The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-12-06 00:00:00

tupt Conntq Exintos.

DORCHESTER, DECEMBER 6th. 1881.

Wadi of tbt Ben. canon Bingham.

The Rev. Charles William Bingham, or more
generally known as Canon Bingham, breathed his last
at Bingham's Melcoinbe on Thursday last. He had
been suffering for some time from • very painful
Illness, but his death was, we might say, unexpected
to large numbers of his friends, and the expressions of
grief at the lose of one who has associated himself so
closely with NW institutions of the county town, and
with important Church matters generally In the
diocese, have been many and unfeigned. At the age 0
71 • most useful and honourable career hal been
brought to • close among the people for whom he has
laboured conscientiously and untiringly for the past 39
years. Among his own parishioners the deceased
gentleman will be sorely missed, for a man of C anon
Binghsm's sterling qualitise and unflinching principles
could not work, as he used to work, for 99 yews
among • people without becoming as • father and •
true friend; and as a past 4., therefore, will his loss be
most deeply felt. In Dorchester itself the well known
genial face and venerable form of the rev. canon will
be greatly missed, and at many county gatherings, at
which be was accustomed to at'en I, and where his
kindly voice was so often heard, will there be a
vacancy, which will take many years to fill.
Beside+ his Poet as a county magistrate, which he
bad most efficiently filled, he had hem) chairman of the
Hoepdtal Committee, ani *leo chairmen of the C unty
Museum Committee, and in both capacities he had
rendered valuable) services. Re was educated at Win-
chester? College, and at New College, Oxford, where
be gained his ILA. degree.

Eni;aod, Is complaining of the floods of oratory
with h the greater part of the Long Vacation has
been deluged. Parliament out of session is becoming
obstructive. Columns of the newspapers, which are
usually at this time of the year filled with descriptive
Initltar or devoted to scientific societies and their
doings, or lent to some hobby-rider for a fair trot-out,
are this year monopolived by the very same individuals
who during session occupied the chief part ef the space
allotted to Parliamentary reports. It is too bad to be
pursued throughout the year with the lame platitudes.
Newspapers and readers are alike in complaining.
And yet there is an easy remedy. The newspapers
need not report, and their readers need not peruse
these incessant extra-Parliamentary harangues. Yet
It seems as though, by some horrid faecination, the
ioornals are driven to take down the words of
Randolph, and the worli, which cares nothing for his
opinions, is impelled to read them.

The punishments awarded to some of the worst briber,
at the last elections have inaugurated • new era is
eleotioneering—at least, it may be hoped so. Bribery,
although nominally punishable by imprlionment,
has hitherto been looked upon 1111 a peccadillo
for which • fine was quite sufficient • correc-
tive. In most cases a fine was really no punish-
meat at all, bemuse it would be immediately be
enbesribed for amongst "the party." The sentences
jast peened will do more than Sir Henry James's
Corrupt Fractious Bill to purify elections. The public
conscience weal educating on the subject of bribery.
Fairly good and reasonably honest people do not see
much harm in buying • vote. When it is understood
that buying • vote renders • ITI&O liable to be sent to
gaol like an ordinary misdemeanant • new comp', xion
will be pot upon party strategy of • financial nature.

The now Solicitor General of Ireland, Mr. Porter,
Q.C., is a Unitarian. Re t. the wicond member of the
Government of that persuasion, f w Mr. Chamberlain
is a Unitarian—or, rather, warn; for his views are
considered a little " broader " than oven Unitariauism
now.