The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-21 00:00:00

PRICE 7D.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

In order to give the House of Commons an oppor-
tunity of taking into consideration the proposition of
S:r C. Knightley, for the reduction Of the Duty on
Soap, instead of a reduction of the Stamp l)uty on
Newspapers, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on he
House going into Committee last night, simply moved
a resolution to the effect, that it was expedient to re-
duce the Stamp Duty on Newspapers from 4d., less
the discount, to ld. Sir C. Knightley, seemingly for
no other purpose than to show how ridiculously ab-
surd he could make himself, then moved his amend-
ment ; stating that, in his opinion, the reduction of
the Duty on Soap would be far more beneficial than
reducing the Duty on Newspapers, especially to ilia
farmers, as it would increase the consumpti'n of home
produce, the fat of animals being used in the manu-
facture of Soap.
I'''. argument, silly as it was, was
the only ow.
put f • xi by the
- seriously forward Hon.
S''‘.—onet in favour of his proposition. The rest of his
observations were made in a spirit of laughter-loving
witticism, unworthy of a serious commentary. The
amendment was to the effect, that the Duty on Hard
Soap he reduced from lid. to Id., and on soft Soap
from ld. to id. The affected anxiety to relieve the
distress of the farmers is rank duplicity—it bears the
stamp of imposture so self-evident, that no one can
be deceived by it. Talk of relieving the farmer's dis-
tress—if distress existed----by the bagataile boon of a
reduction of the soap duty ! This assumed zeal in
the farmer's interest is put on solely with the view of
dividing public opinion, and enlisting the support of
41ty such there be, so besotted as not to see
through the artifice. Independently of more abstract
reasons why a preference should be given to a reduction
of the duty on Newspapers, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer contended that the Soap duty had already been
reduced one-halfi and that on Newspapers had received •
no diminution ;—that, in consequence of this reduction
promoting consumption, the revenue from Soap had in-
creased, while that from Newspapers had, from the con-
trary cause, as well as from the extent of smuggling,
undergone diminution—a practical proof in a financial
point of view of the justice and necessity of giving the
precedence to the reduction of the Stamp Duty. In
proposing this reduction, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer avowed his determination to protect the legi-
timate trader from the smuggler, whose unstamped
publications have caused such great deterioration in
legal Newspaper property. Mr. Goulburn folle4ed
the same course of argument as Sir C, Knightley,
and was equally absurd, though less 'amusing. The
oppoSition given by the Tories to the reduction of
the Newspaper Stamp Duty, arises from the convic-
tion that not only their power, but their very exist-
ence as a party deperas on keeping the people in
ignorance of their delinquencies and malversations.
.Let their evil deeds be but once fairly brought to
light by an unshackled press, and where will they
screen themselves from the consequences of public
indignation ? They affect a horror lest, if the duty be
reduced, the public will be inundated with publica-
tions of a blasphemous and seditious character. Were
this the true cause of their fear, no apprehension
could be more unfounded ; but in this, as in most
other instances, they mask their motive under a false
pretence, and conceal the most evil principle of
action under the guise of the contrary. • The matter can
be easily put to the proof. If the Tories deprecate
slanderous and blasphemous publications, how can
they support journals which indulge in such gross
and revolting licentiousness as do their leading
organs ? In what unstamped publication will be
found such disgusting indecencies as are daily dis-
played in their leading Morning Journal, or such
sanguinary bigotry as in its Evening cola bora term If an
Unstamped Paper advocated civil war as a means of
conversion to certain religious opinions, or published.
such immoral and filthy language as to be unfit for
perusal by any person of the least propriety oI kelt.
mg, as have been done by the two great champions of
Toryism, then, indeed, the objection might be entitled
to consideration—but the Tory Stamped Press has
taken such a latitude as to render it impossible for
any Unstamped Paper to surpass in slander and liten-
tiousness. Mr. Goulburn contended that it would be
more advantageous to the poor to reduce the Duty on
Soap than on Newspapers, as that class did not re-
quire the luxury of Newspapers. It can scarcely be cre-
dited that any man would have the shameless audacity to
assert such an execrable opinion ; but such is the fact.
We are advocates for the general reduction of taxation,
and anxious that the Duty on Soap should be re-
moved, as soon as the public exigencies will permit ;
but to put the cleansing of the body in competition
with the purification and enlightenment of the mind,
is to outrage the.first attribute of man, to spurn the
best gift of the Deity, and brutalise humanity. If
the Press, as is on all hands admitted, be the palladium
of our liberties, the reduction of the Stamp Duties is
the best mode of extending and consolidating them.
On the division the numbers were—
For the Reduction of Stamp Duty 241
For the Reduction of Soap Duty ... 008
Majurity ---33
—Morning Advertiser.

KING'S BENCH.-MONDAY.

THE KING V. BROWN.
This was an indictment for perjury, alleged to have
been committed by the defendant before the Committee
appointed to inquire into the Canterbury election.•
Mr. BODKIN had no proof to show that the defendant
knew at the time he gave his evidence that the state-
ments it contained were false, and that he should there-
fore not trouble the Court to go into the case, but should
at once submit to a verdict for the defendant. The de-
fendant was accordingly acquitted.-

NASH V. LORD KENSINGTON.
This was an action by the executrix of Mr. Nash, the ar-
chitect, to recover the sum of 1,000/. for the work and la-
b Our of her late husband, in building the house of the de-
fendant on Carlton-terrace. The sum expended in the
building was 20,0001., and the claim (stated to be the
usual claim of an architect) was five per cent. on that
sum, The Jury returned a' verdict for the plaintiff.—
Damages, 600/.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

QUEEN-SQUARE,

Henry Mathew Mead, a lad, aged 17, was yesterday
placed at the bar, with Thomas .Jones, a labourer, the
former being charged with setting fire to the house of Mr.
Crook, No. 42, Lambeth-walk, and the latter with being an
accessory before the fact.

The case was in its details most extraordinary. At
three o'clock on Sunday morning the neigbboii were
aroused by the cry of fire, and the frontage of
Crook's
house was in flames, and the whole of the stock consumed,
his wife and family fortunately esco-',n
George Crook, ;raper,
4' 2, h
t °-Lambeth-walk, deposed
that the prisoner was
-a: his employ, and bad been an ap-
prentice of his fr.up
an wards of a year and a half. He re-
sided on tl,-
..e premises and boarded with the family, being
.4-door apprentice. On Tuesday week, on the casual
removal of the prisoner's box, he discovered that he had
131., a sum which he evidently was of opinion he could not
have possessed honestly, and that opinion was strengthened
by the money, with the exception of 1/. 10s., being
in silver. Ile interrogated him respecting the
money, and the prisoner then said that it had been
given to him by Mrs. Piper, a lady who had lived at
Slough, Berks, and that the present had been made six
weeks since, when he had gone down to Windsor to attend
the funeral of his sister. He accounted for the possession
of a very handsome diamond ring, and also a mourning one,
in the same way. In another of his boxes the prosecutor
found two bottles of wine, which he said had been given by
his uncle. On Wednesday last Mrs. Crook had superin-
tended the ironing of some clothes, and they were left hang-
ing on a line and on a clothes-horse nearer the fire. Wit-
ness left his bedroom about six the following morning, and
discovered that the greater part of the 'linen bad been
burned in the night. Having discovered this, witness re-
insured in the Globe on Friday. He bad for nine years
insured in that office, but bad discontinued for some
time. Last Saturday night he went to bed about two
o'clock, having first closed the shop, and at a little after