The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-06 00:00:00

THE ELECTION CONNIZISTONE.

Though it may be said with a certain ti ath that
toryism is, in theory and principle, far more favourable to
corrupt practices than liberalism, yet in practice, observes
the Daily News, there does not appear to be much differ-
eace between the public and official morality of the two
great parties, and the evidence before the commissioners
is about equally damaging. But in this IN in some other
eases party loss will ultimately prove a national gain. The
true proportions of the evil are brag brought to the
light, and the strong revulsion of public feeling
they produce is the first step towards decisive treatment.
Electoral bribery, in its organised and developed farm,
seems to exist only in particular localities, and in time lo-
calities it chiefly prevails amongst certain limited sections
of the community, more particularly among the 'mail shop-
keepers, who were especially selected by Mr. Lowe as models
of political virtue and intelligence. The skilled artisan
class is far more independent and is comparatively free
from the taint. Perhaps, then, one way of combating the
evil of electoral serration, so far u the voters ►re con-
earned, would be that of largely extending the franchise
amongst a class not only more numerous than the chum of
small tradesmen, but also politically far more independent
an 1 intelligent.

The Post attributes the desira for en extension of the
saff rage to the consideration amongst the worleng-claas
electors that its minimum value at every election is 5!.,
and its maximum, when the contest is close, 501. Never-
theless, whatever steps be taken to put down this disgrace-
ful corruption must begin by dealing severely with the
briber himself.

Neither of the great parties, the Herald says, has any
right to cast reproach on the other. Bribery Is an evil
which is scandalous to both, and which both may fairly
join in trying to put down. To disfranchise the four con-
victed boroughs would be ineffective, as there are fifty
other towns quite as bad, and if we disfranchise ever/ borough
which is corrupt, we must consider what • gap we should
make in our House of Commons. In spite of the numerous
preaching' with which it has been visit rd, society con-
tinues to regard these things in a spirit of levity. Public
opinion persists in not holding that there is so much gailt
in the briber, whatever it may think of the bribed. The
Herald has no cure to suggest, limiting itself to ridiculing
the idea of increasing the lower clam of voters, and attri-
buting, like the Post, the desire for the suffrage to the
consideration of its value in money.
The Tdegraph would fasten the public censure upon the
affluent men who provide the =whiner/ of corruption
and keep it in operation—the rich patrons who hire the
ready invention and unscrupulous wits of electioneering
agents and scheming attornies. One thing is evident. Our
present constituencies can scarcely be worse, and no in-
fusion of fresh blood by the reduction of the franchise
can deteriorate, although it might easily improve them.
But to whatever extent they are increased, let the punish-
ment for electoral corruption fall on those who produce
it ; let the sinner in high places be smitten, and the evil
will be suppressed at its source.
The Star thinks it would have !been more seemly if
greater regard had been paid to decorum, and the people
kad been taught by the demeanour of the commissioners
that the transactions over which they laughed were
illegal proceedings of • peculiarly disgraceful kind.
The remedy is clear enough. The small end manageable
boroughs must be merged into larger constituencies. The
new Reform Bill must embrace a sweeping measure of
redistribution of seats.