being acceded to by buyers. In other descrip- | an eighth South Downs; and the remaining tions nothing doing. The supply of Oats coming short to hand this morning, good fresh qualities, both of English and Irish, obtained from 6d. to Is. better prices than this day se'nnight. Beans were in request, and must be noted 1s. higher. Peas continued without alteration. eighth about equal numbers of Kents, Kentish half-breds, and polled Norfolks, with a few pens of old Leicesters and Lincolns, horned Norfolks, Somersets, and Dorsets, horned and polled Scotch and Welsh Sheep, &c. The Lambs seemed to chiefly consist of about equal numbers of West Sussex, South Downs, new Leicesters and Dorsets. Rye. 32s. to 34s. Barley. 21s. to 23s. Limerick ... to 3. Waterford..48s. to 58s. -Cheese, Cheshire....50s. to 72s. Gloucester, Double.. 50s. to 56s. Gouda ...... 40s. to 50s. Hams, Irish.... 44s. to 54s. SMITHFIELD.—April 29. This day's supply of Beasts, Sheep, and Lambs, was moderately good: the supply of Calves and Porkers rather limited. Trade was, with each kind of meat, as dull as, at a similar season of the year, with the weather favourable to slaughtering, was, perhaps, ever witnessed. With Beef and Veal at a depression of full 2d, Mutton full 4d, and Lamb full 6d per stone; with Pork at barely Friday's quotations. LADIES' HABITS AND PELISSES, and CHILDREN'S DRESSES, equally cheap; in the manufacture of which they are not surpassed at the West-end of the Town. The beasts appeared to consist of about equal numbers of short-horns, Scots, and Norfolk home-breds, and Welsh runts, with a few Herefords, chiefly (say 1,800 of them) I recommend Messrs. Swain and Co. from Norfolk; with a few from Lincolnshire, as very good and punctual tradesmen, Leicestershire, our midland and western districts; and about 40 Sussex beasts; 100 whom I have long employed with great Town's-end Cows, a few Irish Beasts, Staf- satisfaction. fords, &c. from various quarters. Full three-fourths of the Sheep were new Leicesters, in about equal proportions of the South Downs and white-faced crosses; about WM. COBBETT. Printed by William Cobbett, Johnson's-court: and published by him, at 11, Bolt-court, Fleet-street. COBBETT'S WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER. VOL. 80.-No €.] LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 11TH, 1833. STAMP DUTIES. TO THE PEOPLE OF OLDHAM. Bolt-court, 8. May, 1833. [Price, Is. 2d. let me congratulate you on one very MY FRIENDS, You have been informed before, that this is a branch of taxation which, in-derstanding this to be the case, asked cluding the cost of collection, not to him, whether it was his intention to mention the enormous expenses attend-make freehold property liable to the ing prosecutions and applications to the legacy and probate duty, in like manner Stamp Office for redress of grievances; as personal property now is. His annot to mention these, you know that swer was: "I do not mean to make freethis is a branch of taxation, amounting hold property liable to the legacy duty: to the enormous sum of eight millions "I mean to make an alteration in the of pounds sterling a year, falling, as scale of the probate-duty." Whereupon you will presently see, on the most I said, that I would bring in a bill for meritorious part of the industrious putting freehold property upon a level classes. In the month of February with personal property with regard to first brought this subject forward, but legacies and probates. This was all was induced to postpone it until after that was said upon the subject by Lord the passing of the Irish Bill. From the Althorp; and, therefore, the statement accounts which I have given you of the which I have seen, in one of the papers mass of matter brought before the at least, about his declaring his intenHouse of Commons, and of the manner tion to make freehold property liable to of proceeding as to that matter, you the probate duty, is certainly not correct: will easily perceive what difficulty one it was a matter that I necessarily paid has to encounter in the bringing for-the strictest attention to; and I cannot ward of any subject whatsoever. After have made a mistake upon the point. being prevented from time to time from I shall now insert the whole of the renewing this subject, I saw no pros-resolution, as it was moved by me; pect of ever being able to do it, except and then I shall have to make some under circumstances, which, according remarks upon what passed upon the to the rules of the House, would pre-occasion. I shall not take up your vent me from having a reply. I am time with a report of my speech. The now about to give you an account of newspapers have done me great justice, what took place on Friday, the 3. of as far as I have been able to look at May, when I brought forward my reso-them; and I am quite sure, that you lutions upon this subject. But, first will be ready to do me a great deal more G 1 than justice. I have numbered the" at one per cent., and going on to ten paragraphs from one to eighteen, in" per cent.; but that, from these duties order that I may, if necessary, the more "all freehold property is wholly exeasily refer to them. "empted, and, therefore, from this tax, 66 1. "RESOLVED. That an impost, which" which is, on an average, about three according to the letter of the law" per cent. on all other property in the imposing it, is made to press with" kingdom left by will, or coming by 66 greater weight, on one man, or on intestate succession, the estates of the 886 one class of men, than on other men, nobility and landed gentry (including 86 or on another class of men, is, pro- "the advowsons and lay-tithes) are "perly speaking, not a tax, but a con- exempted, while the father, the mofiscation, and the law imposing it is," ther, the child, of the fundholder, the if properly defined, a penal law, such" tradesman, the farmer, or other peras were the laws imposing double" son bequeathing personal property, taxes on the Catholics of England," has one per cent. to pay on the amount and on the Quakers of the United" of the legacy or intestate succession, "States of America; and that, when" while a brother who has had a thouone part of the community is com- "sand pounds left him by a brother, pelled to pay a tax, from which" has thirty pounds to pay on this duty, another part of that same community" and while a distant relation of the "is wholly exempted, there is a clear" deceased has, on a legacy of the same * and undeniable confiscation; and 66 amount, to pay one hundred pounds. that, if such confiscation be inflicted 4. "That, in regard to the probates of *without crime committed by, and" wills and letters of administration, if proved upon, the party on whom it" the deceased leave property above the is inflicted, such confiscation is an act" value of twenty pounds, his successors "of tyranny. "have to pay a stamp duty of ten 2. "That, by the acts of Parliament" shillings: that is to say, at the rate of "passed on the 11. of July, 1815, being "two pounds per cent. on the value of chapter 184 of the fifty-fifth of George" the property; but that, if the party "the Third, and by the act passed on dying leave by will any sum from "the 5. of August, 1822, being chapter" thirty thousand to five hundred thou"117 of the 3rd of George the Fourth," sand pounds, the duty is only one imposing certain duties on stamps," pound ten shillings per cent.; and "amounting annually, in the aggregate, "that, in this case again, all freehold "to upwards of seven millions a year, property is exempted. "the utmost care has been taken to 5. "That, in the case of conveyances of exempt the nobility and great landed" all sorts, the duty upon a thing of five proprietors from bearing any but a" pounds, or on anything under twenty very small share of the burden; and "pounds value is ten shillings, and the further to make the tax heavier and " duty upon a thing of two hundred heavier, in proportion to the smallness" thousand pounds value, or any sum of the amount of property on which it" above that, is a thousand pounds; so is levied; so that each tax goes on," that, in the latter case it may be less "pressing heavier and heavier, from" than ten shillings per cent. on the va"the very rich down to the very poor, "lue of the thing conveyed, and in the as will clearly appear by a reference" former case, if of five pounds value, "to the letter of the said acts. "it is two hundred shillings per cent. 46 3. "That by the first of the said acts," on the value of the thing conveyed; various duties on legacies, and on " and thus, in this case, the poor man property coming by intestate suc- pays twenty times as much tax as the cession, are imposed applicable "rich man on precisely the same sort of different degrees of relation-" property, and under the same act of "ship between the legatees and the" Parliament: and that, as the act will successors and the deceased, beginning" show, the weight of the duty goes on 86 to sr 66 "increasing from ten shillings per cent. 9. "That, in the case of pnissory "to two hundred shillings per cent.," notes and bills of ange, not exexactly in the proportion that the va- ceeding two onths after date, if the lue of the property becomes smaller ve forty shillings, or above forty ❝and smaller in amount. shillings and not exceeding five pounds 66 66 6." That in the case of leases of lands," five shillings, the stamp is one shittenements, &o., where the yearly rent" ling; and, in the same proportion, "is five pounds, the stamp-duty is one "the stamp on three thousand pounds "pound, or twenty per cent.; but" ought to be twenty-eight pounds "where the yearly rent is a thousand eleven shillings; but that, it pays pounds, or any sun above that, the only fifteen shillings; and that for "stamp-duty is ten pounds, or one per any higher sum the stamp is no more "cent.; and that tax goes on, from four" than one pound five shillings, instead "hundred a year rental to five pounds" of being, on ten thousand pounds, a year rental, getting heavier and ninety-five pounds four shillings; and "heavier, but increasing in the small" that, therefore, in the former case, "rentals in a most disproportionate "while the poor man pays nearly one 66 manner. "pound per cent; the rich man pays 7." That in the case of mortgages, sixpence per cent.; and, in the latter "bonds, and securities of every descrip- 66 case, while the poor man pays nearly ❝tion, if the amount of the mortgage," one pound per cent., the rich man "for instance, be twenty-five pounds," pays threepence per cent.; and that, "the amount of the stamp is one "therefore, in the first case, the poor "pound, or eighty shillings per cent. ; man pays forty times as much as the "but if the amount of the mortgage be" rich man, and, in the latter case, "twenty thousand pounds, the amount" nearly eighty times as much as the "of the stamp is twenty pounds, or two" rich man: and here, as in all the 46 shillings per cent. ; that, in this case, "former cases, the tax becomes heavier "the poor man pays forty times as "and heavier, as the tax-payer becomes "much tax as the rich man; and that " poorer and poorer; and that, in bills "the stamp is no more if the amount of" of a longer date than two months, the "the mortgage be one hundred thou-"partiality is still greater, and weighs "sand pounds; so that, in a case like" still more heavily on the needy man. "this, the poor man pays two hundred 10." That, in the case of insurance of "times as much tax as the rich man : "6 lives, where the sum insured amounts "and that, in this case also, the tax goes" to less than five hundred pounds, the on increasing in weight as the taxed" person becomes poor. 66 66 46 stamp is one pound; that, if it "amount to five hundred pounds, the 8. "That in the case of annuities, if the stamp is two pounds: that, if it amount annuity be for ten pounds, or under," to five thousand pounds, or upwards, "the amount of the stamp is one" the stamp is five pounds; so that the pound; and that, in due proportion, man who insures ten thousand pounds an annuity of two thousand pounds" pays only one shilling per cent.; while ought to pay a stamp-duty of two" he who insures for less than five hun"hundred pounds; but instead of that, "dred pounds, and suppose that to be "it pays a stamp-duty of only twenty-" three hundred pounds, pays six shil"five pounds; and if the annuity be "lings and eight pence per cent.; and "for ten thousand pounds, or any greater" thus the man of scanty means pays "amount, it still pays a stamp-duty" nearly seven times as much as the "of only twenty-five pounds; so that man of wealth. "here the poor man pays forty or fifty "times as much tax as the rich man : " and that, in this case also, the tax goes 66 11."That, in the case of receipts, if the "sum be two pounds, the stamp is twopence; if the sum be a thousand on getting heavier and heavier as the" pounds, the stamp is ten shillings, "parties become more and more poor." when, in due proportion, it ought to 66 "be Ivan pounds three shillings and" ships, the parents of a poor boy, who "fourpence, thus the poor man give no premium at all with him, pays more than eight mes as much" have two pounds to pay for the inden tax as the rich man; and if the m "tures and the counterpart; that in this go on increasing to a hundred thou- case, however, where nobody but sand, or a million pounds, still the" tradesmen are concerned, the stamp *stamp is only ten shillings; and that "goes on gradually and fairly from for any sum expressed to be in full of" thirty pounds to a thousaud pounds, a all demands, whether it be for two" premium under thirty pounds paying pounds or a million, the stamp is al-" one pound stamp, and a thousand ways ten shillings; so that in this" pounds paying sixty pounds stamp; case it may be fairly said that the" because, in this case, the nobility, poor man pays a thousand times as clergy, and landed gentry, are not 66 "much tax as the rich. "concerned; and here we observe, that 12. "That, in the case of appraise- "while the poor boy's parents are thus *ments not exceeding the value of fifty" taxed, the duties on settlements made pounds in the value of the thing ap-" by the rich, pay only a twenty-fivepraised, the stamp is two-and-six-" shilling stamp on a thousand pounds. pence; that, if the thing appraised 15. "That, according to the aforesaid *exceeds five hundred pounds in value," act, every transfer, assignment, dispothough it amount to a million of " sition, assignation, or re-conveyance money or more, the stamp is but one "of any mortgage or wadset, had a "pound; so that here the tax falls al-" duty imposed upon it, on a certain most wholly on persons in the middle" ad valorem scale; so that the transfer, "rank of life, and the estates of the no- disposition, or assignation, &c., paid "bility and landed gentry are all nearly "the same ad valorem duty as was "exempted: that an estate of the value" imposed on the original mortgage or * of a hundred thousand pounds ought wadset; but that, by the last of the to pay an appraisement stamp of two" aforementioned acts, viz.: chapter 117 *hundred and fifty pounds, instead of" of the 3d of Geo. Fourth, an alterathe one pound which it now pays; "tion was made in this respect; and SO that here the people in the middle" in such wise as to make the duty in rank of life pay, in many cases, two" all cases whatsoever the same sum, "hundred and fifty times as much as 'namely, one pound fifteen shillings; "the rich. so that the stamp on the transfer of 13." That, by the aforesaid act of the "a mortgage of two hundred thousand "55th George the Third, the duty on pounds, or a million of money, has, deeds as expressed by the act, limits" since the year last-mentioned, been its operation to deeds containing no "the same as on the transfer of a mort"6 more than 2,160 words; and the act" gage of no more than two hundred provides that for every 1,080 words" pounds; thus, compelling the tradesbeyond that number there shall be a man, or other small proprietor, to pay *further duty of one pound; and no "just the same amount of duty on the difference is made as to this further" transfer of his small mortgage, as is "duty, be the amount of the thing con- paid by the peer upon the transfer of a veyed what it may; so that, in this "mortgage to the amount of hundreds 66 respect, an estate of the value of a "of thousands of pounds. hundred pounds pays as much duty 16. "That there is a total exemption as the estate of the value of a million" from this stamp-tax for all bonds, "of money; and that, it frequently" contracts, mortgages, conveyances, "happens that the deed conveying the "deeds, and instruments for making "small estate requires a greater number" provision for building, repairing, or "of words than the deed conveying the" purchasing houses, and other build* large estate. ings, for the beneficed clergy on their 14." That with regard to apprentice-" benefices. |