The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-21 00:00:00

SUPPLY.-ORDNANCE ESTIMATEt

Mr. ROBERT WARD rowed the Order or the
Doe for the Iloti.e reanlving itself into a Committee
01 Supply to consider of a vote fur the Ordnance
Ettintstro.

Mr. BROUGHAM seriously hoped it was not in-
tended, in the present state of the House, there not
tie.ng forty Members present, to propose any vote of
the public money upon the Ordnance Estimates.
Mr. R. WARD replied, that he merely intended
to propose a vote on account, to which he thought
there could be no objection.
Mr. BROUGHAM said, that, in the present state
of the !loose, he could not cement to rote a
farthing, fur the sake of the (*anew of the Flooce
%lath the country. It would be quite intolerable
to propose any vote of this kind at this period of
the evening. _ _ _

MG R. WARD then mid, he had no objection to
po4ti►one his motion until there was a better attend-
miwe of the House.

PETITION OF THE BOOKSELLERS AND PRINTERS
ENGAGED IN PUBLISHING WORKS BY NUN,-
RENS.

Mr. Jon Simi rose to present a Petition
from a coosiderable number of the booksellers told
printers of the metropolis, who were engaged in
Vie circulation of works by numbers, published
weekly, or at other stated periods. against the
Libel Bill—a Bill which would have a considerable
rtreration upon the. rule of works published by the
Petitioner*. They printed in pamphlets, of about
a sheet and a half each, works which circulated to
on enormous extent both in England and Scot..
and which traded to the great improvement
of the community. He seriously hoped, that it
t as not the intention of his Alsjesty's Ministers to
rtake the Bill affect so useful a body as the Pe-
tuirmers. There was not in the kingdom a set of
Caen whose labours were of more importance to the
teligion, the morals, and happiness of the people.
—(Hear.l—The Pttiti tttt ers were in the constant
Intuit of disseminating. by numbers, publicari 111 l s
on bide. commerce, divinity, and natural ;Milo-
esiitiy. By publishing pamphlets of this kind,
'fry viewed s demand for most useful and intereq-
-I:2g, winks, and made the mode of payment suited
to the convenience of the general classes of work-
icy people. When he alluded to the publications
so distributed, be lamented the absence of au
Hum Gentleman (we presume Mr. Wilberforce),
I it that Hon. Member would, lie was sure, have
assisted bun in enforcing the necessity of iinotecting
books which were of a directly religious and moral
tendency. The Petitioners stated, sisal their princi-
pal trade consisted io the circulatiou of such works,
and that they were never engaged in circulating poli-
o:al pamphlets of an immoral or injurious tendency.
They further declared, that the persons whom they
employed were engaged in a bond not to sell any
of such productions. A trade so conducted ought,
lie thviight. 10 he encouraged. There was a capi-
t il of 1,000,000/. sterling embarked in this took ;
sorely same protection ought to be emended to
',moos engaged tea so useful and interesting an
occupation as circulating cheap works, which had a
tesideucy so directly to promote the benefit of PO-
C!el'i. If the present Bill were carried into effect,
destroy this trade. and no trade was more
I,ei,tfc,Jl to the real interests of the public. He
evil hoped the House would not endure such
pr;f!cipir. It would affect the very foundation of
Oir inii%ll and intellectual improvement of society.
—(hear )
The Petition was then brought up; it stated in
emplistic terms the great injury which the trade of
the Petitioners would endure, and also the public,
if the Bill were passed into a Imv.—lt was laid on
the table. and ordered to be printed.