§ Mr. Parnellmoved, that there be laid before the house an Account of the sums expended for the establishment of government Expresses between the ports of Holyhead and Dublin, from the 1st of Jan. 1801, to the 1st of Jan. 1803. The hon. gent. said it was too general for expresses to pass between the two countries, for no other purpose than to give a favourite government newspaper a priority of intelligence over their less dependant competitors, The paper he particularly alluded to was an evening paper, which had been very active in its disapprobation of the late changes in his majesty's ministers. But the same paper was now the warmest advocate in support of the measures of the men it had not long since opposed.
§ Sir A. Wellesley ,though he did not object to the motion, could not think the object of so much importance as it appeared to the hon. gent. it appeared to him to have no other object than to ascertain what newspapers in Ireland had or had not prior intelligence the London news, and to prevent papers From having thirty or forty hours prior intelligence. The paper alluded to had some ground of preference, as it was the only daily evening paper in Dublin, and had an extensive circulation.
§ Mr. Parnellcontended, that the unjustifiable partiality of government, in procuring for that paper prior intelligence by extraordinary expresses, was what had increased the circulation of that paper, and injured that of others, to such a serious degree, that one paper had already suffered a loss in circulation of no less than 5000 copies weekly.