The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-19 00:00:00

THE NEW MINISTERIAL REFORM BILL.

THE BALLOT.

BRISTOL, SATURDAY._

A numerous and highly influential meeting of the
electors of this city was held last night at the Great Public
Room, Broadotead, for the purpose of receiving a deputa-
tion from the Ballot Society of Locdon, and of petitioning
the Rouse of Commons to introduce into any new measure
of reform a provision for taking the votes of electors by
ballot. Mr. JOSIPH COATI., 06111 of the magistrates of the
city, presided.
The CHAIIMAN, in the Gonne of a few introductory re-
marks, read a letter from Mr. Berkeley, who expressed the
regret ke felt at being unable to attend from indisposition.

Mr. H. View's moved the first resolution, affirming that
the electors ought to be protected in the free exercise of the
franchise, nod d by intimidation and uninfluenced by
corruption. (Cheers.)
Mr. W. ToruILL, ie seconding the resolution, said the
Reform Bill had failed to effect the object it had in view,
but if protected voting alone had been enacted in the year
1832 the Home of Commons would now be found to be a
purer body then it was under the operation of the Reform
Bill. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was carried unanimously.

Mr. 11. J. roes to move the next resolution, which
affirmed that experience had abundantly proved the present
laws against bribery and corruption to be wholly inade-
quate, and that the only effectual cure for the growing evils
of the existing system was to be found in the adoption of
vote by ballot. (Cheers.) Re said the question of the
ballot had so often been discussed that the difficulty which
its advocates had to contend with arose rather from the
poverty of the arguments employed against it thee
from any deficiency of reason on its behalf. As
Mr. Cobden had said, when speaking on the ques-
tion of free trade, so long as there were people
who would insist that two and two did not make four, so
long would it be the duty of others to reiterate the truth that
two and two did make four. (Cheers and laughter.) Twa
of the arguments which the opponents of the ballot urged
egainaLit appeared to him to signally answer each other.
It was said that the ballot would secure secret voting, which

was nu-English, under-handed, and unmanly, and then that
the ballot would not secure secret voting, and, therefore, it
would be no use at all. (Hear, bear.) A for this latter
argament the ballot was cot wasted to secure men against
heir own folly, but against the fraud and oppression of
others. (Much sheering.) The real secret of the opposi-
tion of the ballot was this, that its opponents knew that by
protected votieg all corrupt influence would be destroyed.
No one objected to their using teensy for the protection of
their treasures, why not for the protection of their con-
science ? (Cheery.)
Mr. 11. 0. Wuxi having briefly seconded the resolution,
Col. PERRONITTISOMrsoo having addressed the meeting,
the resolution was pat and adopted nets. con.
Mr. THOIIIIB moved, and Mr. HALISAL seconded the adop-
tion of a petition to the House.
The petition was adopted unanimously.
Mr. Pnotrr, as one of the treasurers of the Ballot Society,
esplaiaed the principles, objects, and labours of the Ballot
Society, the aim of which was to diffuse information
throughout the country by the distribution of tracts and
papers, lectures, meetings, &c., and to afford opportunities
for the combined expression of public opinion. A large
number of tracts and pamphlets had already been issued.
It was proposed to raise a fund of 5,0001. for the work, and
of that sum 10 per cent. had been already eoutributed by a
few ardent reformers in London. It was proposed to work
energetically, and it was hoped that success world soon be
attained. (Chun.)
A vote of thanks was then passed to the deputation and
one to the chairman, and three cheers for the ballot closed
the very enthusiastic meeting.

MORE ACCIDENTS ON TILE GREAT
NORTHERN RAILWAY.

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The alarming frequency of railway accidents of
late, arising out of the breaking of asleorees—generally
those of goods waggons—suggests the necessity of institu-
ting some rigid inquiry, both as to their construction and as
to the manner of loading them. On Saturday morning as the
No. 8 goods train from York and Leeds was proceeding to,
London, one of the asletrees of the fourth truck broke
soon after the train bad passed liasetrey ; but the coupling
chain connecting the truck with the neat waggon held up
the hinder part of it, and thus prevented an immediate stop-
page of the train. The detached tale and wheels, however,
worked their way under the other carriages, and in a short
time threw off the line the waggon neat the break-van, as
well as that vehicle, and broke them both almost to pieces.
The iron chain of the line and the plates were also ton up
for some distance. The guard, Graham, was only slightly
bruised. The up line was quite blockaded, but fortunately
the down line was comparatively clear, otherwise the con-
sequences might have been verj serious, for in a few
minutes after the break down, the night mail train from
London came up at full speed. The truck which brok'
down was laden with potatoes, aid belonged to the North
British Railway Company.
Oa the rune evening, about 8 o'clock, the workmen were
engaged in repairing the line, and they inadvertently left
the heavy lifting apparatus of the crane they were using
suspended over the up line. A goods train came is contact
with this, and the concussion threw two trucks off the line.
Both lines were now blocked up, and the pawenger trains
both ways were delayed upwards of an hour and a half.
The same evening, • goods train also got off the line near
Newark, obstructing the traffic at that point also for some
time. On the previous night, a pilot engine, on its way
from Retford Station t 3 the south, encountered the engine
of an empty mineral train, just as it was issuing from •
siding near Grantham. The shock was violent, and the
driver of the mineral train was rather badly hurt. This
engine was likewise much damoged.