The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-15 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY RVENINd, APRIL 15, 1858.

YUSIC.

LEEDS MUsICAL FzerivAL.—The 'arrange-
mob for the groat medal festival to take place at Lee& In
Sepeember next have now been made ; sad we have great
pinisre in learning that the most important of these mange-
Miewita, the nomination of the conductor, has been most Judi-
demtly made by the unsolicited and unanimous appointment
et Dr. Stemdale Bennett, the Cambridge Professor of Mule,
Is QM office.

THE VOCAL ASSOCIATION will give their second
antwaiption mama to-morrow rowing at St. James's-hall,
with a varied sad atasetive programme. The band end
charm will moist of 400 performers.
THE CELEBRATED VIOLINIST JOACHIM is On hie
way to England. He Win looks his first appeerince this
season at the Thinutrosonio Eosiety's concert on the 26th of
this month. Madame Brarrady (late fddlle. Wilhelmina
Clams), the charming young pianist who made so great •
ssention in Laden three or four years ego, is also expected
km early in the lesson.

TEE BALLOT.-ENTERTAINNENT TO WILLIAM
NICHOLSON, ESQ.

A soiree is honour of William Nicholson, Esq.,
late Premier of Victoria, Australia, and the founder of els
ballot in the Brittah dominions, took place last evening at
the Freemasons' Hall. There was a large attendance.
ZZthose on the platform were Mr. Nicholson, Mr. H.
, M.P., Sir Arthur Elko, M.P., General Thomp-
son, M.P., Mr. Tite, H.P., Mr. :LC ~*lli, M.P., Mr. White,
M.P., Mr. Greer, M.P., Mr. W Mr. Whitelinrat,
the secretaryof the Ballot ; .B. Mr. Gamin,
Mr. F. Donhon, Mr. BamuslYab, Mr. Bit, Mr. Nicolay,
Mr. Saveloy Australia; Mr. Brown, Basingstoke; Mr.
Westgarth, Australia; Mr.deorge Jones, Bristol; Mr. James
Campbell, Mr. Mackinnon. Amanda ; Mr. Prout, Mr. Bon-
tems, Mr. Beardmore, Mr. J. P. Itobinson, Manchester,
&c., Sec.
Refreshments having been served,
Mr. H. BIUMELZY, M.P. (the chairman), said that,
though sifferlag from severe indisposition, he had great plea-
sure la Mina's( on this occasion, when beauty, worth, and
talent were otenbMad to do honour to merit. He rejoiced in
song so large an attendance of members representing im-
pormat konen.
Mr. Warmness?, the secretary, read Ireton from Lord
Blsa/ff3l.P., Mr. Grote, Mr. M. Mom M.P., Mr. Cram.
ley, M.P. Mr. Serjeant Parry, Hr. J. L. Foster, of Aus-
tralia, X;. Bright, M.P., and Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P.,
espressing regret at their inability to attend, and concurring
la quo tribute to Mr. Niabolson.

The Crt;iruTat ail that Mr. Cobden, whose name was
&sr to every friend el the ballot— (cdtsen)—was perented
Masan( by a dantedle Oseemeemet. They led wet to do
homer to Mr. Nabobs. (MOO Me was oar
asa and ea eseallent_ tepisandathe ef the &PM race°7ll
eared enemata 11161111.11ibiWIN bed p rinples
the maw, erase hs ask Idefrawas, sk
id then turned his
attention is the wain of Km Mew am. After filling all
leaourahlis Kass In the alum he Weird his career by the
of earyag the peat pied= the
dopes
of raisin.) This eseufry Wild feel) mow dopes
of envy at Mr. Nielahen's moms, Ent leaking at the num-
bee of able men who supported that asseme ha this comb, its
went of enermemnit he attributed to reseals whitedidnot exist
in Autralia.Theadvocatesof the haat stood on the imenstable
principle, that no legislates had • right to eater the fran-
chise on say set of am without peMeg lama in its
exercise. (Maws.) They held, with the late Dula of New-
castle, that every rees bed a right to do what he liked with
his own—with Ms Memos; that the late duke attributed
too much aloe to mews tad too little to taws, or rather
put the one for the other. (Haar, hear.) Bo keg as a man
hrilltZtitt tot.VO repseentstivea he had a right to be
y in doing so. We in this country bad to contend
with • dillicaly which was not known to Mr. Nicholson—
to *direr a limes of Commas which was returned by •
Howe of Lords—(hear, hear)—and eceetetieg Largely of
the atom of noble hoar, who held their sesta in the lower
house by dement as mach as their fathers did in the upper.
(Chews.) These men considered it • rebellion spinet their
authority if the electors did not vote for their nominees.
It was true Mr. Nicholson bad to meet • very levers opposi-
tion ; ell the argument' need on this side the water were
found "mooting and gibbering " at Kr. Nicholson then ;
all the trash about unmanly end tux-English was there re-
vived; but he could now say " Veal, vidi, rid" (Cheers.)
He had read a lesson to Englishmen, which they must be doll
Indeed if they did not profit by. It was certain that at no
distant time we should reap the benefit of the work so ably
commenced by Mr. Nicholson. In presenting to him a feeble
testimonial of their regard sad expect, this meeting honoured
themselves as much as him. (Hear, hear.)
Sr A. Evro or, M.P., expressed the high satisfaction be
Grit in moving the address about to be presented to Idr. I
Nicholson, and in advocating the canoe of the ballot be-
fore so influential an assembly. The future of our
Australian colonies was deetined to be great and
Porione, and their laws ought to be such as would inspire
the /ample with noble and independent sentiments.
The ballot was eminently recommended by the principle of
fsir play, so dear to every Englishman ; for it put thorn who
were without influence on a level with those who pommel
it. It was often found that those who sneered moat at the
ballot were themselves addicted to the degrading practices of
ooraption and intimidation. (Applause.) Some said the
ballot was not needed in this country ; but ask the tenant,
the tradesmen, and the artisan whether they did not require
that protection Haar, lirlsabsdar.) They were entitled to vote
without let or as much as the proudest nobleman
in the land. If they the franchise to be a sham only,
the exam they mat back to rotten boroughs the Whir ; if
they wished k to he a reality, it could only be rendered so by
the ballet. (Cheers.) He rejoiced at meeting with Mr.
Nicholas, mad thread that he would long live to aid in the
trat?of the papaw rights of his entarymen. (Chsers.)
. bert moved the adoption of the following ad-
dress ; end that it ehou/d be presented to Mr. Nicholson by
the chairmen :

"To William Nicholson, EN., of Melbourne, in the Cokety
of Victoria.

"In the name and on behalf of the Society for Promoting
the Adoption of the Vote by Ballot, we are commissioned to
amnia to you their gratitude for your services to the cause
drepwentativegovernment and free institutions.
atOwbed to representative Mediations, and their
movement wherever adopted and their progress hold
the world, we lament that in our country they are marred
by the operation of debasing and tyrannical influences, the
tendency of which is to destroy all sense of public duty in the
elector—to falsify and suppress the genuine expression of
public opinion—to exclude virtuous and able men from
parliament, and to perpetuate bad government and
malmdminidrat. We therefore rejoice that your
far-seeing care for the colony which owns you
amongst her statesmen, provided that simultaneously
with the establishment of representative institutions, there
should be thrown around them the invaluable safegard and
protection of the ballot. The undoubted success of the mes-
on», of which it is your just pride to be the anther, by
exhibiting the well working of an electoral franchise, widely
extended, and at the same time purified and protected, will
promote the improvement of our institutions at home and the
progress, onourrently with civilisation, of popular tights
t the world. We gratefully acknowledge that the
throughout th. woeld. We gratefully acknowledge that the
ci the ballot by our lellow-countrymen in Ame-
bas greatly strengthened our hands, who are
labouring to procure for the people of this country
• free and protected su&ar,
_by enabling us to
point to secret voting as dread, a British Manta-
Wm. We should inadequately express the obligations
to Lyon of the friends of free and protected votinf in the
mother country, if we omitted to convey to you their thanks
for sacrificing that leisure, the enjoyment of which was the
proposed object of your visa to your native country,
pub-
licly narrating, on several distinguished ~,
manner long to be remembered by those wh=millt, the
history and snoods of the ballot in your colony. In the
name of the society, and of an Immense number of our
countrymen who anxiously look forward to the establishment
of protection to the people's franchise, we thank you for
your services to oar cause, and wish all happiness andjoros-
perky to you, to your family, and to the great Anglo-Saxon
' community of which you are a member and an ornament."
Mr. Onrra, M.P., seconded the adoption of the address.
He expressed, on behalf of himself and the stater country, the
warmest sympathy on behalf of the ballot, and begged to
thank Mr. Nicholson for his distinguished services. Hear,
hear.) He was a living argument in contradiction to the
sophistries that had been urged against the ballot. (Hear,
bear.) He had devoted his leisure to travelling in this coun-
try, and removing many of the prejudices which still pre-
vailed against the ballot. (Hear.) Within the last century
a vast alteration had taken place in our treatmentof our 0010.
ides. We had learned a lesson from the revolt of the United
Slates; we now allowed them to think for themselves And hence
we had this young colony of Victoria springing, as it were,
fall-armed from the brain of Minerva, and with all Mittens's
wisdom. (Cheers.) That colony had adopted the ballot ea
the charter of its liberties ; and we mould not do better than
copy the example. (Hear, hem.)
Mr. Goonot Jour!, of Bristol, a working man, tendered
the thanks of his clam to Mr. Nicholson for his hearty exer-
tions in the mute of the ballot, and refuted several of the
hacknied arguments that have bassi urged against It.
The ClikiaMAN then presented the address.
Mr. If Icnoteow, on rising, was most enthusiastically re-
ceived. After thanking the meeting for the honour done
him, he said he had been guided in his efforts in '
Animas by a desire to benefit the colony ; but should the
example prove of envies to this country be should rejoice the
more. (Hear, hear.) Since he returned to England he had
been asked certain questions, and had confined himself to
answering them, as to the working of the ballot in the colony.
On various occasions he had gone into full details, and in
no particular had he ever been contradicted. (Hear, hear.)
The legislature of Victoria had adopted his motion for the
ballot by • majority of 8, although that body consisted of
one-third government nominees. In illustration of the work-
ing of the ballot Mr. Nicholson exhibited a large painting,
showing how the first election by ballot for the city of Mel-
bourne bad been conducted. It was so arranged that after
the voter was identified, and bad received his voting mud, he
had no means of showing it before he delivered it into the bal-
lot-box. The plan had worked well ; for though some
elections had been closely ocatested, in no wee had the de-
l:him of the returning °Seer been disputed. This mode of
?Wag wee generally pproved*, all parties. It had greatly
reduced the expanse to the modidatas—(hear hear)—in fact,
the amount to be spent by them waslimited by the govern-
ment. It had secured pease and good order at the elections •
there were no hourly reams; welds; was known till the
close of the poll, sad it wee they too late to asks any die.
tarbanan (Hear, bear.) Sim the adoption of the ballot in
die-
Australia numbers et palms had become converts to the
system. fitatemeato ball wand in the press of this coati-
try as to the bad creaking of the bah", but these were
wholly unfounded ,• the hurl eater prevailed at the elections,
and this was testified by the Attorney-Gemmel of Victoria,
sad others who had bees leading opponents of the ballot.
(Hear.) A member of the legislature had recently written
him to say that the ballot had done • great deal of
good ; worst fault be had to find with it was
that the &eters did not rote se they ought. (Laughter.)