[358] Chairman. ‘They do not presume in the United States, that because a man is going to print news in a paper, he is going to libel?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘No; nor do they presume that his libelling would be worth much, unless he is a responsible character.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘From what you have stated with regard to the circulation of the daily papers in New York, it appears that a very large proportion of the adult population must be customers for them?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘Yes; I think three-fourths of all the families take a daily paper of some kind.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘The purchasers of the daily papers must consist of a different class from those in England; mechanics must purchase them?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘Every mechanic takes a paper, or nearly every one.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘Do those people generally get them before they leave home for their work?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘Yes; and you are complained of if you do not furnish a man with his newspaper at his breakfast; he wants to read it between six or seven usually.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘Then a ship-builder, or a cooper, or a joiner, needs his daily paper at his breakfast-time?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘Yes; and he may take it with him to read at his dinner, between twelve and one; but the rule is, that he wants his paper at his breakfast.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘After he has finished his breakfast or his dinner, he may be found reading the daily newspaper, just as the people of the upper classes do in England?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘Yes; if they do.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘And that is quite common, is it not?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘Almost universal, I think. There is a very low class, a good many foreigners, who do not know how to read; but no native, I think.’ Mr. Ewart. ‘Do the agricultural laborers read much?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘Yes; they take our weekly papers, which they receive through the post generally.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘The working people in New York are not in the habit of resorting to public-houses to read the newspapers are they?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘They go to public-houses, but not to read the papers. It is not the general practice; but, still, we have quite a class who do so.’ Mr. Cobden. ‘The newspapers, then, is not the attraction to the public-house?’ Mr. Greeley. ‘No. I think a very small proportion of our reading class go there at all; those that I have seen there are mainly the foreign population, those who do not read.’ Chairman. ‘Are there any papers published in New York, or in other parts, which may be said to be of an obscene or immoral character?’
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