Star.
London, England, 1830-12-11 00:00:00

MEETING OF PRINTERS.

Thursday evening a Meeting of the Printers of the Metropolis was
I held in the Theatre of the London Mechanics' Institution, convened for
the purpose of petitioning Parliament for the repeal or reduction of the
duty on paper, newspaper stamps, and advertisements.—The Meeting
was numerously and respectably attsnded.—Mr. FRY was unanimously
railed to the chair.

The CHAIRMAN briefly explained the object of the Meeting, and
congratulated the trade on the prospect before them of deliverance from
the oppressive taxation by which their industry had been long oppressed.
The SECRETARY read the report of the Committee, detailing their
proceedings. The report contained a copy of a letter from Mr. Hume,
expressing his warm approbation of their proceedings, and recommend.
ing their petitioning for a total repeal of the tax, by which their indus-
try was impeded, and that petitions should be presented from the Prin-
ters of the Metropolis, and all the towns of the kingdom, where there
were any number of Printers, which would greatly strengthen the hands
of those who meant to use their best exertions in Parliament for the re-
peal of the oppressive taxation.—Mr. Hume also requested the Com.
mince to use their exertions to remove the prejudice that existed against
machinery, and referred them to Mr. Place, of Charing-cross, who
would fully explain to them the great utility of machinery, as well to
the workmen of every trade in which it was employed, as to the aim.
munity at large. The Committee had, in consequence, waited on Mr.
Place, who entered into elaborate explanations of the immense advan.
tage of machinery, which he considered beneficial in every case without
exception. The Committee recommended that a renewed application
should be made to Parliament, and that the printers all over the country
should be recommended to petition the Legislature, and to forward their 4
petitions to the Committee, to be given to Members for presentation, as,
if they gave them to Members of their own districts, they would pro-
bably be merely presented and forgotten; but by forwarding them to
the Committee they should be given for presentation to men who were
the pride of the country—who gloried in the diffusion of knowledge u
the most effectual means of promoting the happiness of the people. The
aeport was received with great applause.

. Relearn said, the repots had heard gave him greater satis-
faction than any he had ever before beard. Still he could not concur in
the opinion that machinery was in every instance immediately beneficial
to the individuals into whose business it was introduced. He could not
concur in this opinion, when he saw so many industrious pressmen
thrown out of employment, and many of them reduced to the sad neut.
sky of becoming inmates of the workhouse. There could, however, be
DO doubt that machinery was beneficial to the community in its results
and they, as compositors, had no reason to complain of it on their own
account. It wu by grinding taxation they were oppressed, which had
caused the annihilation of four daily newspapers within the last five
years, and prevented that extent of printing business which would cer-
tainly otherwise take place from the growing desire of knowlege in the
community. It was tendon which at that moment caused four hun.
dyed compositors in the metropolis to be out of employment. He ap.
proved of the report, though he should prefer petitioning for the total
repeal of the taxes affecting their trade, to petitioning merely for a re-
duction. He moved that the report be agreed to.
The motion having been seconded, was put from the chair and car.
ried, two hands only being held up against it.
The Cumasux stated to the meeting, that the committee bad pre.
pared the draft of a petition to the House of Commons for a reduc-
tion in the existing duties, by which their business wu injured;
which, if they pleased, should be read for their consideration a—a
adoption.

Mr. Patina said, there was such a material improvement in their
prospects since the committee had been appointed, that he thought they
should now follow the advice et the working man's friend, Mr. Hume,
and petition fora total repeal of the obnoxious taxes. Their petition,
last session, presented by Lord Morpeth, had excited great attention ;
and the liberal ministry now in power, many of whose members had
already declared themselves in favour of the repeal, should encourage
them to increased exertion for the repeal of that oppressive load of tax-
ation which deprived so many members of the profession of the means
of living, and operated Injury on all. He moved, that a petition
be presented to the House of Commons for the total repeal of the duties
on paper, on newspaper stamps, and advertisements.
Mr. O'LnanT seconded the' motion. The tax on knowledge was
probably originally proposed as a means of preventing the people an.
gulling political information, and, assuredly, would not be persevered
in by a Ministry whose highest glory it was that they sought support
from the public opinion, and were desirous to be judged by the ten.
dency of their measures to promote the public welfare. They could not
condone taxation that was driving industrious men out of employment,
for the purpose of preventing the diffusion of knowledge among the
pele. While ever Mr. Hume was In Parliament, the working classes
of the people might be certain of having an able, honest, and Indefati-
gable friend (great applause) and while the wonderful man now at the
head of the jurisprudence of the country retained a place in his Ma.
jesty's Councils, the community might rely on having a friend to the
diffusion of knowledge.
The resolution was agreed to, and a oommitteeaprinted ; after
which thanks were voted to the Chairman foe his exri fl nt conduct in
the Chair, and a subscription entered into for defraying the necessary
expenses.

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS.-FIuDAT.

John Anthony, a man of colour, was indicted for stealing in the
house of Philby Gent, 181. 13s. The prosecutor stated that he keeps a
shop for the tale of beer, in Duks.street, St. George's in the But. On
the night of the 2d of December be was in bed, and was awoke by a
noise like the rustling of papa; he immediately put his hand out of
bed, and caught bold of the phonies head. The police were called in,
and on searching the house three See-pound bank notes were found be-
hind the prtsoner's bed (Iss was a lodger), and three sovereigns were
taken from the lining of hie jacket at the station house ; the silver could
not be found. The prisoner said nothing in his defence, and the jury
returned a verdict of Guilty--Death.
In the New Court, Elizabeth Holder pleaded guilty to six indict.
ments for stealing property atthe Bazaar, Soho-square. We have already
given the particulars in our Police Report.
Mary Walls and Ann Miller, two abandoned women, were found
guilty of stealing ten gold Gala and other articles of jewellery, value 301.
and upwards, from the person of a Mr. Knight, on the evening of the
11th November. They were sentenced to transportation for life.
Upon learning the judgment, the prisoner Miller addressed the Judge
(Mr. Sergeant AttAstx) in the most abusive language, and ex reared a
hope that he might never move from his seat until they came back again.