The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-26 00:00:00

FEBRUARY RY 265. 1852.
LONDON, TH URSDAY I:4J
44/. :Lll r'sl7
,
4
. 7

PUBLICATIONS.

FOURTH EDIJUST ,
TIONPUBLISHED OF mR. DISRAELI'S
POLITICAL BIOGR
OF
LORD GEORGE BENTINCE.
Revised, in 1 vol. ave., 15s. bound.
•
" As tracing in the political life of herd George Bentincic the for-
mation of the new party which his energy
created, the publication of Mr. Disraeli is at this moment most valu
able and most opportune."—Morning Herald. nayi be said to have
Colburn and Co., Publishers, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

NOTICE.
111 HE MARQUIS OP LONDONDERRY'S
New Volumes (V. to VIII.) of his Brother, Lord CASTLE-
REAGIPS LETTERS and DISPATCHES, are now ready for deli-
very, containing numerous Original Letters of his Grace the Duke of
Wellingtoa, among those of an infinite variety of Royal, Noble, and
Illustsious Personages who figured conspicuously In the early part of
the present Century.
• W. Shoberl, Publisher, 20, Great Marlborough•street.
To be had, by order, of all booksellers in the kingdom.

THE POPULAR NEW NOVELS, &e.
To be had at every respectable Library.
MI4S ALICE-RIVERS. 2 vols. With Portrait.
2. Captain HOR ROCK'S HORACE GRANTHAM. 3 vols.
3. The DEATH•FLAG ; or, the Irish Buccaneers. 3 vols.
4. LIFE AND [TS- LESSONS ; or, The Perils of Wedlock. 3
vols.
5. Captain REID'S RIFLE RANGERS. 2 vols., Plates. 15s.
6. Secon I Edition of LORD W. LENNOX'S PERCY HAMIL-
TON. 3 vole. (Just ready.) '
. W. Shoberl, Publisher, 20, Great Marlborough-street.

L'A CK WOOD'S MAGAZINE.
No. CCCCXXXVII., for MARCH. Price 2s. Gil.

CONTENTS.
illliasaliitford's '! Recollections."
Struggles for Fame and Fortune. Part HI.
Sketches from the Cape.
My Nov.el ; or Varieties in English Life. Part XIX.
English Administrations.
Tibet and the Lamas.
Forest Life in. Canada West. •
Farewell to the thine.
The Reform Measures of 1852.
William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

• This day is published.
THE COQUET-DALE FISHING SONGS.
Now first Collected arid Edited

By A NORTH-COUNTRY ANGLER.
In small octavo, boutid in cloth, ss.
W. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

This day is published,
SCENES and ADVENTURES in CENTRAL
AMERICA. Edited 'by FREDERICK lIARDMAN, Esq.
Author ttf " Peninsular Scenes and Sketches, " The Student of Sala-
manca," &c. In small octavo, price 6s.
W. Blackwocd and Sons, Edinburgh and London.

STABLE ECONO UV.
ATREATISE on the MANAGEMENT of
HORSES, in relation to Stabllng, Grooming, Feeding,
Watering, Working.
By JOHN STEWART, V.S.
The Fourth Edition, price 6s. 6d.
By the same Author,
ADVICE TO PIUCHASERS OF HORSES.
A New Edition, 2s. 6d.
W. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and Lendirni.

COLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY
MAGAZINE.
Edited by W. HARRISON AINSWORTII, Esq.
Contents for MARCH. No. CCCLXX V.
Lord Palmerston, England, and the Continent.
The Concluding Years in the Life of Anna Leicester.
Coleridge the Table-talker.
Stothard.
Young Tom Hall's Heart-aches and Horses.
Recollections of the Last Caffre War.
The Duke de Rivas, and the Modem Poetry of Spain.
Pictures of my Barrack Life.
'1 he Sea-side Recreations of Mr. Jolly Green.
Hester Somerset. '
Shelly's Letters.
Hunting in South Australia.
A Bird's eye View of Things in General.
Chapman and Hall, 19S, Piccadilly.

' EVERY MAN HIS OWN BUTLER.
Second Edition, just published, bound iu cloth, price 35.,
EVERY MAN HIS OWN BUTLER. By
CYRUS REDDING, Author of "The History and Descrip-
tion of Modern \Vines."
London: Tegg and Co., 85, Queen-street, Cheapside.

This day is published, Bvo. sewed, price Is.,
ALETTER, to the LORDS COMMISSION-
ERS of the ADMIRALTY. By W. PENNY, late in Com-
wane of an Expedition for the Search of Sir John Franklin, miler
the orders of the Adniiralty. With an Appendix.
London : Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly.

SPERMATORMICEA AND STRICTURE.
Just published, Bvo., in cloth, price 3s. 6d., by post (free), 49.,
A TREATISE on the CURE of STRICTURE
of the URETHRA ; containing the True Reasons why that
Disease so often assumes such an intractable character; with Rules
and Instructionl. for tho imecomful. Treatment of every Form of
Urethral Coutractioii,ThitSrertii the results of extensive and pro
longed exilertenco. To which is added, Practical Observations on
the Treatment of Spennatorrhcea by Cauterization.
By F. 11. COURTENAY,
"These who complain most loudly are those only who know not
how to use the common instruments. . • • • The prac-
tice of surgeons has been marked with all kinds of violence, and in-
difference about the simple cure of diseases, and a passion for
operations, and all the excesses and horror of surgery."--John Bell.
Bailliere, 219, Regent-street, London.

, •
RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
LONDON AND NORTIT-WESTERN RAILWAY.—Return of
Traffic for the week ending Feb. 22:
Passengers, parcels, mails, &c. ... £21,182 13 0
Merchandise 17,176 8
Cattle .. 831 12 1
9

Total .£39 190 13 10
Corresponding week last year 39,660 0 6
Note.—The returns as published are exclusive of the
traffic of the Huddersfield Canal and Shropshire Union, North
Union, Preston and Wyre, South Junction, Manchester and
Buxton, and Buckinghamshire Railways, and of the propor-
tion of traffic deducted under agreement with the North
Staffordshire Company.

- -
THE GR*AT NORTHERN RAILWAY...OIiIeS in work, 241 i
Return of Traffic for the Week ending Feb. 15, 1852:—
Passengers, parcels, carriages,
horses, doge, and mails £4,777 7 8
Merchandise and minerals ... 6,464 15 5
Cattle ... 162 12 5

Total .. £11,404 lb 6
Corresponding week, 1851 (236 miles) :
Passengers, parcels, &c. £4,304 18 0
Merchandise, Cattle, &c. ... 3,821 6 4

Total ... £8,126 4 4
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—AMOUIIt 0
Traffic for the week ending Feb. 22 :
Passengers
Goode

_ £6,278 17 Si
... 2,654 5 11i

Total ... £8,933 3 8
. Corresponding week last year... 8,186 5 2i

TJANCASIIIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY. (260 miles
open.)—Traffic for week ending Feb. 22 £15,660 9 9
Corresponding week in last year (260
miles open) .. ....£13,513 19 2
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY. —(Miles op en, 112. )
Return of traffic for the week ending Feb. 15 :
Railway and canal ... £4,541 0 0
Corresponding week last year ... 4,527 0 0
Note. —The above is exclusive of the receipts available
under the agreement with the London and North-Western
Railway Company. •

CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD s RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the
week ending Feb. 22:

MAIN LLNE.

Passengers ... .£919 17 2
Parcels, IL. C. and D. ... ... 73 12 9
Goods, cattle, &c. 588 6 3
Mails ... 575 0 0

Total .. £2,156 16 2
3101.11.

Passengers ... £24 211
Parcels, H. C. and D. .•• 1 1 10
Goods, cattle, &c. 99 3 10

... £l2l 8 7

Total •••

STEAMBOATS.
passenger! ••• 0•11 ... £179 8 6
Parcels, H. C. and D. ... 27 17 1

Total ... £207 5 7

[AnvEwrisEmENT.l-.—The Royal Exhibition.—A I
valuable, newly-invented, very small powerful
which a person can be
pocket glass, the size of a walnut, by
seen and known li miles distant ; they answer every purpose
waistc oat
on the Race-course, at the Opera-houses ; country scenery
and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles they are invaluable
for hunting, deer stalking, shooting, yachtina, to Sp
Gentlemen, Gamekeepers, and Tourists.—To be had at Messrs.
S, and B. Solomons, Opticians, 39, Albemarle-street, Picca-
dilly, opposite the York-hotel. Telescopes—A new and most
important invention in. Telescopes, possessing such extra-
ordinaryand an object
will show
powers, that some, 3i inches, with an extra eye piece,
Doubleo; distinctly, Juter's Moons, Saturn's Ring, and the
sizes, with inereasiwn
ounces, eatnaTieen seen a person's countenance 3i miles distant,
f r NoVmi t thehl6
tos a2moemiles.
They
e rs
ed onlye
everythree
Race-
course glasses, with
seen from 14 to 18
ionaoL,
other kind for.the '
ing Spectacle Lenses. The
increasing powers
pocket, and are of larger and all
wonderful
accordingly. Opera and
all kinds of Acoustic instruments 16 miles
powers ; an objeet can be
—39, Albermarle-street, Piccadilly, l distant. Invaluable preserv-
ing Organic Vibrator, and
for relief of extreme deafness.
HE
theS Ta
mastersK E '—a
LI VE
menitr opposite
T b e the
dispute York Hotel.h e re
_be said to have ended of
betweenl:
itself, neither of the parties having
the other, and the men' having cefsmde made any any concession to
e
accom-
modation. Of the thirty-five members of ticipect an
Society dismissed by Messrs Forrester and ;lAmalamated
and Co., only eleven now remain out of work" twenty-one
Fawcett
having engaged in other shops in the town, ahTenty-one
the country. Of the former, three are shortly to
threelin the
in
sail
City of Dublin screw-steamer Emerald, bound on as cruise to
the West Coast of Africa. Five of the remaining eleven
VO been engaged on board the Brazilian steamer, recently
nA
built in Liverpool, to proceed to Rio Janeiro. The general
position of the trade is therefore little different to what it is
in ordinary periods of depression.
COMPLETION OF THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH TO
BATII —Yesterday the telegraph hetween Paddington and
Bath living' been completed,
communications were inter-
changed between Lothbury and "the fair city" for the first
time.

TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE. ~
Yesterday evening the annual meeting of the Asso-
ciation for promoting the Repeal of the Taxes on Know-
ledge was held at St. Martin's Hall, Long-acre. The
large room was greatly crowded on the occasion, and
several persons were excluded from watit,of space. Mr.
M. Gibson, M.P., Mr. Cobden, M.P., Mr. Soholt field,
M.P., and Mr. Hume, ALP., were loudly cheered on
making their appearance on the platform.
Mr. Gins.iN, who was voted to the chair, said it
devolved upon him a 3 chairman of the metingtieg to explain
why it had been called. They were assembled in exer-
ci,e of the -right which, as Englishmen, they possessed
to deliberate upon and pronounce an opinion in reference
to the policy and laws of the country; to express their
views upon a part of the national policy known under
the name of the a)stem of taxing knowledge.—(Hear,
hear.) The meeting was confined to that one object
only, and although it was not intended to preclude the
great possible expression of opinion,
whether in sup-
port of or against the taxes en knowledge, as they
ut present Exist, it should be understood that all ob-
servations that might be made should ha confined to
that one subject.—(
-Ilear' hear.) Therefore, if there
was any gentleman present who wished to point out
of knowledge, he should have the utmost liberty of
the association connected with the repeal
impost on the diffusion
nd have been proud on
stopetehehel(thhaeugbhetneer.fi; oifiethseho
any occasion to have been asked to assist in promoting
individual in pursuing so
fpaper stamp, and other taxes on knowledge,
nyn occasion like the present,
othfethoebjencetwos
Oa on
glad to have seen in the
gentleman, for he
thought that this subject was eminently not one of a
party nature, nor was it one of mere politics, but it was
one which men of all political view 9r • interests, and
Inch al
onoudawdi however,
yob
el co-operate
somea-:neP object.e"dr.ioas ut
teli dn withghu a i
ysObe e d literary
most especially literary gentlemen, /night join in advo-
cating. But although they were not favoured, from an
unfortunate accident, by the presidency of seine distin-
guished litterateur, yet he bad the satisfaction of being
able to read to them one or two letters. from gentlemen
who had been requested to preside on that occasion. The
which was as follows:
first he would read to them was from Mr. Leigh Hunt,

extremely,ttecling public meetings, espe-
cially sometimes that the'state of
my health prevents regret "Kensington , Feb.go 24, 1852.
"
oh such an occasion as yours. Taxes on know-
ledge appear to me very like.taxes for the prevention of
mya
finger-posts, or for the better encouragement of ' erring
aid straying like lost sheep. Misdirections may be set
up here and there, but how could it be anybody's in-
terest in the long run to give wrong information, when
everybody was concerned in going
right? Partial
knowledge, indeed, is foolish enough to do so; but that
is the very reason why partial knowledge should be dis-
placed by knowledge, all-completing and universal.
6, I am, Sir, your faithful servant,
" LEIGH ifiLINT.
" To J. D. Collett, Esq., Secretary of Association for
the Repeal of all Taxes on Knowledge."
He had next to lay before them the following communi-
cation, received from Mr. Douglas Jerrold:—
" West Lodge, Putney Lower Common,
February 25th, 1852.
" Dear Sir,—Disabled by an accident from personal
attendance at your meeting, I trust I may herein be
permitted to express my heartiest sympathy with its
great social purpose. That the fabric paper, newspapers
and advertisements, should be taxed by any Govern-
ment professing paternal yearnings for the education of
a people, defies the argument of reason. Why not, to
help the lame, and to aid the short•sighted, lay a tax
upon crutches, and enforce a duty upon spectacles? I
am not aware of the number of professional writers—of
men who live from pen to mouth—flourishing this day
in merry England; but it appears to me, and the notion
to a new Chancellor of the Exchequer—(l am happy to
say one of • my order;' of the goose•quill, not of the
heron's plume)—may have some significance; why not
have a literary poll-tax--a duty upon books and 4 arti•
Ilea' ini their rawest material? Let every author pay
for his licence,
oetic or otherwise. This would give a
wholeness of conradiction to a professed desire for know-
ledge, when existing with taxation of its material elements.
Thus the exciseman, beginning with authors' brains,
would descend through rags, and duly end with
paper.. The professed tax upon news is captious and
arbitrary; arbitrary, I say, for what is not news? A
Noble Lord makes a speech: his rays of intelligence,
compressed like Milton's fallen angels, die in a few black
rows of thin type; and this is news? And is not a new
book news? Let Ovid first tell us how Midas laid him-
self down, and—private and confidential—whispered to
the reeds, ' I have ears;' and is not that news? Do
many Noble Lords, even in Parliament, tell us anything
newer? The tax on advertisements, is—it is patent—a
tax even upon the industry of the very hardest workers.
Why should the Exchequer waylay the errand-boy, and
oppress the maid of all work? Wherefore should Mary
tune be made to disburse her eighteenpence sit the
Lame-office ere she _can_sleuf her face isksrpt, wanting
a plade, although to the disethiatitit* ,br •ttioetis fitst.
ereated Chancellors of the Exchequerthe spiders?
In conclusion, I must congratulate the meeting on the
advent of the new Chancellor of the Exchequer,
the Right Honourable Benjamin
Disraeli, who
is the successful
,man of letters. He has ink in
his veins. The goosequill-1 A and silversticka
twinkle as they may_ie
13 et old
the Houseof Com-
mons. Thus, I feel confident 8 'nstincts
of the Right Honourable Gentlemannt that the literary instincts
ani-
mation to the coldness of wilt give newt
to be
numbed by tightness of
red statesmanship,
*I learn,
early taught to despair of
the tape. We are,
because he is allowed to le Right Hon. Gentleman,,
wit.' Is arithmetic for ever° that smallest of things, . vs.
stantisl respectable dulne to be the monopoly ofe_ nub.
cellor of the Exchequer, like Must it be that a
.Us ha.
to be found in lead? No, e Portia'a portrait, 9 1Y
1 faithl
that our new fiscal Minister
I have a cheerfulconfusionof
obese dulness, show his potencyrwill, to the
Win s
and pence. The Exchequer over pounds,
sh.thergtO
been as the three witches--trb•Z• s. d. that have
tt .
us wherever we turned, the ; Weird Sisters-8 osePPlcg
tght Hon. Gentlema . . will
at the least transform into
them, in all their salutatio the three Grpes, making
come and agreeable. But " at home and abroad, wel_.
upon knowledge
, he will, with respePt to the X. s. d
feel confident, cause at once
the weird sisterhood to melt •
the meeting take heart w.tilinto thin air; and thus—let
fade and be dissolved thel the assurance—thus willd
boys' and maid-oteauswork7nnY news tax—the errand-
boys' -
innocent white thing, the t tax—and the tax on that
" With this hope, I r ax on paper.
(Signed) emain yours faithfully,
e _ q , "DOUGLAS JERROLD.
" Alfred Novello, Be
n' for the Repeal of ai,'ateleTreasurer to the Associa-
LioMr. GIBBON, who was Ica upon Knowledge."
disturbances, caused by
the struggles
interrupted by
could not make their Way into struggles of persons who
say, that though the Paper dtY and the advertisement
the room, proceeded to
duty might have been originally
revenue, the original object f
the newspaper stamp duty
intended exclusively for
was to restrain the circulation 9
of cheap literature and
publication of cheap new
BPapers and the three had now
u
been long considered as constit '
having this latter for its object ent parts of one system
.]
was for the beat interests :f and its result. Bat it
the country that there
should be no obstacles placed
i
dissemination of useful information n the way of the freest
body of the pople—(Bear, among the great
best calculated to promote the cause
that was a policy
and to enable our institutions to °f good government
solid foundation, that of an cull stand upon the most
people.—(l-lear.) Therefore revenue ought not• to be
that would be the plea of the pashalrue, money was wanted;
to fill •
ing upon property his exeh
of Egypt in pounc-
ing
raised, not in a barbarous, but equer; but money must
mode—;(llear, hear)—a modec in a just and proper
onaistent with the pro-
fessions made of favouring the
(Hear, hear.) What said the preambles
of education?—
imposing the newspaper stamp? an of the Acts
was an Act for consolidating them, • , as the present Act
back to those preambles to find w it VMS right to look
"Whereas, pamphlets and printed _sat was the object.
servations upon public events and papers
containing ob-
to excite hatred and contempt of the occurrences tending
Constitution of these realms as by lave Government and
(Hear, hear)—and also vilifying our
holy religion—
published in great numbers and at small ate
lately been
hear)—and it is expedient that the s prices—(llear,
same should
strained."—(Hear, hear.) The policy no uld be re-
was stupid indeed; for a man might publish carried out
speculative theories without a stamp; but opinions'and
if he wished
to give the facts which would correct erroneous
and lead' to sound opinions—if he desired theories
the events of the time, he came under the d to- publish
the stamp. laws.— (Hear, hear.) There tv operation of
mend for cheap publications among the educated
a great de-
of the industrious classes, and as for the
fear
portion
newspapers would be the vehicles of poisonous that cheap
lion, the industrious classes were as correct us informa-
tion,
good and bad as those who were better
be-
(Hear, hear.) At a theatre noble Sentiments tter off.—
truth found as ready an acknowledgment
II the
moral
and pit as in the boxes,—(llear, hear,) Dr. e gallery
said the only true judges of poetry were . Johnson
Goodness, morality, excellence, would fiudth: people'
acceptance among the great body of the industrious
ready
classes as among any other portion of
- - our tr
cone
—(hear, hear.) It was stated in_ evidence
Newspaper Stamp Committee of last session, that
the best cheap publications, those that gave valuable in-
formation, had the best sale, and that those of an im-
proper description were generally. short-lived, and had,
but a limited circulation.—(Hear, near.) It was known
that the judges bad decided that the Household Narra-
lire—a monthly publication—was not Lehi° to the stump
laws; but the Board of Inland Revenue Was not satisfied
with the decision, and, as far as could be understood,
they would prosocute any other publication of the same
kind that might be issued, and would drag the publisher
into a court of law, they paying their expenses out of
the public purse. , This was most effectually restraining
cheap newspapers. (Hear, heaar.), No one could define
what was ' news," or besafe
_nom prosecution while
there was such a vague law•—(ldear' hear.) Since the
triumph of the despotic Powers throughout the conti-
nent over the cause of liberty, they had imitated this sa-
gacious invention of the English aristocracy, knowing
that a stamp law on the press would give them the power
of prosecution, and enable them to hold the newspaper

adopted avowedly
press in their hands. This
." purely revenue question"
.4
aw as t
fheul
ls
heavily
by a great circulation; the
upon publications that could only ay
afdovrertthi
see
amp u
nr pt odsuetyo frcrreivpepnitinedg
hear.)
and restraining the press,--(Hear, hear.) The paper
free communications;
a mmfiscuiiiaclabtuiorndse;n,tiaQ and the three taxes together
for
heaviest imposition upon, the
press in any country in the world.—(fioar, hear.) Ile
thhoipseodd itehuasrasya est:ening owf°tuaixdat'ipots—i I(sHeer:ra, d °in
n 1 t i"
upon
Mr. Eowanos moved the first resolution : —,
"'Tat the duties on met, advertisements, and news-
papers curtail the liberty of the prow; obstruct the dif-
fusion' of knowledge, and 'aro inconsistent with the pro-
fessions of the Legislature in fayour of popajar. educa-
tion."
Mr. SCAOLEFIELD, M.P., in seconding the resolution,
would make one observation as td the circumstances of
the country in regard to the change of Ministry. He
knew many held that wo had changed very much for the
worse. FA Voice—" For the better."]—(Ordei.) But,
without going into general politics, he would say that as
regerded this question it was , impossible to have any
Chancellor of the Exchequer more hostile to, the move-
ment than the Chancellor we had' just lost.—(Hear.
hear.) He (Mr. Scholefield)'did not know whether Mr.
Disraeli was likely to take a different view of the sub-
ject, but if the Government would devote some of their
attention to social questions—and this was among the
most pressing—they would secure for themselves a de-
gree' of approbation which the late Government failed to
obtain; and he, for one, should be happy to give them
his humble support in carrying such measures.—(Hear.)
Mr. COBDEN, M.P.,. who was much cheered, said that
the crowded attendance at that meeting led him to think
that the question had taken due hold of the public mind
of the metropolis? and ho hoped the meeting, next year,
would have to be held in Drury-lane Theatre. In_ the
agitation' for free trade in' ban, istYfoind that' when the
supporters of that cause became installed in the metro-
politan patent theatres, it was not far from a triumphant
issue.—(Hear, hear.) The main question before the
meeting—that of the penny stamp on newspapers—was
not a fiscal question at all. It would be childish to sup-
pose that there was any great resistance to the importu-
nities lof the public to remove a tax producing but
250,000/. (deducting the cost of transmission of news-
papers by post) on the score ofits necessity for the public
revenue. No; it was resisted upon principle. Those
who opposed he abolition of the newspaper stamp did it
because they preferred darkness to light, and wanted to
exclude the great mass of the people from reading and
discussing political questions.--(Hear, hear.) The pre-
amble of the Act of 1819 let the cat out of the bag.—
(Hear, hear.) But could it be the interest of a tree
and constitutional Government to keep the people
in darkness with regard to political questions ?
They could not prevent the people discussing and
reasoning upon public events; why not give them the
opportunity of doing it in the best way, and let them
have facts and arguments thrust under their noses?—
(Hear, hear.) We had a great party advocating the ex-
tension of the franchise to the Si. householders; and we
were to keep up a tax upon newspapers, preventing the
possibility of such men taking in a daily paper, and in-
forming themselves upon events as they ought to do, if
they were to exercise the functions of electors. What
folly, to invite men to become judges in the last resort
of the policy and principles of government, and deny
them the fullest opportunity of making themselves ac-
quainted with the best means of controlling the destinies
of the countryl—(Hear, hear.) On the continent we
had seen questions raised, and obtain a considerable
amount of popular support—questions which many of us
considered would not for a moment bear the light of
argument if discussed rationally; but opinions had been
put down by force instead of by reason. Were those
questions settled by fighting the battle in that way?
You could not destroy ideas by bayonets and
musketry.—(Loud cheers.) These questions, now
thought to be laid for ever in the dust, with the
blood of ten of their professors, would rise again
in spite of that brute force—(Hear, hear)—and the
men who hid been coerced would have the title to mar-
tyrdom in the future devotees to their principles.--
(Hear, hear.) He would apply the same prindipla with
regard to this country; he differed from many upon that
platform on the social and political questions, and all he
asked was a full, fair, and free discussion.—(Hear, hear.)
Many who were timid about giving perfect freedom to
the press bad not, in fact, well-grounded opinions them-
selves, and were not able to maintain their principles in
a fair field of argument; and a free trade in the press
and current literature would compel them to become
better grounded with facts in order to maintain their
position in the flood of light in which they would find
themselves,—(Hear, hear.) It was said, indeed, that the
press would degenerate; but when was an article ever
improved by taxing it?—(Hear, hear.) Every trade
shrank from the impediments the taxgatheror would
throw in its way. It was so with the soap manufacture,
and it was not less so with that of paper. The Excise-
man, with his delays and his strict regulations, put a
straitjacket upon the trade.--(Heart hear.) But "the
press would degenerste;" the mass-could wot-be trusted
to discriminate between a good and a bad newspaper.
But Mr. Heywood, of Manchester, told the Committee
of' last session that the cheap publications of largest cir-
culation were invariably those of the highest moral and
intellectual quality..--(Hear, hear.) He said that there
were immoral and obscene publications, but they
made war upon the interests of society, and society very
soon passed the sentence of death upon them.—(Hear.)They might be read by a few " people about town,"
'• gents". as they were called—(Laughter)—a very small
and very declining tribe—(Laughter)—a
not likely
family
life, to o
aperpetuatend
would
i tys
oe
ul f —fi
find
itself—.(Continued ued
publicationslaughter)—
butpu
you must seek the healthy tone of English society
ewdo9auPculadd-tiiehontnaciee bwyi
th theiri
it
t hhee aillde
a who
en-
tering the families of our artisans? Were not the work-
ing people as careful not to put works of that libidinous
ayrac e
character before their sons and daughters as the higher
classes? Yes, quite as much.—(Cheers.) [A Voice—
" And more too.") If you sought the literary taste of
the mass in their family circles, you would find it as
pure and discriminating as in any other class of society
—(Hear, bear)—and it was a foul libel upon the people_
of this country to say, that if you gave them cheap pub-
lications containing news, they would not be just as dis-
criminating, and as certain to prefer the best qualities in
newspapers, as now they did in other periodicals.—
(Hear, hear.) All parties now professed to be desir-
ous of promoting the education of the people. Forty
thousand of the ratepayers of Manchester and Salford
had petitioned to be rated for the purpose—a most
honourable and probably almost unprecedentedly
generous act—(Hear, hear)—but the old diffi-
culty intervened—the religious questiois. But surely
every frierid of education should desire to abolish every
impediment to voluntary education and tho diffusion of
knowledge.—(Hear, hear.) In the present time, when
all admitted that we must go more and more to the
people for the policy which was to decide the conduct of
Governments and parties, when we found the old com-
binations of interests and family cliques unable to give
headway to the vessel of the State—(Hear)—ewhen
there was an absolute necessity felt for the reconstruc-
tion of some kind of policy out of doors in order to give
an impetus to the parties in the House of Commons,
which had come to a dead lock—(Hear, hear)—surely
it was most important that every opportunity be given
to the mass of the people to be trained in a knowledge
and discrimination of those questions which must come
finally to them as a tribunal for adjudication.—(Hear,
hear.) Was it not important to statesmen to have a
better knowledge of what was going on out of doors?
Lord Derby had come into power—(Hisser)—no doubt
he believed be came into office to carry out his
opinions, 'and he told us three weeks ago what they
were; he came in to re-impose a corn-law.—(Hisses.)
Now, if Lord Derby were in the habit of ,reading
the papers, as he might be if the newspaper
were perfectly free, daily papers circulating among the
mass of the people to the extent of 50,000 or 100,000 a-
day at a penny, he would have seen what was the public
opinion of the country upon that subject—<Hear, hear)
—and would not have taken office under the promise of
he to learn it was an impossibility?-(Hear, hear.) Why,
so clumsily did our system work, for want of the mode. of
doing an impossibility.—(Hear, hear.) But now how was
communicating the public opinion of the country in
tranquil way, that we must have great public
on Tuesday he must go among his constituents
multitudinous meet-
in the West Riding; there must be .
London—
ings—(Cheers)—we must do the same
in
be shoe
ings in Manchester—he (Mr. Cobden) was going.tmo one
(Cheers)—and why? To 'tell Lord Derbyrn.— ( G rest
'sot put another farthing of duty upon
ner
most tuil man
really constitutional, and in the
bas been free;
through the public press, if our press
d it would
and he (Mr. Cobden) solemnly believese
ingle great
cheering.) All that might have been toldca him in the
not have been necessary to hold_ ()tribe
wanted the
public meeting.—(Hear, hear.) h
could publish
leading articlas should be written—you h lten—you
t 5 stamp—but he
theories and opinions now wit ou
mmunicated. Facts
wanted it free, that facts :night be co
newspaper press to be free for Wwasa,
hear.) What
dge.(llear,.
formed the aliment of knowle
facts were to the mind—
corn was to the material body,.
n a healthy knowledge
(Hear, hear)—by their digesno
conclusion formed.—
ust
was to be acquired, and j
a many young men present,
(Bear, hear There were not merely that
um nits compositors,
who
phyadt
haemei universityes as
hs.er—a
nextt(uAre
or classical education, desiring
he manybe l
ieve engagedd—h 0 i
knew
new literary
the
t bl' h t
half-dozan es a .s men sto go
reporters, bad but somefor engagements; abolish those re-
strictionsto now in all London
laugh.) Gentlemen
would be four times as many
dud there
ae I t t l L papers,
sineaand let it be hoped that at t
deman_ or i erary a ent. et t_ose
and four times the
cans of subsistence from lite
who derived their
join this inoveraen
in supporting the motion, went
meeting the assoc. f _
the day and the advocates
led the literature o
hear.) Lot them join this Clll3O, and,
cation.—(llear,
politicians the taxes on knowlcdge should
in spite of ,the Cheers.)
through the history of the newspaper-tax, and noticed
the progress of new papers and their great usefulness as
the instructors of the mass of society. Ho dwelt briefly
also on the impedimenta caused by the paper duty, and
the benefits which he thought must result from its re-
moval, instancing the result of the remission of the glass
duty- • People who were called to serve the State, as Oa
juries for example, ought not to be hindered in getting
be abolished. liiishue,cll.,—;(m.r.,

[PRICE SD.

European 1 instruction how to perform their duties. !In the United
States buyer and seller could advertise without duty.
and each thus got the best market for his object. There
were 400,000,000 of papers published in one year, and
the result was general intelligence, except among the
to see it refused here. ‘Vliv should knowledge be pean immigrants.—(llcar, hear.) It was a scandal
re-
stricted to a 1.-w? It was bentficiA to the State to have
an educated people.—(Bear, hear.) There were those
who resisted it because they would hare the people Vol,.
—(liear.) lie had confidence in the mass of the people,
and would give them instruction and infewmatiGn. If
the present Ministry did not listen to the demand, he
trusted there would be that interest and agitation about
it that would, prevent any successful opposition.
After a few words from Mr. RocEas, the resolution
was agreed to.

Mr.„ COLLETT moved the second resolution:—
" That the insignificance of the amount of rovenuo
yielded by the newspaper stamp shows that it is now re-
tained, as it WaS originally enacted, for the purpose of
destroying the independence of the press, and preventing
the circulation of cheap newspapers."
Mr. Collet asked every man who regularly purchased a
daily newspaper to hold up his hand; and, after counting
the number, said, he saw only 20 out of the 1,500. That
was the fruit of the newspaper stamp.—(Hear, hear.)
What had coma to be the state of the case with the daily
papers of London? Why, that the Times took nearly
12,000,000 stamps in 1850, und all the other daily papers
put together only 7,500,000.—(Hear, hear.) The Asso-
ciation were determined to try the question as to the
publication of unatamped monthly papers in the middle
of the month, and were raising 500/. to do so. They
believed the Act prohibiting publication, except within
four days of the Ist, was in effect repealed.
Mr. G. DAwsoti seconded the ruction in an amusing
speech.
Mr. BRONTERRE O'BRIEN then addressed the meet-
ing, and began to discuss the currency and some other
subjects, but it was past eleven o'clock, and there was
not much disposition to hear him. After a little while
ho retired, and
The rewsolh a vote of h
resolution was carried,tanks to the ha
andthcepirromceaend. proceedings ter
urinated

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN.

The adjourned half-yearly meeting of this company
was held yesterday at the Nine Elms station, Vauxhall,
for the purpose cf receiving the final declaration of the
p)11 on the election of three directors. The chair was
taken by Mr. Smith, one of the directors, who was about
to read the numbers, when

A PROPRIETOR interposed, and objected to the entire
proceedings, on the ground that the chairman had not
presided during the poll, in conformity with the Act of
Parliament.

The CHAIRMAN said he had taken legal advice, on
which it was his intention to act, cad if any proprietor
objected to the course he was about to pursue, ho would
have his remedy in a court of law.—(llear, hear.) The
parties met before the assessor, and the cases were
elaborately discussed, and ho was about to state the
result. The Lumber of votes struck off by Mr. Sergeant
Gaselee and his friends was 370; the number struck
off at the instance of the electors fourteen. The objec-
tions taken on either side were substantial and not tech-
nical objections.—(llear, hear.) The result of the poll
was as follows:

For Mr. Reed
Mr. Scott
Mr. Lacy
Mr. Mortimer

... 14,303
• 14,227
... 13,730
• 13,472

Mr. Sergeant Gaseleo ... 13,414
Mr. Helps 12,985
It therefore became his duty to declare Mr. Reed, Mr.
Scott, and Mr. Lacy duly elected directors of this com-
pany. He would now proceed to state, in compliance
with the request of a proprietor, the number of persons
who voted, the proxies, and the amount of stock. The
number of persons voting for Messrs. Gaselee, Helps,
and Mortimer was—personal votes 53, proxies 889, total
947. The amount of stock represented by the proxies
was 1,883,000/. by personal votes 307,0001.—making to-
gether 2,195,000/.—(Hear.) The number of proxies for
Messrs. Scott, Rced, and Lacy was 638, representing
2,321,700/. in stock; personal votes, 143, holding stock
to the amount of 790,7901—making a total of 781 per-
sons and 3,112,4901. in stock. The majority in stock for
Messrs. Scott, Reed, and Lacy was 916,6701., and the
majority of votes for Messrs. Gaselee, Helps, and Mor-
timer, 166.—(Hear.) The directors could but regard the
result of the poll as an indication that from one cause or
other a desire existed on the part of a large number of
the proprietors to have what was called an infusion of
new blood into the board of directors.—(hear, hear.)
The board was quite willing to meet the wishes of the
proprietors fairly and frankly so far as could bo done
without inconvenience to the business of the company,
and it was their intention to give notice in June of two
nacancies to be filled up at the next general meeting, in
the room of two gentlemen who will not consider them-
selves r© eligible.—(llear.) That, ho thooght,iwoold be
the most convenient course, and the ono moit calculated
to give the proprietors a fair opportunity of selecting fit
and proper persons to represent them.—(Hear.)
Mr. LOCKE thought the proprietors ought to nave the
power of determining which of the directors ought to
retire.—(Clear.)
After some further conversation the newly-elected di-
rectors returned thanks followed by the unsuccessful
candidates, and the proceedings terminated with a vote
of thanks to the chairman.

NE W MARKE T.
Tho half-yearly report of the directors has been
printed. It states that the, agreement made with the
Eastern Counties has placed their working charges on a
satisfactory footing. The Eastern Counties are seeking
for the sanction of Parliament to the agreement, which
will not be interfered with by their want of success.
The accounts for the half-year are satisfactory. The
balance, after paying the expenses of the Cambridge
branch, on the 31St December was—on the credit of
capital 17,570/ 10s. Bd.; on the credit of revenue for
the half-year, 1,9921. 15a. 4d.; but the balance against
this on the 30th of June was 3,0741. 18t. 4d. It is,
therefore, a question whether a dividend should be de-
clared or not, which is left to the shareholders to de-
cide upon. Tho accounts to September, roughly stated,
are—working charges, 1,2151.; debenture interest, 9901.;
traffic, 1,8561 ; balance, 394/. To December, after the
agreement with Eastern Counties—working charges,
2,2051.; balance, 2,121/.; traffic, 3,1211.; payment by
Eastern Counties, 1,205/. The accounts show for the
first quarter a loss of 3491.; for the second a
.profit of
2,1911. Under the circumstances the directors recom-
mended a dividend on the quarter previous to the open-
ing to Cambridge, not exceeding ls. 6d. a share. On
the completion of the Cambridge Branch, the board
directed their attention to the Bury Extension Line.
Mr. Samuels, their engineer, has pledged his reputation
to complete it for 121,5002, iccluding the purchase of
land. The board hope for less, and propose to reduce
the extension shares from 251. to 12/. 10s., and it is their
intention to press the Bill with all their activity. They
have got rid of the Chancery suit alluded to in the last
report. They have deposited their plans, and anticipate
no opposition from any quarter. Total receipts on ho
capital account, 457,5711. 10s. Bd.; disbursements,t
450,0011.; on the revenue account, receipts 6,7051.

BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY.
The report of the directors of this railway, to bo sub-
mitted to the proprietors, at their half-yearly meeting
this day, states that the gross traffic receipts upon the
period ear 18
amount 50.
to working
46,5611.
railway, from the Ist of July to the 31st of December,
1851 (including 1,7731. Be. 9i. received on the Exeter
and Crediton Railway, and due to the Bristol and
Exeter Railway Company), amount to the sum of
thhealf acme o f the year 127,6431. 163. 3d,, which is 9,8521. 9s. 7d. more than in
expensesthe
during corresponding
18s. 7d., or 35,931 per cent., and 5061. 2s. 2d.
on 92 miles of railway, including the Exeter ancfer mile
ton line. There has, therefore, been an i Cr
nearly 8?-, per cent. on the receipts, and a increase of
about 5i per, cent., or 41. Bs. per
mile,
on reductiont of
expenses, compared with the most productiveh° wnridng
the year 1850. The number of passengers half of
conveyed 11,522,726 miles; and the is 379759)
and coals, 89,38.5 tons 14 cwt. 1 quantity of goods
2,232,053 miles; making 40401 more(lr.Sibs,, conveyed
above 15,000 tons more gouda and coals Passengers and
responding period of 1850. The than in the car-
the revenue account, including the disposable balance of
brought over from the former v-year, of
4,0931. 2s. 4d.,
15s. 2d., which will enable ualf-year, is 62,0821.
41 per cent. per annum, or ru to declare a dividend of
on your 2 000,000/. of cop —I per cent. for the half-year,
servo of 17,082/. 15s. 2d. consolidated stock, and have a re-

FLY MOUT H GREAT
Harris, chairman of the
s uti‘ii preliminaries
after
ph h apveisonign
ee usualcu DOCKS.
PLYMOUTH, FEB. 93.
this company was heIdFVEST.ERN .
at The half-yearly
b eArldt 11 bfar directors,th is at t
flrn meoeetni"Cool.r
the chair.
TThh
be received and adopted, said- he wg,ould confine his ob-
servations to a few words respecting the new capital.
They had still a great deal to do to raise the amount
th4t was yet required, namely, 13,0001. If they raised
that amount there would be no difficulty about the re-
mainder, and he thought that the sum required ought to
he raised in these towns without any difficulty whatever.
Ile believed that on all this new capital there was every
probability of its immediately paying five per cent.,
while to the trade of the port it would be of the very
bethenatgtOhnoe through,
The
greatest advantage. Be then stated that a letter had
been received from Mr. Braine, the deputy-chairman of
the Eastern Stem Navigation Company,
in which he
said, "I beg to inform you, for the information of the
board, that I have been for seine time in communication
with Mr. Macgregor Laird, the party who has obtained
the Government contract for the African mails, as to
certain arrangements with the Great Western Railway,
with the view of making Plymouth the port of departure
of his screw steamers; and this morning I learn from
him that there is every prospect of the matter being ar-
ranged satisfactorily,'
Mr. Wool.l.comnE (the Chairman of the South Devon
Railway), before the resolution was put, enforced the
1 necessity of further exertions, and in response to the
observations made by himself and other speakers, shares
to tha amount of about () o/ re taken up, and a
1-,40 . we