And the House was adjourned during | now stand in need of, further regulations pleasure, and put into a committee there- and provisions, relating to its civil governupon. After some time, the House was ment and religious establishment." resumed. Moved, "To adjourn." Agreed to. Resolution of the Lords relating to the State of Quebec.*] June 2. The order of the day being read, for taking into consideration the Papers laid before the House on Wednesday last, relating to the state of Quebec : Moved, "That the House be put into a Committee." Accordingly, the House was adjourned during pleasure, and put into a committee thereupon. After some time, the House was resumed. And the lord Botetourt reported from the committee, That they had come to the following Resolution: And the same, being read by the clerk, was agreed to by the House. war. Debate in the Commons on reducing the Lond Tax.] When the Land Tax was proposed in the Committee of Ways and Means by Mr. Charles Townshend, it was for 4s. in the pound. He contended, that in order to take off some of that weight which pressed the public funds, and to give room for the most brilliant operation of finance, which this country ever saw, it was necessary that 4s. should be paid for one year longer, to give us dignity abroad, stability at home, and to enable us to enter with advantage into any future The country gentlemen were surprised, that he should imagine even his eloquence capable of persuading them, that a debt of about five millions could be cancelled, public credit restored, our fleets and armies equipped and victualled, by the addition of 500,000l. for one year, which is the produce of one shilling in the pound Land Tax. But in taking this ground, he did not so much consult the propriety of his present argument as his general reputation, and was wisely unwil ling to stand forth the avowed patron of a perpetual burthen. The new and less considerable supporters of administration had less hesitation and prudence; they endea voured to support the opinion, by avowFrom the HARDWICKE PAPERS.-June 2, ing principles which concluded for a per1767. Duke of Richmond moves the Resolu-petual Land Tax at 4s. at least. It is true tions and Address upon the Affairs of Canada. "That it appears to this committee, that the province of Quebec, for a considerable time past, has wanted, and does Lord Egmont. Contents for the main Question Not Contents 62 65 Then the House being resumed, lord Botetourt moved a question of Approbation of the privy council's manner of rejecting this Bill; which being objected to by lord Weymouth and other lords, the duke of Grafton desired it might be withdrawn, which was accordingly agreed to by the mover. by this, that they abandoned and betrayed the first speaker, and alienated the minds of many indifferent men by the roundness of their declarations; and actually lost the end they proposed. They contended that the Land Tax, instead of being considered as an annual supply for the service of the current year, ought to be a perpetual fund for the payment of the national debt, and that till this was reduced to about 70 millions, the Land Tax could not, with propriety, be lessened. All these sentiments were answered in the course of the Debate: to those whose arguments concluded for the perpetuity of a four-shilling Land Tax, it was replied, that this tax was first proposed for other purposes, and submitted to in other confidence; a confidence which, for near fourscore years, had never been abused; that to continue the imposition at its present height during the time of peace, in order to discharge the public debt, was the most direct breach of this faith, and, in fact, a new and unprecedented tax imposed for new purposes; and that this new imposition of a tax so unequally laid, doubled the injustice, by oppressing a set of men, whose patient acquiescence in the time of necessity, merited the earliest relief from the state. In answer to those who rested the success of the measures of the year, and the reduction of the public debt, upon continuing the larger sum this year, it was replied, that it was an imposition on the public understanding, to attempt to persuade men that the safety of this kingdom depended on an addition of 500,000l. to a supply already much too large for the peace establishment of this country, and more than adequate to the real necessities of the state, though nothing can be adequate to the profusion of its ministers: that this additional burden was the more unnecessary, as the unfunded debt which had so long lain heavy upon the stocks was now unprovided for; but, that admitting the necessity of it, it would be more just and equally feasible to borrow the sum of 500,000l. And Mr. Grenville, who spoke with much weight on the subject, undertook to point out more than one method by which the interest of that sum, amounting only at three and a half per cent. to 17,500l. might be raised, without laying any sensible burden upon the subject. He therefore moved in the committee an amendment, that instead of four shillings, there should be substituted three shillings. And Mr. Dowdeswell seconded the motion. When the House divided, the numbers were, For 4s. 188, For 3s. 206.* * "It was then, to the great surprise and disappointment of the ministers, that a resolution passed the House, supported by a considerable majority, which reduced the land tax for the present year to three shillings in the pound. This was said to have been the first Money Bill in which any minister had been disappointed since the Revolution; and it was now looked upon as a fatal symptom of weaktaken, though appearances seemed strongly to In this the public was, however, miscountenance the opinion." Annual Register. ness. SUPPLIES granted for the Year 1767.] The following are the Resolutions of the Committee of Supply during this Session: NOVEMBER 27, 1766. That 16,000 men be employed for the sea service for 1767, including 4,287 marines. That a sum not exceeding 41. per man per month be allowed for maintaining them, including ordnance for sea-service JANUARY 26, 1767. That a number of land forces, including 2,461 invalids, amounting to 16,754 effective men, commission and non-commission officers included, be employed for 1767. .... For defraying the charge of the said number of land forces for 1767 For defraying the charge of the difference of pay between the British and ..... Upon account of the reduced officers of the land forces and marines, for 1767. For defraying the charge for allowances to the several officers and private gentlemen of the two troops of horse guards, and regiment of horse reduced, and to the superannuated gentlemen of the four troops of borse guards, for 1767 .... For defraying the charge of full pay for 165 days, for 1767, to officers reduced, with the 10th company of several battalions, reduced from ten to nine companies, and who remained on half pay at the 24th Dec. 1765.. For the charge of the office of ordnance for land service, for 1767 51,190 6 6 For defraying the expence of services performed by the office of ordnance, for land service, and not provided for by parliament, in 1766 JANUARY 29. .......... For the ordinary of the navy, including half pay to sea and marine officers, Towards the buildings, rebuildings, and repairs of ships of war, in his Ma- FEBRUARY 12. For paying off and discharging the exchequer bills made out by virtue of .... 1,384,362 1 8 409,177 4 3 298,144 0 0 30,000 0 0 328,144 0 0 1,800,000 00 12,951 2 2 1,812,951 2 2 FEBRUARY 19. Towards defraying the extraordinary expences of his Majesty's land forces, and other services incurred to the 3rd Feb. 1767, and not provided for by parliament 315,917 16 5 Upon account, towards defraying the charge of out pensioners of Chelsea hospital, for 1767 .. 106,083 2 6 422,000 18 11 MARCH 5. That provision be made for the pay and clothing of the militia, and for their subsistence during the time they shall be abent from home on account of the annual exercise, for 1767. MARCH 19. Upon account, for maintaining and supporting the civil establishment of .... Upon account of sundry expences for the service of Nova Scotia, for 1766, Upon account, for defraying the charges of the civil establishment of East Upon account, for defraying the charges of the civil establishment of West Florida, and other incidental expences attending the same, from June 24, 1766, to June 24, 1767 4,866 3 5 691 8 0 3,986 0 0 4,750 0 0 4,800 0 0 Upon account, for defraying the expence attending general surveys of his 1,601 14 0 5,550 0 0 26,245 5 5 For the marriage portion of the Queen of Denmark... Towards carrying on an additional building for a more commodious passage MARCH 24. MARCH 31. 40,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 13,000 0 0 15,000 0 O APRIL 9. To replace to the Sinking Fund the like sum issued thereout, to discharge for the year ended the 29th Sept. 1766, the annuities after the rate of 4l. per cent. attending such part of the joint stock, established by an act of the third of his present Majesty, in respect of certain navy, victualling, and transport bills, and ordnance debentures, as remained unredeemed on the said 29th of September To replace to ditto, the like sum issued thereout, for paying the charges of management of the annuities attending the said joint stock, for one year, ended the 29th Sept. 1766 .... To replace to ditto, the like sum issued thereout, to discharge from the 29th Sept. 1766, to the 25th Dec. following, the annuities attending such part of the said joint stock, as was redeemed in pursuance of an act made in the last session of parliament To replace to ditto, the like sum paid out of the same, to make good the deficiency on the 5th July, 1766, of the several rates and duties upon offices and pensions, and upon houses, and upon windows or lights, which were made a fund, by an act of the 31st of his late Majesty, for paying annuities in respect of 5,000,000l. borrowed towards the supply granted for the service of 1758 ... .... To replace to ditto, the like sum paid out of the same, to make good the deficiency, on the 10th Oct. 1766, of the several additional duties on wines imported, and certain duties on cyder and perry, which were made a fund for paying annuities in respect of 3,500,000l. borrowed towards the supply granted for the service of 1763 To make compensation to Dr. Peter Swinton, for the damage done to his estate in the city of Chester at the time of the late Rebellion, by order of the officer commanding the garrison of the said city.. APRIL 13. That the remainder of the capital stock of annuities, after the rate of 47. per To enable his Majesty to redeem and pay off the said remainder.. To enable his Majesty to redeem, and pay off the said one-fourth part To make good the deficiency of the grants for the service of 1766 MAY 5. Upon account, for enabling the Foundling Hospital to maintain and educate MAY 19. That the half pay of the lieutenants of his Majesty's navy is unequal to the rank their commissions bear, and the time they have been in his Majesty's service. JUNE 15. Upon account, towards satisfying the expences incurred by the committee of the company of merchants trading to Africa, on account of the establishment of Senegal, and its dependencies, after the 29th Oct. 1765 29,500 0 0 .... 3,500 0 0 For further enabling his Majesty to defray the contingent expences of the forces serving in North America Total of the Supplies granted this Session. WAYS AND MEANS for the Year 1767.] The following are the Resolutions of the Committee of Ways and Means during this Session: Nov. 27, 1766. That the usual temporary malt tax be continued from the 23d of June, 1767, to the 24th of June, 1768, 700,000l. March 2, 1767. That 3s. in the pound, and no more, be raised within the space of one year, from the 25th of March, 1767, upon lands, tenements, hereditaments, pensions, offices and personal estates, in that part of Great Britain called England, Wales, and the town of Berwick upon Tweed and that a proportionable cess, according to the 9th article of the Treaty of Union, be laid upon that part of Great Britain called Scotland. 1,528,568. 11s. 112d. : March 9. 1. That the charge of the pay and clothing of the militia, in that part of Great Britain called England, for one year, beginning the 25th March, 1767, be defrayed out of the monies arising by the land-tax granted for the service of 1767. | 2,000 0 0 5,500 0 0 8,527,728 0 61 by a lottery to consist of 60,000 tickets, the whole of such sum to be divided into prizes, which are to be attended with the like 37. per cent. annuities, to commence from the 5th of Jan., 1768; and that all the said annuities be transferrable at the bank of England, paid half yearly on the 5th July, and 5th of Jan., in every year, out of the sinking fund, and added to, and made part of, the joint stock of 3l. per cent. annuitics, which were consolidated at the bank of England by certain acts made in the 25th and 28th years of the reign of his late Majesty, and several subsequent acts, and subject to redemption by parliament, that every contributor towards the said sum of 900,000l. shall, in respect of every 60/. agreed by him to be contributed for raising such sum, be entitled to receive four tickets in the said lottery, upon payment of 101. for each ticket; and that every contributor shall, on or before the 29th of April next, make a deposit with the cashiers of the bank of England, of 20l. per cent. in part of the monies so to be contributed towards the said sum of 900,000l. and also a deposit of 51. per cent. in part of the monies so to be contributed in respect of the said lottery, as a security for making the respective future payments to the said cashiers, on or before the times herein-after limited; that is to say, on the 900,000l. 10l. per cent. on or before the 27th March next; 10. per cent. on or before the 26th June next; 15l. per cent. on or before the 27th August next; 15l. per cent, on or before the 25th Sept. next; 157. per cent. on or before the 30th October next; 15l. per cent. on or before the 17th Nov. next. On the lot. betery for 600,000l. 251. per cent. on or before the 16th of June next; 30l. per cent. on or before the 28th July next; 40l. per cent. on or before the 11th Sept. next. And that all the monies so received by the said cashiers, be paid into the receipt of his Majesty's exchequer, to be applied from time to time, to such services as shall then have been voted by this House in this session of parliament; and that every contributor, who shall pay in the whole of his contribution towards the said sum of 900,000l. at any time on or before the [2 B] 2. That 1,800,000l. be raised by loans or exchequer bills, if not discharged with interest thereupon, on or before the 5th of April, 1768, to be exchanged and received in payment, in such manner as exchequer bills have usually been exchanged and received in payment. April 2. 1. That an additional duty of 6s. be laid upon every dozen of bast, or straw, chip, cane and horse-hair hats and bonnets, which from and after the 2d of April, 1767, shall be entered inward at any port, or place, in this kingdom. 2. That an additional duty of 6s. laid upon every pound weight avoirdupoize of platting, or other manufacture of bast, or straw, chip, cane, or horse-hair, to be used in, or proper for, making of hats or bonnets, which from and after the said 2nd of April, shall be entered inwards at any port or place in this kingdom. April 16. 1. That 1,500,000l. be raised in manner following, that is to say, the sum of 900,000l. by annuities, after the rate of 31. per cent. to commence from the 5th of Jan. last; and the sum of 600,000l. [VOL. XVI.] |