The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-06 00:00:00

COe Court.

TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE.

tier ,lltijente received yesterday the melanehole
inteftigenee of ;lie death of Her Serene Highness Ric
Prints.' Elise of Iluhenlohe Lanstentiounr.
Prince Albert presided yesterday afternoon at a meeting
of the Royal Ciounii-sion for the Promotion of the Exhibi-
tion of the Works of Industry of all Nations. His royal
highness arrived at the building in Hyde-park shortly before
thr o'clock, attended by Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey
and Colonel Ronverie. The commissioners present were,
Earl Granville, Lord Stanley, Lord therstonc, the Right
lion. W. E. Glad-tone, M.P., Sir Richard Westmaeott, Sir
Charles Eyell, Mr. T. Baring. M.l'., Mr. Cobden, M.l'.,
Mr. Cohitt, Mr. T. F. Gibson, Mr. John Gott, Mr. Stephen-
eon, M.P., and Mr. Alderman Thompson, M.P. Mr. Scott
Russell, Seeretary to the Itoyal Commission, and Mr. Edgar
Roaring, Acting Secretary, were in attendance. Lieut..
Co:onel Reid. M.P.., Chairman of the Exceutive Committee,
Mr. Lynn l'layfair, Special Commissioner, and Colonel
Lloyd, Special Comimirsiimcr, were also present. The
meeting broke up at twenty-five minutes before six o'clock.

MEETING AT ST. MARTIN'S lIALL, LONG-

ACRE.

Last evening a numerously attended meeting was
held at St. Martin's Hall, Long-acre, in order to promote a
repeal of the taxes on knowledge in general. Amongst
those present were Mr. Cobden, ; Mr. M. Gibson,
M.P.; Mr. F. O'Connor, M.l'.; Professor Key, &e.
Professor HEWITT KEY having been voted to the chair,
proceeded to open the business of the evening by expressing
his regret at the absence of Mr. Grote, who was to have
taken the chair that evening, and who had strong
claims on the gratitude of the nation, by reason
of his exertions as a scholar and as a statesman,
in behalf of the people. Ile then read letters from Mr•
Ilume, Mr. Essart, M.P., and Mr. Scholefield apologising
for their unavoidable absence.

Vic Martini, of Nnrmanhv had an interview with bird
J,.hn Hawse II vr•terday at his official residence in Downing-
street.
- • ' " • . - _

Mr. John Wood (chairman of the Board of Inland Re-
T. IRO, and Mr. Prvoly had an interview with the Chan-
cellor of the Eaehequi r yesterday at his official residence in
Dunning-street.
Mr. Duncan, Mr. Fenton, and Mr. Prier, being a depu-
tation of the C donian Railway director., had an inter-
view with the Comnii,iunera of Railways at the office of
the Board of Trade yesterday.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon
at the Foreign-office, Downing-street. The ministers
pitsent were Lord John Unmet', the Lord Chancellor,
11w Martinis of Lansdowne, the Earl of (into, Sir
George Grey. Viscount Pulmerston, Earl Grey, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Francis Baring,
Lord Broughton, the Earl of Carlisle, the Marquis of
Clanricarde. and the Right lion. Henry Labouchere.
The Council sat four hours.

The Queen will hold a Privy Council to-morrow
(Friday) at ltuekinghrun Volum. Summonses were
',sued yebtc•rdav loan the Privy Council-office to the
ministers and Laken of state.

THE NEW MERCANTILE MARINE ACT.

DEPUTATION OF SEAMEN TO THE BOARD OF
TRADE.

Yesterday a depututi (((( , appointed by the seamen
now lying in the port of London, waited upon the Right
Han. Cleary I..abooteherr, I'm-violent of the Board of Track.,
for the purpose of presenting a memorial complaining of
the operation of the new Mercantile Marine Act, and praying
for the suspension of the objectionable parts of the statute.
TIM memorial, which was a lengthy decument, set forth
the conviction of the subscriber+ that the lines and penalties
fixed by the act would prove a .urte of hearthunting, and
dart 1.10 improvement in the men, and that no further
power ought to be given to racer; on hoard a ship;
that public courts are necessary for the purpose
of restraining the arregance of °dicers, instead of the
'winds power antrustrd by the new bill to the master:
that no ailcopettc provision is nouls for redrew of wrongs
sustained by th, nt.gltet or wantonness "(officer+ that the
exclusive charteter of the bet-leak as a record of the con-
duct of the crew i+ a great injustice : that the ronutaiun of
shipping ottices with sailors' homes lends to injure the sea-
mot that the numerous rules, restriction+ and regulations
are ton rigorous for the character of the British sailor, and
trial t o redutt. them to the conditiom of slaves. All which
evils the nwnwrialists pray may he rentetlied.
Mr. Itul'UllEltE addressed du• deputation, and ex-
pressed les re aret that the rot had Men received in the
manner it had by the +rumen. He assured them that it
had been framed with especial ref ranee to Iwnefit and
bower, the it condition, and he thought they had not that
security and protection as they had under the present hill.
Mr. J. K kV ANAGIII (a seaman, one of the deputation)
drew the attention of the right how gentlemen to the 1.0. i•
non 01 the shipping lA++ +. At ion.. iit a man situated
like himself had no chatwe of getting a ship at there
unites • they ought to he more in the immediate vicinity of
ttheda.icks order to he of any real service to the sailor.
Mr. 1...ki .
lt/Ut HERE remarked that the shipping others
were under the control of the members +tithe Local Marine
Board, and be would conamueicate with them upon the

Mr. JOHN CAS ELL proposed the first resolution, to
the effect that all taxes which impede the diffusion of know-
ledge are highly injurious to the public interest, as well as
impolitic sources of revenue, and that their retention is
utterly inconsistent on the part of the legislature, regarding
the opinions universally professed in favour of popular educa-
tion. The object of the meeting was the abolition of all taxes
on knowledge, the diffusion of which was at present beset by
fiscal impediments, which prevented the extension of intel-
ligence amongst the people, and compelled them to wallow
in the mire of ignorance. ((tear, hear.) No person would
deny that the tales were unjust, impolitic, and wicked.
(Hear, hear.) There was " Chambers*" penny publica-
tion, which circulated 80,000 copies, yet it could not pay in
consequence of the heavy tax. For the same reason they
had to give up their three-halfpenny publication, which
was the means of diffusing most useful information
amongst the working classes. ((dear, hear.) At present
French literature held its place predominant in the market,
because they were unable to compete with it; but let these
taxes be removed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and
then, he doubted not, this country would progress in such a
manner as to become an example to the other nations, a
pattern of virtue and intelligence worthy of being copied
and admired. ((fear, hear.) If the advertisement duty
and the penny stamp were removed, what numbers would
he employed ! Extra newspapers would be published, extra
mills would be erected to manufacture paper. (Hear.) At
present it was• difficulty with the workingman toafford him-
self a weekly newspaper, whereas, if these taxes were re-
pealed, he could afford himself the luxury of a daily paper.
(liar, 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
his family could also participate in the luxury. (Hear,
hear.) Were the taxes on knowledge repealed, he (Mr.
Cassell) would be prepared to start a daily penny paper on
a circulation of .30,0911.
Mr. E, Til LL seconded the revolution.
A GENTLEMAN on the plattnrm supported the reso-
lution. Ile exhibited a new:paper, price 2 cents, which had
been published in Americ4, and said, be had no doubt that

Mr. RIDDLE, another of the deputation, a waman,
then prieeveled to date the drung objection the .I.IMVII had
to the .2 timely, in the ship,' article, with rap et to tines,
stud the wish that they should be withdrawn.
!gr.!, %11l Eli F. ouggi dell whether their withdrawal
from the printe,l form of article, would *may them, and
them hung up in the .hi [ping office, to that the
master and nian mild mutually adopt ao many of them as
they might think lit.
Mr. RIDDLE thought their entire withdrawal would be
mote ohnopt.,ble to the hotly.
Mr. 1,..1111WrIllittl: drew the attention of the men to
the feet that the mod lenient fonn had been adopted.
. .... . . .

then were at least such published in New York alone.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. 0. 11. LEWES also spoke in favour of the resolu-
tion. Apart from the pecuniary consideration, they had
• good banner to hold forth in this question of the
abolition of the taxes on knowledge. (Hear.) But it
might be that some persona thought the diffusion of
knowledge amongst the people was not a good but
an evil. That was a natural view perhaps fur those
to take who enjoyed monopolies and privileges which
would not he tolerated if the people were better instructed
and more enlightened. For himself, he felt no sympathy
with that species of English snobbism which thought that
everything was valualde in proportion as it was exclusive.
(11i-ar, hear.) As a literary man, he was not afraid of com-
petition. Swift had a story of a spider that thought the
world es coaling to an end when its web was brushed
away by the housemaid; but the fact was the apartment
was much cleaner in consequence, and the Hies were cer-
tainly much the safer. (Cheers.)
Mr. COBDEN, being loudly called for by the meeting,
rim°, amid loud applause, and spoke as follows : Mr. Chair-
man and gentlemen—Like the gentlemen who have pre-
ceded me, I beg to assure you I am not going to make a
long speech. My business here is not to talk. Having a
hope of taking part in behalf of this question in another
place, I was anxious to see the amount of interest felt on
this subject in the metropolis : and certainly the assemblage
congregatisl within Oki" spacious hall tonight, the noise
and discomfort al by the great numbers who could
nut possibly gain admission, are einivineing proofs that the
public an• not indiffennt to this question. (Cheers.) I donut
think that any other tax would have brought such numbers
together. Even the tax on tobacco—(icer, hear)—the
tax on malt, or the tax on soap would not have brought so
many together as are here to protest against this tax on
knowkolge. (Hear, hear.) It is highly honourable to the
people, and especially to that portion of them comprising
the working classes_of whom I see so many present—that
they are come herr, not to protest against the continuance
of a tax on any sensual luxuries, or anything pleasing to
the physical palate, but that they are met to obtain free
amens to the means of mental enlightenment. (Cheers.)
That fact ought to fall heavily on those who sway and con-
trol political power in this country, when the masses cry
out for knowledge and proclaim the government as the
. .

Mr. ItIDDLE then pnweislcil to esplain the extent to
which the system of fining might be enforced. The men
cold alai art, and their temper somewhat tried by the
swathe,. might go below a short time before the time
appointed for putting the light. out. One unfortutuite fel-
low might have some difficulty in arranging his clothing,
and wish a fi w momunts* gran, when the chief mate might
come forwanl and order light. to he put nut. The roan
anral,l few minute: more light, and it was possible,
if the ottie, r n•fired, the man might give vent to u trifling
oath. Yoe this In would he fined one day's pay for not
putting the light out, another day's pay fur using bad Lan.
'WWI% and a thinl day for expressing himself in a contemp-
tuous manlier to a superior offieer. Ile (Mr. Riddle)
assunal the right hon. gentleman that during the eighteen
years he hail been employed at sea he had never had occa-
sion to go to a shipping office, and he did not
want. lie al., adverted to the fact of the sailor
not being lino Weil with ROWer fur ailtspiate compensation
iii the raw of where there was an ineflicieney of water and
provisions. Ile also contended that when an entry was
awle in the log against a man, the man should have it
rani over to him, and know what he had to answer;
that he should further have the power of entering his
dallier, and the names of parties who could speak in his
bchalf.
Mr. liAV.tMAOII suggested that means should be
adopteil a ith u view of giving the respectable and honest
baanli,n or lislging-house keeper some security. It WAS at
great illip,ort,inct• to the sailor. Often when the sailor came
home he gut into had hands, and was robbed ; and
when he returned from his neat voyage, he was very dubi-
ous into whose hands he might get, and so the respectable
twin sufficed a. did the seaman.
Mr. I,AIJOUt 11E10', after listening with much atten-
tion to the remarks of those prevent, observed that he was
not preisircil then to give a decided answer to the memo
rad. Ile was anxious to affisnl them ever)- consideration,
and he would communicate to them the feeling of the board
on the foßlowing day.
The deputation then withdrew, after engaging the atten-
tion of the board nearly two boon.

lIEPRF4EXTATIOIC OP STROVD.—A contem•
pinny say., In the event of a iliesolution of parliament,
it, Stanton, Esq., M.l'., retires from the representation
of this borough. The influential whig gentlemen of Stroud
have invited Loral Mon•ton, eldest son of Hart Dune. We
understand that Thomas A. Stoughton, En., of Owlpen
House, intends offering himself also on the liberal interest,
at it is expected that a third candidate will be proposed. A
tierce contest is copecteil.--eAeffenhoo• Jaffnal.
M PET NO of Mit W. J. Fox's FRI ENDS.—On Friday
evening lag, a numerous meeting of Mr. Fox's friends
was held at the hour of Mr. Ilolme, King's Arm., Old-
ham, Jahn Platt, Pawl. in the chair, at which the following
resolutions were unauimouvly agreed to :—I. That this
meeting pledges itself to support their present representa-
tive, Mr. W. J. Fox, at the next election. 2. That a sub-
scription be now entered into to promote the before-named
object. In accordance with the last revolution gentlemen
then present put down their names for 1501., and an acting
committee was formed to carry out the objects of the meet-
ing.— Malichrsler Examiner.
AItREsT OF THP YORKSHIRE.—Ae-
county from Holyhead state, that the New York packet-ship
Yorkshire has been placed under arrest, by authority of a
warrant nsued by the High Court of Admiralty, at the
instance of the City of Dublin Packet and the Chester and
Ilolyhead Railway companies; the former claiming 10,00.01.
for services. rendered by the Prince of Walt, in towing
the said vessel into the harbour, and the Litter elaiiniug
3,0001. for similar servicvs rendered by the Anglia.—
l'Aester Courant _ _ _

uhstole to their attainment of that knowledge. (Hear.
It falls so an indictment upim the controllers sof the state ,
and repeat* that indictment beforehand against their own
policy .11 compulsory ignorance. (bleer, hear.) I have
occasionally taken part in questions of education ; and I
look ssa this as a question of education, and rejoice that we
have fur our chairman this evening a gentleman who is a
distinguished educator himself. (Cheers.) Whatever dis-
putes there may be about education, whether it should be
of this nature or of that, whether the government should
assist luevtion, or whether the education to be given should
be solely secular, or !ovular combined with religious instruc-
tinn—(erie.of " No, no.")—these may be very fair mutters
for discussion in au open assemblage • but I think there
hardly will be found a person to say that the government
can justify itself by acknowledging itself to be an impedi-
ment to the ditfusiou of knowledge. (Hear, hear.) The
taxes on knowledge, such as you have had before you, may
be said to be in number three—the tax on paper, the tax on
advertisemmts, and the tax in the way of stamp on the
paper. (Hear, hear.) Now, I think I am not misin-
terpreting the motives of the great majority here when I
say that that tax which predominates over all the others,
and which, in your mints, amount, to the greatest grie-
vance, et the penny stamp on newspapers. (Hear,
hear.) The excise duty on paper is bud in itself,
as it is in the case of the malt tax, the hop tux, or the soap
tax, because it beings the exciseman into the manufactory,
and compels the man in business to maintain act of parlia-
ment rules and regulations fur conducting that business.
(Ikar, hear.) It lays the man of business opeu to a system
of espionage ; and in that respect the excise on paper is as
had as on any other article. (Hear, hear.) Another effect
is, it enhances the price of paper, and when it comes to the
hands of the printer, it necessarily causes an additional
charge to the anal buyer. (Hear.) But when you come
to deal with the penny stamp on newspapers, it is
objectionable in another way. The stamp on newspapers
yields so paltry an amount, that when you consider
the political instruction of 26 millions of persons is impeded
by a tax which in the net does not exceed 180,0601.—when
pin think of the small amount of the tax and its effect, it
becomes unjuatitlahls and open to the suspicion whether at
all it is maintained for purposes of revenue. (Hear,
hear.) The stamp on newspapers yields to the revenue
about 340,000/. Now there are about 60 or 80 millions I
of newspapers passing through the I'est-office in the course
of the year. (Hear, hear.) What we propose is this —that
all newspapers that go by post should have a Queen's-head
stain , the same as a letter; but that any individual should
be allowed to print a newspaper wherever he pleased with-
out the guarantee of the excisetuan's stamp. (Hear, hear.)
By our plan all newspapers going through the post-offico
—and I believe they would be more numerous than at
present—would contribute one penny by way of tax to the
revenue for the transport of that paper to its place of direc-
tion. If Mr. Hume were here, he would tell you, as he
told me. that in his belief the taking the stamp off the pa-
per when printed, and paying fur its transit by post, would
lead to no loss whatever ; m fact, that as much would be
contributed by the Queen's-head stamp as is at present.
(Hear, hear.) Bat whither or not—whether it is
140,000/. or 200,060/. per year that would be lost—
'the amount is so insigniheaut that it should not
be an obstacle in the eyes of a statesman to
the removal of the stamp. (Hear.) Why cannot we In
London, with two-and-a-half millions of customers at our
doors print and publish a paper as cheap as they can in
New lurk? (Ileac; hear.) Everything else you manu-
facture you produce at a lee cost than the Americans, and
send your manufactures, your woollens and cottons, and
other productions, back to New York after paying the ex-
itpence of freight, together with some 20 or 30 per cent im-
port duty. (Hear, hear.) What is the cause of it? Your
printers are not better paid ; the rags, of which your paper
a made, do not rest more ; your reporting talent and gene-
' cal literary ability is to be had at as cheap a rate here as in
America. Why cannot, then, we produce at as cheap
a rate ? (Hear, hear.) It is because of the tale-
tion which the government lays upon yon. (Hear,
hear.) Now, mark the effect of this upon the interests of
that most numerous class of the community—the working
I people ; and you will perceive they have no daily paper.
(Hear, hear.) • The daily press in England exists only in
London; and I assert that that daily press is nut the ex-
ponent of the wants and interest* of the working classes.
(Loud cries of " Hear, hear".) If these daily journals are
the exponents of the wants and interests of the working
!classes, then, I must say, they are very disinterested trades-
men ; for I am sure the working classes are not their rue
tomer'. (Laughter.) Let no person say we are making
random assertions in luring that the daily press does not
i represent the polities of the great mum of the community.
(Hear.) What is my proof? Look at the "leaders" in the
dal! v Comparethe polities of the daily and weekly press
1 Wliat weekly paper in London could live at all on the poll-
ties of the Morning Herold ? (Hear, and laughter.) Or
what weekly paper could exist on the politics of the IL..m-
ing poet? (Hear, hear, and renewed laughter.) The
weekly press, we all know, is patronised in London mainly
by the classes who are excluded from all care by the daily
prem. (Hear, hear.) If you had the power or the means
of sappwang a daily. press, you would have your opinions
redacted therein to the same way u at present

31kftell 3. ExPERIMENTS 0111
WOIIIIF.N Vesseis.—A trial commenced this afternoon of
the effects of ehut and shell on a wooden butt, constructed
fur the purpose in this yard, and the old Topase, late a re-
ceiving hulk in this harbour. The firing is from the stage
by the side of the Excellent, gunnery ship, in Porchester I
lake, and the butt is placed at the usual distance from the
Excellent ; the Topase being about 10 feet behind it. Rear
Admiral Berkeley, one of the Lords of the Admiralty, Mlle
down fur the purpose of witnessiug the trials, as also Capt.
Sir Thomas Hastings, Colonel Dentin*, and other officers. ;
The trials are placed under the directions and arrangements of ;
Capt. Chad.. of the E xcellent, Col. Stevens, It. M. A . and Capt. I
H.A., who form the committee. The trials this
aft. rnoon have beta confined to Captain MoorsoM's shells;;
but the shells of the other inventors will be tested. Capt.
bloorsons's are considered to have answered very well, so
far as their bursting was concerned. With regard to the
effects ou the butt and the Topuse, these are not yet ascer-
tained. The trials are of a somewhat complicated charac-
ter. Their chief object is to aseertainthe comparative effect
of shot and shell on wooden and iron vessels, experiments
having been made on the latter a few months since from
the Excellent, which were considered to be conclusive as
to the inapplicability of iron vessels fur war purposes.
In addition to testing the effects on wooden vessels,
similarly placed to the butts, which represented sections of
an iron vessel, and the relative results and amount of splin-
tering from each, the experiments also include trials of dif-
fen-nt descriptions of *lulls. It is eapeeted that the firing
will be continued to-morrow, Friday. and Saturday. As it
was apprehended that the *belie might set fire to the
Topase, engine boats, manned from the Satellent and Vic-
tory, are placed in attendance.

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, 1851.

lin the weekly press. (Hear, bear.) So far an I can
judge, I must confess that the politics of the weeklv press
are much sounder than those of the daily press. (Hear.)
Now, with regard to the advertisement allay, the abolition
of that tax was a sine qua non for the prosperity of cheap
newspapers. (Cheers.) I want to have shilling advertise-
ments, an that the tradesman and the poor person out of
employment may be aide to have their advertieetnent in
the paper week idler week, and even standing sometimes
for a year, as in the case iu America. (Hear, hear.) No
press in free till you remove all duties. No tax should be
allowed to intertere with the progress of the printing-press.
I would do for the press what we have done for corn.
(Loud cheers.) I will only add (this subject baring been
alluded to) that you will find me, as in corn, a freetrader
also in knowledge. (The hou. gentleman sat down amidst
loud cheers.)
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously,
anal amidst loud cheers. . . .

Mr. W. E. IW. IiSON, in proposing the next resolution,
" 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
freedomof the press by hampering it with fiscal burdens,"
said he had the pleasure of announcing a donation in aid of
the objects of the meeting of 1001. The donor was Edward
Lombe, Esq., a liberal landowner of Norfolk, and the same
gentleman who wry recently had contributed 6001. to the
National Public School A6sociatiou. (Choirs.) Mr. Lombe
took a great interest in the cause of national education, and
he very properly considered the repeal of the taxes on
knowledge as a part of that question. (Hear.) This was a
correct vicar of the subject, and he (Mr. Dickson) would
commend the example of Mr. Lombc to the imitation of all
1 friends of popular instruction with similar means.
lie trusted that a better policy than one of eternal compro-
mise and procrastination was at last about to be adopted.
If not, a general election could not in any case be far dis-
tant, and he did not doubt the taxes on knowledge would
then be found a fatal harrier to the return of many of the
supporters of the present government. (Cheers.)
Dr. I.F.E =growled the resolution.

Mr. EDWARD ED WARDS (a working printer) sup-
ported the resolution, and contended that the existing
morning papers would not diminish in circulation in con-
sequence of the issue of a daily penny newspaper. The
Times would save 17,0001. a-year, paper duty, which could
he devoted to giving more extensive employment in every
department of literature. At present the printers in the
three kingdoms amounted to about 12,000; but he was
certain that, were these taxes repealed, before seven
years double that number of compositors would find
active and remunerating employment. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. MILNER GIBSON, on rising to address the meet-
ing, was greeted with loud cheers. Ile said, that at that
hour of the night he would not detain them at any length.
It happened to devolve on him to prop ow in the House of
Commons the abolition of the taxes on knowledge ; and, if
he were permitted, he would be prepared to make that pro-
position main to the house. (Cheers.) But a member of
parliament was in a forlorn situation, and hut a poor and
helpless creature, if he made a prooosition in the House of
Commons without being harked by public opinion out of
doors. (Cheers.) Amon might argue Our ever—might prove
with all the accuracy of an arithmetical proposition the
truth of a certain statement, but if it was not believed that
the community out of doors had an interest in the sumos of
his propos.al, he might 14.1 well " talk to the idle wind
which they regard not." (Hear, hear.) It was for the
people themselves to carry this question. They would alit
. .

succeed otherwise, for neither 'lnc knowledge nor any
other kind of freedom was ever offered as a spontauemis
gilt by the government to the people. (Hear, hear.) The
present House of Commons, select and exclusive as it un-
douliteilly was (hear hear) representing only a
small section of the eommunity, and possessing
great power over the existing system of lesrislation,
was afraid on some °cessions to set up for itself—(laughter)
—us the repeal of the corn laws testified. (titer, hear.)
'flit. House of Lords and the Howse of Commons yielded on
that question to pressure from without, finding it a safer and
wiser course to make a decent surrender, rather than risk
being driven hag and baggage with disgrace from the citadel
which they were defending. (Cheers.) It took much la-
bour and a long agitation toefl'ect that result. (Ilene, hear.)
With regard to the question they were then discussing, he
was afraid there was at the root of the opposition
an unworthy jealousy of the spread of knowledge
among the people. (Cheer..) It was there the
great objection lay. (Hear, hear.) When he brought this
question before the house, and asked what harm cheap
newspapers eould do, the noble lord at the head of the
government conjured up an alarming phantom, and raid
that if cheap newspapers made all government impossible
in France, he should he 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 news-
papers made government impossible in France, hut as Mr.
Disraeli said he conjured up the ensanguined phantom of
a revolutionary republic, in France to frighten them out of
plain dispassionate reason. (Hear.) He did not know by
what name this speties of' argument was called, but he
would call it the hobgoblin argument. (" Ilear, hear,"
and laughter.) When Mr. Hume brought forward
his motion with regard to the suffrage, he recollected that
the noble lord who spoke as the organ of the
government said that there was a great improve-
tnent in the moral and social habits of the
people, hut that as he nevertheless doubted their
political wisdom he said he could not agree to the pmposi-
lion. (Hear, hear.) The object of the present movement
was to assist in giving that knowledge to the people, so that
they might attain to that political wisdom which was said
to be deficient. He saw a broad principle in asking for the
repeal of these three taxes, (hear.) But if the repeal of
one was offered he did not say that he would not take it.
(" Hear, hear," and laughter.) But he would not give LI
release in full. (hear, hear.) Ile would still ask for the
repeal of the others. (Hear, hear.) They ought
nut to rest satisfied with getting the paper duty
re,,ealed alone, or the advertisement duty repealed,
or the stamp removed. They should not be teak-
tied till the press of England was made free. (Hear, hear.)
Ile would nut enter into the question of the paper duty
further than to observe that when he was told that the
paper duty did not interfere with works for which an
extensive circulation was required, the government
allowed a drawback on the paper :used in printing
the Bible and l'rayer-book, in order to extend
the circulation of the holy Scriptures. (Hear, hear.)
An extended circulation we were told was the effect of re-
mitting the paper duty on the holy Scriptures ; but, when
the saine argument was to be applied to other cases, they
were told that the duty on paper in a book was so small
that it had but a small effect. (" Hear, hear," and
laughter.) With regard to the advertisement duty, he re-
garded it as a revenue destisiyer instead of giving a revenue.
(Bear, hear.) he believed that the impediments it threw in
the way of mercantile men communicating with each other
and with the consumer was a cause of lessening the
side of articles bearing customs and other duties, and thus
of diminishing revenue, and he had little doubt that if the
duty on advertisements were repeal...al, there would be no
loss to the revenue in the next year. But, no, it WAS nut
the revenue, but the dread of the extension of cheap know-
ledge amongst the people, and the circulation amongst
them of a knowledge of current events of life in which it
is well known that all men took so great an interest that
caused these taxes to be continued. (Hear, bear.) 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 op-
portuuity, having just gone through the Ginette—
(laughter), of coming forth with a fird-class certificate—
(cheers and laughter)—if they were to include in the new
budget the repeal of the taxes on knowledge. Whether
the government had settled their budget or not, whether
they had made their financial arrangements for the year or
not, be, if he were allowed, should submit to the house of
Commons the proposition and principle, whether they
were to make a permanent source of revenue from
taxes which impeded the diffusion of knowledge amongst
the people. (Cheers.) On that ground he should submit
the question to parliament, and if supported by
meetings like that, and similar meetings in other parts of
the country. he hoped the day was not d'stant when lie
should see the shackles struck from off the press, and when
they could dilate with truth, as it sometimes pleased them
now to attempt, on the freedom of the English press.
(Loud cheers.)
• • ' • •

The resolution was then unanimously carried.
Mr. Donsom CoLimn' and Mr. flor.vosuu moved and
seconded the last resolution, to the effect that by allowing a
number of registered papers to circulate a portion of their
impression without stamps, and denying the same privilege
to others. and by permitting news and political comments
to be inserted in the unstamped publications of the metro-
polis, while similar publications were suppressed in the
country, the Board of Inland Revenue invested itself with
the powers of a censorship equally foreign to the laws of
the land and the feelings of the people of this country.
The resolution being unanimously adopted, the proceed-
ings closed with the usual vote of thanks to the Chair-
man; and the meeting separated shortly before 12 o'clock.

A COMPARISON OF TOE PRF-sENT PRICES OF
WHEAT, FLOCK, AND BREAD IN LONDON AND PARIS
gives the following results " The highest price of wheat
of the first quality in Paris is 22f. per 14 hectolitre, which
is equal to 345. 2d. per quarter : and the highest price of
white wheat of the first quality in London being 44.. per
quarter, it follows that wheat is 31t per cent. dearer in
London than in Paris. The highest quotation of flour of
the first quality. in Paris is 271 40c. the 100 kilo-
grammes, which is equal to 271. 10d. per sack of 280 lbs.
English • and the highest quotation of flour in the London
market being 3Sa. per sack, it follows that flour is 364
per cent. dearer in London than in Pans. The price.
of bread of the first quality in Paris is 24e. per kilogramme,
which is equal to 4td nearly per 41h. loaf, English weight;
and the pnee of bread in Loililoa, at the full-priced shops,
being Old. per 41b.. it follows that bread is 49a per cent.
dearer in London than in Paris."

31CRDER IN GREECE.—A letter from Athens.
dated Feb. IS, says: "A horrible murder has just terrified
one of the villages on Parnassus. Thirty armed men intro-
duced themselves during the night into the house of one of
the primates of the village, and dragging him out into t'te
street massacred him, without touching any part of his pro-
perty. It is said that the mayor and two gendarmes sta-
tioned there, who must have heard the noise, and slid
nothing to prevent the crime, were in connivance with the
murderer. ; and as the victim wa., the avowed enemy of a
person holding a high position at court, the latter is
sus-
pe: not to be unconcerned in the crime. However, the
otficen of justice are actively engaged in the pursuit, and it
is said that four of the assassins Use been taken