will be a full release from all their sorrows. "nection with other public grievances, and
It remained for the Inhabitants of West-" to call upon the Legislature for that
minster, and their undaunted and virtuous" great and ultimate remedy, which could
Representative Sir Francis Burdett, to "alone ensure them permanent independ
dispel this delusion. At a Public Meet- "ence and prosperity. The Chancellor of
ing, held in Palace-yard, on Thursday" the Exchequer had, in his place in the
last, the Income Tax, as it is called, was "House of Commons, not long since
clearly shewn to be only a small part of " broadly intimated his intention of pro-
the grievance of which the public had to posing a renewal of this tax. It was for
complain. For reasons stated in Sir" them, therefore, not to criticise any par
Francis Burdett's Letter, (which, with a "tial defects, or any apparent inequalities,
copy of the Resolutions and Petition "in the principle or operation of such a
adopted at the Meeting, I have given be-"measure; because the reply of the Chan-
low) the worthy Baronet could not give cellor of the Exchequer would certainly
his personal attendance; but the distinct," be, that he was much obliged to the per-
the fearless, and the convincing manner in "sons who suggested these objections,
which he has pointed out, in that letter," he was anxious to supply defects, and to
the extent of the evil, and opened the eyes" remedy inequalities; and, therefore, by.
of the public to their true situation, renders " removing, in some degree, their ob-
his absence less a matter of regret than it "jections, he trusted that he should re-
would otherwise have been. The worthy "ceive their unanimous approbation. It
Major Cartwright too, who has literally" was their part to proclaim their hostility
grown grey in the cause of Freedom, was "to the entire scheme, as subversive of
found at his post, endeavouring, with all the" their native and hereditary rights.-No
zeal and energy for which he is so much cha-" doubt such a situation of things might
racterised, to rouse the nation from its tor-" arise, that burthens, otherwise intoler
pid state, and make them acquainted with "able, would be borne by a great and free
the dreadful situation into which they had" country with patience and alacrity; but
been plunged by the tools of corruption. a tax which was utterly irreconcileable
-This staunch Veteran, as appears from" to the spirit of a free Constitution,
the newspaper report, delivered himself to" which was no less severe, and grinding,
the effect following:-"He apprehended" and oppressive in its administration,
"that the cessation of the American war "than it was inquisitorial and partial in
"would secure the discontinuance of the" its principle, could be justified in no case,
"tax on property, at least at its present nor under any combination of circum-
"amount. It was not, however, the ques- stances. The Chancellor of the Exche-
"tion as to its amount, or whether the per quer might, if he pleased, with an insult-
66 centage
should be increased or diminish-"ing sneer observe, that he feared the
"ed, but it was the spirit and charac-gentlemen assembled in Palace-yard had
"ter of the imposition which ought chiefly" not sufficiently taken into their deep
"to attract their consideration. The lion's" consideration the whole state of public
"whelp might be a harmless plaything at" affairs, the foreign relations, the finan-
"first, but if suffered to grow, would"cial difficulties of the country. Mise-
"finally prove himself to be a lion. The "rable, in his opinion, was the fate of a
purpose for which they were then as-
"nation, and cheerless its prospects, when
"sembled was threefold: first, to con- a popular meeting should I deem it expe-
"sider of the general state of the national" dient to penetrate the ar cana of Govern-
"taxation; secondly, of the property tax ment, or to busy itself with any other
"in particular; and, thirdly, with respect topic than such as belonged to its pro-
"to the proceedings which it was incumbent "vince-the assertion of its own inalien-
"in them to adopt on this occasion. They" able and constitution: l rights. These
"ought not to confine themselves to the " rights they were as capable of under-
"mere condemnation of a tax which vio- " standing and valuing as any lawyer
"lated property, which oppressed industry," at the bar, or any Min ister of the Crown.
which invaded domestic privacy, and His worthy friend (Mr. Wishart) bad
“which was, therefore, obviously incon- truly told them, that two thirds of every
"sistent with every principle of English "man's income were now absorbed by a
"liberty; but they ought to trace this evil
variety of taxes before
the property tax
to its true source, to shew it in its con- came into application; and that this tax,

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applying to the nominal whole, was, in" to acquire the means of living at all. practical effect, a tax not of 10 but of 30 "This was the state to which the country "per cent. He certainly was not appre- was now reduced; and to restore it to "hensive that, after the fortunate conclu-" a better condition, it was first necessary "sion of peace with America, the present "to restore purity to their representative "tax could be any longer continued; but "system: without this, future wars and "he had his fears that it might be pro-"future taxes were in store. Was it pos“duced in another shape, or in curtailed "sible for them to forget that a British proportions. He should not be much" Minister had once entertained the pro"surprised to see another property tax "ject of imposing a tax on capital, and "brought forward, a little property tax, a "that the petition of the Westminster "young cub, which, as he had before observ"electors against it had at least been ser"ed, might be perfectly innocent in its infant "viceable in saving the country from that state, but by the time that its claws and infliction? In reference to the general "teeth should attain their full power, would" system of taxation, what could be more have grown up into a formidable and "obnoxious than the measure for redeem"ferocious monster, that might devouring the land tax. That tax took away them and their children. It was their " one-fifth of the landed property of the "duty, then, to be vigilant at the out set to (" country, and had been sold. Four other "crush the evil in its birth, and to set an "such operations would comprehend and "example to other meetings, which might "vest in the Crown the whole landed pro"secure co-operation in the salutary work."perty in the realm. He had intended to In the year 1793, in a memorable peti- "have offered to them several other obser"tion, it was brought home to the House" vations, but the state of the weather and "of Commons, that they did not represent" of his own health induced him to abstain. "the sense, nor express the voice, of the" He had only to thank them for the pa"people, purposes which they were insti- " tience with which they had already heard "tuted to accomplish, and rights to which "him." "the Constitution had given every Eng

"lishman a claim. What had been the

66

SIR FRANCIS BURDETT'S LETTER

Malmsbury Manor, Dec. 28, 1814. GENTLEMEN, I am much disappointed at

being prevented, by a heavy fall of snow, attending the Meeting of the Electors of Westminster, advertised for the 29th December.

course of public events and of national "suffering since the House thought proper to disregard this important demon"stration? The Government of that day I regret this the more, because, I perceive, by "had plunged us, under the pretence of a the wording of the Advertisement, that a large "short war, into a contest of twenty years and enlightened view of the subject is intended duration; and for the sake of interfer- Meeting is to be held; not narrowed to the con to be taken; one worthy the City in which this ing in the internal regulation of another sideration only of an oppressive Tax, but en"kingdom, and of extinguishing opinions Taxation; every stroke of which, like the larged to a general view of that whole system of "which were not acceptable to their taste, cat-o'-nine-tails from the backs of our soldiers, "had entailed on Great Britain that tre- brings blood; and which is not more galling in "mendous load of taxation under which its profligate, corrupt, and wasteful expendi the mode and severity of its correction, than in "she was now bending. When James ture. In fact, the Income or Property Tax has "II. adopted unconstitutional measures of no title to that pre-eminence in infamy, it appears in public detestation to possess, nor is it a "taxation, the nation, almost with one whit more arbitrary in its execution, cruel in its "voice stood up against him; yet the operation, or ruinous in its consequences, or 26 country did not then owe a single million, unconstitutional in its principles, than the Excise, or many other summary, arbitrary, and uncon"and was now indebted in a thousand.stitutional jurisdictions, established by Art of "He repeated it to them, the country now Parliament, and rooting out the common law of "owed a thousand millions. The condi- is the best inheritance of the subject: besides the the land; that law which my Lord Coke truly says "tion of France was comparatively happy; torture of our soldiers, I might add the brutal "she had no such debt; plenty and culti-horrors of the impress, the inhospitable and ty "vation reigned over her soil, and the consequence was, that thousands and 66 tens of thousands were repairing to enjoy there what they could not obtain "in their native land-an easy and com"fortable subsistence. The rich were going to extend their comforts, the poor

46

rannical act against Foreigners, with a long string of et cæteras, too numerous to insert here, and too palpable to be denied.

Westminster, know full well, that these are only The enlightened and patriotic Electors of a few of the bitter fruits of that baleful tree,

which nourisheth its roots in that hot bed of corruption from whence it sprung, St. Stephen's Chapel; and though it has struck deep in that consecrated soil, we are instructed by the highest

To the HONOURABLE the COMMONS of the UNITED KINGDOM of GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND, in Parliament assembled,

THE PETITION

THE RESOLUTIONS. Resolved,- That an apprehension being entertained that, on the expiration of the present Property Tax, a new one on the some ob- OF THE INHABITANT HOUSEHOLDERS noxious model, (although perhaps for, at first, Of the City and Liberties of Westminster. a less per centage) is intended to be introduced, it is in the opinion of this Mecting the bounden tions under the Property Tax, and the modes of SHEWETH, That in their sufferings and vexaduty of every good Citizen to protest agaiusti's execution, your Petitioners have been forcibly any such intended measure, and to endeavour drawn to a contemplation of the State of the Na-to prevent it by all Constitutional means. tional Taxation in general; as well as to the facts That, in the decayed condition of the Na-recorded in a Petition entered on your Journals tional Representation, as set forth in a Petition on the 17th day of May, 1793. entered in the Journals of the Commons House on the 7th day of May, 1793, it cannot be maintained, that any part of the present National Taxation had the People's consent in the manner required by the Constitution; which manner is essential to Public Liberty, and to the security of Property.

That the inquisitorial, arbitrary, vexatious and 'cruel mode in which the Property Tax is carried into execution, are but natural consequences of the People having ceased to he respected; or to bold the guardianship of their own Liberty and Property; because of having lost the sacred Right of TAXING THEMSELVES through real Representatives.

That, although truly grateful to those who have obtained us the blessings of complete Peace, and, of course, a discontinuance of the present Property Tax, a Petition be presented to the House of Commons, that no other Tax, on the same exceptionable model, may on any account be mad to succeed the said present unconstitutional Tax.

That a Petition founded on the foregoing Resolutions be now read,

That the Pefition now read be adopted as the Petition of the Inhabitant Householders of the City and Liberties of Westminster; and signed on their behalf by the High Bailiff and twelve Householders, and presented to the House of Commans by our Representative Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. and that he be instructed to support the same.

Seeing those facts, it cannot be maintained. that any Taxes are imposed with consent of the People of this Kingdom in the manner which by the Constitution of our Country is indispens ably required.

The Nation's long and quiet submission to the Property Tax in particular, must be attributed to an unwillingness to embarrass the Executive Government while engaged in a War of uncom non extent and difficulty: Peace being, bowever, now completely restored, every pretext for a continuance of that Tax is wholly removed.

But having been alarmed by an apprehension, that when the present Ten per Cent. Property Tax shall in April next have expired, Ministers although in a lighter proportion to Property, mean to propose a new Tax on the same model, your Petitioners are induced to state their obJensions to several of the features of the present

Tax.

1st. The operation of the Tax is necessarily INQUISITORIAL; frequently causing distressing, cruel, or ruinous exposures of private affairs.

2d. The powers of the Commissioners are offensively arbitrary.

vexations, unequal, and degrading.
3d. The operation of the Tax is oppressive,

term, a term which has already extended to se-
4th. The granting of this Tax for an indefinite
veral years, unconstitutionally abandoned the
controul which, by the Constitution, Parliament
is bound to hold over the revenue of the Execy-
tive Magistrate.

5th. But, above all, in consequence of various That this Meeting do most cordially agree corruptions which have in effect annihilated the with the City of London, in strongly recom-National Representation, the Tax neither had, mending, that similar Meetings be held, in every nor could have had, the People's consent; and County, City, Town and Parish, throughout the it is written in the law of Nature, as an eternal Kingdom. truth, that a Nation who Tax themselves, either That our Thanks are eminently due, and here-in person or by real Representatives, are alone by given to our Representative Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. for his dignified assertion on all occasions of the Rights and Liberties of his Country; fully assured that when that Country shall generally listen to his patriotic voice, those Rights and Liberties will be speedily

restored.

Free; but a people who are otherwise Taxed

are not Free.

Your Petitioners, therefore, pray, that when the Statute which established the present Próperty Tax shall, in April next, expire, no other Statute, and no other Tax, on the same model, may be passed or imposed; and that your Ho nourable House will also take into its early consideration, what means ought to be adopted for rendering the National Taxation in general truly Constitutional and consistent with the EngLiberties,

That our Thanks are also hereby given to our persecuted Representative Lord Cochrane, for his manly exertions in favour of the Rights of the People; and that we look forward, with satis-lish faction, to the time when his emancipation from

Painted and Published by J. MORTON, 94, Strand,