Lord Kenyonpresented a petition from certain dealers in and venders of newspapers, against the circulation of Sunday papers. His lordship stated that it was in contemplation to bring forward a bill for the purpose of preventing the publication of newspapers en a Sunday, such publication not only being inimical to the interests of religion and morality, but doctrines of a dangerous or seditious nature being put forth in many of the Sunday newspapers.
Lord Hollanddeclared his intention, if any such bill was presented, of opposing it in every stage of its progress. He was utterly at a loss to conceive upon what ground it was that the principles maintained by some of the Sunday newspapers was put forward as a reason for preventing their circulation. Were not the Sunday papers as amenable to the laws as other journals, if they published any thing improper; and would it not, therefore, be an odious attack upon the liberty of the press to prevent their circulation?
Earl Grosvenorreferred to a motion which he had formerly brought forward upon this subject in the House of Commons, and which motion had for its object to prevent the circulation of Sunday newspapers. He stated that he still 546 adhered to the opinion he then entertained, but he meant it without any reference whatever to the political principles which those papers advocated.
The Earl of Lauderdalethought it right the House should be aware that the object sought by this petition, of preventing persons being employed in newspapers on a Sunday, would not be answered by preventing the circulation of Sunday newspapers; it applied rather to Monday newspapers; all that was requisite for making up a Sunday newspaper being done on the Saturday, whilst a Monday newspaper necessarily required the employment of the persons connected with it on a Sunday.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.