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Eeb, 28, 1852.] THE LEADER. 191
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TUB LEAGUE TIIUIUTENS TO KI8T5 AOMIN. Su...
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REPEAL OF THE TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE. St. Ma...
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Reform Meetings. Rottsed By Lord John's ...
" Mr Bezer , who had spoken with so much eloquence d effect had discovered that manhood suffrage would Stle the whole matter . Probably Mrs . Bezer was pnmllv eloquent , and she would say , ' and woman suffrage too' ( laughter . ) He ( Mr . Waldey ) had in his lifetime j ] ' lv ^ oue- further than manhood suffrage , aud he should befflad- to see the married ladies entitled to the suffrage too ( Hear , hear . ) And he said ,-why not ? . What was the object of the suffrage ? The object was to obtain good eovernment ; and what was the object of good government ? A happy home . ( Cheers . ) And who so interested in a happy home as the woman ? Not a soul on earth . ( Loud cheers . ) He said , therefore , she was the party of all others who would give an honest vote ( hear , near ); and if her husband did not comply with her request , he would have rather an uncomfortable time of it . ( Laughter and cheers . )"
Adopting the received idea that Lord Palmcrston had been ejected as a sacrifice to the despots , he declared that that proceeding was an " indelible disgrace" to the nation . As for himself , the accession of a Tory administration had taken twenty years off his life ; he felt quite young again . He stigmatized the cabinet as the ally of the despots , and exhorted union among the
advocates of reform . In the " Vestry Hall" of St . Pancras there was nothing , or next to nothing , that was not " respectable . " Quiet , gentlemanly denunciation of the late Ministers , who fell , so said the resolution , from their " want of political integrity , " and an assertion of the insecurity , both of People and Throne , without reform of parliament . A universal suffrage resolution was negatived ,
and a resolution carried demanding household suffrage , the ballot , triennial parliaments , extinction of small boroughs , and equal representation . Sir Benjamin Hall and Lord Dudley Stuart spoke , denouncing both the old and new ministry . Lord Dudley Stuart professed that he was quite in a maze as to the motives or meaning of his friend Palmerston . A strong resolution against protection finally wound up the proceedings . Like the other metropolitan boroughs , Lambeth ,
" not _ to be deterred" by the " sudden and abrupt termination of Lord John Russell ' s ministry" ( sic ) from pressing its well matured views of reform on the House of Commons , met on Wednesday at the famous Hw ™ Tavern , Kennington , and resolved **¦ *** " * effect . There were five Uberaljca *^* 3 of Parliament present , Mr . AJcooW * rr- IrEyncourt , Mr . W . Williams , Mr . Locke King , and Mr . Trelawney . The object of the meeting was to consider the now defunct Reform Bill : but the
speakers wandered away from that to the more interesting topic of free-trade . Mr . W . Wilkinson was appointed to the chair . He said that " had the Queen proposed to make Mr . Cobden Chancellor of the Exchequer , and Mr . Bright First Lord of the Admiralty , he believed the nation would have fainted away . " As to the immediate topic before the meeting , it was unanimously resolved that " every liberal constituency throughout the country ought at once to pledge their representatives to demand of the government such a
change in our representative system as shall embrace the important principles of residential suffrage , vote by ballot , triennial parliaments , equal electoral districts , and the abolition of the property qualification for members . " An attempt was made to pass a resolution for universal suffrage , but it failod . All the senatorial speakers seemed to look upon a reimposition of the broad-tax as imminent , unless strenuously opposed . Mr . W . Williams and Mr . Alcock spoko of stopping the supplies .
THE REFORM CONFEHENCE OF NEXT TUESDAY . Tun following letter has been addressed to the President of the National Reform Association : To Sir Joshua Walmsley , II . P . Sir , —Would you permit one who lms had Homo experience in conferences , and who takes great interest in the one announced lor March 2 nd , convened by the Association of which you nro president , to suggest that it would bo a groat advantage if each delegate would , « possible , present his report in writing ? By this Plan , all essontial facts arc told in tho shortest tiino , and tho matter communicated ready lor reforenco and uao at once . Yours , in political respect , Onij WHO IIAS ATTJONDM ) MANY CONFEIUUNOKS .
Eeb, 28, 1852.] The Leader. 191
Eeb , 28 , 1852 . ] THE LEADER . 191
Tub League Tiiuiutens To Ki8t5 Aomin. Su...
TUB LEAGUE TIIUIUTENS TO KI 8 T 5 AOMIN . Summon ™) llt Hix » ouro' notice ; , llio onorgotio and wealth y members of tho old League met in Manchester , ° n Wednesday , in groat numbers . They hud been called togothor on the first official notice of tho accession <* Lord Derby und Protection to office , by Mr . George Wilson and tho Manchester Financial aud Parliamentary Reform Association , to decide on what policy onould now bo pursued . Mr . Wilson presided . Ho "" owed , from speeches , that tho wholo Cabinofc wcro
pledged to Protection / and he thought that they ought to place themselves in a position to say to my Lord Derby— - " Better the condition of the agriculturists if you cando what you can to improve their condition , so that it is not at our expense ; but the moment you put one penny of duty upon the bread of the poor man , look to yourself , Lord Derby , and your order ( loud cheers ) ; for -this questidh has been settled once , and beware how you and your order provoke the discussion of a question again which will involve in itself the disposition of many things not to the interest of either yourself or your order . " ( Great cheering . )
The tone and tempter of the meeting were evidently of the most resolute ., Mr . H . Ashworth testified that his friends , " one and all , had expressed their willingness to make as large , or indeed larger , sacrifices both of time and money than they ever did before , rather than allow one vestige , one rag or tatter of Protection to be reimposed upon them . " ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . J . Whittaker was himself ready , and those of the district in which he lived were equally ready , to come forward to give their time and subscribe their money , " even to a greater extent than ever they did , rather than submit to the iniquitous imposition" of a bread-tax .
" Now , the question was , whether every one there was prepared to do the same ? ( Loud cries of ' Yes . ' ) Were they prepared to give their time and money as before , if necessary ? " ( Loud cries of " Yes . " ) Mr . R . W . Phillips said . they must not be content with keeping what they had , but must go for more . Mr . A . Watkin " hoped their measures would be worthy of former days , do what they might , and that they would be prompt , energetic , and , of course , successful . " ( Applause . ) Some one called out , "We shall never be clear of this question till we have a reform of
parliament , " an exclamation received with cheering . Mr . J . Simpson was for keeping to the name of the " League . " " For himself , he was ready to give as much time as ever he did , and fight the question to the last shilling he could find it in his power to give . " ( Cheers ) . Mr . Arrowsim «» thought that the Tories " xaig hb aa well attempt to restore the . heptarchy" as Protection . He also thought the " League" would be a prestige of victory . Mr . Jacob Bright was rather glad Lord Derby was in office , for he was not in power . The policy adopted was embodied in the following reso ^ - lution :
" That the gentlemen who formed the executive council of the late Anti-Corn-Law League be requested to watch the proceedings of the new Administration , and , should the necessity arise , to call together the parties who formed the general council of the League ; and that this meeting stands adjourned to Tuesday next . " It was understood that the executive should call the meeting earlier than Tuesday , if necessary . Birmingham met on Monday , for the purpose of expressing its opinions on the Russell Reform Bill . The Mayor presided , and Mr . George Edmonds ( the clerk of the peace for the borough ) moved ;
" That this meeting having before it the bill introduced into the House of Commons by Lord J . Russell , for amending the laws relating to the representation of the people in Parliament , is of opinion that , while it falls short of a full and efficient measure of reform , it is entitled to thesupport of the country , in so far as it extends the franchise , enlarges small constituencies , dispenses with the property qualification for members of Parliament , and abolishes distinctive oaths ; and that no Ministry that docs not accept these provisions as the minimum of parliamentary reform which it is prepared to give to the people , is entitled to the confidence and support of the country . "
Mr . George Dawson seconded the motion . After several speeches , Mr . Alderman Baldwin moved an amondmout in favour , of universal bu Hi-age , shortening tho duration of Parliament , and tho ballot . This ainendinont was eventually carried , and a petition founded upon it was adopted .
Repeal Of The Taxes On Knowledge. St. Ma...
REPEAL OF THE TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE . St . Maiitin'b IIall was quite full by half-past seven o ' clock on YVcdnosday evening , at tho animal ' public meeting of tho . Asnoc ' ratum for tho Repeal of the Taxes on Knowledge . Hundreds wero unable to obtain admission , and they shrieked for « more room , " in such an obstreperous manner as to disturb tho proceedings during tlio first half-hour . At eight o ' clock , tho Right Honourable T . Milner Gibson , M . P ., tho President of the Association , was called to the chair . Ho observed , that it would have boon very appropriate if they could have prevailed upon some eminent literary mini to take tho chair . Applications had been made to several authors of o « lobrity , nnd ho would read tho replica that
had been received from two of them—Mr . Douglas Jerrold and Mr . Leigh Hunt : — - West Lodge , Putney Lower Common , February 25 th , 1852 . De Ait ' Sib ,. —Disabled by an accident from personal attendance . at your meeting , I trust I may herein be permitted to express my heartiest sympathy with its great social purpose . . „ : That the fabric paper , Newspapers and Advertisements , should be taxed by any Government professing paternal yearnings for the education of a people , defies the argument of reason . Why not , to help the lame , and to aid the short-sighted , lay a tax upon crutches , and enforce a duty upon spectacles ?
I am not aware of the number of professional writersof men who live from pen to mouth—nourishing this day in merry England ; but it appears to me , and the notion to a new Chancellor of the Exchequer—( I am happy to say one of " my order ; " of the goose-quill , not of the heron ' s plume)—may have some significance ; why not enforce a duty upon the very source and origin of letters ? Why not have a literary poll-tax—a duty upon books and " articles" in their rawest material ? Let every author pay for his licence , poetic or otherwise . This would give a wholeness of contradiction to a professed desire for knowledge , when existing with taxation of its material elements . Thus the exciseman , beginning with authors ' brains , would descend through rags , and duly end with
paper . The professed tax upon news is captious and arbitrary ; arbitrary , I say , for what is not news ? A noble lord makes a speech : his rays of intelligence , compressed like Milton ' s fallen angels , die in a few black rows of thin type ; and this is news . And is not a new book news ? Let Ovid first tell us how Midas laid himself down , and —private and confidential—whispered to the reeds , " I have eai-9 1 " and is not that news ? Do many noble lords , even in Parliament , tell us anything newer ?
The tax on advertisements is—it is patent—a tax even upon the industry of the very hardest workers . Why should the Exchequer waylay the errand-boy , and oppress the maid-of-all-work ? Wherefore should Mary-Anne be made to disburse her eighteen-pence at the stamp-office , ere she can show-her face in print wanting a place , although to tlie discomfiture of the first-created Chancellors of the Exchequer , the spiders ? In conclusion , I must congratulate the meeting on the advent of the new Chancellor of the Exchequer , the Right Hon . Benjamin Disraeli , who is the successful man of letters . He has
ink in Ms veins ' . The goosequill—let gold and silversticks twinkle as they may—leads the House of Commons . Thus , I feel confident that the literary instincts of the Right Honourable gentleman will give new animation to the coldness of statesmanship , apt to be numbed by tightness of red tape . We are , I learn , early taught to despair of the Right Honourable gentleman , because he is allowed to be that smallest of things , " a wit . " Is arithmetic for ever to be the monopoly of substantial respectable dulness ? Must it he that a Chancellor of the Exchequer , like Portia's portrait , is only to be found in lead ?
No , sir ; I have a cheerful faith that our new fiscul minister will , to the confusion of obese dulness , show his potency over pounds , shillings , and pence . The Exchequer £ . s . d . that have hitherto been as the three witches —the Weird Sisters—stopping us wherever we turned , the ltight Honourable gentleman will id the least transform into the Three Graces , making them , in all their salutntions at home and abroad , welcome and agreeable . But with respect to the £ . s . d . upon knowledge , lie will , I feel confident , cause at once the Weird Sisterhood to melt into thin air ; and thus—let tho meeting take heart with the assurance —thus will fade and ty dissolved the Penny News Tux—tho Errand-boys' an , Maid-of-allworks' Tax—and the tax on that innocent white thing ,
the Tax on Paper . With this hope , I remain , Yours faithfully , ( Signed ) Douglas Jeiirojlp . Alfred Novello , Esq ., Sub'Treanurer to the Association for the Repeal of all Taxes ujpon Knowledge . Kensington , February 24 th , 1852 . To J . D . Com . ett , Esq ., Secretary of Association for the Repeal of all Taxes on Knowledge . that the state of
g !)—I regret extremely , sometimes , my health prevents my attending public meetings , especially on such occasions as yours . Taxes on Knowlcdgo appear to me very like Taxes for tho prevention of fingerposts , or for tho better encouragement of " erring and straying like lost sheep . " Misdirections may bo sot up here and there ; but how could it bo anybody's interest , in the long run , to give Wrong information , when everybody was concerned in going right P Partial'knowledge , imlml , jh foolish enough to' do so ; but that is tho very reason why purliul knowledge should bo displaced by knowledge , all-completing and universal . I am , sir , your faithful servant , Leigh Hunt .
Mr . Milnor Gibson made some observations on tho present position of tho question . Sometimes thoy wore told that these taxes wore retained for rovonuo ; sometimes it was avowed that it was to restrain cheap ncwHpapevB . For his own part , ho believed that it was
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 28, 1852, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28021852/page/3/
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