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nerfect sketch of the noble lord's observations . ) Messrs . Greene ( Kilkenny ) and Ousely Higgins severally remonstrated strongly with the noble lord on his determination to persevere with the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill , which they pledged themselves to oppose , even at the risk of the noble lord ' s Government . Mr . Sharman Crawford , the O'Gorman Mahon , and Dr . Power ( Cork ) followed in a similar strain . " Mr . Bernal Osborne next addressed the noble lord , and expressed his intention of supportingthe Government , concurring , as he did generally , in his policy , but entreated him to except Ireland from the operation of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill . Sir De Lacy Evans spoke in a similar spirit . Lord Ebrington , Colonel Rawdon , and several other honourable members afterwards spoke , and the spirit which pervaded the meeting ( with the exception of the dissent of the Irish members present ) was one of strong confidence in and attachment to the policy and principles of the noble lord and the Government .
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ELECTION INTELLIGENCE . The prevailing belief that we are possibly on the eve of a general election begins to show itself in . all quarters . Two private meetings were held at Greenwich last ¦ week , to secure the return of Admiral Dundas , and another gentleman , an inhabitant of Greenwich , in place of Mr . Barnard , who retires . Mr . Alderman Salomons and Mr . Alderman Wire talk of opposing them . A resolution has been pasged by one of the associations in Marylebone to use their utmost exertions to return the present members free of expense in the event of a dissolution of Parliament .
Mr . Bennett has declared his intention of retiring from South Wilts when Parliament dissolves . The Protectionists will bring forward Mr . It . P . Long . The Lincolnshire Times states that a meeting of parties favourable to the return of Sir E . B . Lytton , at the next vacancy for Lincoln , has been held , but the proceedings did not transpire . The nomination at Harwich took place on Tuesday , when the show of hands was in favour of Mr . Prinsep , the Protectionist candidate . Much uproar followed the announcement , and a poll was demanded on behalf of Mr . Crawford , which took place on Wednesday , when Mr . Prinsep was returned by a small majority , thus giving two votes to protection .
The Leicestershire Mercury states that Mr . Thomas Cooper , author of " The Purgatory of Suicides , " has announced his determination to become a candidate for % . the borough at the next election ; and that a subscription is being raised towards defraying the expenses . The Liverpool Standard ( Tory and Protectionist ) affirms that Mr . Cardwell will be rejected at next election . " He must never again be returned for this Protestant town . " Among other candidates , the Honourable Dudley Ryder , Sir Howard Douglas , and Mr . Stanley , eldest son of Lord Stanley , have been named . Mr . W . H . Stanton will retire from Stroud . The Whigs have invited Lord Moreton , eldest son of Earl Ducie . The electors of the Tower Hamlets have fairly made up their minds to reject Sir William Clay .
A meeting of Mr . W . J . Fox ' s supporters was held at Oldhara last week , at which it was resolved to take steps to secure his return at next general election .
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LORD STANLEY AND MR . DISRAELI . The Standard of Thursday contains a report of two interviews which Mr . George Frederic Young and a large bod y of his followers had with Lord Stanley and Mr . Disraeli , at their respective residences , on Wednesday afternoon . The National Association for Protection of British Industry and ^ apual having resolved , at a meeting held on Monday , to persevere in its exertions for the purpose ol reversing the commercial policy of Sir Robert Peel , " a deputation was appointed to wait on Lord Stanley « nu the Chancellor of the Exchequer , announcing that such was their intention . Ihe deputation having read the resolution to Lord * tuniey , Mr . Young enacted the part of the suffering « powner Mr . Bosanquet that of the distressed 2 . f' Mr - Ball , of Cambridge , the ruined miller , « u Mr . Malms , of Derbyshire , the unfortunate iront \ l , rd St « nley denied thuthe had abandoned doL f ' , ° f protection , but he thought the wisest cu .. H i " ^ cultural interest was to rest their ™ ° . ! unjust burden of taxation to which they bv an i ; tCCl ' on the difficulty of relieving them Uutv o " . ino ( 1 « but that of imposing n moderate was n t lort ; 18 'i grain . As for his saying that "ho Sir It 1 IT' /™ ' 0 ' . . rt ! Vors « th « commercial policy of wiHh » ' r , l t ; e 1 ' " tll ! lt nkf -ant merely that he did not ** bU > make " great aiul BU ( I ( lm e , * mge . > . __ m «» t ' hoi- " 01 " '"' ' ? I > o-iSCS 8 tll « ir confidence , he In k «» R aiivd 7 «! ,,- ! t S r ? rbeartt » c « wilh rv -, ud to •><• preLr . 1 \ Ul ° declaration an to how far he initcht 1 »« T « 'ii | i ,. r I ,. I * K ° 8 houl ( 1 «> e responsibilities of office Ju 'night or l l ° | - " rtlm > inl )< * » K tl'Ut , as to what iltt " < la to deter ' " - , »•" ¦ ' U WWN Vt ' ry Ilmcu in tneir own
^ 'wid ' . ' iirp ' " ^! 110 " " l ) ro ( ' (>(>( 1 (!< 1 to Mr . Di Hnu ; li ' H t hroimhth ,.:, lr" aI 1 th ( % l «««« iiig performers went *» K the risnl r " ™" V nrts - Mr - Y » " » K . * & <* roud-Portunco „ , l 8 J ) oko at Hom » length on the im-K Purring harmony between the
Protectionists and their leaders , in the event of a general election . In conclusion , Mr . Young said : — " Contemplating an early dissolution , every day brought to the committee of the National Association , from the most trustworthy quarters , abundant evidence to show that the feeling of the country was ripening to the conviction of those truths which it had been their anxious endeavour to promulgate , and that defections were constantly taking place in the ranks of the
freetrade electors , increasing the assurance that when a new Parliament should be summoned , there would be a larger accession to the Protectionist party in the House of Commons than their opponents had even expressed a fear of the probability of seeing : and he ( Mr . Young ) believed he was not too sanguine in adding , that if a Protectionist Ministry should be formed , they would find themselves supported by a decided and a working majority . "
Mr . Disraeli , after stating that he would express himself with the utmost frankness , went on to say that he believed the old protection system , on the whole , worked beneficially for the community . " But as all that had been swept away , " nothing was more calculated to be unsuccessful than , when a system had been completely abrogated , that one particular class should come forward , and as a remedy for its distress ask for a recurrence to the old laws . " The course for them to take was to make the country understand that •« our financial system , invented in the days of protection , laid the burden mainly upon the agricultural interest . " Protection having been abolished , the inequalities of taxation ought to be
removed . There was one unjust tax—the malt tax , which produced £ 5 , 000 , 000 , and , independent of the general revenue altogether , there was a sum of £ 13 , 000 , 000 derived from the land . People were beginning to see that this was a great injustice . As that feeling strengthened , the Chancellor of the Exchequer would find it necessary to give way . He would be obliged to repeal the obnoxious taxes , and then , as the revenue would be deficient , he would find himself under the necessity of imposing a moderate duty on grain , not for protection , but to make up the defalcation in the revenue . But they must be moderate and conciliatory in their demands : —
"A demand for justice , accompanied by the expression of their willingness to settle the question in a conciliatory spirit ; that they were prepared—as all great questions in England must be so arranged—to meet the opposite party in a spirit of conciliation and compromise ; but always keeping before the public , simultaneously with their distress and depression , the great question of the burden of taxation—that was the mode by which they would ultimately succeed . "
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TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE . St . Martin ' s-hall , Long-acre , was crowded to excess on Wednesday evening by an enthusiastic audience , who had assembled to hear speeches and pass resolutions in favour of the total abolition of the taxes on knowledge . Professor Key , who was appointed chairman , expressed his regret that Mr . Grote , who had promised to take the chair , was not present . Mr . Hume , Mr . Scholefield , and Mr . Ewart also apologized for their unavoidable
absence . Mr . John Cassell , who proposed the first resolution , wondered how any Government could pretend to be anxious for the education and enlightenment of the people when it squeezed upwards of a million a-year from them in the shape of taxes on knowledge . The paper duty and the newspaper stamp prevented the poor man from ever seeing a daily paper unless he went to the public-house : — " If these taxes were repealed ho could afford himself
the luxury of a daily paper . ( Hear , hear . ) Instead of going to spend his money in a beershop , in order to have a glance at a daily paper , he could then have his daily paper by his own fireside , and las family could also participate in the luxury . ( Hear , hear . ) Were the taxes on knowledge repealed lie ( Mr . Ca » sell ) would be prepared to start a daily penny paper on a ciidilation of 50 , 000 . ( Cheers . ) But whilst a censorship existed in Somerset-house the working men could enjoy no such a luxury . ( Hear , Avar . )"
Mr . Edward , in seconding the resolution , expressed a hope that the new budget would contuiu Homething favourable to them .
Mr . G . II . Lewes also spoke m favour of the resolution : — " They had a good banner to hold forth in thin question of the abolition of the taxes on knowledge , apart from the pecuniary consideration . ( Hear . ) Home persons thought the diffusion of knowledge unionist the people was not ji good but an evil . That wuh u natural view , perhaps , for those , to tuUe who enjoyed monopolies and privileges whicli would not . be tolerated if the people were bettor instructed and more enlii / htcned . For
himself he felt no sympathy with that Knglish siioIiIhmhi which reckoned every thing as valuable only in proportion an it was exclusive . ( Hear , / mar . ) As a literary man , he was not afruid of compelition . Swift had a story of a spider that , thought the world was coming to an enil when its web was brushed away l > y the ; housemaid ; but the fact was the apartment , with much cleaner in consequence , and the flies were certainly much the wafer . ( Cheers . ) lie udvocated the abolition of taxes onknowl' -dije because iu doing ho he struck at the root of all
unjust taxes—( hear , hear )—for the removal of the taxes on knowledge would diffuse political information amongst the people , and it would so democratize the House of Commons that the Government would take care that the taxes were not superfluous . ( Hear , hear . ) In one of Mr . Douglas Jerrold ' s plays , an Englishman who was twitted on the subject of English taxes by a Frenchman , replied , * Taxes ! we have no taxes in England ; we have duties , indeed , but duties are pleasures . ' ( Laughter . ) Now we have abundance of such pleasures . He ( Mr . Lewes ) would advocate a little stoicism in this matter . Let us not be Epicures in taxes . ( Cheers . )"
Mr . Cobden made an excellent practical speech on the evils of the newspaper stamp , which , as he suggested , is not maintained for mere revenue purposes . He questioned whether the revenue would lose a farthing by the abolition of the stamp duty , because , all newspapers going through the post-office would then have Queen ' s head stamps upon them . At present , about 80 , 000 , 000 papers go through the post-office annuall y ; which , even if there were no increase , would produce as large a sum as is derived
iron * newspapers at present . He agreed with Mr . Cassell that the daily newspaper is a luxury beyond the reach of the working classes . Were the tax abolished , we might have newspapers as cheap here as they are in New York , where they have numbers of two cent papers of a highly respectable character . It was true that these penny papers were not the most valuable . If you want to see a paper with an immense number of advertisements you must give a good price for it .
Mr . Milner Gibson said it lay with the people themselves to repeal this tax . If there was a sufficient degree of pressure Government would give way , but not otherwise . " He was afraid there was at the root of the opposition an unworthy jealousy of the spread of knowledge among the people . ( Cheers ) . It was there the great objection lay . ( Hear , hear ) . When he brought this question before the House , and asked what harm cheap newspapers could do , the noble lord at the head of the Government conjured up an alarming phantom , and said that if cheap
newspapers made all Government impossible in France , he should be sorry to see that course adopted if it should have that result here . That was a hypothetical statement . The noble lord did not say that cheap newspapers made government impossible in France , but as Mr . Disraeli said he conjured up the ensanguined phantom , of a revolutionary Itcpublic in France to frighten them out of plain dispassionate reason . ( Hear ) . He did not know by what name this species of argument was called , but ho would call it the hobgoblin argument . ( ' Hear , hear , ' and laughter ) .
He adverted to the gross anomalies in the administration of the law . The Government was actually afraid to put it impartially into execution . The law was extensively violated with the knowledge of the Stamp-office , creating an unfair competition between parties engaged in the same trade .
_ ' But it was by such meetings as the present , by agitation out of doors , that any effect would be produced in Parliament . The efforts of members would be vain unless there was pressure from without . { Hear , hear ) . The Chancellor of the Exchequer was going to produce a new budget— ( laughter )—and the Government had now an opportunity , having just g . me through the Gazette — ( laughter )—of coming forthwith a first-class certificate—( cheers and laughter ) — if they were to include in the new budget the repeal of the taxes on knowledge . ( Cheers ) . " The meeting was also addressed by Mr . Shaw , a working man ; Mr . W . E . Ilickson , Mr . Edward Edwards , Mr . I ) . Collet , and Air . llolyoake . The following are the resolutions which passed unanimously : —
" That all taxes which impede the diffusion of knowledge arc highly injurious to the public interest , and are most impolitic sources of revenue , and that their retention by the Legislature is utterly inconsistent with the opinion now universally professed in favour of popular education .
" That the excise on paper , the tax on advertisements , and the stamp on newspapers , though apparently unconnected taxes , are in reality parts of one system , which restricts the freedom of the press by hampering it with fiscal burdens . " That by allowing a number of registered newspapers to circulate a portion of their impression without ( . lamps , and denying the Harne privilege to others ; and by permitting news and political comments to be inserted in the unstamped publications of the metropolis , while suppressing similar publications in the country ; the Hoard of Inland Revenue lias iu vented itself with the powers of a censorship equally foreign to the law . s of the land and the feelings of ihe people ; of this country . "
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I March 8 , 1851 . ] Q % t &ea& * t , 215
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TUK NKWSl'APKlt STAMP AHOUT 1 ON COMMITTKK . TO THK KUl ' l'Olt 1 l ' . US or Till ! l . ATK OlCNKllAI , MOTION ion . vs ui . ia miintaii v Kiii'inui , namely : — Ailuir , llu-jli Kdtvunl lp-. ivi < : li Adiiir , Itolicit . Alexander . Sli : « ll <> . ( . ' aiiil > iiik : r , Horoujjli A k IioiiIiv , lli-iii'y A ){ ln > ul >) ' Ciic . lii'i in cm III AI cock , II ii ii 11 j . i N iin i-y , 1 'iawl . AikIci nun , A i tin 11 (> i Kiuy ami Shetland At liiriU'oii ;; , l !( il ) i-rt lta \ iie .-i . . . . l . iiuca-iler lt , i » : i , MiHiarl Tlioinax .. .... .. l >< -il > y llcrkrle ) , I Ion . ( . ' . I .. ( iiriivillc .. ( In ll ciiliam \ W \ Iw-li-y , linn . V . Meni ') 1 ' Itiiiiol lli'rkrlry . Hen . < <' ianll < y (< liim-cn ( t-i sliiie , \\'« 'ht Hl . iKi , Martin Johi-jiIi << aluny , 1-toKiu ^ li Hk-Wllt , 1 ;< 'l ; iiki- ' . I Jiujicu MoiiiikmUIi . Ujulilci ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 8, 1851, page 215, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1873/page/3/
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