had ventured to make it perpetual ; that the country
was prosper- ous ; that it was no part of his business to fill up the deficit the abolition of the tax would create ; that he did not know whether it would or would not be possible to repeal the tax next year ; and that if the trading classes were to pay two millions, it ought to be in some less objectionable way. The speech was a very poor one, and nobody else said anything worth the trouble of re- peating except Sir J. Bennett. He did say that the tax was mainly spent on " regiments of cocked-hats and feathers which did not necessarily cover either brains or courage," from which we gather that the excellent watchmaker would disband the Army partly to get rid of Schedule D, and partly for fear lest it should run away. Resolutions, condemning the tax as inquisi- torial and demoralising and a " breach of faith," were passed unanimously. Everybody, by the way, seems to assume that there has been this breach of faith, but it is all moonshine. Peel promised the nation to take off the tax, and the nation through Parliament every year releases his successor from the promise. There is no more breach of faith than when a creditor forgives a debt.
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