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not remove taxes unless we reduce our expenditure . If they keep up their expenditure they must certainly expect to have taxes to pay ; and any sensible reduction in our burdens can only be made by a resolution that we will curtail the expenditure . But how must an independent member of Parliament deal with this question ? Amongst others will doubtless be brought forward motions for the repeal of certain , obnoxious taxes . Take , for instance , the window tax , the tax on knowledge , another tax on attorneys , who , we are told , are sadly oppressed individuals , and the duty on malt—the last of which appeared to him to have much more reason in it than the rest . All these motions would doubtless be
brought forward , and a simple aye or no is required upon the proposition . Now , he could not vote for taking off the tax unless it be clearly shown that with a diminution of income there would be a reduction of expenditure . But he had no hesitation in saying that , when the next session of Parliament came , if the Government do not make a reduction in the military establishments , he should vote for taking off taxes , and they would then see if they could pay the military without the money . { Cheers . ) He would admit that this was a clumsy way of doing business , and that it did not stand to his reason or logic ; but he would have no alternative if they did not reduce the expenditure before they began to do away with the taxes . What could be a more fair and rational
proposal than the one we now make for a reduction in our war establishments ? He thought , after such meetings as the present , and after such a straightforward honest declaration of opinion by such a vast assemblage as he now saw before him , that he should be perfectly free in all consistency and honesty , if the Government persisted in their refusal to so reasonable a request , to leave them to cut their coat according to their cloth . Sir Francis Head had told them that they were in very great danger from the French , and that it was , therefore , necessary to keep up great military establishments . It was not necessary to give Sir Francis Head any other answer than that we would rather run the chance of
France coming down upon us than keep up our present military establishment . He had done with reasoning on that subject . He would rather cut the taxes down to £ 10 , 000 , 000 , and take all chances of danger , be it from one quarter or another . It was perfectly absurd to think of keeping up our present standard of taxes and expenditure . ( Hear , hear . ) He called those men cowards that could write in such a manner as to talk of France taking possession of London . Who ' s afraid of them ? ( Lauyhter . ) He believed there never was an instance in the history of the world of 50 , 000 men , with all the apparel of war and all the necessary muniments of war , transported over salt water within a twelvemonth . But he would repeat that he would run all risks ; but he would say , that as an advocate for the reduction of armaments , he was not one who could plead guilty to the charge of being a coward or one who would submit to injustice . "
They were often told that to liave peace it was necessary to be prepared for war . That was not Sir It . Peel's opinion : —• 11 In the House of Commons , on the 12 th of March , 1850 , Sir It . Peel spoke as he would presently read ; and he ( Mr . Cobden ) well remembered the feeling of surprise , not unminglod with a feeling of dissatisfaction , which pervaded that peculiar assembly when the words were delivered . He remembered when they were finished half-a-dozen of the members sitting round him ( Mr . Cobden ) congratulated him on having again got Sir It . Peel for a movement in favour of reduction . { Cheers . ) The words of Sir It . Peel , to which he now alluded , were these : —
•?• For what ; w . is said about the comparative lightness of taxation he cured nothing , for tht-ri ; wito many taxes pressing ; on the energies of the country and diminishing- the comforts ot the humbler classes , and their repeal , if it could l > o elfeuted , with « r ood faith and public security , would he of inestimable advantage to the nation . { Hear , hear . ) Nay , more , he would say that in time of peace you must , if you meant to retrench , incur some risks . ( Jlear , / tear . ) If in time of peace you must have all the garrisons of our colonial possessions in a state of complete eflif . ieney—if you must have all our fortifications kept in r state of perfect repair , he ventured to say that no amount of annual expenditure would be sulllcieiit ; and if you adopted the
opinions of military men , Mho said that they would throw upon jou thewholo responsibility in the event of a war breaking out and some of our valuable , possessions being lost , you would overwhelm the country with taxes in time of peace . ( llvui \ near . ) The Government ought to feel assured Unit the House of Commons would support them if they incurred some responsibility with respect , to our distant colonial possessions by runnin&r a risk for the purpose of effecting a saving . { Hear , / war . ) JieUum para , bi paccm veils , was a maxim generally received , us ll it were impossible to contest if , yet one that admitted of more contradiction , or should be accepted with greater reserve , never fell from the lips of man . '
with his principles when he denounced this use of money ? He was told that a man had a right to lend his money without enquiring what it was wanted for . But if they knew it was wanted for a vile purpose had they the right of so lending it ? ( Hear . ) He put this qnestion to a city man — ' Somebody asks you to lend money to build houses with , and you know it is wanted for the purpose of building infamous houses—would you be justified in lending the money ? ' He replied , * I would . ' He ( Mr . Cobden ) rejoined , * Then I am not going to argue with you—you are a man for the police magistrate to look after , for if you would lend money for building infamous houses you would very likely keep one yourself if you could get ten per cent , by it . ' ( Cheers , and laughter . ) He ( Mr . Cobden ) said that no man had a right to lend money if
he knew it was to be applied to the cutting of throats . ( Applatise . ) The whole of this system of enormous armaments was built on the system of lending money—( hear , hear );—and thereby were concentrated into one generation the evils of war , which could not otherwise be suffered except bv successive generations . ( Hear . ) The system was indefensible , both on the principles of humanity and political economy ; and he believed the time would come—it was coming ( for he had witnessed from high intellectual sources the principle broached ) , when it would be called in question by future generations whether they should be held responsible for debts incurred , often for keeping their own country in slavery , and also for foreign wars , in which they could have no possible interest . ( Applause . )"
Mr . Williams , M . P . for Macclesfield , afterwards addressed the meeting . He contended that it was no less the interest than the duty of Great Britain to set the example to the civilized world , by greatly reducing its present extensive armaments .
When Sir 11 . Peel delivered those words , discrediting the authority of military men , he spoke in an assembly and especially from a side of the House where the military spirit was dominant ; and ho must have felt those sentinicnts strongly , or in such an assembly , and in such mi atmosphere , he never could have delivered them . " lie referred to the monstrous waste of money in maintaining a European army of 4 , 000 , 000 men , living in idleness , under the pretence that nil this was necessary to maintain pence . He condemned the Itussum loan in strong terms , because it was giving the Kmpuror Nicolas more power to put down froouom : —
"That loan wnsrnlRed to pay for the atrocities perpetrated n the Iluuuuri . iu war , tint , from the savings of llarin ^ s » r . Rothschilds , for tin y wire not . the people who lent t . Uc noiu'y , hut tin * small Vam ' tulisis in Kuwaiti ! , who hail iiunll savings , ; uul who wished u > \ . \ v \ . live insh-nd ot ' our per cm in . Tluy lent . that , money , by which they , 8 much rut . the throats of \\ m llunptsxiians , and cloastutod Hu'ir villages as if they hrui gone there and one it witli their own hands . ( llcur , Jicar . ) He 'as asked whether ho , as a Freetrader , was consistent
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THE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL . The chief topic of interest in America continues to be the Fugitive Slave Bill . The agitation becomes more and more exciting in the Northern States . It has been condemned in the severest terms by several religious bodies , and the citizens are recommended , on principles of conscience , not to comply with its provisions . Every attempt to put the law in execution has been met with general expressions of public indignation . The opponents of the law in Boston have organized a large and active committee of
vigilance , for the purpose of extending protection to the fugitives , and raising every barrier to the execution of the law . Several civil officers have refused the United States marshal at Boston their aid in . making arrests ; nevertheless , it is said that a number of fugitives , in dread of being captured , continue to fly to Canada . A telegraphic despatch received at Washington just before the America sailed from Boston , states that President Fillmore had announced his determination to call out the military to enforce the requirements of the law .
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THE EXHIBITION OF 1851 . It is satisfactory to lenrn that , as regards tlic ^ accommodation of visitors from the provinces , the views of the Commissioners have been cordially promoted by the Directors of the London and North Western ltuilway Company . We perceive from the Morning Chronicle that a deputation , from the Executive Committee met the board on Tuesday , on the subject of the passengers by some of the excursion trains , contemplated by the company during the period of the Exhibition , being landed at . the Kensington terminus of the West London line , instead of at
Eustousquare , and that , in consequence , directions have been siven to the company ' s engineers to prepare the West London line for the conveyance of passengers arriving for the Exhibition to Kensington . The effect of this arrangement will be , that the passengers by the London and North-Western , visiting the Exhibition , by proceeding to Kensington instead of stopping at Euston-square , will save a journey through the streets of more than a mile and a half . At Kensington they will be about one mile and a quarter from the building ; at Euston-square
beginning to take some interest in the Exhibition . One of the oldest and wealthiest of our corporations , the Goldsmiths' Company , has unanimously decided to award the sum of £ 1000 for prizes , to be given to those artists of the craft , of the United Kingdom , who can produce works of the highest design and merit , in gold and silver plate , for the Exhibition of 1851 . The £ 1000 is to be divided into prizes varying in amount from £ 300 to £ 20 and £ 10 , for works of the most costly description , which it is more than probable will be eventually purchased by the company . There will be services , candelabra , church plate , and smaller objects , even to a saltcellar , so that the most humble artisan in the craft shall receive his impulse , to encourage him in honourable exertion , as much in
proportion as the first goldsmith in the land . The various works for competition are to be forwarded to the Groldsrniths ' -hall , without the name of the owner , when each piece will be rigidly scrutinized , and those possessing the highest standard of merit in both design and workmanship will be accepted and forwarded to the Exhibition , and take their stand in competition against the whole world . It has been determined , too , from motives of the most delicate consideration in regard to their own position with the trade , that the assistance of several noblemen and gentlemen of known taste in the fine arts shall be obtained to aid the Court in judging and awarding the prizes . It is said that many of the most eminent gold and silver smiths in the metropolis are working silentlj' , but ardently , and we hope successfully , to produce the most costly and beautiful works , such as will , indeed , gratify the sight of the lovers of exquisitely-wrought work in the precious metals . Some will exhibit the richest centre-pieces , candelabra , vases , goblets , &c . ; and it said that there are many of the great jewellers who are vicing with each other to produce the most beautiful specimens from their " ateliers . " One Goliath in the trade will exhibit £ 100 , 000 worth of jewellery and precious stones . Vienna . —From Vienna accounts have reached us of a magnificent and costly contribution , whiph a furniture manufacturer of that town is sending . It will consist of four rooms of a palace , each appropriately furnished and decorated . We are not yet at liberty to give the name of the manufacturer , or any detailed account of the furniture . The material is a peculiar Indian wood , rather lighter in colour than rosewood , and is sculptured in the most artistic manner after the chastest designs of eminent artists . The bedstead alone , which is already completed , costs no less a sum than 12 , 000 gulden , about £ 1200 , and the cost of the other articles is in proportion . The manufacturer will be in London in a week or so , to arrange with the Commissioners for the space he will require , which will , of course , be considerable , as his contribution will comprehend all the requirements for the four principal rooms of a palace in a style of the utmost magnificence . The gentleman is one of the members of the Vienna committee . — The Expositor . Proposed Supplemental Exhibition . —The Architect says : —'' In consequence of the prospective rejection of numbers of articles from the Exhibition for want of room , projectors have already in contemplation the establishment of a grand supplementary exhibition , which , it is supposed , will bring a large income . Mr . Freeman , the stone-merchant , is working , at the Lamorna stone quarries , a block twenty feet in length , and weighing twenty tons . This will , perhaps , have no English competitor ; but we are far behind other countries—ltussia for example—in monolithic monuments . London has not one , and yet this is a class of monument which is striking , simple , and quite within the compass of our resources .
How to Avoid Ckowdixg . —Everybody knows that the Exhibition will , from morning till night , be the most incessantly crowded place that ever all the world was bent upon seeing . Now , a very simple contrivance to obviate all these inconveniences would be tn raise a double tier , say of three or four steps , in the centre of every passage ; the whole matter would be exactly like a double flower-stand , could be made of cast iron , and need not in any case be more than about three feet high . By this arrangement four or five streams of spectators could , each other
without in the slightest degree crowding upon , and with a perfect view of every one , pass through the Exhibition at the same time . Of course these nights of iron paths would cost a goodly sum , and take some time to make ; but , as for the cost , they would pay for themselves over and over again in the encreased speed with which they would enable spectators to pass through ; for one of the greatest difficulties of the Exhibition , indeed , one that will at certain holiday times amount to an impossibility , will be to admit all who come , and yet , if there be delay , numbers will altogether miss their chance of seeing .
about three miles . It is contemplated that ac the Kensington station more than 2500 passengers per day may be landed without delay or confusion . Assuming that number of excursionists to arrive , it is evident that Oxford-street and the other great arteries of traffic between Oxford-street and Hyde Park will , during a period of pressure , be materially relieved by this arrangement . No doubt the people of Hammersmith will derive somo advantage from it ; and it is anticipated that omnibusses will be ready at the station to convey passengers at once to the Exhibition at the lowest of the rates now charged by those
conveyances . Mr . Paxton's magic palace begins already to foreshadow something of its ultimate grandeur . At tho end of last week no less than 100 , 000 feet of glass had been placed in different portions of the roof . This week several parts of the . control avenue have been glazed . In contradiction of the report that tho workmen employed at the Hyde-park jnilaco are . not ru-< viving iu ' ll wa ;; es , tho Moniiiu / Chronicle states that , in all cast's , good workmen not only receive full wages , but that nuiuy of them , by contracting to perform a certain quantity of work , receive an additional sum in the shape of profit . Wo arc glad to see that the London companies arc
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THE " CRYSTAL PALACE . " There was a very large attendance of members and visitors at the usual weekly meeting of the Society ot Arts , on Wednesday , the large hall being filled to overflowing . The principal business of the evening was tho reading of a paper by Mr . Paxton , on the origin and details of construction of the building for tho Exhibition of IK-jI . Around the walls oi the room weivsu . spemlrd numerous drawings , illustrative of the subject of tho lecture , against each of which a strong light was directed as it was referred to in the course of the lecture . After a preliminary account of the various steps by which he lias been enabled to eiFect the most marvellous improvements in tho con-
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796 S £ fj £ $ LeatJ $ V > [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 16, 1850, page 796, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1859/page/4/
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