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David Brash excise campaign

newspaper article
EXCISE LAWS. AT a PUBLIC MEETING of TRADERS in DUNDEE affected by the Excise Laws, held in the Operative Hall, Overgate, Dundee, upon Wednesday evening the 19th May current, Thomas H. Baxter, Esq., in the chair, The following RESOLUTIONS were moved by Mr P. Dalgairns, seconded by Mr James Scott, and unanimously agreed to, 1st, Resolved ?That the Excise Laws, they at present exist, are unjust, impolitic, and oppressive, and ought to be remodelled. 2d, Resolved—That the Excise Laws are contrary to the spirit of the Constitution, from their lodging in the hands of a few individuals a vast amount of arbitrary power over the rights and property of their fellow. subjects. 3d, Resolved - That this Meeting record its opinion, that the interests of those trading under the Excise Laws are treated with indifference in Parliament; that consequently their property is sacrificed and their occupation unjustly interfered with. 4th, Resolved -That this Meeting record its deliberate opinion, that those trading under the Excise Laws are numerous, powerful, and influential, that they would, if united into one body, present so imposing a front that no Minister would dare to treat their respectful remonstrances with neglect. 5th, Resolved, therefore - That, without reference party politics, an extensive Association be formed, to be called the "National Association for the reform of Excise Abuses," for the purpose of endeavouring to secure the return of members to serve Parliament who will use their influence to get the abuses complained of removed. 6th, Resolved - That the Association shall apply its efforts to obtain by those and every other legitimate means the following things. I. That all existing Excise Laws, Rules, and Regulations, shall be embodied into one or more clear and distinct Acts of Parliament, no part of which the Treasury shall have the power of altering or annulling, until they have published their intention so to do for at least one month previously in all the principal newspapers of the country. II. That in all Excise actions the loser shall pay the costs of both parties, and that any penalties decreed shall be paid into the Treasury without deduction, no portion whatever being paid over to the Excise officials engaged in the trial, or having any connection therewith ; and that the practice of the Exchequer Courts, where different, shall be assimilated to that of other Courts of Justice. III. That all restrictions which have been, or can be proved to be frivolous and vexatious, and unnecessary for the due collection of the revenue, shall be removed ; and that any improved machinery may be at once erected, on its being proved Jury that the same can in no way interfere with the fair collection of the revenne. IV. That all theduties of Excise which are impolitic in their nature, or oppressive to the people, shall be reduced, or wholly repealed. The following RULES were moved by Mr G.L. L. Alison, seconded by Mr S. C. Thomson, and unanimously passed by the Meeting. - viz. RULES of the National Association for the Reform of Excise Abuses, to consist of all interested - such as distillers, brewers, maltsters, paper-makers, tobacconists, winemerchants, spiritdealers, publicans, grocers, and the Public in general. I. The chief objects this Association are declared generally in the foregoing Resolutions, and more particularly in the 5th and 6th of them ; but, in addition to this, it is intended the Association should partake of the nature of a protection society, so that the Central Committee may take up and defend (if deemed prudent) any case where they think an injurious precedent (from an unfavourable judgment) might be established. It will also be their duty to watch over every movement affecting Excise traders. II. This Association shall be regulated by a Central Committee, to consist of members representing fairly the interests of each trade; it shall hold monthly meeting on the first Wednesday of each month, alternately in Edinburgh and Glasgow (or at shorter intervals if deemed necessary), to consider all cases; and its decisions shall be final and binding on the Association; it shall have full power to apply the funds in such manner as it thinks proper, when it conceives such appropriation to be for the interests of the Association ; and the decision of majority of the Committee shall be conclusive. lII. There shall be the District Committees in each Excise Collection, to whicli all cases of grievance shall first be appealed, and their if unfavourable to the applicants, shall be final ; if favourable, the Committee shall send up the case for approval the Central Committee. IV. To ensure that these District Committees are fairly represeutod in the Central Committee, it shall be held that the fact of a case having been sent for approval shall give the interested party votes equal to one fourth of the members present at the re-consideration of the district judgment. V. The District Committees shall consist of a chairman, and five, eight, fourteen, or twenty members, according to the importance of the district over which takes charge. VI. The chairman of each District Committee shall ex officio, be a member of the Central Committee. VII The Central Committee shall consist of sixty members (besides the chairmen of the District Committees), and the following gentlemen form the Edinburgh portion of the Central Committee for the current year:? Jas. Alexander, Frederick Street, George Augustus Haig, distiller, Edinburgh. Edinburgh. W. K. Aitchison, brewer, Edin- John Haig, distiller, Cameron burgh. Bridge James Anderson, rectifier, Leith. George Y. Home,of Andrew Usher John Black, rectifier, Leitli. and Co., Edinburgh. John Crabbie, Leith. David Henderson, Leith. George Dunlop, distiller, Hadding- Alexander M'Nab, distiller, Dolls. ton. M'Laren.ofD. & G. M'Laren, George Dunlop, distiller, Kilbagie. Leith. Charles Dick, brewer, Edinburgh. R. B. Mitchell, of Peter Forbes & Adam Dawson, distiller, Linlith- Co., Edinburgh. gow. John Philp, distiller, Leith. James Dickson, of J. and G. Stew- James Renwick, and art, Edinburgh. Livingstone, Musselburgh. Thomas Elder,Leith. Charles Kobertson, Royal Ex. W. E. Fell, distiller, Sunbury. change, Edinburgh. William Ford, Leith. Robert Scott, of Scott and Allan, John Glen, of W. and J. Glen, Leith. Edinburgh. Alexander Stuart, St Patrick Charles Cowan, paper manufac- Square, Edinburgh. turer, Valleyfield. Thomas Stevenson, maltster, Leith. George A. Haig, distiller, Edin-William Taylor, soap manufacburgh. I turer, Leith. VIII The Edinburgh District Committee to consist twenty-one members, and the following gentlemen to form this Committee for the first year. Petek Howden, Meuse Lane, Edinburgh. Chairman. John Murray, Catherine Street, Edinburgh, Treasurer. John Brown, Rose Street, Edinburgh, Secretary. David Brash, Leith. ! Alexander Morrison, Leith. William Bruce, Leith. Duncan M'Callum, of D. and J. James Bogue, Vertuo and Co., M'Callum, Edinburgh. Leith. William Potts, Downie Place, J. G. Allan, of Allan and Gavin, Edinburgh. Leith. w ' Donaldson, St Patrick Square, Matthew Buchan, rectifier, Leith. ; Edinburgh. Daniel Connell, Hanover Street, William Rutherford, Niddry Street, Edinburgh, _ | Edinburgh. William Dunlop, rectifier, Leith. Scott Robertson, of Robertson, Robert Disher, brewer, Edinburgh. Brothers, Leith. Peter Jamieson, Nicholson Square, Thomas Wood, Leith. Edinburgh. Peter Wilson, Regent Arch, Edin- William Lindores, Edinburgh. burgh. IX. The Glasgow District Committee for the current year shall consist of twenty-one, to be named the Glasgow meeting. X. One third part of each Committee shall retire annually, but will be eligible for re-election. The retiring members shall, for the first two years, be elected by lot, and afterwards those at the top of the list shall retire rotation. XI. The accounts of the Association shall be made up to the 31st March in each year, and the retiring Committeemen shall out of office on 1st May in each year. XII. Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of April in each year, receive the Report of the Central Committee and to elect Office-Bearers for the ensuing year. XIII The annual subscriptions shall be as follows (no member being liable for more than his annual subscription), viz. Manufacturers paying above of dutv, £20 0 0 £50,000 and less than £100,000 . . * . 10 0 0 ?£30,000 and less than ,£50,000 . . .5 0 0 £10.000 and less than £30.000 ... 4 0 and less than £10,000 . . . . 3 0 0 and less than £5000 . . . 2 0 0 Under £1000 1 0 0 Wholesale dealers, ?Ist class, . . 2 0 0 Ditto ?2d class, . . . . 10 0 Retail dealers and other individuals, . , 0 10 0 And every member of this Association shall be entitled to a copy of the newspaper to be published by the Committee oace a fortnight. XIV. Retail dealers and other persons may become Members upon payment of 2s 6d annually, but without a paper. XV. A Secretary shall be appointed the Central Committee, with such salary they may deem fit. The Central Committee shall also appoint Chairman, Treasurer, and such other Otfice-Bearers as may requisite. XVI. The Central Committee shall have the power of passing such rules and regulations as they may deem necessary for the proper organization of the Association and the election of District Committees. XVII. It shall be incumbent on the Central Committee to correspond, or otherwise attempt to influence the different Excise traders in England and Ireland to organize similar Associations in those countries, and they shall especially direct their attention to obtaining the support of the public Press in furtherance of the objects of this Association. III. Law agents sha'l be appointed in such districts as to the Central Committee seem most important, to watch over the proceedings the Registration Courts, and assist the members this Association in getting themselves enrolled as Parliamentary voters. The Central Committee may dissolve the Association, if two thirds of the members of the Association vote for so doing; but, on such a motion being brought forward in Committee, a month's notice must be given (in the columns of the different Papers circulated by the Committee) to all the mem bers of the Association, previous to the final decision; and,in order to avoid the expense of great meeting, every member of the Association may, upon this point, vote by a written proxy. Moved by Mr John Millar, seconded Mr John Robertson, and unanimously agreed to, That this Meeting resolve to form District Committee for Dundee, to co-operate with the Central Committee of the Association in Edinburgh, and that the following gentlemen shall form this Committee for the first year,?viz. Thomas H. Baxter, Murraygate, Chairman. George L. L. Alison, Nethergate, Treasurer. James Ramsay, High Street, Dundee. Alexander Forbes, distiller, Dron. William Stewart, Dock Street. Crawford Walker, Murraygate Peter Dalgairns, Shore. James Scott, West Port. David Hutchison, Overgate. Samuel C. Thomson, Dock Street. John Robertson, High Street. John Henderson, Exchange Street. James Brown, Murraygate. James M'lntosh, tobacconist, West Port. Robert Ramsay, brewer, Overgate. Charles Matthew, Seagate. illiam Hay, writer, Secretary. A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman, who briefly acknowledged the compliment. (Signed.) T. H. Baxter, Chairman. Dundee, May 19,1847.
The cited information was sourced from Electronic Document (email, file) published by http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk on May 25th, 1847 The author/originator was Dundee Courier. This citation is considered to be direct and primary evidence used, or by dominance of the evidence.
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