1736. we fuppofe that the prefent Amount of the Civil Lift Re- Anno 9. Geo. I venue, is not fufficient for fupporting his Majefty's Houfhold and Family, and that therefore we ought to grant an Addition of 70,000l. a Year to that Revenue. These are the only two Reasons that can be affigned, and if both of them appear to be without any Foundation, we cannot surely agree to this Claufe as it now ftands. To fuppofe that the prefent Amount of the Civil Lift Revenue, will be diminished in a Sum equal to 70,000 1. by the Regulation we are about to make, is contrary to Fact, and contrary to Experience: For fuppofing the Civil Lift's Share in the Duties on Spirituous Liquors, upon a juft Computation, does amount to 70,000l. yearly, yet we may be convinced by Experience, that the Confumption of Beer and Ale will always increase in Proportion as the Confumption of Spirituous Liquors decreases; and as the Civil Lift has a much greater Share of the Duties on Beer and Ale, than it has of the Duties on Spirituous Liquors, it is, in my Opinion, certain, that the Civil Lift will get an Increase of more than 70,000l. a Year by that Increase in the Duties upon Beer and Ale, which will be occafioned by the Regulation propofed by this Bill. To confirm what I have faid, Sir, Let us look into the Accounts that are upon our Table, and from them we shall find, that the Amount of the Duties upon Beer and Ale has conftantly and regularly decreased, as the Amount of the Duties upon Spirituous Liquors has increased for these feveral Years backwards. In the Year ending at Midsummer 1725, the Excife on Beer and Ale produced 1,094,9531. in the fame Year the Duties on home-made Spirits produced but 88,622 1. From that Time to Midfummer 1729, half a Year before the late Gin-Act took place, the Duties on home-made Spirits gradually increased, and accordingly the Excife on Beer and Ale gradually decreased, so that in the Year ending at Midfummer 1729, the former produced 104,373 1. whereas the latter produced but 963,763 1. which was 131,1901. lefs than it produced in the Year ending at Midfummer 1725. In the Year 1729, the late famous A&t against Geneva, and other Compound Spirits, was paffed; and tho' that Act was evaded by the Sale of a new Sort of Spirit call'd Parliament-Brandy, yet, ineffectual as it was, it diminished a little the Confumption of Spirituous Liquors, and confequently the Produce of the Duties on fuch Liquors; fo that in the Year ending at Midfummer 1732, they produced bat 100,025 1. which was 43481. lefs than they produced in 1729. But as to the Excife upon Beer and Ale, what was the Confequence? As foon as that Act paffed, that Ex Bb 2 cife Anno 9. Geo. II. cife began to increase, fo that in the Year ended at Mid1736. fummer 1732, it produced 1,071,240 1. which is 107,477 L more than it produced in 1729. Again, Sir, upon the Repeal of the late Gin-Act, the Confumption of Spirituous Liquors began to increase, and confequently the Produce of the Duties on fuch Liquors, fo that in the Year ended at Midfummer laft they produced 154,094 1. and the Confequence with refpect to the Excife on Beer and Ale we find to be the fame; for in the Year ended at Midfummer laft, it produced but 1,021,370 l. which is 49,870 1. lefs than it produced in 1732. From all which, Sir, I think it is as plain as Figures can make it, that the Confumption of Beer and Ale has hitherto always decreased or increased, as the Confumption of Spirituous Liquors has increased or decreased; and as that has been the Cafe in all Time paft, we muft fuppofe it will be the Cafe in all Time to come. This then being laid down as a Maxim confirmed by Experience, let us confider how greatly, I may almoft fay how entirely, the Confumption, not only of home-made Spirits, but of all Spirits, will be diminished by the Bill now before us, and what an Increase that will make in the Confumption of Beer and Ale; but that I may not be accused of any extravagant Calculations, I fhall fuppofe that the Confumption of Spirituous Liquors may hereafter be but one Third less than it was before; the natural Inference from thence is, that the Confumption of Beer and Ale will be one Third more than it was, and confequently that the Exçife on Beer and Ale will, from the Time this Bill takes place, produce about one Third more yearly, than it produced in the Year ended at Midfummer laft, which is 340,4561. I fhall farther fuppofe, that upon the Confumption of Spirituous Liquors growing lefs by one Third, the Confumption of Beer and Ale fhould increase but one Sixth more than it was before; even by this Suppofition there muft be a yearly Increafe in the Excife on Beer and Ale, of one Sixth more than it produced in the Year ended at Midfummer laft, which is 170,228 1 yearly; and as very near one Half of the Excife on Beer and Ale, ftands appropriated to the Civil Lift, confequently one Half of this Increase in the Excife on Beer and Ale, being 85,1141. yearly, muft accrue to the Civil Lift, which is 15,1141. a Year more than it can be fuppofed to lofe, by taking from it the Share it formerly had in the Duties on Spirituous Liquors. From thefe Calculations, Sir, which are all taken from Accounts lying upon your Table, I think it is evident, even to a Demonftration, that the prefent Amount of the Civil Lift Revenue will not be diminished; but on the contrary, that 1736. that it will be a Gather at least 15,1141. by the Regula- Anno 9. Geo. 11. tion we are now about to make. I know it may be said, that these Calculations are founded upon Facts which are in their Nature uncertain; and that, tho' they have formerly fallen out in the Manner I have reprefented, we cannot be fure of their falling out in the fame Manner hereafter; yet I hope it will be granted, there is a ftrong Probability of their falling out in the fame Manner hereafter, as they have done heretofore: The fame Caufes generally produce the fame Effects; and unless we have really a Mind to grant a new additional Revenue to the Civil Lift, this Probability ought to be a prevailing Argument with us, at least, to agree to the Propofition now made; for tho' it has been infinuated, that the Parliament may hereafter call for an Account, and dispose of the Increase that may arise in the Excife on Beer and Ale, we know, and the Cafe now in hand may convince us, how difficult it is for the Parliament to reaffume any Revenue, or any Part of any Revenue, that has been once granted to, and established as a Part of the Civil-Lift. If it should hereafter appear, that the Civil-Lift has got 100,000l. a Year, or perhaps 200,000l. a Year, which may probably be the Cafe, by the Increase of the Excife on Beer and Ale, occafioned by this Bill, I am very certain, if we agree to this Clause as it now ftands, the Parliament will never be able to lay hold of any Part of that Increase, in order to apply it to the Aggregate Fund, for making good the 70,000l. a Year, to be taken from that Fund by this Claufe; nay, I question much if any future Parliament will be able to reaffume that 70,000l. a Year, or to discharge the Aggregate Fund from the future Payment of it, tho' it fhould then be made appear, that the Excise had actually increased, as plainly as I have now made it appear, that it probably will, This Difficulty, Sir, may be prevented by our agreeing to the Propofition now made to us; and by our fettling the Claufe in the Manner propofed, the Civil Lift may be a Gainer, but it is impoffible it can be a Lofer, even with refpect to the Surplus it may now have above 800,000 1. a Year; which Surplus, we have been told, the Civil Lift has as good a Right to, as it has to any Part of the 800,000l. a Year: But I widely differ from the honourable Gentleman who told us fo [Sir Robert Walpole]; for if the Duties appropriated to the Civil Lift now produce a Million Yearly, and thofe Duties fhould by any Accident produce hereafter but 850,000 1. yearly, the Parliament, according to the prefent Establishment of the Civil Lift, would not be obliged to make good fo much as One Shilling of that Decrease; whereas if they should hereafter produce but 750,000 1. yearly, Anno 9. Geo. II. yearly, or any Sum lefs than 800,000 1. the Parliament ftands 1736. obliged to make good whatever they may produce yearly lefs than that 800,000 l. fo that there is at least this Difference between the 800,000 1. Establishment, and the 200,000 1. Surplus, that the Parliament now ftands obliged to make good the 800,000l. Establishment, but does not now stand obliged to make good One Shilling of the 200,000 1. Surplus; therefore it can by no Means at prefent be faid, that the Civil Lift has as good a Right to the Surplus, as it has to the Establishment: But, Sir, if we agree to the Propofition now made, the Civil Lift will then really have as good a Right to the prefent Surplus, whatever it may be, as it has to the Establishment of 800,000l. yearly; for which Reafon, if this Propofition be not agreed to, I must conclude, that the 70,000 I. appropriated to the Civil Lift by the Claufe as it ftands at prefent, is defigned as a new additional Revenue to the Civil Lift, and not as a Compenfation for the Lofs it may fuftain by the Regulation we are about to make. This, Sir, leads me naturally to the next, and the only other Reason that can be affigned or fuppofed, for our agreeing to the Claufe as it now ftands, which is, because we fuppofe, that the prefent Amount of the Civil Lift Revenue is not fufficient for fupporting his Majefty's Houshold and Family, and that therefore we ought to grant an Addition of 70,000l. a Year to that Revenue, during his Majesty's Life at leaft, but I may say in all Time to come; for I do not find an Inftance, where lefs has been granted to a Succeffor, than had been formerly enjoy'd by his Ancestor. Now, Sir, as to this Reafon, whatever the Gentlemen, who are immediately concerned in the Disposal of the Civil Lift Revenue, may fuppofe, I am very certain his Majesty does not fuppofe any fuch Thing; becaufe, if he had, he would certainly have communicated the fame to his Parliament, either by a Speech from the Throne, or by a folemn Meffage, and would have defired fuch an Addition, as he thought neceffary. There is no other Way by which his Majefty can communicate any fuch Want to his Parliament; and until he does it in this Manner, no Gentleman, as a Member of this Houfe, can fuppofe, nay, as a Trustee for the People he is bound not to fuppofe, that his Majesty stands in need of any Addition to his Civil Lift Revenue, or to any other Revenue. This therefore can be no Reafon for us, as Members of this House, to agree to the Claufe as it flands now before us; and I hope this Houfe will never, without very ftrong and publick Reasons, take fuch a large Sum of Money from that Fund which is appropriated for the Pay ment ment of our Debts, and for freeing the People from that Anno 9. Geo. 11. heavy Load of Taxes they now groan under." To this it was anfwer'd by the Courtiers as follows: Sir, The Question now before us, has been already fo fully debated, and fet in fo clear a Light, that I am furprised to hear any new Difficulties ftarted. The true and the only Reafon for our agreeing to the Claufe as it now ftands is, that by the very preceding Claufe we are to take from the Civil Lift, and appropriate to the Aggregate Fund, a Revenue, which, upon a Medium fince his Majesty's Acceffion, has brought in 70,000l. a Year: This being the true State of the Cafe, is it not evident that the Civil Lift will lofe, at leaft, 70,000l. a Year by the Regulation we are now about to make? And as we are to take that yearly Sum from the Civil Lift, and appropriate it to the Aggregate Fund, is it not moft just and reasonable, that we should charge the Aggregate Fund with the Payment of that Sum yearly to the Civil Lift? 'Tis true, as the Produce of the Duties upon Spirituous Liquors will certainly be very much diminished by this new Regulation, the Aggregate Fund may not perhaps receive fo much yearly by the Share the Civil Lift formerly had in thofe Duties; but this fignifies nothing to the prefent Question, for if we were to take off any of our Taxes now appropriated to the Civil Lift, or to the Payment of the Intereft growing due upon any of our Debts, we fhould be obliged to charge the Aggregate Fund, or fome Part of the Sinking Fund, with the Deficiency thereby occafioned, tho' that Fund fhould get nothing to answer the new Charge laid upon it. But we are told, Sir, That if the Civil Lift be a Lofer by taking from it its Share in the Duties on Spirituous Liquors, that Lofs will be fully made good by the Increase in the Excife on Beer and Ale, which will naturally be occafioned by the new Regulation we are now about to make. Sir, whatever Increase may happen hereafter in the Excife on Beer and Ale, the Civil Lift has a Right to its Share of that Increase without any new Grant from us, nor can we take that Right from it without doing a manifeft Injustice; fo that it appears to me a little extraordinary to fay, that the Lofs of that Right the Civil Lift now has to a Share of the Duties on Spirituous Liquors, will be compenfed, or made good, by another Right it was before intitled to, and which we neither could give nor take from it. 'But, Sir, to wave this Argument for the prefent, and to fappose that a Right which we do not give, may be a Compenfation for a Right which we actually take away, I cannot think it would be juft in us to take from the Civil Lift a certain 1736. Argument in Fa vour of the above |