The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-10-09 00:00:00

ELECTION BRIBERY.

Whatever may be the immediate effect on the
towns chiefly ioterested of the wearihoine
rice that have been dragging their slow length
along, it is very doubtful whether the public will
be any the better for these revelations. For
those that read aright the evidence that has been
brought out, these election enquiries ought to
be matter of sorrow and contempt; but, gene-
: rally speaking, the revelations that hav,.. come
out appear to be regarded as so much material
for amusement. The intrinsically sad tale of
electoral corruption has its amusing features, no
doubt, but had bribery been uniformly treated as
a crime against the State and against the indi-
vidualy, people would learn to look upon it in its
proper light. It shows rather a low tone of pub.
lie morals that election bribery should be gene.
rally looked upon as a capital joke, as quite a
pardonable offence, as quite a clever thing —un•
less it is found out, and when it is discovered it
is merely laughed at, and at the best it meets
with only a wholesale and indiscriminate punish-
ment, which has hitherto proved quite inade-
quate to prevent the recurrence of the venial
bin.

The new election tribunals have hitherto
worked well in unearthing the tricks of bribers
and the petty venality of the bribed; but what
are all these revelations to result in? Are we
to have this or that town disfranchised, and such
cud such a member unseated ? If this time-
honoured course is still to be adopted, it is pretty
clear that the penalty is not enough to deter
from the commission of similar offences for the
future. We have found this out before, and we
are merely going through the elaborate process
of finding it out again. We shall never secure
even a moderate approach to purity of election
till bribery is made a misdemeanour, punishable
by fine or imprisonment, the briber, the agent,
and the acceptor of the bribe being equally liable
to punishment. As to wholesale disfranchise-
ment, it is a barbarous and primitive style of
punishment utterly unworthy of the age, and it
is grossly and stupidly unjust to the honest elec-
tors who have use their political right fairly and
honourably. The election enquiries that have
occupied so much public attention recently have
shown that there would be no difficulty in tracing
the offence to the offender. Let the offenders,
then, alone be punished; and if fine or impri-
sonment be thouAt too severe, let briber and
bribed suffer politieal punishment ; let the for-
mer be prohibited from ever again being a can-
didate, and the latter from ever again voting.
But it is high time that wholesale disfranchise-
ment were abandoned as inoluding the innocent
with the guilty.

11. 414

CIOLDWITIfs Wing—The progress of floe art mann.
facture in this bream °of trade is strikingly exemplified
In a little work published by J. W. Benson, of 25,
old Bond Street, KIM of the lity Steam Fsctory, 5/3 and
Ito, Ludgate Hill. It is enriched and embellished with
designs kby Italian, French, and English artistes) of
Brooches, Bracelets, Earrings, suit other articles, suit•
able for personal wear, or Wedding, Birthday, or otb..r
pre.ents, with their prices. Mr. Il..nson (who hobls ti
spi,iiituient to ltit.li. the Prince of Wales) has al..
AManufacturer of it MA N [RE, established ino'it'lib'ehetOloaattre7m
sixteen year.. wishes to appoint • few respectable leg a purchase, ein eeirilly to residents in the country
Agents. Good Commission. Address by 0)4. with oe• Or abroad, wbo ore thus enshied to select: any article
gillyiterreecsolmin:,,:daemdptholetthoonsteheconlttelepaiantii.
Progress of Watch and Clock-making. These pamph-
lets are sent post free for two stamps each, and they con-
niption, Its, " Marmot Agency," at No. 15a, Bishops' they may a, yam. and have it famairdad with parted
pis abut %%Snout, Laaalaa, 'atty.