The first step would be to abolish the poor rates entirely, and in lieu
thereof to make a remission of taxes to the poor of double the amount of
the present poor rates--_viz._, four millions annually out of the
surplus taxes. This money could be distributed so as to provide L4
annually per head for the support of children of poor families, and to
provide also for the cost of education of over a million children; to
give annuities of L10 each for the aged poor over sixty, and of L6 each
for the poor over fifty; to give donations of L1 each on occasions of
births in poor families, and marriages of the poor; to make allowances
for funeral expenses of persons travelling for work, and dying at a
distance from their friends; and to furnish employment for the casual
poor of the metropolis, where modes of relief are necessary that are not
required in the country.

Of the sum remaining after these deductions, half a million should be
spent in pensioning disbanded soldiers and in increasing the pay of the
soldiers who shall remain. The burdensome house and window tax,
amounting to over half a million annually, should be taken off. There
yet remains over a million surplus, which might be used for special
purposes, or applied to relief of taxation as circumstances require.

For the commutation tax there should be substituted an estate tax
rising from 3d. in the pound on the first L500 to 20s. in the pound on
the twenty-third L1,000. Every thousand beyond the twenty-third would
thus produce no profit but by dividing the estate, and thereby would be
extirpated the overgrown influence arising from the unnatural law of
primogeniture.

Of all nations in Europe there is none so much interested in the French
revolution as England. Enemies for ages, the opportunity now presents
itself of amicably closing the scene and joining their efforts to reform
the rest of Europe. Such an alliance, together with that of Holland,
could propose with effect a general dismantling of all the navies in
Europe, to a certain proportion to be agreed upon. This will save to
France and England at least two million sterling annually to each, and
their relative force would be in the same proportion as it is now.
Peace, which costs nothing, is attended with infinitely more advantage
than any victory with all its expense.

Never did so great an opportunity offer itself to England, and to all
Europe, as is produced by the two revolutions of America and France.