l of a tax, inquisitorial in its character, unequal in its
pressure, and which has hitherto been considered as the financial
reserve of the nation in time of war, is not called for by public
necessity, and is therefore not advisable." The second resolution
was then put and agreed to; as was also the third, equalizing certain
stamp-duties in Ireland with those of England; and the report was
ordered to be brought up. Lord John Russell's amendment came on for
discussion on the 8th of April, when his lordship, in a speech of great
length, charged the government with taking too gloomy a view of
affairs, comparing the present aspect of the finances with that when an
income-tax was formerly proposed. If new taxes must be resorted to, his
lordship recommended a tax on the succession to real property, or the
revival of some of the repealed assessed taxes. Mr. Goulburn defended
the ministerial policy; and Sir Robert Peel vindicated himself from the
charge of over-rating difficulties, and contrasted the state of finances
which the Melbourne government found on entering office in 1835, with
that which they left on their departure, in the British and Indian
empire. The debate on Lord John Russell's amendment lasted four nights,
most of the principal speakers on both sides taking part in it. On the
fourth night the house divided; when it was lost by a majority of three
hundred and eight against two hundred and two. The report was then
brought up and read, and leave given to bring in a bill founded on Sir
Robert Peel's resolutions. On the motion for the first reading of the
bill, on the 18th of April, Lord John Russell moved that it be read a
first time that day six months. A debate of considerable length ensued,
in which arguments urged for or against the measure were repeated;
after which the amendment was rejected by a majority of two hundred and
eighty-five to one hundred and eighty-eight. The bill was then read a
second time, and a few days afterwards the house went into committee.
In committee the first question discussed was the period when the tax
should commence; and the time finally decided was the 5th of April,
1842. The original proposition respecting schedule A was then affirmed,
as was also schedule B. On schedule C Mr. Ricardo moved an amendment
to exempt terminable annuities, and to subject them to special scales
according to their market value; but, on a division, the motion was
rejected by a large majority. In consider