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    Feb. 1, 1851.] Cfie Ht&lttt. - 99

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    MEMORIAL To the Board of Inland Revenue ...

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    MR. COBDEN AT BRADFORD. The second annua...

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    The Tax On Paper. A Conference Of Delega...

    profitably under such a state of things ; and , if it were only for the sake of the morals of the country , this impost ought to be repealed . The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr . Chambers , Mr . C . Knight , Mr . Baldwin , of Birmingham , and Mr . Towle , of Oxford . Resolutions , condemning the paper duty as a grievous impediment to the progress of sound popular instruction ,, were unanimously adopted . . . , , On Thursday at noon the deputation , consisting of Mr . Charles Dickens , Mr . Charles Knight , Mr . Robert Chambers , and other literary gentlemen , waitedby appointment , on the Chancellor of the

    , Exchequer at his official residence . Mr . Crompton introduced the deputation , and stated the grounds of their application . He contended that the first use which the Chancellor of the Exchequer ought to make of the surplus revenue at his disposal was to abolish the duty on paper . Mr . Chambers detailed at some length the peculiar evils arising from the operation of the tax . He was followed by Mr . Charles Knight , who shewed that , in consequence of the heavy duty imposed on paper , the employment of literary men of the first order is much restricted , and a class of literature introduced and circulated which has a most demoralizing effect . Mr .

    Charles Dickens was satisfied that if the duty were repealed a higher class of cheap publications would find their way to the homes of the humble . He was more in favour , however , of the repeal of the window tax than the paper duty , as he thought the window duty was more objectionable . The Chancellor of the Exchequer said the deputation would not of course expect him to give them any information as to what was to be done by the Government . He had before him the prospect of a deputation from every class Of persons who paid taxes , all desiring to have the taxes removed .

    Feb. 1, 1851.] Cfie Ht&Lttt. - 99

    Feb . 1 , 1851 . ] Cfie Ht & lttt . - 99

    Memorial To The Board Of Inland Revenue ...

    MEMORIAL To the Board of Inland Revenue from the Newspaper Stam p Abolition Committee . To the Honourable the Commissioners of Inland Revenue the Memorial of the Newspaper Stamp Abolition Committee , Showeth , —That the attention of your memorialists has been for some months directed to the proceedings of your honourable board in regard to the Stamp Duty on Newspapers . That-on the 19 th of February last a return was made to the House of Commons of fifty-one registered newspapers which stamped only a portion of their impression . That your memorialists , persuaded that the law regards all registered newspapers as equally liable to . stamp duty , and fortified in this opinion by a

    letter from your honourable board to Mr . Scbolefield , M . P ., in which the " Freeholder" is said to be liable to the newspaper duty " both in respect of its registration and its contents , " prevailed on three newspaper proprietors to demand of your honourable board the privilege granted to the fifty-one favoured registered newspapers . That your honourable board , in reply , denied having the power to grant any such privilege , and declared that the fifty-one papers in question were " not newspapers , though registered as such . " That your memorialists venture to remark , 1 st , that this last statement is a flat contradiction to the doctrine laid down by your honourable board in the case of the " Freeholder . " 2 nd . That it is erroneous , inasmuch as the following partially stamped publications are

    newspapers m virtue of their contents : — Protestant Magazine , published by J . F . Shaw , 27 , Southamptonrow . Herald of Peace , Ward and Co ., 27 , Pateruoster-row . The Freeholder , John Casuell , Strand . Evangelical Christendom . Partridge and Oakey , Paternosterrow . Colonial Church Chronicle , F . and J . Rivington , 8 t . Paul's Church yard . Punch , Bradbury and Evans 85 Fleet-street .

    . . Mechanics' Magazine , J . C . Robertson . , Fleet-street . ^ ntic , Crockford , 103 , 8 tanhope-atreet , Momtngton-crescent . Builder . Wyman , 2 . York-street , Covent-garden . Lancet , Churchill , 443 . 8 trand . Architect . KrancL Newton . 11 . Wellington-street . North . m J 7 ° , b 8 crver . Maxwell and 8 on . . Bell-yard . Medical Times , John Churchill . Princes-street . wouaenold Words , no publisher ' s name , 16 , Wellington-street . Literary Gazette . Jerdan , 300 . Strand . Athenwum , Francis . 14 , Wellington-street , North . in

    * ir ^ - t 8 iv » ng to mere publications an illegal ceruncate to the Post-office of their being newspapers , and «• auch entitled to require the benefit of free pontage , your honourable board has rendered itself liable to the charge of defrauding the Post-office revenue . nfiK i ' ? " lonto the above cases , a glaring infraction «! ii i , l . Mbeen sanctioned by ycur honourable board , Till il ^ e Household Narrative of Current Events " eaited by Charles Dickens , and published monthly at 16 , Wellington-street , Strand , every page of which teems wun matter requiring a stamp , but which is permitted » : tK . iP y " 8 coun fy edition , thus unfairly competing wun other regular newspapers which are obliged to » taini ) ? . ! , " ° 'o impression . ¦« H i * 8 the publications registered an newspapers , and admitted to an illegal privilege , the following seven Have omitted to comply with the reculation « whi « h n » oiiir «

    atih- ? L tIon of tne Print * ' *» a publisher to be given hnM wr " ' of , namely , Charles Dickens '* Hoimh" Th « i r VT ' » rle * t >><* en »' - " Household Words , " MeelfJw ?! 2 ° - CaCe ' lhe Le « Obacrver , " " The S ^ iW ^ TeT ' " "*«*¦¦«*" «»«*« . •;« d " The Wufcm iv ol * " of the N « wspapcr . Act , ( i and 7 , rio in » T 7 , - 70 « «» for <* 8 the registration of all pe"omoala not being newapapers , ancf containing

    advertisements , and that the 25 th clause of the same act exempts all such registered periodicals from any penalty for appearing on unstamped paper till notice shall have been given to them of the illegality of their eonduct by an officer of your honourable board . That your memorialists submit that these clauses imply that it is the duty of your honourable board to scrutinize asuch periodicals , and in case of their printing matter requiring a stamp , to give them immediate notice thereof , and to compel them to cease from further infraction of the law . That the following correspondence shows that your honourable board take a very different view of their duties , and deem it not incumbent on them to proceed in any matter of this kind till impelled by some informer : — Inland Revenue , Somerset-house , March 7 , 1850 .

    Gentlemen , —The attention , of this board having been directed to some articles of public news contained in Nos . I . and II . of your publication , the " Reformer , " under the head of * ' The Record of Progress , " of a character that cannot lawfully be published in any but a stamped newspaper , I have been desired to acquaint you with the circumstance , and to caution you against any future insertion of like matter . I am , Gentlemen , your obedient servant , J . Timm , solicitor of Inland Revenue . Norwich , March 12 , 1850 . 8 ir , —I have received your intimation that the intelligence given in the " Reformer , " under the heading " Record of Progress , " cannot be lawfully inserted in any but a stamped newspaper . I should feel greatly obliged if you would inform me on what ground the 'Gentleman's Magazine , " " United Service Magazine , " " Tait' 8 Edinburgh Magazine , " " Christian Observer , " " People ' s Journal , " with others that might be mentioned ( including unstamped copies of the ' Freeholder , " "Athenaeum , " & c ) , are permitted to furnish similar information .

    Also , why the organs of societies of a literary , philanthropic , and scientific character are allowed to contain details of their respective operations , whilst that privilege is denied to the journal of a political association . Thanking you for your caution , and soliciting information upon these points , I remain , Sir , your obedient servant , The Editor of thb " Rbfosmer . " Inland Revenue , Somerset-house , March 13 , 1850 . Gentlemen , —I am this morning in receipt of a letter without signature , but purporting to come from the editor of the " Reformer "; and as it is written in reference to mine of the 7 th instant addressed to you , I reply to it as proceeding from you . The publications to which allusion is made are not before me ,

    either officially or otherwise ; 1 know , therefore , nothing of their contents ; " but assuming them to be unstamped papers aud to contain matter which they ought not to publish , it is nof . for me to offer any explanation upon the subject , nor can the-circumstance justify irregularities in others . I may , however , remark , as I am aware that the subject has been under notice , in reference more particularly to learned societies , that articles , although relating to the transactions of such societies , and , therefore , savouring of public news and intelligence , yet as partaking of the character of a review , are not looked upon as matters to be objected to in unstamped publications . So , also , with regard to dramatic performances and such like . I am , Gentlemen , your obedient servant , J . Timm , solicitor of Inland Revenue .

    That your memorialists are of opinion that the " Freeholder " and the " Athenaeum" were before your board officially , inasmuch as they were registered newspapers , and that the same remark would hold good of all publications registered for advertisements . That your memorialists take this opportunity of calling the attention of your honourable board to the following—Monthly Publications containing public news , liable to stamp duty , but altogether unstamped . Tait ' a Magazine , Sutherland and Knox , Edinburgh . East India lteview , Mortimer , 69 , Fleet-street . Art Journal , Virtue , Paternoster-row . Dublin University Magazine , M'Glashan , Dublin . Gentleman ' s Magazine , Nicholla , 25 , Parliament-street . Journal of Design , Chapman and Hall , 18 ( 5 , Strand . United Service Magazine , Hurst , King William-street .

    That the practice of publishing slips from newspapers has been tacitly permitted for many years , and that your memorialists were therefore amazed to find that the proprietors of the " Wakefield Examiner" hud been threatened by your honourable board with a line of £ 40 , 000 , and actually lined £ 10 for what is frequently done by many London newspapers . That your memorialists recommend to the notice of your honourable board the following' unstamped publications which , as they contain " public news , intelligence , and occurrences printed in the United Kingdom to be made public , " are in direct contravention of the Newspaper Act . A . —A Plain and Friendly Warning to the People of England . Reprinted from the " English Churchman " newspaper , lly

    Joseph Hatty , printer , 15 i > , Fleet-street . U . Letter from Lord John RushcII to the Bishop of Durham . From the " Times of November 7 , 1850 . George Jlcrgcr , Holy well-street . Strand . C . —The DiHKenterK and the Papacy . By Thomas Binney . From the " Morning Herald , " November 6 , 18 . ) 0 . Ward and ( Jo ., and Partridge mid Oiikey , Paternoster-row ; Jackaon and Walford , 8 t . Paul ' s Churchyard . J ) . —Proteutunt DiuHcnoion und Popiuh Domination . Tho Bitthop of London ' s Charge , anil Lord John KuhhoH ' h Letter to tiie Bixhop of Durham . George Viekeru , Strund . E . —Loyalty and Liberty of Conscience ; containing the Cre « d iwid Government of tlio Church of Rome . The Church of England considered with tho tftutf . The Popo ' u utulncioiiH Letter to hit * llinhopts \ Lord John KuhhmII ' h Letter to the

    Jiiahopof Durham . The Ululxip of London h Charge . E . Apolcyard , Htt , Furringdon-Htrutt . F . —A Series of Pamphlet * oil tins Roman Catholic Question ; one ¦ of which r . outniiiH the Apostolic Lcttjer ' of I ' ope Piuh ; Cardinal Wiueinati ' utitorul ; 'V \ v (\ Letters to the " Timea , " l > y Ui » ho )> Ullathorue ; Lord John Kuhs « I 1 'h Letter ; The New itatoli of Bishops , from tln > " Weekly Dispatch "; Two Letters , by the Kuverend G . A . DuniHon ; A Letter from Heiijainin DiHrueli , Em ) ., M . P . ; lteviows und Extracts , from Amhrotui Phillijm ' u Letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury , concluded by u liiogruphy of Cardinal Wiseman . Jameu Gilbert , l ' . t . i'aternoster-row . q . —I ' rocuediugs ut the Farewell Hoirfle given to George Thornpboii , Esq ., M . P ., at the London Tavern , Oct . Ill , 1850 , iuclniling the Hpuur . hos of Unorgu Thompuou , M . P ., Hir Joshua Walmsley . M . P ., John Williams , Esq ., M . P ., F . J . Nlnok , JBflq ., T . J . Horlo , Ksi | ., John Thmtiteu , JSeq ., und Mr . W . W ,

    Brown , of Massachusetts , United 8 tates . B , D . Cousins * Helmet-court , 337 £ . Strand . , „ ., _ ., H—No . 37 , of the Lamp ; a weekly Catholic Journal . Richardson and Son , 172 , Fleet-street . That in favouring a number of registered newspapers at the expense of the rest , in permitting illegal matter to be inserted wholesale in the publications of London capitalists , as in the cases of the " Freeholder " and the " Household Narrative , " in harassing papers in the country like the " Norwich Reformer " and the "

    Wakefield Examiner , " in ignoring at will breaches of the law till notified by inforners , and above all in sanctioning the unstamped edition of that celebrated and popular weekly newspaper , entitled " Punch ; or , the London Charivari , " every number of which is a violation of the law which forbids comments or news except at intervals of twentysix days , your honourable board is erecting itself into a legislative tribunal , superseding the authority of Parliament , and is become a board of censorship equally foreign to the laws of the land and the feelings of the people of this country .

    Your memorialists , therefore , urge upon your honourable board that it should apply itself to the performance of its duty as an executive department only , and put the existing law rigorously in force against all parties breaking it , whether such parties have been formally presented to your honourable board or not , and whether or not such parties have received the previous sanction of your honourable board to their conduct . Signed by order of the Newspaper Stamp Abolition Committee and on their behalf , F & ancis Plage , Brompton-square , Treasurer . James Watson" , 3 , Queen ' s Head-passage , Paternoster-row , Sub-Treasurer . Richard Moore , 25 , Hart-street , Bloomsburysquare , Chairman . J . C . Dobson Collet , 15 , Essex-street , Strand , Secretary . December 18 , 1850 .

    Mr. Cobden At Bradford. The Second Annua...

    MR . COBDEN AT BRADFORD . The second annual meeting of the Bradford Freehold Land Society was held in the Temperance Hall on Monday evening , Titus Salt , Esq ., the president , in the chair . The hall , which will accommodate upwards of 1500 persons , was not only densely crowded in every part—it was literally packed , the people being , as Mr . Cobden said , actually potted together . Mr . Cobden addressed the meeting at great length in fYivnnr of thfi frpphnlrl lanrl snmptips . TTfi then

    adverted to the question of taxation . A great sriuggle was going on for the abolition of the window duty , which was certainly a very hateful tax , but not one which pressed very heavily on the working class . They were more anxious to obtain the repeal of the taxes on knowledge , and he was of the same opinion . He would rather let light into the mind than into the body . But they were both odious taxes , and ought to be abolished at once . As for the stamp-duty on newspapers , it was a mere bagatelle .

    " If it was abolished , and you were to allow the proprietors of newspapers to have the option of having a stamped edition to send throu g h the post , and an unstamped edition for sale , it would not make a difference to the revenue of £ 150 , 000 , and when we have the millions of surplus that is really not worth thinking about . ( Hear , hear . ) And if this stamp is kept on—I will not say for this year only , because the question lias not been agitated—but if it is kept on for some two or three years longer it will not be on the ground of its being a fiscal tax merely , but because the Government do not want to let in li « ht and political knowledge amongst the people . ( Hear , hear . ) But I must tell the working classes themselves that they have been particularly silent on this question ( Hear , hear ) , and they will never have tlirir penny newspapers to read during dinner hour unless they get the stamp duty repealed . "

    Let them join the freehold land societies and they would soon bo able to obtain tho repeal of any obnoxious tax . It was useless to try the old-fashioned way of attending public meetings , and shouting , and clamouring for reform from the House of Commons . That plan had been tried long enough . They must now adopt another course . It whs the counties that stopped the progress of reform at present . Well , they must infuse new blood into tho rural constituencies . That must be the work of tho freehold land societies . He did not mean to say that he would be content ut u 40 s . freehold representation as a substitute for those measures of parliamentary reform whi »' , h were wanted . All he meant was that it whs only through th « counties that they could hope to obtain a proper extension of tho suffrage , the ballot , and short Parliaments .

    Mr . W . K . Forster , of ljLuwdon , without a speech , moved the following resolution : — " That this mooting , whilst it recognizes the utility of freehold land societies an a direct , und coim'itutionul means of extending the political franchise , trusts that the example of those members who thus qualify tlieiu-HelveH , and the influence of t . hcHe additions thereby mudo to the number of county voters , will tend to promote tho caiiMc of good Kovcrnmeiit , and hasten the period of an extension of the parliamentary auffrage . " Colonel Thompson , M .. 1 * ., spoko in favour of tho resolution , and in the <> . ourso of his speech mudo some humorous remarks on t . h « threatened movement of the county members in favour of protection .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 1, 1851, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_01021851/page/3/