The central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827, 1825-08-20
Hume.
From the Westminster Review.-July 1921.

| Hume.
| From the Westminster Revicw.--Ju 1927.
The Periodical Press of Great Britain and ireland
or, an Inquiry into the state OF the Public Jour
mails, chiefly as regards their Moral and Political
influence.
a newspaper is modern machine which has
grown up, the British constitution is said to have
done. II has not been the fruit of igina design
but has been adapted to tho OF so ety by SC
ries OF improvements, insignificant 1ualy bu,
striking in the aggregate in the nncr as the
constitution has been suited to the purposes Of those
Tor whom it works well. The consequence is
that as most OF the solid knowledge of the higher
well as Of che lower classes n society is handed
down to them additionally, and relates 10 things
that existed long ago. that EXISTED at all
they know as little Of the mechanics. PIN paper
as OF that of an improved chronomcta They know
that things do " somehow other getnto the news.
papers" and that is the extent Of their knowledge
or, if they condesccnd, a Scots author would
term it, to distinct iiea, they fell into blunder, as
he does We believe at thi, moment there are, not
| long ago we know there were, members OF parha-
| ment who thought that the whole OF debate in a
| morning paper extending to Is 90 columns OF
small type, which would form m oderate siz ed vol
ume, and which is delivered to the reading public at
their breakfast time is WI itter by epor,er after
| the House rises. How one person can in two or
three hours write much as three mtnbers oil par
'iament or one rapid copyst could copy in a week -,
is not we suppose very clearly accounted Tor IN their
| minds, but NO doubt they think that men who
can habually violate standing order af the House,
every thing is possible The mistake m supposi,,on
that one printer, and not thirty ortysets up the
whole types of morning paper and is the sole agent
by whom the lightly mass oil truth and falsehood,
OF the useful and the triing, which it aims, 10
communicated to the world, is wearing away ;
but 1T has not yet quite disappeared anon the high
er classes The writer Of the hook before us has
rhsretare s.,.isS ,e fac
tions MIR. Sheridan. having expressed some doubts
| on hearing that has had been at the bottom of
coal mine. but having had the reality Of the ad ven
ture confirmed to him, said, g You fool, Tom
| for your pains it was much more easy 10 say you
had been there Our author has the same opinion
of the currency of a bold assertion He calls his
book {" An Inquiry into the State of the Public
Journals We should like to know where he in
quired. He has been sadly to seek. At least, as
he has remained in ignorance of the laws which at.
feet public journascven Of those which ha VIC been
most the subject Of public discusson--in ignorance
of the merits OF the public journals and Of their de
fects, ofthe manner in which they sold, and as
although even when page contradcts another,
neither of them is in the right sorry for the
sake of the of investigation, of which we are
passionate admirers, that inquiry in any should
have been attended with such unsatisfactory results
real inquiry OF the effects of newspapers upon
the community, and Of the facilities which they af
ford in the discharge of the political and social du-
ties of life, and of the benefits which an extension Of
their circulation by diminution OF taxation would
afford, would be highly useful aud IN proportion
to its utility has been indignation at his blunder
ing and futile mockcry OF it. We have already dc.
aTlelt ha -, t,.Et H.
| upon newspapers, and we have observed that it is
by the advertisements only that the daily papers are
prevented from being. instead of credit disgrace
to the country; but there is regulation connect
ed with this tax too mischievous and unjust to be
passed over without notice The discount whch
is allowed upon the stamp-dnty is condi ional upon
the paper being sold at price not exceeding seven
pence. Ofthis no one comPlains-but while there
is this rule for tho protection OF cho public against
excessive price, there Is another and onctng ru lie
to prevent them from having loo much for their mo
ney. No sheet Of a newspaper must be moro than
32inches long by 22. Aud such is the care of the
legislature against Of readable matter be-
iDgpresentcI to the public, that the proprietors Of
| nc wspapers not even allowed to give away
supplementary sheet without paying the iul stamp
tax upon it The consequence is, that the propr.e.
tors of those papers which from the nature and ex
tent OF their circulation are most sought aztec by ad-
vertisers, often obliged to reject ther advertise
| ments, or to print them on supplementary sheet
| for the privilege OF giving away whicn they pay
three and one fiji pence, per number 81 this regu-
Iation equally wise respects all parties, on
y she proprictors deprived Of the advantage OF
their sale and the advertisers of the of publ.
city but there is tax of S. Cd levied upon
| every advertisement, the Exchequer is deprived Of
revenue, and from the love Of taxing the very OBJ.
J ject Of taxation is lost
The newspapers. Of which the circulation is thus
narrowed by disProPortionate weight Of taxation
are the best and surcst civiizers of country
/ They contain within themselves not only the els.
| mcnis OF knowledge but the inducements TO learn.
There is so instructed, there is no one 50 tx