HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
’ 
they were driven, “of i increasing the 
assessed taxes, after having failed in 
two different plans of taxation, leit 
an unfavourable impression in the 
country, of their financial talents 
and resources. The increase of the 
assessed taxes led, however, to a 
measure, that met with general ap- 
probation. In consideration of the 
‘severe pressure of the taxes on per- 
sons who had large families, a bill 
was passed, grantipg to parents an 
sallowance out of their assessed 
taxes for every child they had above 
two, provided the total amount of 
their assessment was under forty 
pounds a year. 
The Irish budget was opened by 
Sir John Newport, the Irish chan- 
cellor of the exchequer, on the 7th 
of May. It appeared that the 
supply voted for Ireland was 
$,975,1941.; and the ways and 
means provided by the chancellor 
of the exchequer were estimated at 
9,181,455]. ‘The Joan, which was 
for two millions, had been raised at 
seven shillings per cent less than the 
Joan for England, and this was re- 
garded as a favourable symptom of 
the growing prosperity of Ireland, 
and of the confidence reposed in its 
government. Several new . taxes 
and regulations concerning the re- 
venue, were proposed, which it was 
calculated would produce 307,6551. 
ayear. The exports of Ireland, it 
was stated, had been greater in 
1805, than in any year since 1792: 
_ and the course of exchange had been 
‘Tower, and more fixed for the last 
four months, than it had been for 
several years. 
» In the course of the discussions 
that arose on this subject, it appear- 
ed, that great mismanagement and 
abuse prevailed in the collection and 
adwministration of the Irish revenue. 
75 
Sir John Newport stated, that the 
balances of deceased and dismissed 
collectors amounted to 220,000; 
and Mr. Parnell shewed, that not. 
withstanding the undoubted encrease 
of opulence in Ireland, and though 
the taxes imposed since 1802 
had been estimated to produce 
1,800,000, the actual increase of 
reyenue was only 70,000, It ap- 
peared, indeed, that the disparity 
between the revenue and expendi- 
ture of that ‘country, was truly 
alarming. The expenditure was at 
the rate of more than eight millions 
and a halfa year, while the revenue 
was less than three millions and a 
half, and the whole of it, a few 
thousands only excepted, mort- 
gaged for the payment of the inter- 
est on the debt. 
The late chancellor of the Irish 
exchequer, Mr. Foster, strongly 
recommended to Sir John Newport 
to raise a great part of the supplies 
within the year, by means of war 
taxes; a proposal which the right 
honourable baronet answered, by 
shewing how inefficacious the right 
honourable gentleman’s own mea- 
sures had proved, when directed to 
that objegt. His additional taxes 
on wine and tobacco, for example, 
instead of increasing, had actually 
diminished the existing revenue ; 
and though he had imposed taxes, 
the produce of which he estimated 
at 1,200,000l. a year, the whole 
addition they had made to the reve- 
nue, did not exceed 70,000 a year, 
Sir John Newport was ready, how- 
ever, todo Mr. Foster justice. That 
right honourable gentleman had 
projected regulations, which would 
very much have improved the reve- 
nue. These regulations, it was his 
intention to adopt, and to superadd 
several measures of his own; and 
he 
