The Sun.
London, England, 1831-12-08 00:00:00

lative to the number of inhabitant householders in St.
James's, Westminster.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from the Western Po-
litical Union, praying the House to adopt measures
for the diffusion of knowledge, by the removal of the many
taxes that prevented its extension. He (Mr. Hume) con-
curred most cordially with the prayer of the petition,
wishing to see all taxes removed from paper and
printing, as a great means of accomplishing the object,
which the petitioners had in view. He thought those who
had kept the country in the state of ignorance in which it
was, would do well to consider what they had to answer
for, and he trusted his Majesty's Ministers would not de-
lay the removal of those taxes he had referred to.
Mr. A. TREVOR was satisfied that the many evils
that existed in the country arose from the poorer classes of
society having had an opportunity of perusing the disre-
putable and diabolical papers and periodicals that were in
circulation. He seas not hostile to the poorer classes being
properly educat, d, but be was satisfied their condition would
never be bettered by removing the tax upon newspapers
and other periodical papers of that description, which
had a sufficient circulation throughout the country to
enable them to pay a much larger tax than that which
they did, and he kne.v of no better source of revenue than
such a tax.
Colonel TORRENS considered the salvation of the
country essentially bound up in the diffusion of sound po-
litical knowledge.—(Applause.) Imperfect knowledge
might lead the people to disturbance—might lead
them to conceive that the rights of property
were irreconcileable with the rights of the working classes;
but convinced, as be was, that the rights of property
perfectly secured the rights of the working classes;
convinced of the soundness of the principle of distri •
buting knowledge among them, be should not think
he performed his duty if he did not raise his voice in
favour of the people being instructed, as by this means they
would be taught the first principles of right, of Go-
vernment, of profits of labour, and of profits of
stock. With these impressions, he should support every
proposition which might be brought forward in Parliament •
for the purpose of rendering knowledge cheap.—(Ap-
plause.) lam convinced, said the Gallant Colonel, that
our only safety in the present excitement, is perfect
knowledge. Knowledge is power. The people half in•
strutted have half power; half power may be exercised
in somewhat an injudicious way; but if you give the
people perfect knowledge, thereby conferring on them
perfect power, they will exercise that power soundly,
and for the best interests of the country at large.
In ignorance you will have danger—in knowledge you
will have safety ; therefore, it is of the highest import-
ance that the utmost diffusion of knowledge should take
place.—The petition was then ordered to be drawn up.
Mr. HUME, in moving that the petition might be
printed, desired to snake a few observations in reply to what
had fallen from the Hon. Member, in opposition to the
taking the taxes off publications. That Hon. Member
had attributed to the Press every thing that was base and
mischievous. He (Mr. Hume) wished to know whether
that Hon. Gentleman desired such a state should continue
to exist. Part of the Press was in the complete possession of
persons whole whole aim was to circul ite that which seas
evil and mischievous, and it was utterly impossible for
any person who had property, or a character to maintain,
to attempt to repel or answer the base charges which per-
sons ventured to send forth. His (Mr. Hume's) desire
was, that some measure might be adopted which would
enable good men to send forth a proper antidote against
the poison of these dangerous publications which were
so much complained of. This could only be done by
the removal of all taxes from Newspapers and publica-
tions of every description. A complete and indiscrimi-
nate publication ought to be permitted ; and he (Mr. H.)
wished to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer
if he had any intention to bring forward an Act for the
purpose of repealing duties upon publications?
Mr. TREVOR explained.
Lord ALTHORP said, I must protest against questions
being put to me at this period of the year, as to what I may
be inclined to do with respect to the removal of taxation,
because, to give satisfactory answers to such questions,
would be to pledge myself at a period at which I should be
extremely sorry to give any pledge whatever.
Sir F. BURDETT thought that if these mischievous
publications were to be allowed to go on, it would be but
a'r to allow the opportunity to others of answering them
on an equal footing—that is, without being under the re-
striction of that heavy taxation which the respectable part
of the Press was under at present.
Mr. HUME moved for a return of the persons who
had been convicted of selling unstamped publications, the Ma-
gistrates by whom they had been convicted, and the respec-
tive periods of imprisonments. He understood there were
at this moment no less than twenty-nine persons under
sentence of imprisonment for selling unstamped publica-
tions.

Colonel TORRENS had great pleasure in seconding
the motion for this return. It was only by the free pro-
nunciation of opinions that truth could be arrived at; and
if the truth were to be permitted to be promulgated with-
out taxation there could be no doubt that truth would
thepre vsai
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ADDRESS TO HIS MAJESTY.
Lord CAVENDISH brought up the report on the ad-
dress.
On the motion that it he read a second time,
Mr. HUME said he wished to make a few observations
before the report was agreed to, not only on what the ad-
dress to the speech contained, but on what the speech itself
was silent. He felt it necessary thus to explain, from the
opinions he entertained, and which he had before ex-
pressed.
In the first part of the speech he entirely con-
curred, and he believed Ministers were entitled to the gra-
titude of the country for having so soon re-assembled Par-
liament, in order satisfactorily to settle the Reform ques-
tion. Much too of the present dissatisfacion which pre-
vailed in many Places would, no doubt, be removed by that
adjustment. There was one part, however,
speech with which be did not agree ; he alluded to
osthaftetishfeatry
eointerference of this country with regard to
Belgium. Neither party would thank them; both
had expressed dissatisfaction, and the ostensible ob-
ject of preventing a general war would be attained
no longer than the parties had time to prepare for a re-
commencement of hostilities. As well might France and
the other Powers interfere and dictate the separation of
Ireland from England, as this country dictate the
separation of Belgium from Holland. The British Par-
liament had thus committed themselves in that inter-
ference, and had acted on the principles of the Holy
Alliance, most injurious to all States.—(Hear, bear.)
The increase in our establishments last year and at pre-
sent, was evidently necessitated by the posture of affairs
in relation to Belgium. But there was no allusion
in his Majesty's speech to any contemplated reduction in
this department. Whyoidnlisghorculidththoethpeeronpalet,ionsso,dtiostirne,soselvde,
be called upon, by m
themselves in renewed difficulties, and to force measures
on a Government which they d,d not want. The speech
admitted that distress actually existed : no doubt distress
had arisen from want of employment, but was there in the
speech or in the address one word suggesting a remedy for
it ? Could a man, casting his eyes over the country, hesi-
tate to declare that excessive taxation was the cause of
the evil? He was most sincerely of opinion that the pre-
sent interference of this country with Belgium and
Holland was inconsiderate in principle, and involved
no small expenditure of the character of the nation. He
did expect that some attempt should have been made to
relieve the people by a reduction of the establishments, and
he would state that so long as Government persevered in
straining by large establishments every shilling that could
be wrung from the people, no expectation could be enter-
tained that efficient relief should be administered. He
had been blamed last year for quietly submitting to so
large an increase of public establishments, but under the
peculiar circumstances in which the present Government
had been placed by the Administration, increase of expense
was to have been expected. He did, however, expect that
after a year they would have been prepared to make some ex-
tensive reductions. He could not see why such establish-
ments should now be kept up, larger than for many
years, and at so heavy an expense. The time no doubt
would come, when it would be necessary to enlarge
on these subjects, but he could not allow this opportunity
to pass without these observations. He objected to the
interference alluded to, and to the fact, that while distress
was admitted, no specific remedy had been propounded.
Lord PALMERSTON could not let the observations
made by his Hon. Friend pass without some remark. The
Hon. Gentleman had expressed disapprobation of the course
pursued by Government in interfering between Belgium
and Holland, representing that that Government had
abandoned all their former principles and professions,
and adopting those of the Holy Alliance, had im-
posed on Belgium a Government which was adverse
to its wishes. He should be prepared, when the pro-
per season presented itself, to contend that the interference
which this country bad exercised between Holland and
Belgium rested on principles acted on by Governments of
England, in the best seasons and best times, upon principles
which, if Government was not prepared to act, they should
consent to abandon the interests of England itself. He
should like the llon. Member to point out in what
respect they had forced on Belgium a Government con-
trary to their wishes. The Belgians had chosen their own