登陆注册
5188500000079

第79章 Part the Second (37)

Second Enumeration 9.Abolition of the tax on houses and windows.

10.Allowance of three shillings per week for life to fifteen thousand disbanded soldiers, and a proportionate allowance to the officers of the disbanded corps.

11.Increase of pay to the remaining soldiers of L19,500 annually.

12.The same allowance to the disbanded navy, and the same increase of pay, as to the army.

13.Abolition of the commutation tax.

14.Plan of a progressive tax, operating to extirpate the unjust and unnatural law of primogeniture, and the vicious influence of the aristocratical system.*[39]

There yet remains, as already stated, one million of surplus taxes.

Some part of this will be required for circumstances that do not immediately present themselves, and such part as shall not be wanted, will admit of a further reduction of taxes equal to that amount.

Among the claims that justice requires to be made, the condition of the inferior revenue-officers will merit attention.It is a reproach to any government to waste such an immensity of revenue in sinecures and nominal and unnecessary places and officers, and not allow even a decent livelihood to those on whom the labour falls.The salary of the inferior officers of the revenue has stood at the petty pittance of less than fifty pounds a year for upwards of one hundred years.It ought to be seventy.About one hundred and twenty thousand pounds applied to this purpose, will put all those salaries in a decent condition.

This was proposed to be done almost twenty years ago, but the treasury-board then in being, startled at it, as it might lead to similar expectations from the army and navy; and the event was, that the King, or somebody for him, applied to parliament to have his own salary raised an hundred thousand pounds a year, which being done, every thing else was laid aside.

With respect to another class of men, the inferior clergy, I forbear to enlarge on their condition; but all partialities and prejudices for, or against, different modes and forms of religion aside, common justice will determine, whether there ought to be an income of twenty or thirty pounds a year to one man, and of ten thousand to another.I speak on this subject with the more freedom, because I am known not to be a Presbyterian; and therefore the cant cry of court sycophants, about church and meeting, kept up to amuse and bewilder the nation, cannot be raised against me.

Ye simple men on both sides the question, do you not see through this courtly craft? If ye can be kept disputing and wrangling about church and meeting, ye just answer the purpose of every courtier, who lives the while on the spoils of the taxes, and laughs at your credulity.Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.

All the before-mentioned calculations suppose only sixteen millions and an half of taxes paid into the exchequer, after the expense of collection and drawbacks at the custom-house and excise-office are deducted; whereas the sum paid into the exchequer is very nearly, if not quite, seventeen millions.The taxes raised in Scotland and Ireland are expended in those countries, and therefore their savings will come out of their own taxes;but if any part be paid into the English exchequer, it might be remitted.This will not make one hundred thousand pounds a year difference.

There now remains only the national debt to be considered.In the year 1789, the interest, exclusive of the tontine, was L9,150,138.How much the capital has been reduced since that time the minister best knows.But after paying the interest, abolishing the tax on houses and windows, the commutation tax, and the poor-rates; and making all the provisions for the poor, for the education of children, the support of the aged, the disbanded part of the army and navy, and increasing the pay of the remainder, there will be a surplus of one million.

The present scheme of paying off the national debt appears to me, speaking as an indifferent person, to be an ill-concerted, if not a fallacious job.The burthen of the national debt consists not in its being so many millions, or so many hundred millions, but in the quantity of taxes collected every year to pay the interest.

If this quantity continues the same, the burthen of the national debt is the same to all intents and purposes, be the capital more or less.The only knowledge which the public can have of the reduction of the debt, must be through the reduction of taxes for paying the interest.The debt, therefore, is not reduced one farthing to the public by all the millions that have been paid; and it would require more money now to purchase up the capital, than when the scheme began.

Digressing for a moment at this point, to which I shall return again, I look back to the appointment of Mr.Pitt, as minister.

I was then in America.The war was over; and though resentment had ceased, memory was still alive.

When the news of the coalition arrived, though it was a matter of no concern to I felt it as a man.It had something in it which shocked, by publicly sporting with decency, if not with principle.

It was impudence in Lord North; it was a want of firmness in Mr.Fox.

Mr.Pitt was, at that time, what may be called a maiden character in politics.So far from being hackneyed, he appeared not to be initiated into the first mysteries of court intrigue.Everything was in his favour.Resentment against the coalition served as friendship to him, and his ignorance of vice was credited for virtue.

With the return of peace, commerce and prosperity would rise of itself; yet even this increase was thrown to his account.

同类推荐
  • 悦容编

    悦容编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上巳寄孟中丞

    上巳寄孟中丞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 台湾教育碑记

    台湾教育碑记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 落帆后赋得二绝

    落帆后赋得二绝

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 词苑萃编

    词苑萃编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 一个小公司老板的日常管理

    一个小公司老板的日常管理

    一个企业从创立那天开始,在领导的带领下,在团队的帮助下,通过扎实肯干打下一片属于自己的江山。然而,打江山容易,守江山难,若想让江山不断扩张,不断流传下去,就要看企业领导者的管理水平。只有把企业管理好了,企业才会拥有光明的前景。每个小老板都希望带领一支团队,为实现自己的个人追求和人生价值而奋斗,打造一份属于自己的光辉事业。
  • 校园大侠

    校园大侠

    “我爸爸说,这次考试,要是我考了100分,放暑假就带我到北戴河玩。”“我妈妈答应我,如果我考了100分,就奖给我100块钱。”“我舅舅说,如果我这次考了100分,就送我一辆山地车。”“我要考了100分,我爷爷会带我去吃麦当劳。”“我只要考90分以上,我爸爸就会带我到哈哈游乐城玩。”
  • 灵号后勤组

    灵号后勤组

    「招聘启事」工作所属部门:灵号后勤组。(国家公安部编制)工作时间:每日晚上十点至隔日六点。工作地点:机密。工作要求:运用专业知识分析、解决科学无法解释的超自然现象。(不会者可免费培训)薪酬待遇:入职同一级警司待遇,五险一金齐全。每日八小时工作制度,超出时间以加班费计算。双休,法定节假日休息,若遇紧急情况,按照三薪计算。面试须知:当你符合我们的条件,我们将于短信的形式通知你。(谢绝应聘)灵号后勤组期待你的加盟,我们的口号——灵号,火力全开。
  • 悠悠长生路

    悠悠长生路

    手执天地造化之笔,夺世间万物之气运!执笔超凡,落笔成仙!
  • 请用科学的方法心动

    请用科学的方法心动

    新闻联播说,今晚将迎来一场流星雨。但作为明天就要期末考的人,木九没能体会这美妙一刻,只能苦兮兮地复习。只是突如其来地停电,却让她的生活发生了翻天覆地的变化。比起来到这个充满魔法、其实生活水平相当于原始社会的世界,她更愿意回去考试啊!
  • 晋升力:老鸟不会告诉菜鸟的提振秘密

    晋升力:老鸟不会告诉菜鸟的提振秘密

    本书由美国最富盛名的成功励志导师奥里森·马登所著,从对职场的规律和细节的解读入手,向读者传授作者多年积累的经验,告诉读者在职场如何利用个性,复制强大内在力,彻底告别职场低迷。本书的特别之处在于其重点是启发读者发掘自己身上的闪光点,教会读者发掘符合自己价值观的力量,而不是被大众的价值观洗脑。
  • 绝妙好词

    绝妙好词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 王的朝鲜美人

    王的朝鲜美人

    “真淑,你到底是爱钱还是爱本王?”“王爷,我爱钱,也爱王爷!”大清最有权势的无冕之皇多尔衮,妻妾成群。他最爱的女人,是他从朝鲜掳来的美人李真淑。李真淑跟多尔衮在对抗中,赚得盆满钵满,富可敌国。.第二部是穿越剧,喜欢穿越剧的,真接看第二部。《学霸萌萌哒:BOSS坏坏哒》也希望读者喜欢。
  • 知遇不成恩

    知遇不成恩

    一介平民董知遇在爱情里输的倾家荡产,口服心不服。结果三年后,相遇时,背景大图上滚着他们将喜结连理的新闻。她笑如桃花,谁还没有个青梅竹马?他有未婚妻,她有青梅竹马。要是两人破镜重圆,两对变一对,董知遇思来想去觉得不划算。没曾想,那人死皮赖脸,双手赞成。
  • 太上洞玄济众经

    太上洞玄济众经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。