Lords Sitting of 7 July 1815

STAMP DUTIES ON NEWSPAPERS.
On the committal of the Bill for imposing an additional duty upon Newspapers and Advertisements,
Earl Stanhopeobserved, that the tendency of this measure would be such as he presumed the minister could not desire, namely, to increase the public burthens, and to diminish the revenue. This might appear paradoxical, but he remembered a similar case some years ago: when an additional duty was imposed upon spirits, he ventured to foretell that the effect of the new duty would be to reduce the revenue upon spirits generally—and what

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was the result? Why, that this revenue fell off to the amount of between 2 and 300,000 l., in consequence of which reduction, Mr. Pitt had the additional duty repealed; although he (lord Stanhope) was in the first instance laughed at for his predictions. He had no doubt that in predicting the consequence of the Bill under consideration, he should be found equally accurate as in the case alluded to, whatever attention might be paid to him at present. But, independently of any considerations of revenue, he should ever disapprove of any measure calculated to impede the freedom, or discourage the industry of the press. For he had always been a friend to the propagation of light, convinced that such propagation was best calculated to promote the interest and happiness of mankind. Of course, then, he must be adverse to any proceeding likely to interfere with that great principle; and on this ground he opposed the present Bill, which was not only objectionable in its character, but absurd in its construction. Such a Bill was, indeed, one among the most prominent specimens of that slovenliness with which bills had been of late sent up to that House from the Commons. For instance, this Bill proposed a tax upon pamphlets, books, or papers, commonly so called, containing only one sheet, and not exceeding eight sheets. But it was curious to see how pamphlets were defined. In one clause all papers were described as pamphlets which amounted to one sheet, and yet in another clause of this blessed schedule, those only were defined to be pamphlets which exceeded one sheet. But this was only one among the many absurdities which belonged to this extraordinary Bill. The noble lord concluded with moving, as an amendment, the omission of these words—"or inserted in any other newspapers." The amendment was negatived.
Earl Stanhopethen forcibly animadverted upon the general character of the Bill, and upon the thinness of the House upon a subject of such importance, which involved alike the interest of trade and revenue as those of liberty and learning.
The several clauses were agreed to, the House resumed, and the Report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow.
The Law Deeds Stamp Duty Bill being committed,
Earl Stanhopeurged the propriety of having a Bill of this nature brought before the House at an earlier period, in order to
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afford time for its ample consideration, referring to a decision of the Court of King's Bench, that if a receipt were drawn upon a higher stamp than was prescribed by law, such receipt was invalid; therefore, it was right to have such a measure as the present duly promulgated, for the safety of the public, before it was finally enacted, and on this ground he disapproved of the manner in which the Bill was pressed, among a crowd of other bills brought from the other House at this late period of the session.
The clauses were adopted, the House resumed, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.