Sir Robert Batesonheld a Petition in his hand, from the Ministers and Elders of the Irish Presbyterian Church, commonly called the General Synod of Ulster, complaining that the privilege of receiving their letters free from postage, which they had long enjoyed, had been withdrawn from the charitable and religious institutions of Ireland, and praying relief. The petitioners lamented that the custom of allowing charitable and religious bodies to receive letters free, had been altered by the present Government. They were thereby deprived of all power of communication with each other on charitable subjects. They were aware of the necessity of taxation to carry on the Government, but they submitted, charity was the last subject which ought to be exposed to its operations. He agreed with the petitioners, and knew that these alterations had been attended with the 85 injurious effect of stopping all communication with religious bodies, both as to information and subscriptions. The revenue derived no benefit, as the answers to these communications were also put an end to. There had been no charge of improper uses having been made of this correspondence, nor could there be any such charge, for all the letters went through the office open. He lamented there was no Minister in the House to hear the observations he had thought it his duty to make: the prayer of the petition was, that the House would take the subject into consideration, and give the petitioners relief.
§ Mr. George Dawsonthought, the privilege had been cut off by the noble Duke at the head of the Post Office department, under an idea of reducing the public expenditure. The noble Duke had, no doubt, intended well, but he had been mistaken in stopping the transmission of these letters, for the first object of the Post Office revenue was, to fully provide for the internal communications of the country, and whatever remained, after defraying these expenses, was applicable to the public services. But no Chancellor of the Exchequer ever looked upon the Post Office revenue, like other taxes or impositions, and great inconvenience would arise from the order now issued. No loss would be sustained by permitting the course followed so long to be continued, and there was a chance of gain by the answers to these communications. There were many societies in Ireland which were in a great degree supported by subscriptions from England and Scotland, and stopping these letters would stop the subscriptions, for the subscribers would not continue them unless they knew how they were disposed of. Hitherto, the details and accounts had been transmitted through the Post Office, under the cover of some official person, and no abuse had taken place. He, therefore, begged to submit to the consideration of the noble Lord (Althorp) whether this permission ought not to be revived.
§ Lord Althorpwas aware that complaints had been made of letters, forwarded through the Post Office free, by charitable institutions, having been discontinued. But the practice was contrary to law, and if it were wished to revive it, and to bestow this privilege on any society, an Act of Parliament must be passed, for the existing law could not be dispensed with.
Sir Robert Batesonwas happy to hear he reason given by the noble Lord, for the novel practice introduced, because he hoped the noble Lord would introduce some measure to remedy it, and facilitate he obtaining a scriptural education for the people of Ireland, which, in their miserable state, was the greatest blessing they could obtain. He begged to ask a question on another point connected in some degree with this—Was it true, that letters respecting the noble and munificent subscriptions for the widows and orphans of the soldiers killed at Waterloo, had been lately charged with postage? If this was so, he hoped it would not be continued, but that the pittance allowed by the generosity of their countrymen would not be stopped in its passage to those who had been sufferers in its cause?
§ Lord Althorpwas unable to answer the hon. Baronet's question further than to assert, that, in common with his noble friend at the head of the Post Office Department, he would do no act contrary to law.
§ Petition to lie on the Table.