The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-16 00:00:00

ed indiviJnel who resided in a t oaselles's shop,
and who had any ill will or malice *gehapt his viu-
player, to pet him in jeopardy. Fie `concluded by
imploring tire Nelsie(tOrd opposite To oconsider
the strocturevif the plespered Bill, and contemplate
what most be its evesiressi result twos the affairs
of so respectable a body as the Petitioners, avid
upon the general literature of the cowry. If any
Ann could ed to the strength of the Govern-
mem, or to the individual character of the Noble
Lord li' self, it would be a reviaion and twiddle:l-
- of the provisions of this I:SOL—Men, , hear.)
The Htiu. MeasLer then presented a Petition,
agreed to at a Meeting of Booksellers and Printers
resident in the City of 1. loss and the neighbour.
hood there'd, held at the London Coffer-limas,
Ludgate-bill, 'on the IStli of December, 1819 ; to
consider the provisions of a Bill now before Par-
liament, for the more effectual Prevention nod
Punishment of Blasphemous and Seditious
The Petition was to the following effect :

That we have observed with Collearo the Mereased and
extensive eircillation of certato seditious and blasphemous
libel* which have of late been printed and pnblistreil, and
are maxims* that such remedy may be provided as to the
• wisdom of Pat 'lament shill seem fit ; but that we hews rthe.
less view with great apprelien and alarm the provisions
of a Bill now under the consideration of the Howie of Cum-
mmis, eritiinled " An Act for the more effectual f'revestiou
al d ruillstinsent of Blasphemous and Seditious (Alicia," as,
far as it is proposed that it should be thereby enacted, that
if ally person shall, after the passiug of that Act, he legally
convicted of having composed, printed, or published, ally
blasph, mous libel, or any such seditious libel as therein
meutiontd, and shall, after being so convicted, offend a se-
cond 11113 r, and be thereof legally convicted, such person
may, on a ►eemul conviction, he adjudged, at the
• of the Collet, either to suffer such pi 3333 shroent as mar now
by law be inflicted in cases of high misdemeanors, Of to he
lissuislud (sum the United Kingdom and all other parts of
his Majesty's dominions, fur such term as the Court, in
which such conviction shall take place, shall under, or to be
transported to such place as shall be appointed by him
Majesty fur the transport:ol4M of offenders for any term not
eseeethug years; and that it should be fortlito enact-
ed, that if any offender who shall be au ordered by any such
Court as aforesaid, to he banished or tounsporled in manner
aforesaid, shall be aftirwaida 31 large within any pail of
the Unit, 41 Kingdom, or any other part of his Majesty's
dominions, without some lawful cause, berme the capitation
of the trios for which ►od, offender shall have been so or.
tiered to be banished or transported as aforesaid. every
such offender bring so at bilge as aforesaid, being thertuf
lawfully convicted, shall suffer death a in cases of felony
without benefit of clergy.
That the punishment of tramp°. t•tion and of death,
are punishments applicable only to frluisies and offeuces, PO
Ilpfelfie cad certain in their stature, as to exclude the cam.
mission thereof thiough ignoralice or Madverlesice, sad use-
ceases sly to include the evil intent iss the felonious or illegal
bet. But that the offence of lib. I is not specific and cer-
tain, and is incapable of Niue /colleted previously cell:On
by say specific definition ; mud that libels may be, and fre-
quently are, published by prrauns having no commuoity of
intentitni with the authors or compusirs thereof; and bring,
from the nature of their business, necessarily omit quatuted
with the contents or probable effect of the same.
That qiiestions of Ithel, Loth in law and fact, are de-
tertuitord by a duty vii the prosecution thereof, std that the
verdict of the Jut) upon a trial, is the sole criterion of
jsidgiorm, as to the I. gal or illegal 'later, and t fleet of a
publication; cud that such yea-dicta, &pending 1113011 lads.
volual opinion, are always 1310WIRIII NMI frequently contra.
sheistry, ill so far, that the author. :tad composers and first
publishers of political and 1.11.er publicali .. s have, in some
instances, bteu siesprilleil upon In 110 T 41 nlllll for libel; aud
subsequent treaders, 110 way 33/OCCI seed in the priatisig or first
publishing thereof, have been convicted by diffeleat dlll.os
for tie publication of the same libels, and punished upon
such conviction by fine nod imprisonment.
That a verdict of acquittal, sin a prosecution for
I, a betchy the publicat somplailied 0r is declared it,
the opinion of the jury to be muusious, dips slot legitimate
I lie continued safe ibercuf, but that the same defemhost is
subject to prosecution fur rack subsequent act of publica-
tion of the same wcrk, and in &rban! cases, is liable to
probable esentual conviction au.l IIU is imheheut ; and that a
prostctsimis fur libel, even in eases of acgnilual, does there-
(Ore generally °penile it. rvglraila the cunt mused circulation of
the utt..u.i., gok, and 01 some cares to suppress the same
altogether.

That as Criter,l Mut:sellers sod Publishers, we are
more especially aaecteri by the proposed Act, and Met the
more extensive and respectable tins trade carried on is, the
more prUbilhir it In 1.t.1111.4 that we may, innocently and with
pout fall mlts the censure sud puuistraseut of
the proposed Law.
That instances are nut sranting in which flookaellers
hare heel. convict, at, and have evil, red punishmeot, for the
sale of libellous works, by a without their privity,
and, it may be, carts culinary to their command; and Mat
as nu eircuinspecitou can good against the malice of an
ntTenited, or the negligence of a careless, tit, we shall
be liable to iscur the ultimate penalty of the psi/posed law,
for acts of which we are not tyro cognizant, and against
which prmtrnet• would be unavailmr.
Twat from the torture of our trade, we are daily em-
ployed to execute orders Goal 4:11$10111C1 s as intro mediate
hands, in the disirtboti ~,, of new *sotto., of the contents and
Justine whirruf we are nisar.tidahly 'cum-ant, ■nd that for
each cup, of sorb wolks 141 dianthus. d by us, we are now
respoucable upon an indictment or iuformation, and are
liable, no: withstood' nig the perfect lately sty of our latent ions,
to punishment, as in raic of a misdentramir; and that if
the mnpuaril Bill *humid 111..1 into a law, we •nay in such
caws tweorne liable 1•• transportation for s• veu years, and
to the punishment of death an cue of return from trauapor-
tall Ull.

That ta very great numlier of historical, political, and
religious works, are etrucu Knit compesrd and published in
1. 100 at stated periods, atiel that most of such works are
of temporary and tm:nB diner publ c mteBcsi, soil that such
winks assist. (torn the puce*, and paes through the hands of
several different learkselkrs, and rosily ilsousauds thereof
me delivered to the readers thereof within a very few hours
after their first poli'teeti.m, and that a previous perusal ur
considerasiou of such W1.1k., by such veudeis of she same as
are ■ot the original ur first publishers of the 91111.1 e, is lois
practicable.
That dimly standard work, upon historical, phitotophi-
cal. sod political subjects, which have now obtained a cis,-
akal reputation, and arc daily sold by respectable Book-
sellers, ender the license of a long prescription, may be
reasonably considered to be liable to question as libellous
by analogy to more recent works which hare been sub-
jected 8u verse cutlets, and that such standard works sherr-
ies., do aunt present any criterion for judgment as to the
effete of New Publiestiosts—but may themselves be the
subject of future prosecution, and may subject the ven-
ders tbefrof to the ptemslimetils proposed by the said Bill.
That the igunininy of a puuishme•t which it is pro.
posed to make common to Authors. Priuters, Booksellers,
and felons, while it operates to deter learned soil respectable
writers of she most virtuous prieiciples, from treating on po-
litical or ►eligious subjects at all, will especially prevent them
from raga fin in the compost* of Reviews. Magazines, and
other vehicles of periodical dtscussiou, to the great and per.
mimeo detriment of learning; nod will seriously injore the
trade of Booksellers and Ptintei s, in which thry have large
cepitslit embarked; especially in that extensive branch of it
which embraces the my-t re.pecialtle Periodical Works in
the covets y ; and will tend to them" them auto the bands of
reckless and despei tie use..
'flout although we hate the greatest confidence in the
wiseitos suit ititegrity of the peseta Judges of his Majesty's
Courts of Law, yet that the vines. to expatriate sad trans-
port fur • crusty nut rprcific but indefinite is. its wittier,
which retorters ignotsere and m telset trace, equally with in..
le:dismal guilt, is of tiro exteus.ve anti dangerous • nature
so be confided to •cry 1411:1,ri i'y whatever, to be exercised at
Juteretiou; ■ued that, in tritium) to • clime whose turpitude
is lirighicurd ur tlito.us4w4l by the political aspect of the

`tante, such a Nearer. cep ally if 1.-att*l-na prcrlhaseet
'need bream, the cognac of great htiwilke sad wit.wrogie%
against wlsidi 150 character, however ptetweio Wool/ be a per
leellop.
th.tt final the eirealartawees stated, oar trade sad
Meson of liviec, if eet totalty destraft4 by Ott intruded Bill,
would be carried ea under a state of hazard and iesreartly,
productive of constant mental ieguiriinte, amid destructive
of the CowlrOrt of ourselves sod ear resailita.

ib.y therefurr pray That the Bill ray u 4 is i word
Mate passiutto a law.
. . .

The Priitif is was signed by the nsost continent
book•elleis to L tts.

Oo the unutons that the Petition do tie on the
table—

Mr. B€fth at. begged leave to say, that he was
not afraid w avow the close uoion which subsisted
between the literature and dignity of the country
the one was ontoo4 ststisnatelY and inseparably inter-
woven with the other.—(fieur.)—Any injudici-
ous restraints 01)011 the one may tend to endanger
their union. lie could, were any confirmation lie-
c y of so self-evident a fact, bear testimony to
the great respectability of the Petitioners ; they
fumed it great mass of persons no the tuost
mot respectable walk of life ; they were a
body whose sentiments and rrmou.trances, when
couched, as lie believed they would ever be, in
the must proper and respectful language, were en-
titled to the very serious attention of the Legisla-
ture, and demanded fruits the. Noble Lord the
deepest coustilsration which he was p►epanrd to
else, to the opinions of so loyal and intelligent a
burly us the principal booksellers of this great um.
hear.)
Lord Casci.utcaott said, that though he meant
to state lila view ..f this subject ',lieu the question
came more regularly under their consideration in a
C 00000 muter. be was tit perfectly willing, if it we►e
now deemed convenient, to apprise the [louse of
his intentions upon the particular subject to which
this Petition had reference. In the Committee it
was Ina intention to propose an alteration, which, he
trusted, would give satisfaction to, and meet the
view of that must ►expectable Class of persons who
had signed the Petition. lie fully admitted that
there were uu persons better entitled to the consi-
derate attention of the Legislature, or whose mo-
tives were less liable to any improper construction.
It was mot hula inletilioott, is: the Committee, to press
the clans, which, for a second offence. imposed the
penalty of transportation—(Hear, hear)—but it
was his determination to urge that Ihe great prin.
ciple of the Bill ci Id be carried into effect. and
that the sec 1 cotivictiois should be visited with ass
accumulative psiu►ahmeot. For this (the second
otletice) he meant to propose the penalty of banish-
ment, 'latest' of transportation. tit either case of a
conviction for sr seditious or blasphemous libel. Ou
more mature reflection. lie we, willing to acquiesce
in the opiiiion of lire Petitioners. that the felonious
punislinieut of I raiisportatiou carried with it a greater
weight of moral obloquy than perhaps ought to be
applied to offeo.crs of this kind in g►aduating Ille
►cale of punishments. These offences were, how.
ever, of the mo►t serious, soul. when repeated. of
the must aggravated character ; still, however. lie
thosight that the punishment of bairishment, to be
iollictei I the discretion of die Court, ni;glit
soffit:l.loly profs et the country against the evil of
such mints. Transportation. therefore, not bring
the alternative, it of course followed. that the pr-
natty of destli upon rtturu [whore the expiration of
the term of the sentence, was done away with.—
But the party returning from bani►hment before he
had fulfilled the terns of his sentence, was to be
liable to transp ortstiou. lie hoped that this altera-
tion would calm the apprehensions of the respect-
able body who presented this Petition, and at the
same time doi,over every purpose required by the
justice of the c tttttt iry.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR said, that lie for one was not
to be iippeam-41 by this modification of the Noble
Lord, and miless he could shew that the p►esent law
was 111,11fliCiellt to put down and punish the publi.
cation of blasphemous and seditious libels, the cir-
col:dime of wlu. h every good into in the empire
steeply lamented. mid moat sinuously wished to see
adequately punished—utiles., he repeated.. this
could be 'Mewl', lie would not give los concurrence
to the proposed Bill.—(I/ear, hear.)—llelure this
Hill could be rum:till. they ought to be satisfied of
the iiiefficiency of the existilig law, and further,
that an occasion existed, by the notoriety of the
oti;:ttet., to, call for and justify more rigorous and •
untie penal enactments. Let ilsat.and the pressing
necessity be proved, and then only ought the dis-
cussion I/retorted into. which hr was sure it would
with one voice. lie was not, like other Gentle.
men. ready upon any idea of alarm to change the
law of the land ; he saw no reason why, fur the
sake of allaying the apprehensions of such persons.
in three weeks mea►ures were to be pressed through
both Houses of Parliaineat which went to change
the ancient constitution of the couutry.—(Hear,
I:ear.)—tholes* the imperative necessity to which
ite lied alluded were shrift,. lir could never assent
to the proposed Bill.—(Hear.)

. .
lu :master to an observation from the other side of
the !louse.
Lord CASTLTRIRAGII said. that that was not the
time to apprise the House of any alteration which
might have been made in the Bill.
The Petition was then ordered to lie on the table,
and be pnntrd.
NEWSPAPER STAMP DUTIES BILL.

lord CASTLIME•OII faild, that in rirloK to move
the order of the day toe the second reading of the
Newspaper Stamp Duties Bill, he rather hoped
that his intended course of roceeding would not tall
for any protruded discussion this night. lie trneted
that from what had been intimated before by the
Hight llon. Gentleman (Mr. Tierney), the Bill
would nut lie 'source:warily delayed iu its proems.
The CL,llfir he had proposed would allow the Howe
full time to examine its nature and pinvieions before
they came to it. diecuseion. Ile hoped, therefore,
that the Bill would be soldered to be read s second
time to-eight without any opposition, and to he
committed to-morrow night pro turner, in order
to seitioduce the alterations %Inch had been
deemed adrisahle 'Mee the measure had been
tint frit tttt d. The primed Bill, with the sumo&
went.. might then ler placed ill the hands of Mem-
here no Friday morning, end uu the question for
recommitting the Bull that day, they would be
fully prepared to discuss its enactments. That

benelg 41.84 appeared to I the more convenient
coinve procerding, ii the Right lion. Gentle-
Mina conaeliteil. he *isotild DOW COUtilie himself to
au esp!atuation of the alteration', node in tlxe ongi-

. , I ,11143.1:.•
41441 3tlia

nal Bin. tJpon comMenicatirMs to hie Majesty's
Ministers from persons in the country, it had been
teprelsented that there were two clashes of publica-
tions with which this measure ought not to interfere,
istasurtsch as soy interference would causes great in-
convenience to those connected with them ; without
producing an equivalent benefit to the revenue.
The first of these included occasionel publications
of a local uature, which did not lottch
The ate:awl, periodical publications which came out
at inter valv.treating of subjects in literature, science;
or religiou.on both which the impoaition of a stamp of
four-pence, it was said, might he a great hindrance
to the sale without promoting the purposes of the
measure. Accordingly, his Majesty'. Ministers
had resolved to embrace within the provisions of the
Bill those publications only to which the addition
of the duty might be held absolutely necessary, and
to confine its operation within as smell a compass as
portable. ‘Vith this view it was intruded to limit its
operation to such periodical publications only as
should come out within periods of 96 day.. In
order to guard sgaiii.t u very obvious evasion of the
law which might he put in practice by the pub-
lishers of such tracts, and an infringement on the
rights of newspapers, which did pay the duty, it
was required that they should bring them out at a
witiforni pert of the month.. This was necessary
fur the purpose of protecting siews.venders, and
balling the arts of periodical publishers, who, by
comb g together, might invade the rights of the
former. Anil it was thought to be ■ fit object of
the law tu reach al( those publications which en-
deavoured to escape the *temp on newspapers, and
by possea.ing as great circulation as newspapers, did
both them and the revenue • great injury. It had
been judged a prudent precaution, and his Majesty's
Ministers had thought it to be their duty to require
n security from all persons pnbli.hing tract* of two
sheets and under, and under sixpence price, and
which might contain matter of the nature de-
scribed in the preamble* that they should be
forthcoming to answer to the laws of their country
for giving publicity to any thing which might on
trial be determined to be libellum. The next alte-
ration regarded the amount of these securities.
These at first looked for were 500/, hour the
printer, and an equal sum Irons two, three, or
four persons, who should engage to become re-
sponsible for him. In consequence of communi-
catiomi to the Government, they had been taught
that it would involve in great danger persuns
dealing in small publications. His idea was,
that iii these times all persons so dealing ought
to be, if not possessed of wealth, at least of
an much substance us would be a pledge to the
public they would nut rashly hazard its peace and
security by the diffusion of their tracts. But the
repreeematious made on this head had caused a re-
duction tu be made in the value of the securities.
And the Bill, as now modified, only demanded
security from the printer iii Loudon and a certain
district round for 300/., and w the country for
200/. and recognizaoces to the same extent from
two, three, or four other proems. He was aware
that a certain difficulty might be raised against the
principle of this provision, and that it might be
stated that many persons originally of small means,
and mimeo uo capital, by trading io such publica-
tions, rose to wealth arid respectability. He admit-
ted the argument had weight ; but lie was sure it
would be ecktiowledged that capitol should be ap-
plied and distributed ii, such • mariner as public
convenience required, though it might occasion
some hardship to the individual. IVhen it was a
question whether some individual injury should be
sustained, ur the trade of ioamplilet.aelling extended
to u degree detrimentsl to general morals and safety,
he thought the cruse of the country would prevail.
But this wield be a quest lon hereafter. however,
he thought it his duty to apprize the House, that
in all the futuit stages he bilOUid cling to the pro-
priety of requirtog reaaaotiamicest. He should now
propose, that the Bill should tie suffered to be read
a second time—that it should be commitied to-
morrow pro forma, in order that the ulterations he
had described might be introduced. if that were
agreed to, it might he printed, amid iii the halide
of Members Am Friday mousing. That day he
should move for the Speaker's leaving the chair, for
the purpose of a recommittal, when the provistone
might be fully debated.
Mr. Ts mese' ohierved, that as the Noble Lord
had amid that the Bill, as altered, would not be in
the hands of Membeis till Friday morniteg, it was
imposaib!e to say what course was proper to be
pursued till their, when there would be an opportsre
uity of knowing what the Bill was. He was now
ready to chore with the propowition of the Noble
Lord; at the same time, lit did not pledge himself
to admit one atingle dance.
Mr. Beouese.tm entirely agreed with his Right
Hon. Friend. He was anxious to shoe why he ac-
ceded to the Noble Lord's proposition at present.
Ile wished distioctly to say it was on this ground-A.-
not that the Noble Lord had removed his objets.
lions to the measure, lint on this, that lie had in-
troduced these alterations. In debating the nice.
sure, much would &pew! 013 tilt nature of these
new provisions, which could not be properly un-
derstood till the Bill should be presented. It was
on this ground akm.s. ta*t he suffered the Bill to he
committed. even ps3 forme, without opessatiou ;
because lie saw it revolved • principle, new in the
law of this or any counsty, that • man dealing in
cheap publications moue be possessed of a certrito
fortune.
Tile Pill was their read a second time. and on.
dried to L: rot:insetted to-morrow pro forma.

81..t4'Pl3EKOITf.lBfil LL.
Lord CAStLIELICAG”.r.:,: that the Bider•lsemollts
Libels Bill stood Ur getut.il readalg this night;
Lut as it did nut requi-e to be recommitted, he had
ol„sction, it it -sus areeahle to Gentlemen owe.
site, to pustpoi.e tt ti!l Moodsy.
The securd rew.iiiig %visa then postponed
fiIISDENtgANOItS
Lord Cirri:mem:a find. that hoping from what
had taken place in :mother place, Gentlemen oppo.
site would feel no repugnance to the general prin-
ciple of the above Bill; he trusted that no ob-
jtetion would now be made to the second reading.
Mr. Timm EY said, that the antendrhente which
had heel, made in :mother place weir owvig w a
Noble friend of his (Lord Holland) of the first
Whig iteseriptiou.—rd
fittouGicest übterved, that that was the mire
necessary to be stated. bee4use out of deans •t
• ••
; '