vaunting. Instead of borrowing and funding on equal terms, an annuity of 14,7231. vis lost to the public for ever by this proflisgate transaction. All I wish is, if possible, to make the right hon. gentleman himself pay it; and if I can satisfy the House as to the facts of the case, as I have no doubt I can, let us read the prime minister and the right hon. gentleman a lesson which they will not easily forget. We ought not to be placed in this situation, by which we are called upon to sanction the loss of half a million to the public. There never was such uncertainty and mismanagement as in this instance. It is really an insult to ask us to agree to such a transaction. The only thing in consistency with it is the high state of prosperity in which the right hon. gentleman described the country; every individual contented and living in abundance, in every part of the country. item to which I desire the attention of the House. I hold a paper showing the amount of the dead weight, and other charges, which we are told cannot be meddled with. Before we agree to take that amount upon us, we ought to see whether, with it, we can keep the wheels going, because, at all events, that is absolutely necessary, whatever may become of everything else. We are told that we cannot touch the dead-weight or pensions. Is it possible we can be told that the country shall not take this subject into consideration, when three-fourths of every man's labour is taken away from him in taxation? Can I conclude better than by quoting the right hon. gentleman's words this evening, when he said, speaking in terms of exultation: "this is the amount of the expenditure and of the income; this is the evidence of our internal prosperity, and of the contentment, ease, and comfort of the population: there is ample ground for congratulation in our present happy state." Before I go further, I must notice a statement of the right hon. gentleman in unison with the ignorance he displays as to the state of the country. He speaks of it The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, as if happiness and content were spread he did not rise to follow the hon. member throughout the country. Now, I must through his several misrepresentations of tell the country gentlemen, that they are what he had said, and which had been about to come back to the golden times of cheered by some hon. members who were 1792. I know that the produce of the not in the House when he had spoken, estate of an hon. friend of mine is reduced but he was anxious to set himself right as to the rental of 1796; and it will not to one point. The hon, member had said be long before the rental comes down that he had not alluded to the distress of generally to the level of 1792, as regards the country. Now, he was in the recollecprices. Let us divest ourselves of all tion of the House, and he would ask any party feelings, and look at the state in honest man whether the contrary was not which the country is really placed, and the fact? When he had talked of the examine the difficulties we have to con- great increase in our exports, and the great tend with. This is our duty; it is the improvement of our Excise, which was a duty of ministers to ascertain the causes of fair criterion of consumption, and of the the distress, and apply effectual remedies. ability of the people to purchase those As to our burthens, I have in my hand a articles on which Excise was paid he little bit of paper, stating the comparative appealed to the House, whether he had, expenditure of the years 1792 and 1828; not referred to the year 1828, and not to and I beg the House to attend while I read the present year. But the hon. member only five items. The first item is the applied that to the state of Spitalfields at interest of the debt. That, in 1792, was present, and, in a speech which was 9,577,000l. in 1828 it was 28,095,000l. more fitted for that neighbourhood than just three-fold greater. The next item is for that House, and which was calculated the civil-list and other charges on the to create an excitement against him perconsolidated fund; this, in 1792, was sonally, he had wholly misrepresented him 1,033,000 in 1828 it was 2,204,000l. by applying what he said of the prosThe third item, is for the Army, Navy, perity of one year to another. He begged Ordnance, Militia, and Military and Naval to protest against such misrepresentation. Services in general: in 1792, it was He had distinctly stated, that the country 4,357,0001., and in 1828 it amounted to was distressed; but in comparing - the 19,000,000. The aggregate of expenditure estimates of one year with those of another in 1792, was 14,969,000l. and it 1828, he could not have entered fully into detail 49,781,000. There is another very weighty as to the nature of that distress. 01Mr. Hume said, he should regret much | gentleman had certainly given a very that it could be supposed he would wilfully flourishing description at the end of shis: misrepresent what the right hon. gentleman speech, as to the state of prosperity he had said. Such certainly was not his in- anticipated. Now, he had lately, asta tention but he had heard him speak of matter of curiosity, waded through the the distress of the country as a passing King's Speeches to that House, and cloud, which, when it had gone over, would had found passages in every one the same leave it in a state of transcendent pros- tone as to the eternally increasing pros perity. perity; and if there was a little distress, it was treated as a passing cloud, and as a temporary matter. This was so remarkable that the tail of any one speech would fit to any other just as well as to the one to which it belonged. The right hon. gentleman had described the year 1828, as one of prosperity. Now, that certainly was not the case, and he proposed to make out his case, by documents. His hon. friend had said something on the situation of the landed proprietors; but his hon. friend had not come to the point. The landed pros prietors were the persons most deeply in The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that the very phrase which the hon. member had quoted, was an admission that he had adverted to the distress of the country, which he certainly hoped and believed would be temporary. The word "transcendent" he had not used. That was the hon. gentleman's own; and he did not wish to rob him of it. Mr. Alderman Waithman rose, but was for some time indistinctly heard. He regretted that the chancellor of the Exchequer had not thought it necessary to refer more particularly to the existing dis-terested in those discussions. They had a tresses of the country, or to trace the stake in the country, and if its wealth cause of those distresses. He had referred was lost its constitution could not long to the present state of the Spitalfields stand. It became every member of that weavers, which was a subject well deserv- House, therefore, to examine into, and ing of his consideration. Now, he had point out the distresses of the country; taken some pains to inform himself of the and it was the duty of his majesty's governreal situation of those poor persons. In all ment, backed by that House, to point out his communications with them, he had a remedy for the case. The evils had now always deprecated their throwing any become so complicated that he confessed imputation on their employers, and had he did not feel himself competent to point contended, that what the employers had out a remedy; but, nevertheless, it was done was no more than necessary for them his duty to refer to those evils. Much had to do, under their peculiar circumstances. been said about the system of free trade; He professed himself the ardent advocate but government seemed to forget, that alof those unfortunate persons, and was most every branch of our trade and manumost anxious that they should be restored facture was the child of prohibition. The to a state of prosperity; but at the same linen trade and the silk trade had grown time he was bound to say, that he con-up and flourished under a system of prosidered it as a most unfortunate circum- hibition. There were some manufactures, stance, that they should have resorted to perhaps, which might exist without it, and any act of violence. He hoped, however, to which the principles of free trade might that the misconduct of some of them would be beneficially applied; but there were not prevent the indulgence of humane others from which protection could not be feelings with regard to the Spitalfields withheld without sacrificing the interests T weavers in general, who had endured ag- of those concerned in the manufacture, as gravated distress with most exemplary pa-well as the prosperity of the country. That tience. He gave credit to the right hon. the cotton trade had flourished without gentleman for the clearness of his speech: protection was not, perhaps, owing so much he threw no fault on the present administra- to the applicability of free-trade principles tion, who did pretty much like their pre- to that particular manufacture, as to the decessors, and, indeed, were treading in extraordinary inventions of Mr.Arkwright;" the beaten path much more than he wished so that the exception which the cotton! them to do. He did not wish for any manufacture might seem to furnish was no change of administration, for he frankly argument in favour of withholding protec owned he did not see how the country tion from other manufactures differently could be benefitted by it. The right hon.circumstanced. How could it be expected~~ that the country could be in a thriving state while ministers admitted the produce of foreign countries to compete with the manufactures at home, while there was no reciprocity in the system pursued by other countries He held in his hand a paper which he had drawn up from the official returns that had been made to parliament. The worthy alderman then proceeded to contend, from the items contained in the following document, that there was nothing in the result of the free-trade system to justify ministers in pursuing the same course; and that as long as it was per sisted in there were no hopes of the prospects of the country improving EXPORTS of MANUFACTURES AND PRODUCE of the UNITED KINGDOM, from 1814 to 1828 inclusive, with Official and Declared or Real Value. Real value of Exports above official, 1814 to 1820 inclusive ... £45,262,375 per annum. 36,462,019 Amount of annual decrease last 8 years. .£8,800,356 This does not include Colonial produce. The yearly amount of Exports of Colonial and Foreign produce, from 1814 to 1820 inclusive, is .... Ditto, from 1821 to 1828 inclusive, is .£41,521,795 83,243,769 £124,698,076 .£14,517,378 9,992,688 £4,524,690 .£13,325,046 The decrease in amount of Exports in Home Manufactures and Colonial was made to appear that the official value 1 was, that we were at present under a cloud; | pare the way for a more wise or a more but that before any very long time elapsed, prosperous policy. [During the course of it would again be sunshine, and every the worthy alderman's observations the thing would be going on prosperously. committee were very inattentive. The chairBut how did they attempt to make out man had frequent occasion to call it to this? There were three millions in quar- order, and to request hon. members to take ters of corn, and two millions in silk their seats.] goods imported into this country; but we Colonel Davies said, that though he were assured that the money for all this agreed, in a great measure, with what had would come back again. He could tell fallen from the worthy alderman, he could the House that no such thing would be never recommend to that House, the the case; for whatever we might import, adoption of further prohibitory duties. It our exports would not be found to increase was, however, impossible not to entertain in consequence. It might be contended, the most gloomy anticipations for the that the distressed state of the manufac- future from the actual state of the country, tures of the country arose from a glut in and from the extraordinary indifference the market; but even if it did, could they which the House had manifested towards `stop the masters from working their looms, a question of this important nature. He or the artisans from continuing their asked whether the inattention which had labours to fill their mouths with food? prevailed in the committee for the last two In the course of the last twelve years there hours was not sufficient evidence of the had been a loss of one hundred and twenty fact? Whatever hon. members might think, millions in the export trade. Nor did the he could assure them that the question matter stop here; for in the colonial produce was one of the most vital importance: the also, there had been a falling-off during credit of the country was annihilated: the last eight years: the cause of all this those who had formerly been noted as men was, that the ministers had been holding of large property found themselves unable out all sorts of delusive hopes to the to meet their engagements; but if such people, while the real fact was, that not was the condition of the capitalist, how one single point of commerce had proved much more wretched was that of the favourable to the manufacturer. It was artisan? He had death before him, despair very clear to him that the country could around him, and no prospect of any not go on in the way it was now going on amendment of his condition. In his in. Taxes kept their station, while all opinion, the chancellor of the Exchequer property, and capital, and produce dete- had omitted to mention the primary cause riorated; so that the effect was, that we of the excessive taxation under which the had double taxes to pay, while the prices country was labouring. If the right hon. of commodities remained the same. There gentleman was right in his statement, how certainly was no knowing what favourable was it that the foreigner, after having to turn Providence might bestow upon the contend against the duties levied upon country; but at all events it could not be his goods, or the risk he ran by smuggling, denied that they were living upon hopes and was able to come into England and underchances, which appeared very little likely sell the manufactures of the country in to be realised. He should be extremely our own market? Instead of gaining sorry if he were to say any thing that might ground, this country had been gradually tend to add to the difficulties of the coun- losing it ever since the peace. Atthat period, try; but the only way by which they might there was a prejudice all over the continent be conquered, was for the House to shew in favour of this country; but now the a disposition to inquire into the causes of foreigner, by strenuously working up hill, the distress, and to provide the best remedy had put himself on an equal footing with they could devise. As to the revenue of us, and would, no doubt, soon be able to the country, he would frankly confess it outstrip us in all competition. They were would have been no satisfaction to him bound to recollect, that England occupied even had the chancellor of the Exchequer a place in the scale of Europe for which been able to state that he had got five nature had never intended her. They millions more than he wanted. He should were also bound to recollect, that she have known that the money had only been would never have occupied that place wrung from the pockets of the people, and if it had not been for her commerce and that there was nothing in the fact to pre- I her manufactures, Keeping this in view, if a man were to look at the proceedings | the United States, and three times more of parliament for the last fourteen years, than the amount in France. But this was the least he could think was, that it had not all; the amount was going on increas-systematically shut its eyes to all that was ing at a rate sufficient to appal the stoutest going on in every other part of the world. heart. In 1764, the amount of taxes was So long as the nations of Europe were | 7,759,000l. in Great Britain and in Ireland, enthralled by despotism, or spell-bound about 1,000,000Z. of which, after deducting by superstition, this country enjoyed great what was required for the debt, there readvantages over them. But, at present, mained 4,000,0007, for the current expenother countries had free institutions as diture of the country. In 1790, the good in theory, and better in practice, than taxes amounted to 17,000,000l., of which our own. France, Holland, and Bavaria, 6,423,000l. went to the current expendihad all representative governments; and ture. But what was our present situation? in Prussia, and in other states where there The total amount of taxes was 63,604,000%. was no representative body, public opinion of which nineteen millions and a half went had acquired such a force as rendered to the military, naval, and miscellaneous property secure, and consequently manu- contingences, the civil list, &c. It was no factures and commerce were making rapid answer to this statement to say that the progress in them all. He would contrast value of money was changed; for though with our taxation, the taxation of France it was true that the money-price of articles and the United States,-two states which was enhanced, yet that was itself owing to were our most formidable rivals, and the enormous amount of taxation; and he which entertained the strongest jealousy would venture to say, that if they went to against us. The population of France the continent they would find that the was thirty millions; and its taxation money-price of the necessities of life was amounts to forty millions sterling annually. not materially altered. In the year 1822, This sum included not only the govern- when there had been a great pressure ment expenses of the country, but the upon the country, parliament had effected provision made for the clergy, for schools of a reduction in the expenditure of the primary instruction, for roads, &c. The country; but all this was now again done assessment was at the rate of 17. 6s. per away with, and we were in as bad a head on the whole population. In the state as ever; for the expenditure for the United States, the population was between army, navy, &c., which, in that year was ten and eleven millions, and the taxes reduced to 16,647,6737. last year, amountwere rather more than five millions sterling; ed to 19,548,500l. The principle of all the so that there the assessment did not demands of those who were suffering under amount to more than 10s. per head, on the present depression, was nothing less every man, woman, and child. General than this: "tax our neighbours, because Jackson, in his late inaugural speech, had we ourselves are taxed." As long as the declared this to be too large; at the same distressed trades maintained this principle, time expressing his intention of embracing they could have no hope of relief; but he the earliest opportunity of reducing it. would recommend them not to petition He wished that this country would take a the House, either for the reduction of leaf out of the book of the American Pre- their own taxes or for the imposition of sident; for though he did not wish to see taxes on their neighbours, but at once any republican institutions in this country, openly and manfully to call public meethe should be very glad to have a few of ings, and pass resolutions instructing their their republican taxes. The taxes in this constituents upon the course they desired country amounted to sixty millions, to them to adopt. This was the way to get which were to be added twelve millions for rid of the evils of their condition; and the poor-rates and parish rates, besides the until they adopted some such course, they receipts of the established church, and must continue to suffer. what was paid by Catholics and Dissenters to their clergy; so that he was not overstating the amount when he said, that the taxes of this country amounted to eighty millions, or in other words, 41. per head on the whole population; being eight times more than the amount of taxation in Sir John Wrottesley said, he approved, to a certain extent, of the system of life annuities which the chancellor of the Exchequer had proposed, although he feared that the funding of the Exchequer-bills would absorb the whole amount applica ble to the Sinking-fund. He had heard |