The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-20 00:00:00

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Biderea
Ih4,,fetticoii.vaesuine7spap?rs subject to the. compulsory stamp,
'-aa. a portion et the ii1111,0:331311 MIZLt CL;Tic--!
euce of transmissioa through, the po3t-oflico.
tr r a time, a portion of these periodical publications in-
„_Vaeod news in the proper souse of the word. It was
r" political news, but literary news, news relating to the
1,1741, medical, and otherrofessions, and there Call be no
large
that, according to the strict construction of the law,
itlarge number of class publications which enjoyed partial
!iltinity from the stamp were newspapers within the
meaning of the law, and subject to a penalty if any
rrtion of the impression were unstamped. Those relaxa-
srs tied b3en, however, established, and this was the
i,t,te of practice which my right hon. friend found in ex-
eace last recess, when the subject came under his consi-
aer4tim If the Government had decided to disregard the
f aarlimons resolution of the house, and to attetnpato en-
„°r,ce.the law strictly against these class publications, in
rier to make its administration uniform instead of enema-
they must have directed numerous pros cations against
this class of newspapers, or they must have come to Parlia-
toeaant, for a bill to render the existing law more severe and
4". My right hon. friend decided—and in my opinion
be exercised a very wise discretion—not to attempt to run-
:er law
more stringent, but to relax it, and at the same
`4lale to inake it uniform. The plan which lam about
,''‘asubnait to the committee is identical in substance and
aticiple with the plan of my right hon. friend. The de-
tails not identical, but the plan is ; and whatever
'l,l-'4'4 may belong to the adoption of it will be clue,aiot to
,c. but to him. (Hear.) The outlineeef the bill which I
all ackthe permission of the committee to lay upon the
abler these resolutions shall be agreed to, is founded
till -newspapers followin principle—to abolish the legal defini-
ILI' of , and to extend the rules respecting
It-e7PaPers to all printed periodical publications which
tit:Pear, at intervals not greater than 31 days. With regard
a2l periodicals falling within that definition, the pre-
-1,14‘ Penalty with respect to the publication of any uews-
Peo a stamp will be repealed, and it will be op-
t:aal with the propenetore of any such periodical either
ItanaP any portion of their publication or to leave it al-
t, tattier unsteanped. If they shall • 'apply. to have a pore
ici),'; of the sheets stam.ped, the sheets which are so stamped
IQ' be subject to precisely the same rule, with respect to
Thatcontents, as existing newspapers are subject to.
is to say, the first sheet may contain 2,295 superficial
sh'uci carried by a stamp of one penny, and
brate second
°f one
may contain 1,148 square inches carried y stamp
_°ne halfpenny. In that respect I propose to make no
'elation, but simply to extend the present limit of
ou,Prficial contents to all periodical publications which
4;1. aPpear within thirty-one days. I propose with
A, Peet to all periodical publications which shall stamp
13,1-1 Y.,. Portion of their impression that they shall be
taJect to the existing rules regard to registra-
al and insurance. The house is lawsre that any person
4:4°tts of printing a newspaper at present makes a do-
ration to the Stamp-office, and he furnishes a copy of
nunsber of his paper which is registered at the
vaiNaoffice, and the production of which is at all times
the,tenco of the publication of the paper. I propose that
tta Pro. paietor of any periodical who shall be desirous of
el, ping any portion of his impression shall be subject to
yapa rule with respect to the registration of his paper,
t47,,tbat he shall be subject to a similar rule with respect
t„- Te.securities he shall give. Every newspaper proprie-
Attoy the present regulation is bound to produce two
. reties in London for 6001. and in the country for 3001.
40,
a„a', as assurance to answer any criminal prosecution or
4'4 action for libel. These are provisions of the existing
w Which we propose to retain with respect to all news-
Tl,Perc which shall stamp any portion of their circulation.
te!reasons why we propose to retain these provisions are
at for some time it has been the policy of this country
sljaalee newspapers ass distinguished from pamphlets, the
ahuiect of separate legislation with regard to securities.
e acts which imposed these securities have been amended
k°re than once, and the policy on which they are founded
th,Y be considered to be settled. It appears to me that
tore Policy can be justified, and that there is a distinct dif-
-111,';'°o between pamphlets and newspapers with respect to
liti!!. Newspapers have an established circulation, their
kiroation is immediate and, to a great extent, universal,
ati the circulation of the matter contained in them is aim-
s, kceous, flying on the wings of the post on the sauce day
th,!". Parts of the country. The consequence of this is,
%L.7b 4 libel on any person in a newspaper exercises an in-
% Zutaleeons influence, and one much greater than a libel in
leLaroPhlet. (Hear, hear.) There are gentlemen in this
ltirc who have experience in the publication of paniph-
%lea and they know with what difficulty a pamphlet strug-
at: into notoriety. (Hear.) Attempts are made to gain
emit Publicity, which are frequently not very successful,
lima ` in fact, the circulation of a pamphlet is slow, and
the 'am, and partial, whereas iu a newspaper publication
the circulation is quick, simultaneous, and universal. I
sereforo think that there were reasons for imposing on
ati;Pitpers securities which wore not applicable to other.
110 cations. Bat there was another reason. By the on-
-41,44t act these securities were limited to seditious and
oetPaeneous libels and were first imposed for the security
at '0 Government: But it was afterwards found that these
kiirpe 'valuable securities which might be extended to the
te LI, and at a subsequent time they were made to extend
t4‘.tions for private libel, and at present any private per:
tet;illd bring an action against a newspaper, and is pro.
ai'ca from libel by the means of these securities. If, there-
!', the provisions I have adverted to were repealed, the
aTities which we now possess for good order would be /o-
at and one of the most valuable and effective securities
Forth- respect of private character would be taken away.
se4 beim reasons we propose to retain these provisions with
itthilect to all periodicals which shall stamp a portion of their
at'ression. At the same time I may say that these provi-
-148 are no essential or necessary part of the plan which I
teraPNe to the house ; and as far as I am personally con-
x",ed, they do not Lfect the interests of the
at:gequer. They form, however, part of the criminal
tie 4t Present existing, and the Government think that
t3' are founded on sound policy, and they therefore pro
ee to retain them. I have now stated what I think will
ketsbe whcle effect of the plan I propose—to legalise the
ent rule with respect to class publications. As re-
rda the Athe ri Builder, Medical Times, Medical
&c., they will be permitted by law to claim that
,a4aulgence which these class papers noir possess, though
;14._ sanctioned by law, to stamp or not any portion of their
4alpression which they may desire ; and the same indul-
Renee will be extended to the entire press. With respect
to political papers, such as the Times, the Morning Chro-
nic/4 Morning Herald, Advertiser, &c., they will be sub-
iectilto the same rules as the Atheneum, and shall be
Sowed to stamp as much of their impression as they like
to send by post, and to publish without the stamp as much
they find it for their interests to do. Beyond these
changes Ido not propose to go. (Hear, hear.) The bill I
'4°Pose to submit to the house will be confined to this.
I:fear, hear.) I will now proceed to examine certain ob-
teetions which have been made to this plan. One of these
", that there would be great confusion caused in the
Zruting.office by printing a portion of the impression on
th the
paper and a portion on unstamped paper, and
t
a there would, consequently, be a loss to the newspaper
vt°Prietors. I have made inquiries with the view to
:rertain how far that objection is valid. It has been
vratea th at the number of existing class newspapers, of
a return has been moved for by my honourable
'`e_ad the member for Westminster, amount to 137,
Zut all these conduct their business with a mixed circa-
-1,14,°0, part stamped and part unstamped ; and as no coni-
c, aLnts have been heard from the conductors of this class of
qt4i-newspapers, it may be presumed that no difficulty
4,1 on found in printing and publishing the mixed circa-
-1,4,`,i°11 we propose. One of the principal newspapers which
Publishes a portion of its impression on stamped and
.a.por-
14;a unstamped paper is that periodical familiarly
:wa to all members of this house, namely, Punch.
Ye tighter.) Punch made up only 425,000 stamps in the
ar 1851, and I understand that its circulation is about
32 a week, of which about 8,000 are stamped and
ai;vuu are unstampecl. I have had an interview with the
,4,7aager of that publication. (Loud Laughter.) My in-
p",,,'l7 was not with reference to the manner in which that
sh"resting publication is compiled, but with reference to
alleged.ditheulty in printing the mixed impression, and
° olanager of Punch informed me that there was not the
least difficulty in that respect, and that there was not the
e'-ct confusion caused by printing a part stamped and pa
Tart unstamped, and that there was no loss. (Hear.) But
41.arle further inquiry of the publisher of the Athenceum,
newspaper is printed partly on stamped and partly
ustamped paper, and the gentleman who condcted it
„:"ed that there was no practical difficulty or loss in the
hjatteill of a mixed circulation. He stated that the nam-
e', of stamped copies varied very considerably at different
e,„4'ec; that at that period of the year when gentlemen
out of London there was a much greater demand for
D;,TPed copies to be sent by post than existed at other
tl CHiR of the year, but that there was no loss and no a.ddi-
diaal trouble of consequence caused by that variation.
.40ear.) have consulted the manager of the Illustrated
4(lon News, a newspaper which I understand circulates
eaa,,l3' 140,000 copies a-week, and that gentleman, who is
"" acquainted with printing and publishing matters, gave
Ceefident opinion that no difficulty would arise to his or
43" other newspaper from the adoption of a mixed system
otatoped and unstamped impressions. (Hear.) But an-
-1::21. objection, and that of a more serious character, has
cti presented to me by persons who have described the
iPoeition to repeal the compulsory newspaper stamp as a
t "allure most dangerous to society—a measure which would
Ceta the way to sedition and blasphemy, and that would
ad to the inundation of the country by a licentious and
Woral press, thus undermining the foundations of society
cawing the's4ads of revolution in the land. These ex-
s are not exaggerated representations of the
t'a;r'nions which have been declared to me in many quarters
ktlce this measure was first notified. I regret to say that
lion d- the member for the University of
,!aford has Bemis considered an accomplice with the Go-
e'ainan t inetaeiwsdapgerous and wicked design. But I need
carthat :Whet-Majesty's Government believed that
•Q
‘Ya,9 ands folitaittion for these views, or for any p vrt
t'a.clion Of•these 4,-lews' they would notpropose the Luca-
',wll4nteartu it to the consideration of the house.
' tre grey es confidence in the stability of our in-
"n4itus,..in the soundness of our social system, and in the
PaitY, and morality of the great body of the people; and we
not' believ'b that giving this facility to the public to
bare matters discussed by the press will lead to any such
lquenees as'thaeei I have alluded to. Bat we are not
'ltetrindii'ent reasoning as to the effect which will
aba,:d froin inii/tittainped press. There are at present large
a;:b3liepaperfa not containing news and not subject to a
atuP, and which circulates largely throughout the coun-
ry
th • . Thceigh these do not contain news, if it was true that
t ° Public of this country were desirous of immoral or li-
:°ttous matter these publications would be found of a
There
different character from what they are found. (Hear.)
Pies is the Illustrated News which circulates 140,0'30
2 Ptes in a week, and is second
•or nearly second to the
lit'lles• • This newspaper is well known, and I need not
js' that it is conducted iu a manner altogether unexcep-
able. 'But there are other publications unstamped, sold
tit a
lees. price, which circulate
_very widely among the

toZer classes? One of these periodicals, of which I never
rd till recently, is the. London Journal, A penny weekly
Deriodical, which circulates I am told, 510,000 per welk,
cpal to a circulation of 26,520,000 per annum. That cir-
mt7l.tten exceeded by 10,000,000 the circulation of the Times,
Ti,,tough it W published only once a week, whereas the
1,,,,"•e8 Was published six times a week. I have examined
t„'"'e of the numbers of that journal, and I find that they
f "ruble somewhat the Penny Magazine, giving some in-
tato ation, but certainly not corresponding with that fright-
ill Picture of a cheap publication which tit* imagination of
• inpaile who object to the proposal I now make to the house con-
-146 UP- There is another publication, the Family Herald,
oeh circulates 240,000, or 12,500,000 per annum, and the
,Zracter of this cheap paper is similar to the other. These facts
ti'e'w that in the spontaneous case of a poorer class of
ei:"Papers the tastes of the public lead them to prefer a
th,tof journal wholly innocuous in character andlfree from
1007" dangerous elements which have been feared. If we
Ye
iE at the reverse of tho picture we shall find that some
olia,,rBgo there were five or six publications in London,
their. Which was called the Town, of a licentious character,
and that
illustrations correspon,ing with their letter-press,
Ge„.,that these had attained a considerable circulation.
ti"emen have assured mo that the whole of that dem ip-
is Zni.Ql Publications is now extinct. (Hear, hear.) There
remaining of that class. There were some of a

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