The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-01

ward Lombe, liberal Norfolk landowner, the donor
Of bOOl to the National Public School Association.
MIR. Lombe viewed the abolition of what he called
the infamous taxes on knowledge as an educational
question. Clear, hear.) And he (Mr. Hickson)
recommended this view to the consideration OF all
the friends ofnatonal education (iear.) The object
Of education to make good citizens Of the people
by teaching every member of the community to UNI
derstand the laws he was called upon to obey
(Hear) But how could they teach the poor man
the nature Of the laws il they prohibited the circula
tion the only publications that treated of the adj
ministration of those laws! Newspapers were only
accessible to the poor man at the publichouse, but
what was wanted was that they should enter the
cottage door. Such publications as the Penny Ma
gdsi,e, Chambers Iiufs and Chambers Journal, Of
which he did not wish to speak depreciatingly did
not come home enough to the real objects and
sacrifice them all to the cheap newspaper. There
was some for the allegation that the higher
classes in continuing the taxes on knowledge had a
sinister object in view, viz, the maintenance of po
litica privileges and political monopoly. If ever
the people carried the repeal of these taxes it would
be by taking the matter into their own hands. He
believed it to be within the mark that there would
be ten newspapers for one if the taxes on knowledge
were repealed, and thus increased and more remu-
nerating employment would be given, not only to
journeymen printers, but to the whole literary pro-
fession The local press would be especially bene-
fitted The Russell administration appeared to be
entering upon another lease Of power. (Several
yoices-"A short one"o They had lost very con-
siderably the confidence Of the country. Great
cheering) lie trusted they would turn over new
leaf. CA cry-"It is too latevO AT all events
general election was close at hand and although
he was not favorable to pledges, he hoped the
taxes on knowledge would be admitted to stand
the first to be repealed by liberal ministry
and Parliament. (Cheers.)
DIR. LEE seconded the resolution, but wished it
had included the duty upon foreign books and the
ocean penny postage.
MIR. r. EDWARDS supported the motion, and adj
dressed the meeting to show the additional employ
ment that would be given to large classes OF persons
in the printing and papermakng trades, if the taxes
on knowledge were repealed London, with 800 900
of people, had only six morning papers, while in
New York, with population of 100000 or 100000,
there were thirteen.
Mr. M. GIBSON, NJ p, who was cordially received
said it had devolved upon him to move the repeal of
the taxes on knowledge in the House Of Commons
and he hoped to renew that motion. But a member
Of Parliament, in like case, felt in most fororn
situation unless he knew he backed by public
opinion. clear, hear) 1t was for the people to
carry this, they had carried other questions, and
they must remember that no free knowledge, or any
other kind of freedom, had been ever handed over to
the people as free and spontaneous gift (Iear.)
He afraid there lay at the root of the opposition
to the repeal of these taxes an unworthy jealousy
on the part OF governing men OF the spread OF
knowledge among the people. Chcers) 1t
was said that the spread OF cheap newspapers
would make government in this country impossible
1t was far more likely that ignorance would make
government impossible. Qiear, hear.) 1t would be
much better that our institutions should rest upon
the basis of an enlightened public opinion. IL they
looked forward to period OF universaity OF Suffrage
nothing could be more important than that the
great body of the people should have brought with
in their reach the means Of understanding the laws
under which they lived The government was afraid
to carry out mpartaly and literally the provisions
of the Newspaper act, which, he contended, ought
therefore not to be continued uponthe statute-book
1t might appear that, in asking for he trepeal Of
all these taxes at once, they were asking Tor too
much but they were all connected with each other,
and he for one would not be contented until the
three duties all repealed, and until the press
was set entirely free (Cheers.) lie had no doubt
whatever that the tax upon advertisements was not
means of revenue, but revenue destroyer, since
it struck at industry and commerce, the prosperity
of which produced revenue. lie yentured to say
that if this tax repealed, in the next years
returns of income the amount would not be missed.
Ii was not, in fact, a consideration of revenue
that prevented the repeal Of this tax, but dread
Of extending cheap knowledge and cheap newspa
pers among the working classes. The Chancellor
Of the Exchequer was preparing new budget. lie
had no great confidence that he would come forward
with proposition for the repeal of the taxes upon
knowledge but they must not be deferred from
pressing ON this question by any statement that the
financial arrangements of the year were concluded.
lie held il to be perfectly fair and parliamentary to
press all matters of this nature upon the attention
Of the government and he trusted that he should
live to see the hackles struck from the press, and
perfect freedom introduced. Cheers)
The motion was carrid unanimously
On the motion Of Mr.. Collett, seconded by Mr..
Holyoake, the following resolution was also carried
and the meeting separated at midnight
That by allowing number Of registered newspapers to
circ portion Of their impression without stamps,
and denying the privilege to Others and by per-
hitting news and political comments TO be inserted in
the unstamped publications Of the metropolis while sup
pressing similar publications In the country the Board OF
Inland Revenue has invested itself with the powers Of
censorship equally foreign TO the laws Of the land and
the feelings Of the people q this country
ffrom the Times IT March II
One Of the first rules of agitation is 70 find an an
tagonist. You cannot have "run' unless you
"hnd;" nor is it easy to keep the table In a roar
without n "butt' for your jokes Mr.. Golden
knows this, 30 he never takes up a cause without
challenging foe. The majority Of mankind are
Indifferent and adrft on almost any subject that
be mentioned till they are provided with some
body to be angry with, or somebody to laugh at or
somebody to be beaten. They have only to ask
Mr.. Golden, and he will soon find them sport.
Now, what have the daily metropoli tan Journals to
do with the stakes on know ledge, except TO
pay them and wish them rcmoveds But MIR, Cob
den ingenousy contriycs to represent US rs mono
posts, protected by the taxes on knowledge.
Nine Of his readers out of ten will go away with the
impression that but for these taxes there would be
such a competition as would swamp the hyepenny
papers As for these taxes, il is scarcely necessary
that we should repeat our opinion OF them. We
the largest payers in the kingdom, and we be-
lieve that, "a in the former reduction OF the stamp
duty, we should gain immensely by their removal.
We, nevertheless think that there are other taxes
which press more the comfort, wcll-being, and
progress of the people, and content to allow them
priority. AZ, however, the question concerns US
very closely, we would rather not take prominent
part in IL. Others may If they think proper, and
they will have our hearty thanks If they deliver US
from triple letters But, we repeat, on no pre-
tence whatever can the present daily metropolitan
press be implicated In the question, inasmuch a. i
Is the largest victim, perhaps II should be said,
the largest channel Of taxation.
As the working man, says Mr.. Golden, cannot
afford to pay 6yepence day for his paper, daily
paper Is the luxury Of the higher and middle
glasses; and address ourselves accordingly TO
the tastes and opinions Of those classes and not to
the mother wit and unsophistcated judgment Of
the working man. The daily journals, he says, do
not represent the feelings Of the many, but of the
few. Such assertions, IN our opinion, are more
easily made than proved, for there may be
much color, but very little truth In them. Does
the House Of Commons represent the opinions OF
the manyl Does Mr.. Golden himsclfl lie has
several times expressed himself very strongly Of one
opinion when the majority Of Englishmen have