The Express.
London, England, 1865-04-21 00:00:00

MR. JOHN STUART MILL FOR
WROTMINSTER.

Ina letter to Mr. Beal, Mr. J. B. Mill writes :

L With roped to Math Bills, I should rate at
ewe both for Mx. 13ainsis bill and for Mr. Loath TAO,
and for measures going far beyond either of them. I
would. open the suffrage to all grown persona, both --
and wOOllO, who can road, write, and perform a sum
In the rale of three, and who have not, within some
mall number of yeas, received parish relief. At
the same time utterly abominating all class MOW
demi, I would ant rate for giving the suffrage in suck a
manner that any clue, even though it be the mast Immo.
sons, could swamp all other classes taken together. In
the first place, I think that all ooneiderable mile:cities in
the country or in a locality &odd be represented ht propor-
tion to their numbers. What other adjustmeete of the
electoral system to a maimed, or nearly universal, ROW
night prove practically the beet adapted to secure to every
portion of the community its just share of influenoe, while
preventing any clam from acquiring an unjust degree of pm•
ponderthoe either by roams of property or of numbers, le •
question which may be answered in many different ways,
and which will mare muck Mktg and public dimension
before the beat con be aelethed. In the meanwhile I should
be prepared to support a measure which would give to
the labouring theses a clear half of the national repels
metatioe,
2. I prefer a mixed system of direct and indirect basica
to either aloe& If the attempt were made to raise so large
a revenue se ours, after all due retrenchment, would still be
IlKaluaively by direct taxatios, I do not know of any taxes,
In themselves just, whisk, under such strong peennlary
teuiptaties, would not be seteessfully evaded. The on-
ions of the income tax are shady a disgrace to the natio&
morality. I would in no cue tax any of the necessarissiof
life, but if eves • working man exposits in lumina for him-
self. and especially in stimulants, what ia required by the
necessities of his family, I think it perfectly just that he
should be taxed on moth expenditure.
3. Every civilised comae is entitled to settle its Wirral
affairs M its own way, rad no other country ought to
Interfere with its die:ratios ; keratin mie aoterary, eves with
the best intentions, has no shwa of properly understood-
beg the internal attain of another. Ent when this hide,
feasible liberty of an independent nation ham already best
interfered with, when it is kept in subjectioe by a foreign
power, either directly or by montane* given to its native
tyrants, I hold that any nation whatever may rightfully M-
adera to protect the country against this wrongful inter-
ference. I therefore approve the interposition of Frame
in 1859 afros Italy from the Austriaa yoke, bat dimpprove
the intervention of the muse country in 1849 to compel
the Popes subjects to take back the bad government they
had omit off. It is not, however, • necessary roses-
queues that became a thing might rightfully be done it
is always expedient to do it. I would not have voted for
• war in behalf either of Poland or of Denmark, bemuse
ea any probable view of conaequesces I should have ex-
pected more evil than good from our doing what, nsrarthe-
Imes if done, would not have been, in my opinion, any
violation of international duty.
4. liespeotiog the disinhties of disasters my answer
may be brief. There ought to be no disabilities whatever
on account of religion.
15. Voting for • member of parliament is • public and
political act, which concerns not solely the elector's
individual preferences, bat the most important iateresta
of the other electors, of the non-electors, and eves of
posterity ; and my conviction is that in • free country
all mach auta should be done in the face, and subject to
the comments and criticisms of the entire public. I
wish that the elector should feel an honourable
shame in voting contrary to his known opinions,
and in not being able to give for his vote a res..
eon which ho can avow. The publicity which lets in these
malutary influences admits also, unfortunately, some noxious I
owe ; and if I believed that them were now the strongest
—if I thought that the electors of this country were in
much • state of hopeless and slavish dependence on particu-
lar landlords, employers, or customers, that the had in-
fluences are more than a match for the good ones, and that
there is so other moans of removing them—l should be, as '
I once was, a supporter of the ballot. Bat the voters are
not now in this degraded condition ; they need nothing to
protect them against electoral intimidation but the spirit
and courage to defy it. In adage when the must dependent
clam of all, the labouring class, is proving itself capablela
maintaining by combination an equal struggle with the
gambled power of the masters, I cannot admit that ho-
mers and shopkeepers, if they stand by one soother, seed
despair of protecting themselves spinet any abuse, now
possible, of the power of landed or other wealth.
6. As made retrenchment, it is certain that, di*
through unskilful management, great sums of public row
are now s jrandered for which the country receives so equi-
valent in the efficiency of its establish:manta, and that we

might have a more useful army and navy than we messes at
a considerably less expense. I expect little improvement in
this respect until the increased bilinear:sof the smaller tax-
payers in the government, through a large extension of the
suffrage. shall have produced a stricter control over the de-
tails of the public expenditure. But I cannot think that it
would be right for us to disarm, in the face of the green
military (Impotence of Europe, which regard our free-
dom, through its influence on the minds of their own
subjects, as the greatest (huger as well as reproach to
them, and might be tempted to pick a quarrel
with us even without any prospect of ultimate success, in
the mere hope of reviving the national antipathies which
so long kept apart the best minds of England and of the
°eminent.

7. I am deciclealy of opinion that landed property
should be subject to the probate duty, and the property in
mettlement should pay suceesaion duty on its full value. and
not, se at present, only on the value of the life interest.
8. Parthase is the very worst way but one in which nom•
ansaioas in the army could possibly be appropriated. The
cos which is still worse is jobbery and favoaritiam. I would
support any roods in which the one evil can be got rid of
without replacing it by the other. That there ia such •
mode I am fully eatidied, and that it would put an end to
what is justly called in your letter the monopoly by cantata
dames of the poets of emolument.
9. I am entirely opposed to flogging, either in the army
er out of it, except for crimes of brutality. For some of
those it seems to me a very appropriate punishment.
10. The differences between employers and workpeople
which give rise to strikes, are, it appears to me, • subject
which wholly escapes the control of Isgislatoo. I see
nothing which law can do in the matter, except to protect
from ,rotation the equal liberty of all to combine, or to
refrain from combining. After • sufficient trial of each
other's strength, bolls sides will probably be willing to
refer their disputes to arbitration. But, even then, Ido
not think that the arbitrator, should have power to es-
ford their decisions by law ; because, in such cases as
they would usually have to decide, it is imFonible to
ce lay
down rules of justice and equity which would suit all
cases, or would obtain universal assent; and the Wiest.
meets must generally be of the nature of compromises, not
resting on bred principles, bet each side sirs, up some-
thing for the sake of peace. I do no-, presume to say that
a Letter rule may not be arrived at in time, but it would
be quite premature to act asif it 164 already bees arrived
at.—l am. dear sir, very sincerely yours, J. S. Max.
Janes Beal, Esq.

RErnz.izerrarrotir or SOUTH ESSEX.—The con.
sarvatives of South Essex are to 'nevi at Chelmsford to-day
to select two candidates, both the conservative sitting men.
berm having announced their iatention to retire at the die.
wolatioa. The liberals have at present oily one candidate I
in the field, Mr. It B. Baker, who was defeated at the dim- I
eotation of 1859. It is rumwared, however, that a second
liberal candidate is now to be brought forward.
THE SYNOD OP THE PRs.BSTERIAN CHURCH IN
Zeicuarn.—St the sitting rt the Synod, on Wednesday
evening, a deputation from the Irish Presbyteries Church
we. received, and expressed the sympathy of that church
with the Presbyterian Church in England. The Rev. Mr.
A:111440os, one of the deputation, said abs Irish Presby-
terian Church had 36 presbyteries, 5 *prods, 540 wag's-
gations. 81,000 families, 2,000 elders. cud 340 students for
she ministry; bad contributed 83,1521. during the past
year for religious and charitable purposes ; cod the church
mad manes fund for the lest five peen had amounted to
30,000(. Mb*/ home missions report referred to church
extension movements in Cardiff, Oloseester, Shrewsbury,
Liverpool mad London ; and stated that 91 wargre-
gallons bad contributed 6.54/., and 15 amoeistioes
3531., towards the support of the mistrals during the
put year. The report was adopted. At the
sitting on Thursday morning, the noion committee we.
re-appointed, with instruotioas to continue the negotiations
with the view to securing a great united church of presby-
terians. The borne minims stations et Cardiff, Gloucester,
end Larlington, were erected into stated charges. It was
resolved that the synod should take steps to protest the
right. of this church as residuary legatee ender the will of
Mr. 1). Robertson, of Dalsaglar, in opposition to the lurk-
at-law, and a gnat of 301, was made to enable the pres-
bytery of Loudon to hold serviess in Devizes, with the
view of supporting a claim in Chancery to ProPstil
origi-
nally left to the orthodox presbyteriaas, bat now diverted
to the baptists. The synod the. adjourned.
Caprrar, Pi., acr. Orr StraMto DRY.
TIIOII2IDAY, APRIL AL—Admissions on papaws, 4,844 ;
Ole by ewes %skits. 1,449 ; total THRUM. 4,21113.