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 A SHORT 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 TO THI 
 
 PUBLIC; 
 
 CONTAININ8 
 
 SOME THOUGHTS 
 
 H O Vf 
 
 The National Debt may be reduced, 
 
 AND 
 
 All Home Taxes, including Land- 
 Tax, abolifhed. 
 
 BY WILLIAM, LORD NEWHAVEN. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. DE BRETT, oppofite BURLINCTOK- 
 
 HOUSE, PICCADILLY, 1786. 
 
 [ Price One Shilling. ]
 
 StacR "* 
 Antic*
 
 A SHORT 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PUBLIC; 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 SOME THOUGHTS 
 
 HOW 
 
 The National Debt may be reduced, 
 
 AND 
 
 All Home Taxes, including Land- 
 Tax, abolifhed. 
 
 TH E very opprefled flate of this 
 country frgm the enormity of its 
 debt, naturally excites the warmeft atten- 
 tion of every man who has any flake in 
 it, or who is actuated by principles of 
 humanity towards his fellow creatures, 
 B whoft 
 
 1140194
 
 whofe happinefs depends on a reafon- 
 able competency, flowing from a well re- 
 gulated induftry. The many expenfive 
 wars, the fatal lofs of America, have all 
 contributed to load this country with 
 taxes, which the utmofl exertion of in- 
 duftry, or the clofeft ftruggle with penury, 
 cannot long fupport. The world is now 
 one great Chamber of Commerce, of which 
 each nation make a part, feverally ftriving 
 by every poffible means to fupplant each 
 other, and that nation which has the 
 feweft taxes, bids faireft for the victory. 
 In this perfuafion it is that I fubmit the 
 following ichemes to your confideration, 
 which, if adopted, and carried into execu- 
 tion with vigour and perfeverance, can- 
 not fail of reducing in a mort time our 
 national debt, and confequently our taxes, 
 which muft diffufe a relief through every 
 branch of our manufactures, and give 
 
 opulence
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 opulence and happinefs to a now burdened, 
 but patient and fufferlng people. 
 
 I am rtill more confirmed in my fan- 
 giiine expectations, from the following 
 fchemes, by the report of the Commif- 
 fioners of the Public Accounts, who in 
 their i ith Report, pages 34 and 36, have 
 thefe remarkable words : 
 
 " It is expedient that the true ftate of 
 " the national debt mould be difclofed 
 " to the public ; every fubject ought to 
 " know it, for every fubjecl is interefted 
 " in it. This debt is fwelled to a magni- 
 *' tude that requires the united efforts of 
 44 the ableft heads and pureft hearts to 
 *' fuggefl: the proper and effe6:ual means 
 <( of reduction. The nation calls for the 
 " aid of all its members to co-operate 
 " with government, and to combine in 
 B 2 " carrying
 
 " 
 
 it 
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 " carrying into execution fuch meafures 
 " as fhall be adopted for the attainment 
 " of fo indifpenfible an end. This aid 
 " the fubject is bound to give to the fcate 
 " by every other obligation, as well as 
 " by the duty he owes to his country, 
 " and with fuch general aid, the diffi- 
 culties, great as they appear, will, we 
 truft, be found not unfurmountable r 
 Let public benevolence take the lead 
 " of private interefl ; example may pro- 
 " duce much, and muft begin fome- 
 '* where. An extraordinary, an unpre? 
 *' cedented conjuncture in the finances of 
 a country, may require extraordinary 
 and unprecedented efforts. Every man 
 may dedicate a portion of his income, 
 *' or fome (hare of his affluence, accord- 
 " ing to his faculties, to this great na- 
 " tional object. Let the produce of fuch 
 44 a general exertion be wifely directed 
 
 <J and
 
 ( 
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 and faithfully applied, and this debt, 
 enormous as it is, will begin to melt 
 away ; and every man who contributes 
 to fo great a work, will feel the confb- 
 lation reiulting from the difcharge of 
 *' the mod important of his duties, by 
 *' having affifted in relieving public 
 *' diftreis, reftoring public credit, and 
 " averting a national calamity. A plan 
 *' muft be formed for the reduction of this 
 * e debt, and that without delay, in the 
 *' favourable moments of peace. The 
 " evil does not admit of procraflination, 
 " palliatives, or expedients ; it preUe^ 
 " on, and mutt be met with force and 
 " firmnefs." 
 
 SCHEME I. 
 One hundred millions (which is under 
 what others have calculated it at) we will 
 fuppofe to be the annual income of Great 
 Britain, in land, houfcs, andperfonai pro- 
 perty,
 
 pert}', which, valued at the very moderate 
 rate, one with another, of 20 years pur- 
 chafe, will make a principal of 2000 mil- 
 lions, on which I will fuppofe one per cent. 
 to be charged annually till the national 
 debt is paid, will produce 20,000,000 
 
 To be deducted 
 
 The annual intcreft 
 on the funded debt, 
 as ftated by the 
 CommhTioners of 
 the public ac- 
 counts - - - 7,951,930 i 
 
 Ditto on the unfund- 
 ed debt on the ift 
 of October, 1783 612,742 o o 
 
 8,564,672 i o 
 
 Annu:;! chr.rps of 
 management at 
 the Bank and 
 
 South Sea Houfc 134,291 13 i 
 
 8,698,963 14 i 
 
 11,301,036 5 n 
 This
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 This furplus each year, would pay off 
 the national debt in a very mort time, all 
 internal taxes, including land tax, to be 
 abolimed, after the firft payment of one 
 per cent, made at the receipt of his Ma- 
 jefty's Exchequer. By this plan no indi- 
 vidual will pay near fo much on his rental 
 or expenditure, as he now does for taxes 
 of every kind, and be relieved from the 
 perpetual irritation and difquietude of tax- 
 gatherers of every denomination. 
 
 For
 
 For inftance, a perfon with 
 an income of i ooo/. per annum, 
 ifluing out of lands, houfes, 
 funds, or profits in trade, that 
 he fpends, pays annually in 
 taxes, exclufive of land-tax, 
 not lefs than - 220 o o 
 
 Suppofe him to pay in land- 
 tax at the rate of 31. in the 
 pound - 150 o o 
 
 37 
 
 jooo/. fterling per annum, 
 valued at 20 years purchafe, 
 agreeable to the above plan, is 
 2o,ooo/. fterling, at one per 
 cent, is 200 o o 
 
 Saving ifjo o o 
 
 Would fave this fum yearly, and be clear 
 of all home taxes, except the one percent, 
 and that only to continue to be paid till 
 
 the
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 the national debt is reduced or paid off by 
 this annual fu'rplus of upwards of eleven 
 millions. 
 
 SCHEME If. 
 
 Suppofe there is to be found in Great 
 Britain the following number of perfons, 
 one with another, capable of paying the 
 following annual rates, in confideration 
 of which to abolifh a certain part 
 of the mod burthenfome taxes every 
 year, in proportion to the money paid 
 into the Exchequer, fuch as thofe on 
 foap, candles, leather, fait, window 
 lights, land-tax, and houfes, &c. viz. 
 
 Two millions of perlbns at I2/. IQS. 
 Xvouldraife 25 millions per annum. 
 
 One million of perfons, at ^$L would 
 taife 25 millions per annum. 
 
 C Five
 
 Fiv* hundred thoufand perfons, at 
 would raife 25 millions per annum. 
 
 Two hundred and fifty thoufand per- 
 fons, at ioo/. would raife 25 millions 
 per annum. 
 
 One hundred and twenty-five thoufand 
 perfons, at 2OO/. would raife 25 millions 
 per annum. 
 
 So that any of the above numbers, at 
 thefe refpective rates, would pay off 200 
 millions of the national debt in eight 
 years; but to calculate with certainty 
 upon the operation of thefe plans, and 
 to proportion it to each, the property of 
 Great Britain muft be afcertained with 
 as much precifion and accuracy as pofTi- 
 ble, under the following heads : 
 
 The rental of lands. 
 The rental of houfes. 
 
 The
 
 The amount of perfonal property to be 
 Calculated from the rent of the houfes each 
 perfon occupies ; and to come at as com- 
 petent a knowledge of this as can be ob- 
 tained, copies of the commiffioners of the 
 land-tax, and the receivers of the houfe- 
 tax books, by which the fame is col- 
 lected, may be laid before the Houfe 
 of Commons, from the King's Remem* 
 brancer's Office of the Exchequer, into 
 which, by the 30 Geo. II. the commif- 
 fioners of the land-tax are obliged every 
 year to deliver a fchedule or duplicate 
 in parchment, under their hands and 
 feals, containing the whole fum aflefled 
 upon each parim or place refpectively, 
 in England and Wales, and Berwick 
 upon Tweed. 
 
 It will no doubt be faid, but how is the 
 
 army, navy, and the other branches of 
 
 C 2
 
 the civil government to be provided for, 
 if the home taxes are abolifhed. To this 
 I anfwer, that as 1 conclude foreign na- 
 tions will not take off the duty on our 
 Commodities imported into their refpec- 
 tive countries, I propofe flill to continue 
 the duty on goods imported, which I con- 
 ceive will be nearly adequate to defray 
 all expences, civil and military, in time, 
 of peace, as appears by the following 
 flatement :
 
 ( '3 ) 
 
 Army and navy in 
 time of peace 
 
 fuppofe - 4,000,090 o o 
 
 Civil Lift rr 900,000 o o 
 
 4^,909,090 o > 
 
 The grofs receipt of 
 duties on goods 
 imported for the 
 year, ending at 
 Michaelmas, 
 1784, laid before 
 theHoufe ofCom- 
 mons, amounted 
 to -59 22 > l8 9 M " 
 
 From which dedud 
 drawbacks for fo- 
 reign goods im- 
 ported 971,152 50 
 
 Bounties 342,808 5 6 
 
 Certficates of da- 
 rnag over en- 
 triesj &c. 44.817 2 o 
 
 Charges of manage- 
 ment 205,907 17 o 
 
 ._- : 1,567,685 9 6 
 
 = 4>354>54 2 5 
 
 545'495 J 7 7 
 Deficient
 
 ( '4 ) 
 
 Deficient only this fum, which a va- 
 riety of other favings would eafily pro- 
 vide for, without adding frem burthens 
 on the fubjecl:, or it might be charged on 
 the furplus of the-one per cent, or the 
 annual contribution. 
 
 To give fome idea of the value ofhoufes, 
 I mall juft ftate that the rental of houfes 
 in the fingle hundred of OfTulfton, in the 
 county of Middlefex, on which a three- 
 penny rate was laid, to make good the 
 damage done by the riots in 1780, 
 amounted to the enormous fum of 
 1,605,0547. fterling, and this not above 
 tw r o thirds of their value. 
 
 The mode of carrying thefe fchemes 
 into execution, after the papers I have 
 mentioned are produced to parliament, 
 may be by bill, and opening books at the 
 
 Treafurjr
 
 Treafury for all perfons to fubfcribe ac- 
 cording to their feveral rated abilities. 
 No taxes, however, to be taken off, till 
 a permanent and effective fund is actually 
 eilablifhed upon one or other of thefe 
 plans. But it will probably be objected, 
 tkat this mode is new, that it will be at- 
 tended with much trouble to come at the 
 knowledge of peoples property, and that 
 there is not a number of perfons to be 
 found, capable of paying at the rates I have 
 flated, and that the rental is not equal to 
 what I make it. The anfwer to this is 
 plain and obvious, that the fituation of 
 this country is alfo perfectly new, and can- 
 not be faved without infinite trouble, ex- 
 periment and exertion ; now deprived of 
 America, and finking under an unexampled 
 load of debt ; but if there is not numbers 
 and ability to effect either of thefe plans 
 in the extent I propofe, yet they may cer- 
 
 tainlv
 
 ( '6 ) 
 
 tainly be tried and carried as far as they 
 will go, though I am perfuaded from 
 the communication I have had with the 
 public on this fubjeclr, let the experiment 
 be fairly made, there will be found both 
 inclination and ability in the country to 
 accomplim this great national object; 
 efpecially if Government buys in the 
 different flocks at the price of the day^ 
 fome of which, with the utrnofl: pomblc 
 rife they can have, will flill be confider- 
 ably under par. 
 
 The fubjet at this moment expects td 
 be called upon for fome extraordinary 
 exertion, however new, under the pa* 
 ternal care of our moil gracious So- 
 vereign, who is ever anxious for the 
 happinefs, profperity, and welrare of his 
 people. 
 
 Whatever?
 
 ( '7 ) 
 
 Whatever novelty may appear in thefc 
 fchemes, they are, in fome refpecb, not 
 without precedent ; witnefs Demaretz's 
 plan for conducting the finances of 
 France, during a mofl critical period. 
 
 Twelve commiflioners were appointed 
 for the infpection and the receipt of the 
 then exifting taxes, and fuch others as 
 might in future be charged upon the 
 fubje&i They demanded no falary, the 
 King was at the expence of maintaining 
 the public offices at Paris, and elfe 
 where* 
 
 All the money that was raifed, was 
 immediately paid into the King's Trea 1 - 
 fury, the twelve directors accounting 
 directly with the commiflioners of the 
 treafury, without the interference of any 
 iifelefs defcription of men, too often 
 D found
 
 ( I* ) 
 
 found in flourifhing flates, but who muft 
 be abolifhed in the hour of national 
 diftrefs. 
 
 Ten per cent, was laid upon all the 
 eftates in the kingdom, real and perfonaL 
 A deduction took place of ten per cent, 
 upon all peniions and other monies, ifTu- 
 ing out of the Treafury. Confiderable 
 fums were advanced by private indivi- 
 duals ; and ten per cent, was laid on the 
 lands and revenues of the church, which 
 the convocation compounded for. 
 
 The advantages that will refult to 
 this country by fuch a reduction of the 
 national debt, are infinite, befides the 
 fuperiority it will give us over all other 
 nations, who we fhall be able to under- 
 fell at foreign markets, as every neceffary 
 of life and manufactures will then be 
 
 purchafed
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 purchased at their real intrinfic price, 
 without the artificial value now charged 
 upon them, owing to accumulated taxes 
 of every kind. 
 
 The landed property of Great-Britain 
 will be increafcd in value beyond all be- 
 lief; a circumflance which well deferves 
 the moft ferious .confideration of the 
 country gentlemen. As the taking off 
 all home taxes muft occalion a conlider- 
 able reduction of revenue officers, it may 
 be afked what is to be come of them, 
 who have fpent their beft days in the 
 fervice of the public. To this I have 
 to reply, that fmaller boards of excife 
 and cuftoms muiO: ftill exifl for the 
 collection of duties on goods imported; 
 and fuch as do not make part of thefe 
 boards, their falaries to be continued for 
 life, or till vacancies happen at faid 
 D 2 boards.,
 
 boards, to which they fhould fucceed by 
 feniority, and their falaries ceafe. 
 
 Another great advantage of thefa 
 fchemes taking effeft, would be the an- 
 nual faving of the interefr. of foreign moT 
 ney in our funds, the payment of which, 
 at prefent, fwallows up a very conlider- 
 able part of the balance of foreign trade 
 in our favour. Could we confine the 
 borrowing of money within ourfelves, 
 the evil would be lefs, as the intereft 
 would remain at home ; but the borrow- 
 ing of foreigners, carries the intereft out 
 of the country, and has ever been deemed 
 injurious to the public. But it will, per- 
 haps, be urged, that we have the ufe of 
 the money, it is true, if borrowed to 
 carry on trade, which left a confiderable 
 profit, it would be a public benefit, but 
 when borrowed by the State, for the 
 
 defraying
 
 defraying expenfive wars abroad, and ex- 
 ceilive eftablifhments at home, it is a 
 real national evil. 
 
 Whereas, if, on the other hand, by 
 paying off the debt, we are able to lend 
 money abroad, the interefc returned will 
 be an addition to the balance of our 
 trade, arifing from the exports of our- 
 manufactures, by which alone Great- 
 Britain can be fupported. 
 
 It is often faid, with no fmall degree 
 of exultation and triumph, that the home 
 taxes produce annually fo many millions, 
 We muit fee through a very narrow me- 
 dium indeed, and be endowed with a 
 very fmall mare of knowledge and in- 
 formation, not to know, that however 
 the produce of thefe taxes may dazzle 
 the eyes of the Public, and make the 
 
 Exchequer
 
 Exchequer overflow, the commerce of 
 the country is in proportion loaded, by 
 its commodities going fo much dearer to 
 foreign markets ; and if the old taxes are 
 continued, and new ones impofed, every 
 year, it will foon amount to a prohibition 
 of our exports, which, in many in- 
 flances, has now only our ftaple commo- 
 dity left, to infure us a market abroad. 
 
 Thus, from the heft of motives, I ven- 
 ture to lay thefe few imperfect thoughts 
 before a candid Public, in a manner, I 
 truft, fo plain and fimple, that without 
 the labour of much calculation, every 
 man may try them by his own circum- 
 ilances; which, if he does jufHy, and 
 without prejudice, he will plainly fee 
 how much individual and national hap- 
 pinefs muft refult from the adoption of 
 them, by this country being ^delivered 
 
 from
 
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 from Its prefent mod oppreffive debt and 
 taxes, under which, at this moment, our 
 commerce ftaggers, and public ruin ftares 
 the nation in the face. 
 
 N E W H A V E N. 
 
 . 20, 1 
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