The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-29 00:00:00

the ELECTORS of the CITY of LONDON.
emaphance with the whdees of many of
rag Maeda la Um City, who think that the sentiment' I en-
Crat meatiag of the !Alma' Maociatiou on Tuesday
ate not been pah.ed so fully aa they expected. I venture
=idly to place before the electors the ground, ou which I
the honour of their suffrages.
My political life began with the first agitation of the Corn
Laws, and I was • member of the Anti-Corn Law League which,
tinder the guidance of Mr. Richard Cobden, achieved their
repeal—the greatest social revolution of the age. I then took an
active interest in the abrogation of the Navigation laws,
although it was a question which tried the conabgency et free
traders more than many of the old school of shipowners could
endure.

Ti;•• and the other fiscal changes of the last twenty years
contributed so much to the happiness and prosperity of the
country that the grounds for controversy have been narrowed
very much to the Church Rates and the Ballot. Ou the first of
these I never hesitated fora moment to admit they were most
itlaireditable to churchmen, who wonld gladly raise the sum by
a voluntary tate, and that forcible exaction should mate without
delay. As to the Ballot, although never opposed to it, I consi-
dered that the growing indifference throughout the country,
and the sickly course it was running In the House of Commons,
did not warrant a Quixotic attempt to press It on the consti-
tuencies of Ragland at this time, feeling sure that if the want of
it became a grievance It must soon be redeemed. and I should
be then reedy to take my share in the work.
On the question of the franc-Wee, I declined to commit myself
to Its immediate or early reduction, and I based this hesitation,
not only on what had taken place In America, but in a field for a
fairer trial of democratic government than any other plaoe In
the world—Victoria, Australia—where the working classes, being
chiefly men who had paid their own passages, Involving en out-
lay of alb or £2O, would compare very favourably with those
they had left behind—that they had acquired universal
and the use they had put It to, as far aa they could, was
and political retrogression. That the community had felt its
effects so sensibly that It lost no time in retracing its steps, end
within four years a new electoral amendment act was passing
triumphantly (Involving for the nest time the education test of
the electors signature) which would disfranchise from one-third
is sue-half the electors. At the same time, I stated my willing-
ness to extend the dlO franchise to lodge's, and also would be
glad to see Be equalisation In the country as In the towns.
It is a great mistake, as I mentioned, to suppose that me-
chanics ere now debarred the right of voting, for four shillings
a week la so low In the social scale that no workman above the
limit of an Infertile labourer but uses in a hoses at a higher
Net, sad if he would be • yearly nstead of • weekly occupier he
need. no reduction In the franchise to aCqUir• his oU.SlineatiOn.
On the question of our foreign policy I was quite prepared to
take my stand with Lord Palmerston's government : and in any
vote for the 'lmpart of the army and navy, I stated that
while I would endeavour to control any unnecessary or doubt-
/al expenditare, I should Insist upon the strength and ell-
. ciliary of the services being inch as would prevent a teoeppee-
tltion of the panics of former years, which were diaat-
able to the nation, Injunous to commerce, and invited
Insult if not aggreolon —that the cost wu 'lmply a premiere
of insunume for security, and any expenditure was preferable,
In a country like ours, to feeling that we were not covered from
all ordinary or even extreorilleary risks.
In defending the privileges of the City I had no misgivings
It remains the last unimpaired memorial of the dawn of repre-
sentative government—its trnaitions are intimately woci.a.d
with our national history, It still retains the vigour of maturite,
and enjoys the confidence of the vast influential body within IPA
bounds. Such a municipality deserves the respect of the
country, and I should In comma with my fellow citizens endea-
vour to kach all rash innovators that we had the power and the
will to enforce it

In snbmittlug my name to the consideration of the liberal
electors represented by their committee, I determined to abide
their decision, and rant permit myself to be a party to any division
to the camp. Uniformity of opinion I never erpeeted, but at
DOCK future period my sentiments, a/11kb have been mellowed
by mperienoe, may then prove more acceptable to the CODitl-
tuency than on the present occasion.—Yours most respectfully,
1, leadeshaftetrest, May 24 ISM T. M. MACKAY.