The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-23 00:00:00

----
bribing voters for Mr. Wilks; and that the said sums ! that the duty on paper ought not to be considered as
were expended by Petry and Webster in bribery. ' pert of oar permanent system of taxation. The Excite
We end that et 'he eleezien in 1850, 2,500/. was ad- regulations connected with the manufac,ure of peteen
vanced by Mr. Thomes [eyries Hint ea, b.half of Mr. were most Oppzebi,ivet end vtnatioes; yet they were not
Bell to Mr. Henry Edwards; that the greeter part of i sufficient to protect the honest against the fraudulsut
this sum was expended by Mr. Edwards in bribery; I manufacturer. Notwithstanding the precautions of the
and that Mr. Hills well knew at the time that he ad- Excise, it was a notorious fact that large quantities of
vauced the money that it was to be so applied. paper were sold which bud never paid duty, and they came
"We find that 2,000/. of this sum was advanced by in competition with the goods of the fair and honest
way of loan to Mr. Hills, by Messrs. Brace and Colt, trader who was subject to taxation. The county cf
who knew the purposes to which it was to be applied. Buckinghamshire, which was represented by the Bight
"We find that of the 2,500/ 2,000/. was first trans- Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Was
mitted by Mr. Hills to he i.ffiee, ot Me'. Coppeek by his admirably adapted for the ntanutneture of OaPert
direction, and was thence forward. dto Mr. Edvvards at but most of the paper-mills it: it were now
St. Atans by Mr. Ceppock, with full knowledge on shut up in corotqucnce of the injurious
the part of the latter unit it was to be expended in 1 tendency of the Excite duties, which created
bribery. I a kind of cougi ttien of vapttd, and threw the busieets
"We find that Mr• Bell knew that money was being almost entirely into the hatiiis 01 great cepioilitte. 11°
advanced on bit behalf tor 'he iterates of bribery, and , would read en ex• riot from a letter addressed to the
we find that he owed hie eleetion to such bribery." iOh metier of rte Exchequer, and written by a getic:
The report then stated the number of vo;e..s who received 1 men wetl , !Aided to speak on such a subj. :et-engine',
bribes at the election of 1847. (JUL of 450 electors the ' Mr. Ingram, the propne or of the Illustrated .News:-'-'
names were given of 307 who nad received bribes. The " I yesterday aid Int self the fitment to forward f°l.
total number who received bribes at the election of 1850 your ecceptatce a copy of the Illustrated London .:Ve
dtte'st:
was proved to be 219, though, doubtlest, there acre i of which lam the proprietor, that I might being tintt
others whote cos s hid net been proved.. He teought I your no ice a copy of your taw:reit engraved forll
he had at' fed tutieient to those that the bribery had not j -.weed —(Loughter.) I now take the liberty of a :
been ircidental—thtt it was not confined to a few, and dressing you upon a tut jest of national importance, a
that disfrtinchiseme ut would not, therefore, be an unnuen fatting not only the Irate aeo°ld the literature of tie n-
that
punishment of the whole fur a fault of the few. On try in general, but the welfare of the agticuithral ROW
the contrary, the bribery hid been systematic, election lation iii many districts, and etpecielty in Buckinghatn;
after election, and at le4st twc-thirds of tee voters had eeire and Hertfordshire. The sueject I aitude to is %lief
been proved to be cerrupt. Such a state of things of the Eicise duty upon paper, with the whole effect °t
would, he feared, continued the borough were allowed which lam particularly acquainted, not only as a neer-e
to return Members to Psrliament, and so long as the paper proprietor, but as en extensive manufacturer. an'
constituency, without any consideration except. that of consumer of paper. Your long and honourable nee:
°`
money, allowed themselves to be driven like sheep to next, n with literature, and the high position which Y;
the 1:011 by those from whom they received their bribes, now occupy in the councils of her Majesty, justifrilieEno
The House of Commons in this case had taken the only in beneviug that eou will do me the honour to ltig
course it could take, and after the clear and coeclu,ivo to the facts which I proceed to lay before you. in "P -t;
evidence which had been thin before Parlt.ment on th. nation of the practical injuries ieflecied by this iniP6d
subject, he trusted their Lerilships would agree unsni- injuries which were, I em certain, never contentPletted
mously in reading a second time this Bill for ditfrau- as possible when the tax was first levied. I feted
cbising the borough of St. Alban's, scarcely explain to you that, when paper is made, ithlta,
Lord REDESDALE (who occupied the Woolsack) wet; that, as the Excise duty is levied upon the Weig, it
said that before he put the question be wished to inform the paper-manufacturer naturally dries the paper thattg
their Lordships that a petition had been presented from may be as light as possible when he is favoured w,ldt
Sr. Alban's by certain persons praying to be heard by the visits of the Excise-officer; and that after it ned
counsel against the Bill, been so dried, and paid the duty, it must be This
The Earl of VERULAM said he hail presented such again before it can be used in the printingtoffice. '-el
a petition, though be disagreed in its prayer. After the double process of drying and wetting, besides being ,-,,P'
evidence which had been taken, be thought it impossible., tended by a very considerable expense, fur labour, na`-:
for the borough to make out a ease for itself: rally damages the quality of the paper; and, ooe"
more
ree
The Marquis of WLANRICARDE thought their involves an additional cost in subjecting it to Pres° •
Lordships were in a position to legislate on the question that the article may recover the glossy and smooth 6ttret
without hearing counsel. face it has lost. Now, I have found by experiment stet
Lord CAMPBELL thought the parties affected by a trial, that pees can be manufactured in a fit state 01
state
Bill of pains and penalties like this had a right to be the printer, with a beautifully smooth surface, w t
t
heard at the bar. would not be impaired by printing and drying, an ~octi
Lord MONTEAGLE agreed that parties affected by printing upon such paper could be carried to std
ianßill had a right to be heard against itt•but the parties higher perfection as an art, both for letter-press-ee•
the present case had been heard, and had been found ' engravings, than can be attained by paper dried ae
peso
guilty• wetted according to the present practice. The datnetee,
The Earl of HARROW BY was in favour of hearing of such paper would be scarcely perceptible to the WI- d
i 11
the petitioners at the bit*, if they desired it, but would require fir such paper as the e -usirate
e, or
The Earl of WICKLOW said he should be guided by London News Is printed upon a weight of steentj
precedent, and should vote fur the parties being heard water amounting to no less then 131 b. per reara: ee to
by counsel, if it could be shown that that course had been wtre ,•o ute such paper in my business I should ne'ild,
ado;:teel in similar cases. pay an. Excise tax upon water of no less than lat le,
The Earl of DERBY said, no doubt the petitioners per ream, in addition to a tax of the same rate Pe 'net
were anxious not to be incluled among those who had on the paper itself. Nuw,l consume twenty tons ot Prte
ut°
been guilty of bribery, but there could be no doubt as ptr week, or 1,040 toils and upwards per ant„nee
to the extent of it. It was stated in the report that the a fact weich I state that you may see at a Vita
bribery was not confined to persons of one station, but what an enormous sum should h
I
save to pay as a Pel4is•
extenued to professional men, tradesmen, and even to for using the improved paper, which I could men'oecl
persona holding subordinate offices connected with the ture by the aid of a little water. lum quite willing
ret),
administration of justice in the borough, and that the prepared to inform all printers and pepeimakers of tell
exceptions were the clergy of all persuasions' and some experiment, and its results, which could be iromedia' tee
of the principal inhebitants. adopted with much benefit to all concerned, provided erg
The second reading was then agreed to. could obtain a removal of the Excise duty. gabA
Lord REDESDALE teen presented a petition, and other in mumerable objections to the impost, which ,to
moved that leave be given to parties affected by this Bill practical man I could point out, I may be permitteuege
to appear by counsel, as such a course was conformable remind you that it involves considerable trouble Odd to
to precedent, though he did not think the parties would pease let the collection, both to the manufacturer 50 tad
be disposed to ineur the expense. the Cue ten -house, and prevents books from being Pricer.
Lord CAMPBELL woe!! not refuse to support the where 1 hey ought to be printed, Intnely, at the pPlits
petition, as the preyer of the petitieners was r,-asociablo mill 117:1"
and customary, and the Bill ittelf one of a very stringent Were it not tor the operattou of thc "--geeti,
duty I ,c,..iuld print at my paper-mill educsdottal 13° ett
character Bibles. fest:talents, Sec., and, iedeed, every der'eriPttieusi
Earl GREY said that Route ought not to be bound by of twines, et The cost ,t the ink added ennl'lY tijv iar'
narrow or teenmeal ruies woicn otitemed iii courts of of the peper, a fact which, ei h others t Va' no if
lharwoad blteswi:strtrhens duty of nett !emu e to do j Astute on a pomade I trunk. I could sit isfactorily prove t° )'-'•oll
psctive 0! the practice of other courts. you swat d grant me the honour of an interview. " the
He did not think counst! could advise the House of the must, Sir, in your youth, have wandered alonn dto
course they ought to pursue, nor did he think it woe beautiful streams of Bucktegesmthire, and listeet:e eo
contietent with the dignity of that House to call counsel the busy sound of the. water wheel, tearing to Pie eele
to the bar in order to induce them by arguments to alter whereto,. us• lees article, to manutacture it into reflectl'
their opinion on fens, and to iuflaence their decision, paper; and it must have given you pleasure to or
The Earl of DERBY did not think, it leave were tnat tilts gave healthful. pleasenw and rernunerstieiggion,
given, that counsel would appear, on account of the ex- ployrneeet to gri-at bombers of the rural poPen-to to
pease, and even if they did appear, be doubted whether Most of the Buckiugheueshire mills have, I gri`teiori
they would have any effect on the proceedings or de- remind you, been swtpt, away under the or. 0
cis,ins of their Lordships. lie should, however, sup- of the Excise duty, and transferred to barreilto‘.
port the motion, because the case of Sudbury was a pre- populoot• coal districts, leaving the population of super
cedent, and it would be advisable not to deprive indi- inghants hire unemployed, and to a great extentene
victuals of what they might consider an advautage. ix U. I Lave no hesitation in saying that, if 'the S 0 be
L-frel MONTEAGLE said if this had been a single die upon paper were abolished, these mills Wentplee
case he for one would have been ready to hear counsel, again prosperous and employ large numbers of 1101'
but the case was but too corenvin. The precedent of Nor is dais the only evil result of the tax upon °god
Sudbury had been adduced, but it was for their Lord- tural d istricts. Oise article, straw, which is Pr° Ind,
ships to decide whether that was a ueteul and a whole- by the termer, is no sooner employed in
some precedent to follow, He thought, therefore, the tor whech it is well adapted, • d SOO Per • ifs
than it is texe
h a posa
coun-el ought not to be heard. I need n.ot d teen at further length upon such
Lard BEAU 11ON r d•-vied there bail been any jecli• injury to agriculture as that et." eha of the
cial inquiry into the case. There had only been a corn- He believe d is could be proved that three-gtt— ewes,
mission to report to that House,,which was, in fact, the value of paper consisted in the labour of men; figi elite
judicial tribunal. The parties had not been heart in and chePdren; and considering that the agricuttl. froth
p t per ineoeog
their defecce, and now was the time to hear them. If Wiens were precisely the localities beat adsPre n,' s, for
the House refused to hear counsel, he asserted their their water power and the purity of their streadess'ooo
Lordships would do a monstrous injustice, and would act the palwr manufacture, he contended that be h" ; ger
differently to every other tribunal in the country. He claim to submit this motion to the consideration ottiolitnet
believed their Lordships considered the facts too strong icemen opposite, evetn as an agricultural Tie" doelA
to be upset by any proof or reasonin but even were (Flear.tl With regard to Ireland, he bad nle We,
such the case, that was nor a valid reasons gainst hearing what,over that the repeal of the Excise duty 'On' e 01
counsel. !truest beneficiel effect in producing the emploYt°2lo9ael'
The Marquis of CL AN RICARD?, considered hearing labour. 'rho Excise duty necessitated a much larger
no,
counsel was a delusion, coil derogatory to the dignity of tat than would otherwise be required for the Co 0
the House when sitting judicially, meet of a paper manufactory; and thereforinlcteoo
The Duke of ARGYLL said the commission had country othich was so pressed down by diffictiei 0
been appointed bY that House, who had examined Leland, nod where there was a deficiency of esplutttof
parties on oath, and had elicited clear proofs of bribery, carry on various! branches of industry, it was impollor
It. counsel were employed, they would he ussful in se- that amu tiulacture so valuable in respect to tbe en tio
pawing those who were culpable trom these who were meet of labour as the paper maeutacture shopu belt
not culpable. He hoped their Lordshipswould
the motion,
Ttos Duke of NEWCASTLE regretted it was borne in mind that the Irish portion of the "'CO
agree to longer be shackled by thisror Ethxeciesffeedetutoyft;theespdeuetiya.ll:o7l:l:4,
'et'sivie:,urr',facture_trpottu
dwhich IE was deeired rie..oo •
that a
troductd lett year to stop corruption at elections hadßill notin
pasted,so much to p Yiduswcearlie,;venue as to prohibit to a grectrooS
forthcoming deeti.,hs, He was os opinion if their Lord- revertue.7( pr.) II fl a a.very short extractn_tpoe•
as
it might have been applied aith effect to the- rte4rit6teCti:
ships followed the precedent brough. forward, that they letter written by a geut emen in Ireland upon ibis '
Oa
wont ibe greatly weakening the effect of the Commis- lion, and he' said—•
Apt f
elle a manutscturer I give constant ympleYlll" ost e
sioners, and be again introducing party feelings and party
unable. uabbles in those matters, which were very objet- full wages to 300 individuals, all of this locality-1n frost
t io
them instructed by
-
Lord CAMPBELL did not intend, by hearing counsel, Dripseywrille, near Cork)—" and I am told bYOIOO
myselt"—(this geutleman wrote Jo
that their Lordships should renew the ipqatry gone clergymen of the parish, both Protestant and leave
through by the Commission; but he proposed, after the Catholic (for I enjoy the friendship of both), tbst n. A
Commission had reported to their Lordships, that coun- more than twice that number out of the workus pee
sal should be heard, to see if a strong case could be made d,:vote my time and attention to my business, withoel -00
t n
out against the majority of the St. Albans' electors. exception only of one day in the week, the bee
ar - dial 0f
The Earl of WICKLOW said he had always found of which is given to my duties as poor-law gnl--
that though objections had been made to the hearing of this union." e the Pa PGr
counsel, their Lordships' sense of justice had always Thus showing the importance of the repeal 0-
overruled those objections. As no former application duty as an industrial question, and there noel" a per
had bean rejected, he hoped their Lordship would not reason why this coutnnroytertxytepocartbheusuoasyuuliydu,uprenot mend
actor°
b° tar
ov
meat, this a precettent for refuse'. for the whole world —(Hear, hear.) We might, bps ott
Lord REOESD.ALE, after a few words of explana- porters of paper as we were of cutten goody, .L•gt:lts ''''
lion, put the motion, Upon which their Lordships di-
ctfouoesmieliesohifordtooupt,tyhtwusreedotuildlne
vided, when there appeared—
Contents 41 , ;A.
pacouo:teet cotton evra' tEt
tiee r„..1-:_ tijuldr, itl:::
Non cerwents 15 paper stid sending „ depri ti
••• ••• ..•• •••
Majrite, for the motion ... ••• —26 was a sy'ste'm thitt did jot supply revenue, but '" even lie
it to supply our own c010t,..e- ,fe
Their Lordships then te•j .urnedt this cuuntry of a valuable meoutecture, and Pnri of ,4,61
the employment of labour, and the improventiwg, 17'1
-- - - moral end phytical character of the people'
quite
°$
important view of (bit
touched upon those points with regard to the 0 OA
r' venue, but at the present time he held that
eioe ct
to it, and did not apply to any other question Pee 01
or taxation, teas the effect of ibis duty on the Mei-nttle,
or the country. He must ask the favour of the e 0
Gentlemen opposite, it they condescended to go ialoUf 10
giF stein, and also those who
que.tion that pecuriarlyohf t„pli 'e
sat on his own sidet tx, ial
Uouse, not to make use of that argument that hateont tat'
as it were, a stop argument in opposition to a Ptetv ).P.
for the repeal of the paper duty. It was said the e'ittt tfl
tot ''' a'
.of books, that the purchaser of boo cht t e
price
paper entered to so small an extent into the 11- cot I°
not feel the effect of the
c,,liorof the Exchequer and Mr. Fox Maul° 115" f 4ro
quoted the example °it tett,
ba,rgucinameTie'rucriied/ hi
Dictionary. That book, A.
-I' " i a
per lb., amounted upon that ot.uot the
susait
:ertdi.utwibi
weighed
iLt.4
h'ed 4eo, ,nd sold for 50e,
6d.
only ; and what would be the reduction of 6,° to silt
• f a hook that sold for 50s. ? He had owl 1"
being only lid.
price oand the IsaPet,ge
.0
rice iii
in answer to that statement that it had no refers 0 a
the position he took upon the question.—OiliefL? OPet p
position was the effect of the paper duty, find ...- Chet •
expensive works that sold for 505., but upon
°t. be /1 ; .
popular literature that sold at a low price, and latiel y
turn of which was derived from an extensive cittoehte 5
That was the species of literature he wag t ors, t ;0
upon ; hut, even if he were to allude to the othlbool t
should like to know if a reduction in the Priceette Wtj;tl
was to be of no value to the purchaser of booete ty ' to
was the mest}irg of their h ' g p led lb° i;tl d
Bibles and Prayer books, loU'vtinbecause they
increase the circuls'jon of those sacredcirculation vol '9" jr
they knew that the Excise duty on paper ha- f the itf
eve nt the effect of preventing the circulation °itig 'ri 1,
That view of the question which he was urg MO 'ar
not at aII met by the argument about .
fool d
loch's Dictionary, and he atked as a persoatdowittoo
,1"
that upon this occasion, at least. it should lie.ai ern et
though he knew it bad been used as an afiebleca r, V
'cent when the repeal of the paper duly bad he feet) ss
p aid. lie would point out what appeared I,°c.fip liiie' be
the injurious effect of the paper duty upon e":ieouletijit
ture. If was Lot that it raised its price, but l its q tile
denaons:rati d;meihetna•ically that it deteriorated
rov 4
lily—(Meer) chat it stolid iu the way of itriteg am °icy
quality 01 that literature that might be circu atcputeic 'OO
the people, and which that House had a deep !ode tot
tritest in caking every step in their power
.tochreopt
iseir,
lateral and iwproviug as petsible. They h nee Pub Ago
they wanted goodness. They bad their Cou'eas got old
lions; what :tweet in the way of making
ti he tv 701
they could bo made?—tne paper duty; an
c;f apt stijo
explain how that operated. Take the cas',..'s_ssell,
_rho
publication, and be would quote from Mr. uois, elee ti!,.o
was extenstvely engaged in the publication r
of &At.,
works, calculated to improve the grest bonysclitOi/
le One of those works was entitleo—c and ,of.
peop • eine et le
entitled—the Popular Educator. That gso,ttek. pat le
p• tided something little short of 100/e Per
.` eff bit pet ,c,
the Goverement in herd cash, for cireal!ttirilirhos, par, 4
public.t.tions. The duty on the paper used i t
t were rePe° i 4
catious tuck away that 1001, p,..r week. It i . ,t 0 woe
~
he Po. oL i
the publications would still be itsued—t _ ierip
no; us reduced—qt was low enough su siectir**"-

ROUSE OF CO 14 MONS, April 22.
TAXES ON K.'NOWLeEptir'•
Mr. MILNER GIBSON nreugh t under the notice of
the Howie the policy of deriving revenue from taxes
upon knowledge, fur the purpose of moving, in separate
resolutions_,hat such financial airrangernente ought to
be made as would enable Parliament to dispense with the
duty on paper; that the newspaper 8,903 P oughtto b
. Pe
'
abolished; and that the tax on tedveetisemenatisdnutgtnar to
on
repealed. The Honourable Al in
bringing forward a motion fur the repeals ofj an;
in3ependent MEtntiPT
portion of taxation an
laboured under considerable difficulty, inasmuch
as it might be considered that he was
yielding to a clamour out of doors against paying any
taxation. He admitted there were persons who were
rather indiscrimineting in the course they took eith re-
gard to the repeal of taxes, but he for one bed avoidiel
supporting any motion tei the repeal of taxes without
.
having satisfied himeelf egr ands on which it prot the
ceeded. lie hoped, therefore, tteet he might be understood
as bringing forward his motion tin ground; of public pot cy
and in reference to the character of a tax and its a ttects
on the morals of the nation, rather than the effect it Dad
in increasing the price of the articre taxed. There wits
another difficulty which he had also to encounter. Thee
were sometimes told, after the financial statement
been made, that it would be improper to bring for-
ward a motion for the repeal of taxes, because
the financial arrangements hatf beon completed;
and then again they were sometimes told that it would
be improper to propose such a moti., ,n until the financial
statement had been presented to t Between House-proper
these two views it WAS impossible ice fix upe.loin—or
time for submitting a proposal or ib r,
taxa-
tion, but he consicu,red that the leg
attention
of t,xa-
Hotue ought
to be given to the iti' miateduteteintion of the
tion, for the purpose of ascertaingienniee:',
I vied in a better and
'bluer in particular
instances taxation might tot be leto
be understood less Oppressive manner.
not representing any partilciuelawrlintel r•Fst, neither that of
the papermaker, nor the new6Pia rP' proprietor, nor the
publisher of cheap produc'eiois;llearefore, if he were
told that certain papermakers, ne w.paper proprietors,
or publishers were opposed to the r ?peal of these taxes
on the ground of vested interest,,
he permit this thatto would be no
answer to the motion. Neitber ou
be treated as a party question. Wh, en his proposal was
submitted to Parlioment, two years., ago, it was stip-
portett by gentlemen of all pelitelial views. It was
supported by no less than f our distinguished
mernbers of her Mejesty'e present Government. His
first motion had reference to the repeal of the paper
duties. He did not propose asking Members to agree
to a large reduction or taxation, at id he had put his
motions separately in order that Members might, on
supporting one, not necessarily pledge themselves to
the principle of the others. With regard to
the first motion, he, only a sled the House
to agree to the recommendations ,of the resolutions
whico had been passed by one of its, own Committees
in 1834, when the reeeeue of the country was in
much less satisfeetor3 stale. het resolved
that tae dal on pep, r, iu conjunceeen with the utter
two duties ought, on moral as yells
cial general wanner-
grounds, be repo: sled with the least poesibla
(4147.—(Hear, hear.) His i potion was oilaplY