§ Lord Morpethpresented a Petition from certain Letter-press Printers of Stamford, against the Stamp-duty on Advertisements and Newspapers. He did not agree with one part of the petition which went to regulate apprentices, but as far as removing the taxes on newspapers and advertisements went, the petitioners should find him a zealous advocate of their cause. He felt himself bound, in the present state of the country, to promote any object that would give industry its fair reward.
§ Mr. Trevorsaid, that, in the present licentious state of the public Press, he should be sorry to see the duty on newspapers and advertisements reduced: be thought it a very unobjectionable tax, and those who entered upon the speculation of a newspaper knew that it would be subject to that burthen. At the same time, he begged to declare, that he was not an enemy to the liberty of the Press.
§ Lord Morpeth, on moving that the petition should be printed, begged to say, in reply to the hon. Member, that in addition to the benefit to be derived by editors and advertisers from a reduction of the newspaper duties very great public advantages would arise from the facilities that would be thereby afforded for the 33 greater and more extensive diffusion of knowledge.
§ The Petition to be printed.