The Financial Statements of 1853, 1860-1863: To which are Added, a Speech on Tax-bills, 1861, and on Charities, 1863

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J. Murray, 1863 - Finance - 462 pages

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Page 314 - Taxes on everything on earth, and the waters under the earth ; on everything that comes from abroad, or is grown at home. Taxes on the raw material ; taxes on every fresh value that is added to it by the industry of man. Taxes on the sauce which pampers man's appetite, and the drug that restores him to health ; on the ermine which decorates the judge, and the rope which hangs the criminal ; on the poor man's salt, and the rich man's spice; on the brass nails of the coffin, and the ribands of the...
Page 100 - ... position ; that we have not concealed those difficulties either from ourselves or from others ; that we have not attempted to counteract them by narrow or flimsy expedients ; that we have...
Page 47 - ... be decisive. You must not palter with it. If you do, I have striven at least to point out as well as my feeble powers will permit, the almost desecration I would say, certainly the gross breach of duty to your country, of which you will be guilty, in thus putting to hazard one of the most potent and effective among all its material resources.
Page 314 - We can inform Jonathan what are the inevitable consequences of being too fond of glory ; — taxes upon every article which enters into the mouth, or covers the back, or is placed under the foot — taxes upon everything which it is pleasant to see, hear, feel, smell, or taste— taxes upon warmth, light, and locomotion — taxes on everything on earth, and the waters under the earth...
Page 9 - I am afraid it will be my duty to trouble the Committee at some length ; but before I venture on a detailed and continuous exposition of the views of the Government with respect to prospective finance, there are two incidental questions to which I shall briefly advert, on account chiefly of the position they occupied in the financial statement of my predecessor in the office I now have the honour to fill. The first of these has reference to a particular class. Now, as regards the shipping interest,...
Page 19 - Sir, that if we rightly use the income tax, when we part with it, we may look back upon it with some satisfaction, and may console ourselves for the annoyances it may have entailed by the recollection, that it has been the means of achieving a great good immediately to England, and ultimately to mankind.
Page 242 - I cannot conceive any reason why there should be unfriendly rivalry between the admirers of these two damsels ; and I frankly own, whether it be due to a lax sense of moral obligation or not, that as Chancellor of the Exchequer, if not as a member of this House, I have always thought it not only allowable, but even an act of duty, to pay my addresses to them both.
Page 50 - ... And pray understand me. Do not let me through my neglect be misapprehended, or fail to state clearly the position of the Government. What we understand to be the sentiment of the country, and what we ourselves, as a matter of feeling, are disposed to defer to, and to share in, is, that the income tax bears upon the whole too hard upon intelligence and skill, and not hard enough upon property as compared with intelligence and skill.
Page 127 - ... your Customs and Excise revenue grew faster than when you remitted nothing, or next to nothing at all. I ask, is not this a conclusive proof that it is the relaxation and reform of your commercial system which has given to the country the disposition to pay taxes along with the power also which...
Page 258 - The spirit of the people is excellent. There never was a nation in the whole history of the world more willing to bear the heavy burdens under which it lies — more generously disposed to overlook the errors of those who have the direction of its affairs. For my own part, I hold that, if this country can steadily and constantly remain as wise in the use of her treasure as she is...

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