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imposed by the sentence of a court . Another provision which he should notice was one which extended to pamphlets and other publications held to be newspapers , the enactment originally introduced by his noble and learned friend , by which printers are obliged to send to the Stamp-Office a copy of each paper they published . The necessity of this regulation was obvious . It had been made a
reproach to his Majesty's ministers that they had not prosecuted the libels which were in circulation ; but their lordships were now aware that the prosecution of the author was hopeless , and the discovery of the printer , and sometimes the
prosecution of the first -publisher , were things extremely difficult , from their obscurity , and because they were not venders . For instance , Carlile had four or five prosecutions instituted against him because he was the vender of libels : whereas
Sherwin , the original publisher , taking care to avoid selling except to persons who , he knew , would not enforce the law against him , escaped . The effect of this provision would , therefore , be , to identify the printer and original publisher ; and , if
a blasphemous libel appeared , to facilitate the prosecution of those who put it forth . The printer or publisher was , therefore , required to subscribe his name to the copy delivered to the Stamp-Office . He knew that measures of this
kind would be objected to by those who txad all along contended that no regulation was necessary . He was aware that « ome persons were of opinion that the danger against which it had been the study of his Majesty ' s ministers to provide , was greatly overrated , and that the constitution of this country stood on a
basis so firm , that it was impossible to shake the allegiance of the people . But it toad been well observed by Lord Bacon ., that a man should not try how much poison 'has constitution would bear . The Earl of Harrowby perfectly agreed with the noble Duke , that the majorities by which the measures had
been supported were not confined to the two Houses of Parliament , hut that they comprehended all the sound , which he believed -to be ( the major , part of the community- ' Where were the public meetings which had been held to petition or to remoiistrate against them ? There had been one ) in London , one in
Weetmmster ; but "where was the test of ttoe country ? ffitye fgenecal silence was » eKipreAsfae , amd offered a satisfactory proof 'tftat nthe people at large felt as he had stated . JDum taoeat , clamant . Attempts ? had toenrmade ^ to procure » general meetrings 4 ffer ' £ ^ ie ipu uptrae of petitioning , -but the cattoifttptB had Aited . "The call rmat * e
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in various places > had been followed by no response . If this was -owing to an acquiescence in the late proceedings of Parliament , he augured we $ for the future tranquillity of the country . J / 9 on the other hand , those proceedings were regarded as actually subversive of their
rights , and the people , notwithstanding this opinion , continued silent , it qffbrded , indeed , an awful warning : it shewed that the abuse of the press and of public meetings had inspired so general a disgust , that the country was willing to sacrifice their advantages rather than tolerate their mischievous effects .
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62 IntelLigence . —Parliamentary . —Literary \
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¦ JjVWK&ASttr . ¦ ¦ ' ¦ A manuscript < pf « a ^ ijbtddtaiitllic « ti city has jttstredche 4 itiusf « ciiirttTy , iwbieh is calculated ifobfeneifee sail / iKtomordinaFy -tegrte * St aattewtst , > -iifaM uBbriifH s&t dteujbdbs-of a Itriatolator , am # naoTl ? be pub-Jto&itsd froth ; in JEtalishsmttotl ^ original
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House or Lorps , Wednesbav , Dec . 29 . Newspaper Stamp Duties JBUL Lord Ellenborough supported the bill , which imposed bo restraint on fair discussion , but was directed against a pauper press , from which the greatest
mischief was to be apprehended . That press did not dare to tell tbe truth , because those who eaanaged it wrote solely for profit . It therefore did » ot attempt to direct , but constantly followed the varying opinion of the everchanging mob , studying to flatter their
prejudices and minister to their passions . The cheapness of these fn * blications rendered it impossible to $ tiider&eU them ; and as they had already produced so much mischief , the evil must # eeeasartty be greatly increased before * hey could be written down . From £ he period of Hone ' s acquittal to the tconviction of
Cabjlile , the press , from which these mischievous publications issued , bad gone on without , any contpaul , or < any apprehension of ^ uni&liHient . He was aware that an important question here arose , namely , whether ^ e te ^ riOFdeirs ought to be deprived of a political ppess ; but into tbat he did not further center than
to express his opinion agvmst their poli tical reading , wMeh Jhc dhow ^ t : CO \ iW ! te of no use to them . The country < € ould dethre no : benefit / from iphijk > SA |* h £ rs from the loom , or staie ^ paen from
Sfmnmgjenuies . Besides , i&g ldnd of Fea ^ mg which publications , Auob < ns jiad fet ^ ly beeppi so widely circulated , offwiteA * tentoi to destroy \ t&e hppee &f that moral -improvement ^ rjboeh it w » 3 ^ f $ & gi-a ^ test importance ^ p * roiB 0 ^ e amang the lower orders n * f > tte ? ^ W «^ e .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1820, page 62, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2484/page/62/
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