The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-07-22 00:00:00

IMPORTANT CAUTION

The Proprietor being apprised of several needy and unprin-
cipled Medicine Vendors, who, when applied to for this remedy,
substitute, under the name of Clbebs, Sarsaparilla, &c. a worth-
less and injurious, article of their own make, feels it is an impe-
rative duty to sat, that it is absolutely necessary, before pur-
chasing, to see the name "J. W. Stirling," Whitechapel, is en-
graved on the Government Stamp affixed outside the wrapper
on the bottle, without which it cannot be genuine.
Agent s :—C. Mawhood, 20, South John-street. Priestley, Aspi-
nall, Howell, Roberts, Bradford, Rawson, Neale, Gerdes. Wag-
staff and Swift, Liverpool; Bowman and Law, Barker, Taylor,
Chemists. Manchester; Scowcroft, Bolton ; Isherwood, Pres-
town and all Medicine Venders.

Ask for Stirlingrees' Essence.

MR. O'CONNELL AT ROCHESTER.

ROCHESTER, July 18.--A dinner was given in this town to-
day to Mr. O'Connell, by the reformers of Rochester and
Chatham.

Public notice was issued some days ago, calling upon those
persons who wished to escort Mr. O'Connell into Rochester to
meet, at eleven o'clock, at the Bull Inn, when the procession
would proceed on the London road for a mile, and there wait
his arrival. It was nearly three o'clock, however, before Mr.
O'Connell arrived, and then, attended by a few tradesmen, and
the curious and th,e idle and the dissolute of the neighbourhood,
and pieceeded by some faded blue flags and a band of music,
made his triumphant entree into the boroughs of Rochester and
Chatham. He paraded through the main streets, to the evident
annoyance of the respectable inhabitants, who retired from their
front rooms to avoid insult from the rabble, and whose houses
presented a deserted appearance, save here and there an adven-
turous and curious maid-servant, indulging her curiosity, and
peeping through a curtain in the attic to take a glance at the
monster who could libel the ladies of England.
When the procession arrived at the Military-road, Chatham,
Mr. O'Connell addressed the people assembled from his carriage.
Mr. O'Connell was loudly cheered throughout his speech.
Three groans were then proposed for the lords and bishops,
and three cheers for Mr. O'Connell and Justice to Ireland.

The procession then proceeded to the Bull, Rochester, where
Mr. O'Connell alighted.
About 200 gentlemen sat down to dinner with Mr. O'Connell,
who, upon his health being proposed, made another speech,
which was merely a da eapo of his previous one.

Emperiai Varlianunt.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-TUESDAY.
THE STAMP DUTIES BILL.

M. Rica said, that before the committee proceeded to dispose
of the 180th clause he would explain certain alterations which
he proposed to make in the bill, and which were calculated to
remove many of the objections urged on a former occasion, and
espeCially those taken on the part of a very respectable class of
persons—the printers of the metropolis. it had been stated by
the hon. member for Chester that the bill would operate very
unjustly upon the printers of newspapers, inasmuch as it im-
posed obligations and liabilities on them with regard to the ad-
vertisement duty, when it might be impossible for them to know
whether or not the payment of that duty was in arrear. The
provision which made the goods and chattels of the printers
liable to seizure in default of the payment of the-duty was con-
sequently characterized as harsh and unjust. He had since the
last discussion on the subject ascertained that by means of ad-
ditional precautions full security might be had for the collection
of the advertisement duty, without subjecting the printers to a
liability of that kind ; and as it was not his wish that any part
of the bill should be inure severe in its operation than was ne-
cessary for the protection of the revenue, he should propose that
clause 180, relating to that point, be omitted from the bill.
(Hear, hear.) Some observations had been made on a former
occasion with respect to the word " pamphlet," which was in-
troduced into the bill ; and it had been argued that that word
might apply to a publication not at all in the nature of a news-
paper. He allowed the force of that objection, and he meant to
move that the word "pamphlet" be omitted throughout the
whole of the bill and schedules; but in order to guard against
any abuse, he should insert a general clause, providing that
every print which was really and in fact a newspaper should be
subject to the stamp duty, in whatever form or shape it might
be published. (Hear, hear.) He had now to direct the coin-
inittee's attention to a very important part of the bill—viz., the
stringent clauses providing a remedy against persons violating
the law. The printers had objected, that by those clauses they
were made subject to penalties, without having an opportunity
of knowing they were incurring any liability. They were very
willing that adequate power should be provided for the collec-
tion of the revenue derivable from newspapers, but they did not
think it fair that they should be exposed to risks and inconveni-
ences, without having first received notice that they had vio-
lated the law. lie had lately a communication with some mem-
bers of the printing trade respecting this matter. The gentlemen
who talied on him were (as we understood) Mr. Wooiltall, chair-
man of the committee of master-printers, Mr. R. 'Faylor, Mr.
M'llowall, Mr. M -Intosh, and Mr. H odgsou. After some conver-.
sation he received from t hem certain propositions, which of course
he could not promise to embody in the bill, until he had ascertain-
ed from his hon, and learned friend the Attorney-General, whe
ther these was any obstacle in point of law to their adoption.
Having since consulted his hon and learned friend, he was glad
to have it in his power to propose certain clauses, which he felt
himself authorized by the gentlemen whose names he had men-
tioned in saying would be considered wholly unobjectionable by
the trade. The proposed clauses would be to the following
effect:—All printers would be, not required, hut permitted b.-)
register their names, the place of their abode, and of theirprint-
ing establishments, at the Stamp-office. It was not, however,
intended that they should be subject to penalty for omitting to
register. As he had before said, 'they would be permitted; but
not compelled, to register; and to give in at the Stamp-office
the titles of the newspapers and journals which they printed..
In the event of their printing any of those journals without
stamps, they should not be liable to penalty until notice was
served on them from the Stamp-office that the journals so
printed were newspapers, and came under the provisions of the
present bill. They would then be bound to discontinue the
printing of those journals, or they would render themselves
liable to penalty. if a registered printer should print 100 copies
of a journal on stamped paper, and afterwards print 1000 collies
on unstamped paper, he would then be held, without having
notice served upon him, to be cognizant of having committed
an illegal act, in consequence of having, in the first instance,
used stamped paper. He thought clauses to that effect might
be adopted without exposing the revenue to any risk. The only
parties who would incur danger would be those persons who
refused or declined to register their names, and to give the
Stamp-office the means of serving notices upon them. Those
persons would probably have in view the commission of an
illegal act, and would consequently shrink from the responsi-
bility attached. to it; they must, therefore, abide the conse-
quences, as it would be impossible for any notice to be served
upon them. A proposition had been made for the registration
of the names of all the proprietors of every newspaper, and he
believed the lion. member for Liskeard was prepared again to
press that proposition upon the committee. He (Mr. Rice)
did not think an enactment to that effect absolutely necessary
for the protection of the revenue, but, as it might establish a
salutary system of restraint, and impose a responsibility on all
parties connected with newspaper property, it was not his inten-
tion to object to .t. Ile also understood that it was intended to
move that a separate die should be used for each newspaper
stamp. Upon this subject he should be ready to offer an opinion
when the subject cause distinctly before the committee. The
right hon. gentleman concluded by moving, that the 180th
clause be expunged.
Mr. Rica also proposed a clause to save printers from pe-
nalties, by allowing them to register their names, which was
agreed to.
An extended discussion took place upon the several clauses
of the bill, in which Messrs. Grote, Wakley, Warburton, and
Baines took part.
Mr. GROTE proposed a clause to the effect, that each paper
should have'a separate stamp die for itself, with its name on it.
The principle of this proposition, he observed, was discussed on
a former evening, and he would not take up much of the time
of the house on it: It was important that the returns made
from the stamp-office as to the circulation of newspapers should
be as perfect as possible, and the only way an which a correct ac-
couut could be given of such circulation would be that of having
a separate die for each. Many of the returns heretefore laid
before the house in this respect were exceedingly imperfect.
From the last return it appeared that there were 20 newspapers
which had not taken out any stamps at all, but %vele supplied
by other newspapers, in whose circulation the stamps appeared.
There were others, such as the She)borne Journal and Liverpool
Mercury, which had credit in the returns for a much smaller
number of stamps than they actually used. Now, he was sure
there was no person in the 'house who would give countenance
to any frauds on the part of newspaper proprietors, by which
they were made to appear to have a larger circulation than they
really possessed. He believed that. his right bon friend the
Chancellor of the Exchequer so far approved Of the principle,
that he would not object to the use of a die being optional with
each paper, but that would be no security against the sort of
frauds of which be spoke, for those proprietors who were most
disposed to commit those frauds would not adopt a mark by
which they could be at once detected. He could not anticipate
any objection to the proposition which he was about to make.
It could be no inconvenience to the newspapers themselves, and
the expense of it would be comparatively insignificant. Every
newspaper proprietor who meant fairly would desire to be de-
barred from the ,power of fraudulently assuming a greater cir-
culation for his paper than that which it had really acquired.
It had been stated as aft objection to his proposition, that
country, newspapers being at a distance from the Stamp office
in Loudon were in the habit of borrowing stamps from one
another in coder to publish the full complement of their circu-
lation, and that, if they were debarred from this power of bor-
rowing occasionally from one another, they would not be able
to bring out their papers. To this objection the reply was ob-
vious. Prudent tradesmen would always have such a stock of
st imps in hand, as would enable them to meet ally demand that
might be made upon them. The hon. member concluded by
moving a clause to the effect which we have already stated.
Mr. Rice objected to the proposition of Mr. Grote. It', by
passing such a clause, he was bound to make out different dies
for ZO different newspapers, he must postpone to a distantpe-
riod the day on which this act was to commence to take effect,
for it would not be possible for hint to have the dies framed in
time to bring the bill into speedy operation. He had no ob-
jection to let this clause be inserted in the bill, provided it were
made a permissive clause only. if it should prove not to be in-
convenient to the other papers, who now refused to avail them-
selves of it, he should have no objection to make that which was
now voluntary hereafter obligatory. The clause, however,
which the hon. member had proposed, was not necessary to the
collection of the revenue; and, therefore, if that hon. member
persisted in it he should feel bound to oppose it. '!'here was
also another objection to it, which he had not yet mentioned.
Supposing that any change were made in the title of a news-
paper, that would render another change in the die necessary.
Drat would occasion the loss of the paper on band, and the in-
convenience of getting an exchange of stamps for those which
the alteration of the title of the paper had rendered useless. In
conclusion he stated, that if the hon. member for the city of
London would not accept the modification of the clause which
he (Mr. Rice) had just offered, he must oppose the clause alto-
gether, for whilst it did not assist the revenue, it did inflict on
the newspapers an imposition to which they had not hitherto
been exposed, and which, if not imposed on them universally,
would expose to opprobrium and obloquy such of them as were
exempt from it.
Mr. LEADER defended the clause proposed by his hon. friend
the member for the city of London, as the best mode of pre-
venting the transfer of stamps from one paper to another.
There could be no difficulty about these dies at the stamp-office.
Mr. RICE.— No difficulty ! Why 250 new dies will be
waisted. (Hear.)
Mr. LEADER.—If that be the case, then let the bill not come
into operation for six months, and by that time the dies may be
easily prepared. He was surprised to hear the Chancellor of
the Exchequer assert that the house had nu right to ascertain
the amount of the circulation of the different newspapers. He
(Mr. Leader) maintained that the house had such a right, for
the newspapers were a species of public property. (" Oh ! oh!")
Besides, how was the house to know that the stamp-office gave
it a correct account of the revenue derived from newspapers,
unless it were entitled to call for an exact returwof the number
of stamps supplied to each paper? lie could not see on what
just grounds such a return could be refused. He had himself
moved for such returns this year. He had received various let-
ters front the country informiug him that lie occasioned great
loss to individuals by demanding the production of such returns,
which were in many cases false and delusive. In reply he had
told the writers that the proprietor of every newspaper who had
been injured by the falsehood of the returns had nobody but
himself to blame for it, fur he ought not to have enabled his
agent to take out stamps for him in the name of another paper.
Such complaints coming front such persons were, in his opinion,
a strong argument in tavour of the distinctive die. He, there-
fore, entreated the committee to support his hon. friend in this
clause.

Dr. Bowe ING was satisfied with the declaration of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer. that he had no objection to this clause
provided it were made permissive, not obligatory. Iu granting
that permission, the right hon. gentleman had done all that
could be fairly required from him, awl in his opinion the house
ought not to proceed further, for, if it did go further, it would
establish despotism where it was ;lot necessary. Those news-
paper proprietors who asked pormisrm to use this die would
have a distinction from those who refused to ask such permis-
sion; for those who did not apply for it would be thought to
shrink from that test, to which another portion of the press was
ready to submit.

Mr. G. RontNsoN supported the clause. The public at large
had a great interest in this question ; for it was induced to be-
stow its advertisements upon that paper which it believed to
have the greatest amount of circulation. As, then, the pub-
lic had an interest in knowing what papers had the greatest
circulation, and as the amount of their circulation was often
published by the newspapers themselves, the only question was,
whether it was right. that the public should have some tangible
means of knowing what paper had really the greatest circula-
tion. This could only be ascertained by means of the distinctive
die ptoposed by the hon. ineinber for the city of London. He
did not see any force in the objection urged by the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, that upon every change • of title a new die
would become necessary, and that great loss and inconvenience
would consequently be sustained. the incouenience would be
trifling, and there would be no loss save that of the paper incur-
red by the newspapers, for the stamps would be considered as
damaged stamps, and would, therefore, be exchanged.

Sir R. PEEL did not see any force in the objections which the
Chancellor of the Exchequer had urged against the adoption of
this clause. if the clause were to be permissive, he did nut see
why the house should not go one step further, and impose upon
all newspapers alike the obligation to take out a distinctive die.
There was noweight in the objection with regard to time. There
might have been souse force in the argument, had they considered

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD