DISRAELI AND AGRICULTURE. -ji 



taxes which were " farmed," as it was called, or " let " 

 to private individuals who exacted from the postmasters 

 the uttermost farthing- ; and owing to the great un- 

 certainty of the law, the. grossest injustice in the shape 

 of fines was perpetrated. I was one of a committee 

 composed of members drawn from all parts of England 

 to meet in London in order to press the Government 

 for the removal or at least amelioration of this im- 

 position. The then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir 

 Charles Wood, afterwards Lord Halifax, received our 

 deputation, and gave us so little encouragement to 

 proceed that we came away in utter disgust, not only 

 at the flippancy and absolute discourtesy to which we 

 were subjected, but also with the crass ignorance he 

 displayed in everything which related to the incidence 

 of the tax. Soon after this disappointment of our 

 hopes, Mr. Disraeli came into office ; the same committee 

 came together again to interview the new Chancellor, 

 and one and all were filled with admiration at the tact, 

 ability, and knowledge he showed on the occasion. We 

 found him in his office in Downing Street ready to 

 receive our deputation. Books and statistics were all 

 prepared, the late Mr. Priestly, chief commissioner of 

 stamps and taxes, stood at his elbow ; with this gentleman 

 Mr. Disraeli constantly consulted, and at each statement 

 referred to the Blue Books before him, occasionally 

 correcting the speakers if any inaccurate statements 

 were put forward. In the end he promised us a full 

 and favourable consideration of our complaints ; unfor- 

 tunately for us, he was out of office in a few months, and 

 we had no opportunity of rectifying our grievances. 



