THE CASE OF THE STATIONERS, Relating to the Act of Parliament for granting a Duty upon Velum, Paper and Parchment.  
THE Duties are so very high, that before the making of the said Act, the Stationers could Trade further with 100 l. Stock, than they can now with 1000 l. the Duty of a Ream of of Paper value 12 s. with the 6 d. Stamp( the most general Stamp) being 12 l.  
THAT the Commissioners of the said Duty have not only dispersed all sorts of Velum, Paper and Parchment ready stamped, into all Parts of the Kingdom,( which, before the said Act, was supplied by the Stationers,) but do likewise sell by Retail, at their Office at Lincolns-Inn, and in Southwark; and in order to Engross the whole Trade, they have dispersed Printed Lists of the Goods they sell, with the Prizes of them; published Advertisements of the same; and discourage Attorneys, &c. from bringing their own Goods to be stamped, by telling them they need not give themselves that Trouble, for they may be supplied with Goods ready stamped at their Office. They likewise shut up their Stamping-Office at Six at Night; but their Selling-Office they keep open till Seven. All which will be the utter ruin of the Stationers, who have obain'd their Trade by Servitude, and are incorporated to exercise the same.  
There are but Three Stationers that supply the Commissioners, and those Undertakers have engrossed the greatest part of the Parchment in the Kingdom; by which means, the Price thereof is advanced at least 4 s. in every 20 s.  
THAT the said Commissioners do allow all their Agents in the Country Three Months Credit, and Eighteen-pence in the Pound; but have refused to make the Stationers the like Allowance, on payment of present Money.  
Object. It is Objected by the Commissioners, That they offered the Supplying of the Kingdom to the Company of Stationers, upon their giving Security.  
Answ. It was answered by the Master of the said Company, That it was not only impracticable for them to give Security: but if they should undertake the whole Trade, it would be looked upon as a Monopoly in them; for that the Profit of the Goods could be divided amongst those only that had Shares in the said Company, which not One in Twenty or Thirty have; and the greatest part of those that have Shares are Booksellers and Printers, and do not trade in Velum, Paper or Parchment.  
Object. It is also Objected by the Commissioners, That they sell much Cheaper than the Stationers; and than the Stationers, in some things, get above 100 l. per Cent.  
Answ. The Stationers, before the said Act was put in execution, did Petition the Commissioners, and afterwards the Lords of Their Majesty's Treasury, for an Allowance on Prompt-payment, that they might be enabled to sell their Goods at the usual Price, but could not be relieved: Yet 'tis well known, and has been proved, that the Stationers, notwithstanding they have lost three parts of their Trade, do still sell at the usual Price over and above the King's Duty, except only in a single Blank or two, or single Sheet of Paper, for which the Stationers are often-times called up at unseasonable Hours; and which is so inconsiderable, that it does not pay Portridge, or Servants Shooe-leather to and from the Office. This Objection is raised by the sale of six Stampt-Bonds, and six stamped Sheets of Paper only, designedly bought by Colonel Hatley( one of the Stationers that supplies the Commissioners) of Mr. Vincent; which is a very small Quantity of Goods, to make a Comparison of Hundreds by.  
The Stationers always deal with the Attorneys in the Country, as well as those in Town, and are sent to for Goods ready stamped, for which they are obliged to give Credit; so that they not only run great Hazards of losing their Commodity, but the Duty also. But the Commissioners Agents run no Hazard at all, nor are no Money out of Pocket; the Goods being sent down to them from the Commissioners, for which they are obliged to return their Money but once in Three Months, and then for no more than what they have disposed of. So tis humbly hoped( there being always a difference between Ready-Money and Time) the Stationers ought rather to have a greater Allowance than the Commissioners Agents; for they did not desire any Credit to be given to them, but proposed the Payment of Present Money.  
If therefore this Honourable House shall not be pleased to take off the whole Trade from the Commissioners, it is humbly prayed that the said Commissioners may be disabled from Selling at their Office, and in the Cities of London and Westminiter, and within Five Miles of the same: And that the Stationers may be enabled to sell their Goods at the usual Price, they pray that the like Discount or allowance may be made to them upon Prompt-Payment of the King's Duty, as is made to the Commissioners Agents in the Country. All which is humbly submitted 〈◇〉 this Hon●●rable House.