least curious been apprized that there is a standing was not the part taken by Sir John Cam committee, at the head of which is Sir Hobhouse. Whether he did utter the Robert Peel, or at least he was at the words here ascribed to him, I cannot head of the list, consisting of eleven, of say, but, if he did, the symptoms are of whom Mr. Hume was one. That this a very decided character. However, I committee is to take all the petitions should be glad to know how Sir John's after they have been presented, and army is to be paid if these taxes be to order to be printed such petitions, or be taken off. The less able the people such parts of petitions, as they may are to pay, the more desperate their cir- choose, and order the rest not to be cumstances become, the more ready printed. On Wednesday night Mr. they will be to set the tax-gatherer at Hume, as one of this committee, made defiance, and the more necessity will a motion, that every member presenting there be for force. I am angry enough a petition should put his name at the with the Ministers; but I am not un-beginning of such petition, in order that reasonable beast enough to expect them he might be "responsible" for the proto pay money without having the priety of something or another belongmoney put into their hands to pay with; and I think it the greatest shame that the world ever witnessed, that there should be men to express their wish to

ing to the said petition. He said, that
some of the petitions were printed,
others in lithograph, some (consisting
of several sheets) with a fastening at

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