RicE's Bill. as in mercantile business, the producer with small
capital will be Another objection to the Stamp-duty, and one which deserves driven out of the field by competitors whose means enable them the serious consideration a every Minister, is the odium which to combine the labour of many hands, and to wait for the best will attach to the Governtoent from the measures necessary to time of selling.
enforce payment of the duty. The powers for that purpose must That the labourer is prosperous, has been placed beyond doubt. be stringent ; and we arc not prepared to say that less violent, ar- It is stated by several witnesses, that wages have not fallen in bitrary, and inquisitorial ones, than such as the new Stamp-duties proportion to the prices of necessaries ; and that the working man Bill authorizes, will suffice to put down the illicit dealer in news- " never was so well off." The operation of the Poor-law seems to papers. But of this we are sure, that attempts to execute such a have given all but universal satisfaction : it is expressly stated, that plan of Press Coercion as Mr. Rice has most unadvisedly laid on not only havethe rates been diminished, but the temper and character the table of the House of Commons, will cause perpetual scuffles of the labourers have been improved, and the spirit of lazy insult. between the People and the Police; in which, in the long run, the ordination, which was prevalent a short time since, has disappeared latter will be beaten ; and thus the Government will gain hatred in the districts to which the Poor-law has been extended.
and lose money. The inefficacy of a depreciation of the Currency to produce
When a very large amount of revenue is at stake, such as that permanent benefit, is beginning to be perceived even by the produced by the duties on soap or tobacco, we can see a motive farmers. It appears from the evidence, that they would approve, for passing and enforcing an inquisitorial law in defiance of un- indeed, of such an alteration as would raise the price of' wheat; popularity : but the amount to be raised from the penny stamp but they have no relish for the advance which they now perceive on newspapers is insignificant—a hundred thousand pounds or must be simultaneous and proportionate in other articles of which thereabouts ; and we put it to the Ministers, whether, as men of they would be the purchasers. not the salesmen. We are amused common discretion, they can venture to incur the hatred, and the to observe the constant rebuffs received by the Currency-doctors risks of disturbance, which must be the result of their—we must on the Committee. The facts proved, not that a depreciation of call them—atrocious measures for collecting this paltry duty ? the currency or an issue of one-pound notes was required for the Again—the size of newspapers is to be restricted!—namely, to relief of the country, but that a check on the facility of procuring 1,530 superficial inches. So that the Whig Government resumes loans was rather to he desired. the boon which the Tory Administration of Lord LIVERPOOL, . There is abundant evidence to back the conclusion at which we Lord RIPON being then Chancellor of the Exchequer, accorded to arrived from reading the former portion of evidence, that the re- the press. Really, this legislation for exceptions, this attack on duction of the County-rate and Assessed Taxes would afford but . double sheets, is sorry employment for a Liberal statesman. De trifling relief to the farmers; and though most of them have a minimis non carat lex, is a maxim which Mr. RICE should keep longing for the repeal of the Malt-tax, and pretend that it would in mind, and not bring the weight of the Government to bear on do great things for them, yet the fact is clearly against them, ac-
this very small matter. cording to their own statements. Thus, Mr. BICKERTON, who
To Lord MELBOURNE and his colleagues this Free Press question cultivates about 400 acres in Shropshire, says that the repeal of may prove more serious than they appear to consider it. If they the tax would be " particularly good" for the farmers of that persevere in their present plan, they will be startled at the change county, as more malt liqour is used by them than by the farmers HI the public feeling which will manifest itself towards them. of any other county he is acquainted with; yet even he admits, that They have not acted so popular a part lately, on several questions hisdirect gain would not exceed 15/. a year. He thinks that part of in which the interest felt is very strong and general, that they the duty might be taken of " without any injury to the revenue," can afford to trifle with their supporters, far less to engage in an because, he wisely adds, " the increased consumption would be so open warfare with the masses. Let them look around and watch much more, and less of spirits;'—as if spirits were charged with the signs of the times : they may easily discern symptoms of no duty. stormy weather in several quarters. That the farmers, but especially the more dependent and less Mr. SPRING RICE says that he cannot carry the entire aboli- intelligent among them, should above all things dread a deficient tion of the duty through the House of Commons. We are by no harvest, will, we think, appear from a consideration of another means sure that lie can ; for we are aware of the strength of and most important branch of the evidence in the Second Report.
opposing interests. Let him try, however—honestly ; let him In the course of our remarks on the First Report, we said (in make the question a Government question; and then, even should reference to a portion of the evidence which we quoted)—" It is be fail, he is safe, and sure of popular support and gratitude. fair to conclude that little evil can proceed from the operations of i
After six years' agitation—commenced too, be it remembered, the Joint Stock Banks, as long as the rule of requiring proper snider the auspices of leading Whigs—people have acquired a security for loans is adhered to;" and we added, that " as far as strong fancy for cheap newspapers. They see no reason why the evidence had been published, it does not afford cause fur ap- Englishmen, who supply the Americans with cheap cottons and prehension that the recent rise in the prices of various cominodi- cheap woollens, should be compelled to pay four or five times as ties has been caused by an injudicious facility on the part of the much for newspapers as the people of the United States.* The banks in lending money." We regret to say that the Second American commodity may be inferior—that is an accident of the Report furnishes too much evidence of this " injudicious facility." social position : but every one to his taste—let us have papers of From various quarters we have recently heard of very culpable all prices, and of all sorts and sizes, and the purchasers will suit conduct on the part of certain banking companies; but there is no
themselves. occasion to disclose our private information, as we can now refer
• The question of the transmitsion of newspapers is fully discussed in a second pant- to the statements of unexceptionable witnesses before the Agri- OW by Mr. JOHN CRAWFORD, entitled "The Newspaper Stamp or the Newspaper cultural Committee to the same effect.
Postage." Mr. JAMES Scorr, a corn-merchant of Liverpool, says that the
Previous page
