The Express.
London, England, 1852-05-04 00:00:00

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LONDON, ZUESDAY, MAY 4.

YESTERDAY week, when thc.greater number of
those who had voted in the diseaon on the Militia
Bill had left the house, a motion was unexpectedly
made for leave to bring in a bill to legalise treating
at county elections throughout the United Kingdom.
The true nature and tendency of the scheme,'
bad we no other means of testing its men's,
might with tolerable certainty be inferred
from the complexion of those who supported
its introduction after midnight in the manner
we have alluded to. A few liberal members—in
actual numbers not mustering a score—happened
accidentally to have remained somewhat longer in
the nearly deserted chamber of legislation on the
occasion in question ; and against the indecent pro-
ceeding of introducing so important a me sure at so
unfitting a time, they naturally protested, and even-
tually divided. In the list of the majority arc to be
found the names of WALPOLE, Dtsitseti, Beers.
FORD, PAKINOTON, HENLEY' CHRISTOPHER, Lord J.
Maeseas and Lord NAAS, NAPIER, EMMISON Ts:N-
PR:NT, 11. BAILLIE, Lord CLAUDE HAMILTON and
O. A. HAMILTON, BATESON, DUNNE, TROLLOPE,
1110 X, STAFFORD, Lord NEWPORT, and though
Lit, not least, the defender of injured political
Innocence and champion of virtuous Harwich, Sir
FITZROY KELLY. In other words, the motion for leave
to bring in a bill to render it lawful to give county
alsetorm meat and drink for coming to the poll, would
have been carried by the votes of the of alone,
had there not been a single independent member of
the tory party present.
The preliminary stage having been thus appropri-
ately passed in an almost empty house after midnight,
an attempt was forthwith made to get it forward
another step by proposing according to form, that
the bill should be read a first time. This notable
effort was only defeated by the accidental departure
of members, and the consequent adjournment of
the house. Notice has, however, been given fur
to-morrow, that a motion will then be made in
favour of a first reading; and it is to
this point that we particularly direct our
present remarks. It is, we believe, not usual,
indeed we believe it is not permissible by the
standing orders, to discuss the first reading of a hill
for the introduction of which leave has been duly
conceded. The motion is consequently made in
general without attracting notict—the initiatory
debate having usually taken phice on the previous
Imotion for leave. However this may be, it is clear
that if the expiring parliament would avoid the
stigma and disgrace of having seriously harboured the
scandalous design of augmenting the cost, and thus
limiting the choice of candidates at future elections,
its determination may most decisively be shown by a
peremptory negative on the earliest opportunity that
presentsitself. The question is one of broad and
fundamental principle—not of paltering compromise or
huxtering detail; and the country will watch with
jealous interest every symptom of wavering or inde-
anion in so plain a matter of duty.
The flimsy disguise which is made use of to cover
the nakedness of the proposal is that, inasmuch as
treating is now practised in spite of the law which
forbids it, without rule or regulation, it would be
better, for the sake of introducing order and system, to
legalise the vicious proceeding and make statutablo
provision for the perpetration of the act. Thie is
precisely the philosophy of the French law respect-
lug gambling-houses. On the wretched plea of
endeavouring to cheek and guide the culprits we are
asked to recognise the sin ; and in the delusive hops
of setting decent limits to debauchery we are to
commit the gross indecency of publicly sanctioning
the exaction of money or money's worth from every
candidate by every elector who votes for him.
It is idle to argue that where all get tickets
for refreshment none are influenced corruptly
thereby. The same thing was said regarding the
payment of head-money, which was a stipulated
fee extorted by force of custom in certain plains, and
which both sides were compelled to submit to. pay.
Yet committee after committee resolved not merely
to strike off the poll every vote which was proved to
have been so tainted, but has actually decided on the
disfranchisement of whole classes of electors who
appeared to be peculiarly. addicted to this description
of treating. In all consistency the promoters of the
present bill arc therefore bound to extend its provi-
sions to the care of head-money, which is, in point
of fact, nothing more nor lees than treating, com-
pounded for by the payment of a recognised and cus-
tomary sum.
The present proposal is professedly confined to
counties; but the corruptionists in boroughs will
support it with no disinterested zeal. They well
know that, once sanctioned in counties, the debas-
ing practice can never be seriously arraigned as
wrong in the cities or towns. If Mr. AITWOOD
were now in parliament, he would doubtless vote for
Sir EDwARD BUXTON'S ° Boozing at Elections far-
ther Encouragement Bill." What Mr. Arrwoon'a
nominee, Sir FITZROY KELLY, thinks of the proposi-
tion we have already seen. He would thus be enabled
legally to commit the same offences against public
morale in Suffolk which he and his notorious patron
have so frequently denied having practised at Har-
wich; nay more, they may console themselves with
the hope that in future their victualling stores and
gin shops, in town as well as county,may be thrown
open without hesitation, for the days of unlimited
not are at hand, and debauchery at elections is about
to be provided for by law. To pretend to believe that
any committee appointed to try a petition against a
borough member for giving porter or the price of it
will ever declare the return void, when in the
same county the expenditure of thousands in tread-
ing has been made legal—is mere hypocrisy. The
same thing cannot be at the same time both right and
wrong; and once the sluices are opened, the flood
will penetrate through every fantastic fence, and
overflow every capricious landmark, until all is sub-
merged in one common level. If county electors are
to be consoled with bottled porter and rump steaks
for walking five miles once in seven years to vote for
a knight of the shire, who will have the impudence
to contend that a shopkeeper in good business bas
no claim for compensation for lose of time and pan
when he wastes half his day at the borough sander
tion or at the polling-booth? Of the two, it Wienemsy
to show that the cue of the town voter islismpontly
more plausible than that of his rural esiglienr
but confessedly the shades of circumstance ese in
each infinitely
.varied, and the general rule mest
either express indiscriminate permission or absolute
and inflexible inhibition.
Nor will any one who possesses ordinary intelligence
--and who sincerely desires to see elections cheap-
seed and corruption checked, be misled for a moment
ar th. pretended limitation of amount chargeable for
sob voter to the sum of half-a-crows. Who is to
jeer of the value given for the nominal sum ? The
firer 10,0001. a year will readily avail himself of
Ss cover which it is thus proposed to
alasrleihthentiagrO Oollfthidhailltenrn tic
ss kets',
asogetitor for the honour of representing the
alinmehe of the county in parliament ; and what sort
ef evidence will be conclusive to prove that a first-
Tete dinner and .. not a bad bottle of wine " was
given to every independent'ticket holder on trredig
of the poll? or who will prevent unlimited e
tare over and above the statutable ounces of beef sod
bread and tho parliamentary measure of pals slat
But we trust we have said enough to expires ft-
demoralising tendency of this unprecedented props*
and that without the formality of any deliberate dis-
mission the House of Commons will refuse to bear
it read even a first time.

nue,

ET►RT mail from India brings news that renders
more evident the need for sound legislation on the
affairs of that country. The Select Committee ap-
pointed to enquire into the subject mot on Wed-
nesday, when Mr. TwistAs B.sillso, on the selection
of government, was appointed chairman, and the sub-
jects to which it is proposed by the government to
confine, the committees inquiries were produced.