Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/414

i 40O History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1850- and in effect, rather to point out methods than to adopt them ; and so, whilst many of the Radicals gave it a nominal support, it evoked no warmth of approval, and got no further than the first reading. The most important domestic event of the session was the budget, interesting alike from the actual proposals it con- tained, from the policy on which it was founded, and from the ability by which it was explained and supported by the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer. Mr. Gladstone on this occasion stepped at once into the place which had been occupied by Sir Robert Peel in the confidence of commercial men, and of all who wished to see a financial policy which should extend freedom and aim at substantial economy. The introduction of the plan had been preceded by an attempt of the Radicals to obtain a repeal of the taxes on knowledge. On the I4th of April Milner Gibson moved three resolutions for the remission respectively of the duties on advertisements, newspaper stamps, and paper. The first, which related to the advertise- ment duty, was carried by 200 to 169 ; the other two were defeated by very large majorities. It was on the iSth of April that Mr. Gladstone made his statement in a speech which engaged the attention of the House for five hours. The proposals were far-reaching, but the principal points were the continuance of the income tax and its extension to Ireland ; the entire repeal of the duty on soap ; the reduction of that on tea ; and, most remarkable of all, the extension of the legacy duty to real property, which had hitherto been exempt. It was this last proposition which pleased and encouraged the Liberals as much as it irritated the country squires, and it was greatly owing to the general feeling thus excited that a majority much larger than that which ordinarily followed the Government was secured for its financial policy. Owing to the circumstances which have been referred to, there was little activity on the part of the Radicals in the way of special proposals for legislation. On the 3rd of May Locke King again moved for leave to bring in a bill on the county franchise; but, looking forward to the promised introduction of