The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-01 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC PRESS.

STAMP DUTIES-TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE.

Yesterday evening a numerous and respectable meeting
was held at the City of London Literary and Scientific In-
stitution, for the purpose of determining on resolutions,
and appointing a committee for the furtherance of all mea-
sures tending to obtain the entire removal of all restric-
tions on the communication of knowledge through the
medium of the press.
Dr. BIRKBECK was called to the Chair, and addressed
the meeting as follows :—lf I could for a moment doubt
that truth is better than falsehood, or knowledge better
than ignorance, I should not have acceded to the privilege
I have with great pleasure acceded to, that of occupying
this distinguished situation on the present occasion. I ant
60 perfectly persuaded that man instructed in all his rela-
tions with the universe, in his relations to its author, and
in his relations to his own species, becomes so much better
qualified to perform the various duties which it is incum-
bent on him to discharge, that I am persuaded the inte-
rests of mankind can in no way be better promoted
than by contributing extensively and effectively to
the diffusion of knowledge. Notwithstanding all the
interest we feel (and which I am sure every one who hears
am does feel) in promoting this great object, we are met
upon the very threshold of our efforts by certain fiscal
impediments which it is of the greatest importance to re-
move, because they affect in particular a class of literature
which belongs to the multitude, and which, therefore, es-
sentially belongs to the diffusion of knowledge.—(Cheers.)
—Now we are met here to consider the very point, not as
a public body, but as a general assembly, as a number of
individuals interested in the popular progress of literature.
We are met for the purpose of devising means for the re-
moval of those fiscal obstructions—considering what they
may be, and where we may best apply for thuir complete
extinction. We are honoured with the presence of a num-
ber of individuals of tl.at description, that must give great
weight and authority to the proceedings of this meeting;
we are honoured with the presence of those who can carry
them into the very spot with considerable effect from whence
our success must greatly be looked for.—(Hear, hear.)--
I have stated that the impediments which stand in our
way are fiscal, and I would at length detail the nature
and extent of those impediments ; but you will perceive
that we have the benefit of the presence of one whose
mind is peculiarly qualified for this exposition; therefore,
it may be your pleasure, as well as it is mine, respectfully
to call on that gentleman to give us some explanation
with regard to the nature and extent of the taxation there
is on knowledge. He can do so with great effect because,
with regard to his arithmetical accuracy, even those who
affect to sneer at arithmetic, do not venture to doubt his
power and accuracy.—(Loud cheers.)—The general ques-
tion, however, of the evening will be proceeded uron be-
fore that, and were I not aware of the presence
of many who can much better agitate it than
myself, I should certainly venture on some remarks
at considerable length, but I shall confine myself to-day,
as the present moment particularly presses on us. We
have seen the direful effects of ignorance ; we have seen
the land occupied, not as it ought to have been with the
schoolmaster, but with the executivner. We have seen
the rude labourer,—not because of the want of plenty—
uot because the earth failed to return its fruits, or the
Heavens to ripen the fruits of the earth--we have seen,
in the midst of fertility and plenty, that those who are
suffering from the want of a general diffusion of knowledge,
ignorant enough to conceive they were capable of benefit-
ing themselves and their families in their state of
destitution, by destroying the very things of which
they stood so much in need. They have, too,
ignorant of those principles which might, if knowledge
were free, be so easily explained; they have destroyed
the very instruments by which fertility may be accelerated,
and by which the food which they and we in common re-
quire, may be brought to our homes and to theirs on the
cheapest terms. They have quarrelled with their food—
they have quarrelled with the instruments by which
it could be rendered cheap. They have done this
because the schoolmaster has not been allowed to
Penetrate into their humble dwellings on account
of the taxation which has been placed on education. If,
for example, our newspapers, those admirable means of
circulating knowledge throughout the country, had been
as numerous as they are in the new world of America, it
is quite impossible that the neighbourhood of London
should have been in such a ante of absolute ignorance on
these subjects. A newspaper by giving line upon line,
—and, precept upon precept—here a little, and
there a little—carries knowledge into every corner,
that particular species of information which is re-
quired for the service of the day. So that if we could
command but a free circulation of newspapers—if we
could get the rags which snake the paper untaxed, and
get the paper out of the hands of the manufacturer with-
out the withering mark of the exciseman—if we could get
the newspaper without the IA marks on its corner, and
could also circulate our advertisements, by which the
series of knowledge might be communicated to those
who read them, without being so grievously bur-
thened by taxation, it is quite impossible that in this
place and in the adjoining counties, those outrages which
have been committed, should have occurred. It is
particularly necessary that this should be known, because
the voice of the Magistrates themselves, who ought to
teach the people, have been the very first to throw out
hints which have induced some persons to adopt the very
course that has been pursued. In support of this I refer
you to a most admirable letter, which appeared a few days
ago in the Morning Chronicle, written by Colonel
Junes, in which, according to my apprehension, a
Lore clear and satisfactory account is given of
the sources and causes of those events than has hitherto
appeared from any other writer. In these letters
it plainly appears that the machine breakers were strength-
tried in their disposition to act ley those who threw out
hints that it would be desirable to remove those things_
to take them to pieces—not certainly to breaktoor
furtherdeetrt9
them, but to place them out of the shape in which they,
were% and surely but very little indeed was re-
quired, after a precept of this kind,
induce the deluded persons into the act which they com-
mitted. An ill-reasoning, starved, and perishing indivi-
dual, might well be conceived to gather up such a hint,
and to act upon it in the manner we have observed ; and
I verily believe, that of the two hundred and fourteen
unfortunate beings against whom the sentence of death
has been recorded—(Hear, hear)—upon how many of
them that: awful sentence has been carried into effect, I
have never ventured to estimate.

Mr. Hurux—Hight—(" Shame, shame.")
Dr. Btaxaecx—Of those it is probable that the he-
ginning of the movement of their minds—the first ope-
ration by which their minds were affected, might origi-
nate from what I have alluded to. Had their minds not
been so grossly ignorant, those outrages could not have
been committed. 1 believe it to be a much attested
tact, that of these power-looms, or threshing-machines
which have been broken, there has not been one instance
of destruction by a well-educated, intelligent mechanic.—
(Hear, hesr.)—l , venture boldly to make this assertion,
and will challenge the opposers of the diffusion of know-
ledge, wherever and whoever they may be, to deny my
statement. Then if all this results from the want of
knowledge, how much does it become us who
know its value, and enjoy the high privileges
of possessing it, to endeavour, by all the means
we possess, to extend to those unfortunate and
destitute beings the blessings which we so greatly prize. I
trust that our efforts this evening will by their influence
on the Committee, and by their transference to that place
where their influence may be so greatly twisted, tend to
remove those weighty impediments which exist to the
progress of knowledge ; and if so, then I think we may
fairly say, that at least we have not laboured in vain, and
satisfied am I that those unfortunate persons whom it may
reach, will be the first to acknowledge the blessings at•
umlaut thereon.

Mr. BULMER moved--." That sinee knowledge is the
source both of morality and wealth, my tax upon knowledge
must necessarily be highly injuriaus to the prosperity and
happiness of the people. In rising to move this resolution
he deeply regretted the unavoidable absence of an eloquent
gentleman who was to have occupied his place. If a phi-
losopher ever were to write a history of the blunders of
the human race, one of the largest volumes that ever ap-
peared would be upon the taxation of the British natiou.
When men required to have cheap bread, the Corn Laws
were given ; when men were well they had the felicity to
be informed of a tax being laid upon medicine. Qf all
the instances of our newel folly, that 2-f laying a tax upon
the diffnlic,n of our political knowledge appears to be the
greatest. Cif all knowledge, political knowledge was the
most important—it embodied every other knowledge,
And without it there was comparatively none.—
That, therefore, which belonged essentially to the com-
munity, there ought to be the greatest facility in conveying
to them. It was very true, as the Chairman hul said,
that instead of the schoolmaster having been abizad, the
executioner had been harrassing the feelings' of ili`eipublic
by the havoc he had been committing. Who was to blame
for this? It Was high 'tinie.to speak out, and therefore, ke
hOldly aSserfed that itivas the Legislature only. The Legisla7.
lature had shut up the poor man's sources of information.
The Legislature had said, we will lock pp all the books; tf
you can pay Gd. for one, you shall have it—if you cannot;
you shall not. Your lesson eaust be learnt—if you do
not acquire information front our batiks, you must get It