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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Bignation , which he must recollect he had brought forward . Admiral Parker stated that he did , and advised witness , before he sent them in , to see the First Lord , which he did , and , much to his surprise , his grace told him that he had never seen or heard of witness ' s letter tendering his resignation ; and his grace stated , with much warmth , that , had it been given to him , he should have at on ^ e taken it to Lord Derby . Witness reminded his grace that he had spoken to witness , on the subject of that letter ; and ^ on the duke again repeating what he had said , witness told his grace that he held in his hand a copy of that letter , which he was at perfect liberty to make what use he thought proper of . About this time Admiral Parker entered the room , and witness expressed his surprise at hearing his
grace state that he had not seen or heard of the letter tendering his resignation , upon wliich Admiral Parker reminded the duke that he had put the letter into his grace ' s hand . The admiral then informed witness that he had been thinking the matter over since lie had left him , and that he did not think witness ' s letter had been brought before the Board , and that he had an impression that it had been destroyed . Witness immediately left the Admiralty , and ¦ went to Somerset-house , taking the letter and copies back with him , and feeling much hurt and annoyed . Witness had not been there long , before Captain Milne came to him from Mr . Stafford , with a request that he would not send in copies of the letters . This point witness did not give in , but wrote another letter , stating , that since his
letter of 26 th November , he had been informed that his letter of 21 st April , 1352 , which was delivered to Admiral Parker , had not been brought before the Board , and that witness ' s letter of 10 th May , 1852 , was addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty , and that he begged to enclose copies , agreeably to their lordships' order of the 26 th inst . The letter , with the enclosures , witness took to the Admiralty , and placed in the hands of Mr . Stafford , who , on opening it , expressed his surprise at witness having enclosed copies of the letters , as Captain Milne had led him
to believe that witness had promised to withhold them . "Witness assured him that he had not made such a promise ; and Mr . Stafford further stated , that it was of no use sending them in to be placed in the record office , to be read by all the clerks ; and he begged witness to again see Captain Milne on the subject , which he did , and witness was induced to give in the point , at that officer ' s urgent request , who stated that there was no use raking up an affair that had passed over , and from witness feeling that Mr . Stafford had committed himself in having given the answer he did in the House of Commons . "
Having finished this part of the case , Sir Baldwin was interrogated as to the acts of improper patronage performed by the Admiralty ; and he proved several cases of gross injustice in the promotion of persons who voted for Government candidates over the heads of long serving and deserving men without votes . All the documents referring to the cases of the ill-used men were not to be found at the Admiralty . He read two racy letters from Admiral Hyde Parker to himself , containing the following passages : — - " Windlestone . Ferryliill , Oct . 8 , 1852 .
" My bear Walked ., —I have written to the Duke of Northumberland about Mr . Stafford having appointed the master smith from Chatham to Portsmouth , quite contrary to my opinion , and also of yours , stating how injurious it is to the public service , and contrary to what ho ( Mr . Stafford ) had signed . It is really too had that everything is to be made subservient to parti ) purposes . " " Wellsbourne Hall , near Huron , Oct . 12 , 1 S 52 . "My dkak , Walker , —L have written very strongly twico to the Duke , respecting the master smith being ro
moved from Portsmouth by Mr . Stafford . The second letter he has not answered . You ought , I think , on these occasions , to writo strongly and publicly to the Board , that it may remain as a record . I have been much amazed on the whole subject , and have told tho Duko that if I am to bo held responsible for the speedy equipment of tho fleet ; , it is quifco impossible for me to do so , if tho appointments are mado without any regard for tho public service , but by private favour . So it ia ; and it- is realty quite disgusting . But you-must not give way on a ninglo point , or wo b 1 iu . 11 not carry it through . "
Admiral Ilydo Parker confirmed the statement * of Sir Baldwin ; and most distinctly asserted that the circular of 1819 was cancelled without the knowledge of tlio Board , by a course wholly unprecedented and irregular . He explained that lie had destroyed Sir Baldwin ' s letter of resignation , because ho thought peace was made . Mr . Hougbton and Mr . Ponnel , chirks at tho Admiralty , were then ( railed to provo from the minute books of the Hoard of Admiralty that there won ; no minutes with reference to the circular of cancelnicnt , and that search bad been made tit , the Admiralty for the vatriouB missing documents , but , that as yet they bad not been found . The Chairman then inquired whether il ; would bo desirable , in order to give time for consideration of tho evidence , to adjourn proceeding to Saturday . Perhups Mr . Stafford would tell the committee what hit ) feelingH were on the subject . Mr . Stafford : I think wo had bettor go on tomorrow . Tho Chairman : Tho committee will adjourn to eleven o ' clock to-morrow . Mi-. Stafford : And 1 will be the find ; witness . The coumiil . teu then adjourned , having nut from cloven until four o ' clock . , The proceeding * were r $ n « w « d yesterday ; but Mr .
Stafford was not the first witness . Captain Milne confirmed the evidence of Sir Baldwin Walker , so far as he was concerned . The case of Wells was investigated At the close , Mr . Stafford wished to be examined relative to the missing document on this case . He exonerated everybody connected with the Admiralty ; and admitted that he had received it . He will give evidence on Monday .
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Downing-street , April 21 , 1863 . Bib , —The reasonable tone in which you write to complain of the proposal to extend a modified rate of income-tax Irom incomes of 150 ? . downwards to those of 1001 ., leads me , though my time is very much occupied , to address you on the subject .
You observe that you will have to pay 21 . Is . ad . to Ihe taxcollector , but will have nothing in return on the most important items of expenditure . Let us look into this matter more particularly . The tax-collector , should Parliament adopt the proposition of the Government , will , about the month of January next , call upon you for the half-yearly payment of 11 . 0 * . 10 d ., which will be repeated in July , and this for seven years ; when , unless Parliament , in consideration of other public benefits or necessities not yet foreseen , should prolong the tax , it will drop altogether . Is this a hardship ? tion to the
If you and your family do not form a strange excep general rule , you have since 1842 been deriving great additional command over articles of use and subsistence from the changes that have been brought about in our fiscal system . I think I do not overstate the actual savings upon incomes of 1001 . per annum , which have directly flowed from legislation since 18-12 , if I put them at 51 . per annum . In what manner has Parliament been enabled to give you the benefit of these sayings ? By the imposition of an income-tax at sevenpenGe in the pound upon all incomes of 150 i . and upwards . Have the owners of those incomes who have borne the exclusive burden derived from the accompanying changes in legislation a greater proportional benefit than those who own incomes of 1001 . ? On the contrary , it may easily he inferred from general considerations , and it is most plain to me from carefully collected facts , that the benefits of the income-tax have amounted to a much larger per ceutage on incomes below 150 Z . than on incomes above that sum . I do not anticipate that you will doubt this .
The question then arises , if the Income-tax is again to be imposed for a term of seven years on those who have heretofore paid it , with a view to another great scheme of remissions oi indirect taxation for the benefit of the entire community , but ospoeially of the incomes beow 1501 ., is it fair to those having lOQl . and upwards , after tho class next beneath them in wealth have come into actual possession of a great pecuniary advantage , free of any cost whatever to themselves , that tho higher incomes should again bo required to bear not only tho main but the exclusive burden , in order again to confer tho main benefit on tho lower ? Put yourself in my position . Suppose tho Government had not asked Parliament to go down , at iivopence , to incomes of 10 ( M . ; suppose that 1 had now been replying to uomo person with 150 / . per annum , who had been complaining to mo that I called upon him to pay a tax in which you did not share , in order to bring ubout benefits in which you were to have a greater share than ho—do you think I should have had as good an anHwer to mako to him an 1 can now make to you P
Hut lot us look more closely at your caao . 1 observe , first , that you are in cnjcymeiit of certain money advantages , which have been obtained for you at the cost of others . . But it is not on that , account that . I would call upon you to pay . I do not scruple to Hiiy , that if you have a family—and if you huvo not , your can « muni bo regarded as an exception to the common Htato of niori in society—you will realize uaviuga from the uliunf { OH we have proposed to Parliament grouter than tho cost at which wo invite you to buy them . You are asked to pay 'II . Is . Hit . per annum for seven years from January next . You will thus pay within about eight yeara from Ibis time the Hum of ML Us . Hd . in all . The protioiit value of this payment , distributed us uhovn , may be irom Wl . to 121 . What is it proposed you uliould gain on articles of common consumption in return for this 11 / . to I ' ll ,. 1 havo hoforo me tho household expenditure of a clerk in n country town with a wife and five children , and with an income of MX )/ , pur annum .
1 find that in 1 H 52 his tea cost him ' M . 18 * . But tho changes proposed to take ell ' eet within the next tlireo years will rodiieo the price of tea by DO per cent . 1 'hun , then , ho will guiu three-tenl . liM of 7 H » ., or 11 . 3 * . ( id . per annum on his tea . 1 find that bis soap cost him in ( he samoyoar 20 » . From the nth of next . Inly , if Iho changer * propound by the Government are adopted , tho duty of \\ U . per il > . on Hoap will be ropftalod . J . may take thin duty at 40 per cent . , on the price , Hut the repeal of tho duty will lead to hiioIi improvements in tho trade that 1 understand there will lie" a further saving on the short price of : t () per cent . 1 will , however , ( . iiko the whole reduction of pricu no higher than 50 por cent ., und thin perhaps not until nil cr a couple of y ears , when tint trade shall havo had time to expand in itn nfatn of freedom . The clerk , whoso income ia hoforo me , will for the hiuiiii quantity of r * nup then pay l ! l « . only instead of 2 ( f « . lie will have navrd 1 / . Hit . ( id . on Ins tea , and l . 'I . v . on liin iioap , together I / , . 1 <)« . < W . Tbifl annuity in porpotuid ; it in for hiiiiriclf , and for bin children alien- him ; he will huve bought , it for n sum equal to between 11 / . and I ' M . Do you think he oould buy a perpetual annuity—and I cull it bo became it u uU'ioUy true that money owed ia money Mined * - of
11 . 16 » . < W . for HI . or 121 . down ? No , nor for double nor treble that money . I have certainly here the case of a man with a family larger than the average . But pray observe also that he is , therefore , poorer than the average of those who have 1001 . per annum , and thus his case shows how our proposals will operate on the most needy among those whom they affect . I have , however , another case before me , of a country tradesman with 1202 . per annum , having a wife , but no children . ; and in this instance the figures would not be very materially different . I might , however , have poshed my case much further . I might have taken credit for savings that a large portion of the population will realize from the reductions ot duty on butter , cheese , and a multitude of other commodities , as also from reductions on stamps and other articles . But I will not enter into thAtn .
I wish , however , to point out that these reductions operate in many ways not at first sight perceptible . A printed calico , which cost 22 » . 6 d . in 1830 , including a duty of 6 » . 8 $ « £ ., may now , when the duty is off , be had for less than 11 « . Again , X think you are mistaken in supposing that the tax on soap does not enter into the cost of clothing . It is an important ingredient in the manufacture of printed calicoes , woollens , and worsteds . In some of these cases only half drawback is allowed ; in all of them a worse and dearer article is used than would be employed if soap were free , and the cost of the clothing on our backs ' is enhanced in proportion . Again , you say education is not cheapened . I beg your pardon . "We shall propose this year an addition to the , vote of 100 , 0002 . Every farthing of that money will go to cheapen arid to improve the education of the children of persons with incomes less than 1502 . per annum . You say medical attendance is not cheapened . Surely , medical attendance has , since 1843 , been virtually and really cheapened to you , if medical men ( as has been the case ) have been , called upon , without any increase of their fees , to pay
incometax , in order to reduce the price of articles of which persons of 1002 . a-year are , relatively to income , larger consumers than they themselves are wlio have paid the tax . You may , perhaps , say all this tells in favour of carrying the tax below 1002 . I need not now enter upon that question ; the labouring class , properly so called , presents a case to be considered apart ; but t think there is no essential distinction , speaking generally j between incomes of 1502 .- and incomes of 1002 . which should exclude the latter from a moderate share of this tax ; and I further think I have shown that the strictest considerations of justice not only warrant , but even may seem to require , the proposal which the Government has made . At any rate , I am certain of this , that had you been my constituent , and had a dissolution of Parliament been impending , I never should have presented myself to you with greater confidence , to render an account of my trust , and to ask for its renewal , than on the day after I had stated to Parliament the proposals which her Majesty ' s advisers have laid before it . I remain , sir , your obedient servant , Mr . J . Lloyd Phelps . W . E . Gladstootj .
You are at liberty to make any use of this letter you may think fit ; although the figures I have used in it may have been somewhat roughly stated . * It is not every Chancellor of the Exchequer who can find time to publish such a supplement to his parliamentary speeches .
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THE ROTHERHITHE SEIZURE . PBOCEEDINGS AT BOW-STBEET . CoNTrNTJiNO our account of the dramatic proceedings of Government , in relation to the seizure of Mr . Hale ' s warlike property , at Rotherhithe , by the police , we find the curtain rises , on the next act , in the Bow-street Police Court , on Saturday , Mr . Henry as Ithadamanthus . A charge was preferred against Mr . William Halo rocket-manufacturer , of Rotherhithe , and Robert Hale his son , for having upon their premises a larger quantity of gunpowder than is allowed by the statute . Tho Crown was represented by Mr . Uodkin , the barrister , and Mr . Greenwood , the solicitor to the Treasury ; and Mr . Clarkson , the barrister , was in attendance on behalf of the accused . Mr . Bodkin , before stating the circumstances of tho seizure , said the Act 12 Geo . III . cap . 61 , sec . 11 , provided that any person who was a dealer in gunpowder could not legally Lave in his possession more than 200 lbs . weight of that article at any one time , or in any one place , or if ho wero not a dealer more than 50 lbs . weight , and that if in either case the quantity so fixed as tlie maximum were exceeded , the gunpowder should be forfeited , and a penalty of 2 s . for every pound of tho excess imposed . Section 23 of the same act gavo power to seize the gunpowder under such circumstances , and other clauses provided the means of recovering the
penalties . In the present case a warrant had been issued under that act—promises in the , occupation oi the defendants had been searched , and a largo quantity of gunpowder ( about 2 G 01 bs . weight ) hud been found and seized . Whether tho defendants wore dealers or not was , therefore , immaterial as to tho question of legality , seeing that the quantity in their possession was far beyond that of which in either case they could bo legally possessed , and to this extent lit ; was in a position to support tho present information , wliich was for the recovery of penalties under tho act ho had referred to .
It might bo right , however , that lie should slate that thero was another information to which the attention of tho magistrates would hereafter bo . called , in regard to which circumstances would l > e elicited in cvidoneo wliich would moro dearly explain the character of this transaction . Towards the close of Iho last and beginning of this year , for reasons wliich , on the present- occasion , lie did not think it ncccNtuiry to mention moro particularly , the miHpioionci of tho police were excited towards Mr . Halo ' s manufactory , which was situated at Rotherhithe , near the Surrey Canal . It appeared that
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MR . GLADSTONE'S DEFENCE OF HIS BUDGET . Mb . Gladstone has taken the somewhat unusual course of writing a defence of his budget , in reply to a private letter of remonstrance , and of giving permission to the person who wrote to him to use his reply if he thought fit . Here are the two letters . Birmingham , April 20 , 1853 . Sir , —I am a clerk whose salary is just above 1001 . a year , and will therefore come under the operation of your measure on the income-tax . Now , your proposition will come to this . I shall have to pay 21 . Is . 8 d . hard cash to the tax-gatherer ; and I shall be glad if you will point out where I shall be relieved—on house rent ? on clothes ? on meat ? on flour ? on coals , which last during the past six months increased 75 per cent . ? on education of children P on medical attendance ? on borough or parochial rates ? Mark , sir , these items , after all , are the great items in housekeeping . It has been said that our class will be more relieved than others by the remission on 238 articles . But these , if I rightly understand , will be only as a drop in the bucket . The repeal of the corn-lawa was a bond fide relief , for which all are most thankful . I hope , sir , you will therefore pause before committing so great an injustice . —I remain , your most obedient servant , Joseph Lloyd Phelps .
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416 THE LEADER , [ Saturda y
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Leader (1850-1860), April 30, 1853, page 416, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1984/page/8/
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