The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 17, 1868.

date's opposition to it as a scruple which they were
justitiul in setting at defiance. But now all this
is changed. From henceforth to employ an
elector is to disfranchise him. Whatever be the
capacity in which ho is hired or employed for
reward in connection with the election, such em-
ployment not only prevents hint from voting for
the candidate who employs him, but prevents him
from voting at all in the election. Indeed, so do-
terniineil has Parliane been to stop this source
of corruption, that it has partially adopted Lord
BROUGHAM'S principle, and has made the giving
of a vote in such circumstances a misdemeanour.
There is, in fact, only one way now of making the
distribution of employment influence an election,
and that is by the disfranchisement of opponents.

There appears to be no penalty inSio ted on a
candidatt, for employing such voters, and there
seems to be nothing to prevent an unscrupulous
man from engaging the services of as many of his
opponents as possible, and thus rendering thorn
incapable of voting against him. Such a dodge
could, however, be of no avail except in very
small constituencies, and even in such consti-

tnencies could only succeed once. A better use of
it would be to give some small employment to the
men who were notoriously corrupt, and thus
render their votes unsaleable. Indeed, this might
in some cases be a cheap way of getting them out
of the market. But it is difficult to see how, in
future, the committee-rooms are to be crowded, as
they have hitherto been, with a host of re-
tainers, kept for the sake of their votes. That
game, at least, is played out.
But another feature of borough elections will be
conspicuous by its absence in November next.
One large expense of contests has hitherto been
incurred in the conveyance of voters to the poll.
It has been no unusual ruse for a rich candidate
to engage eves• conveyance in the borough for
use on the polling day, and a large influx of
vehicles from neighbouring towns is generally one
of the incidents of the occasion. Half the work
of the polling day is the despatch of cabs
and carriages in all directions to bring up voters
to the poll. Many a free and independent elector
who would scorn a bribe is yet quite above the
vulgarity of walking to the poll. If they want
him they must send for him. He is an important
personage on polling day and will have his
importance recognised. He may possibly conde-
scend to go to the poll in a cab ; but an open
carriage is the proper thing, and he looks on it as
one of the privileges of a Briton to be driven at
a dashing pace through the cheering crowds, to
give his free and independent vote. But hence-
forth this luxury is denied him. He must walk
to the poll or stay at home, unless the candidate
himself or some wealthy neighbour will
scud his own carriage to fetch him. There
is nothing in the Act to prevent such
a use of private carriages on polling day, as it
especially provides only against the payment of
money for the conveyance of voters to the poll ;
but it is not likely that many owners of private
carriages will send them out for the rough usage of
an election. Yet it will be hardly possible to
realise that a poll is going on if there are no
placarded cabs and carriages tearing through the
streets. Half the fun of the election will be lost
in the estimation of idlers, and it will certainly be
less easy to raise excitement among the crowds
around the polling places. How the can-
vassers will fare it is impossible to say.
There will be no getting reluctant voters
to the poll when they cannot be carried
there, and ae they must be looked after on foot
and their numbers will be unusually large. it is
only in cases of urgency that they will be looked
after at all. These two reforms—disfranchising
paid agents and abolishing conveyance—are in
fact two steps towards the abolition of canvassing
altogether. They at least inflict discouragement
on the practice.

As a little compensation to electors for the op-
pressive requirement of walking to the poll, power
is given to local authorities to increase the num-
ber of polling places ; and as not more than five
hundred electors are to poll at any one compart-
ment not much delay need take place in recording
votes. In this connection, too, Parliament has
shown a little consideration fur the purses uf can-
didates. It is enacted that returning officers shall
engage rooms where they are available, instead of
building booths, and that buildings supported by
the public money shall be used if their cus-
todians permit. Every one of these modifi-
cations of the old system is in the direc-
tion of the diminution of expense. With no can-
vassers to pay and conveyance of voters forbidden,
and with power to returning-officers to go eco-
nomically to work in providing polling-places,
the elections, even with the increased number of
voters, ought to be less expensive than before.
Whether they will be so or not depends on other
considerations. But the coming election is almost
certainly the last at which any of the necessary ex-
penses of the hustings or the polling-places will
be charged upon the candidates at all. The first
reformed Parliament, acting on the fact that the
candidate is elected for the public service, and re-
pudiating the theory that he is a mere seeker of
public honours, will charge the legal expenses on
the constituency itself.

of the esniuent statesmen *elated to represent the party,
it is my intott on ti sustain that cause as • private
citizen.

The " maintenance of the national credit
inyio-
lato." This is not the Democratic cry, and
must be attributed to the General's sojourn
abroad. Tramlated into American, it means—
payment of the 5-20 13( nds in gold, which by
the Democratic code is taint emery waste.

ROMAN Catholic journalism in England has a
rude time of it. Judging by what is told by
the journals themselves, their existence is a
weekly sacrifice. The Tablet in particular
looks back on a devoted career, as those
who recollect the late Mr. Lnews's experi-
ence will recall, and the Tablet, we suppose,
is not the least successful of the number. In
to-day's issue the proprietor and editor informs
his readers that he is about to hand over his
trust to another—this time a priest. For his
resolve he gives several reasons, some of which
relating to the present state of Catholic polities
appear significant enough ; but he says at
the end, " In reality, be these, or all my other
" reasons, wise or foolish, my last and strongest
" reason for the step which I am taking is the
" private and personal fact, that tho Tablet cost
" me ee much money during the first seven years
" of my proprietorship that to provide myself
" once more the capital required to carry it on is
" beyond my means, and I should not be justified
"in the attempt." Perhaps if this reason had
been put in the front, the others would have been
less interesting than they are.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

Spe,.•ulating on the probable wearer of the
Spanish crown, the Times rays the junta has turned its
eyes to Ferdinand of Portugal, father of the present king.
t I gh it is raid the latter is not ambitious of the proposed
elevation. The union of the two peninsular kingdoms
would be promoted by this arrangement. If Ferdinand's
eldest son, the King of Portugal, were declared his heir,
the two crowns would be unite.) at his death. But even if
the younger son were to succeed him, and the two kingdoms
to remain politically separate, we should at least have the
satisfaction of believing that the kinship id the rulers
would tend to make them as one for many important
purposes.

- The annual mcetine of the Queen's University and the
',perch of the Duke of Abereorn on the occasion lead
the Pat., to remark that when such an education is
open to members of all creeds in Ireland, and when the
counter scheme is seen to fail, we may regard the prin-
ciple of unsectarianism as secure.
The Daily .Nters thinks that there is more than enough
in the recent changes in Spain to make the Emperor
Napoleon pause, and to incite him to reflect ou the
origin, the decline, and the fall of governments which
exist by force only, undercover of a simulated represen-
tative system. But it is to his domestic, and not to his
foreign policy that he should turn for • remely
to the present situation of affairs. The Mysore
case, and some recent developments of Mexican
history and of modern fashions, are among the other
topics discussed in the Dad", 21; ars. There is also a
reference to a remark in the Ethulatryl, Ret-,,ar respecting
the ballot. If by diminishing its magnitude, says the
Daily Netts, the old whip recusants make it easier for
themselves to swallow the pill, by all means let them
minify it as much as they choose.
The Slardard trusts there is no truth in the story that
the Emperor of the Ficudi means to incite the powers of
Europe to disarm.
Mr. Bouverie finds much sympathy with the conserve,
tire papers, and even the Star thinks Mr. Mill has been
led astray.
The Pest draws attention to • remarkable speech which
has been delivered by Dr. Temple against the Irish

Eke Court.

BALMORAL CARTLZ, Oar. lb.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise and
Prince Leopold, and attended by Lady C.iurchill,
went to the Olassalt Shell yesterday.
Evince and Princess Christian, and Prince and ninniess
of Tu k and Prince Arthur, honoured M. and Ma lame
Van do Wi per with their company at dinner at Aber-
geldie.
The Lord Chancellor artived at the Castle, as the
Minister in attendance upon her Majesty.

The Princess of Wales drove out yesterday, atten led
by the Hon. Mrs. Coke.
In the evening the Prince and Princess of Wales want
to the Lyceum Theatre.
Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office
to the Coww•rnors of Gibraltar, Halts, Ceylon, Hong Song,
Labelle, the Straits Settlements, the Australian Colonies,
and the West Indian Island&

TIM VISIT OP TIIM PRIMA AND PPSIIDISS OF
WAL TO KICOVSZIT.—WO understand that the visit of
the Prince and Princes' of Wales to Knowsley-park, the
seat of the Earl of Derby, b to take place, so far as at
present can be arranged, on the second proximo.
LYeatrw TDIATRE.—Thoir Royal Highnesses tho
Prince and Prince's of Wales and suite honoured this
theatre with their presence last evening, to witness the
new play of the Rightful Bair.
Mdlle. Rosa d' Brine, designated " the now Irish
prima donna," had the honour of appearing at Marl-
borough House yesterday by command of the Princess of
Wales.

The Duke of Cambridge yesterday was at Shoe-
bui puce. to witness the experimente carried on by the
Oidnance Select Committee with Captain Moncrieff'n bar-
bent, Run-carriage and Colonel Shaw's muzzle pivotting
carriage for the 400-pounder gun. His royal highness
also inspected Mr. (linden T.anerteter'a new ilitmi-oval
bore-rifled 10-inch gun and its studios projectiles; and
Colonel Clarke's hydraulic buffer for checking recoil. The
celebrated Millwall shield was nest visited, and the dila-
pidated Plymouth caaninate was also closely scrutinised.
'I he model now erecting of detailed parts for illustrating
thu working of hairy guns iu a double-tior iron fort was
ukit examined.

The Enrl and Countess of Derby will entertain
rotui.any the tin•t week in the ensuing month at Knows-
ley. The nobly earl, who has boon suffering from an
attack of gout, in much bettor.

WHAT IS LAVA?

FOREIGN NEWS.

(THIS DAY.)

(rasouoz asurzies Aszirot.)
SPAIN.

TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF SERRANO AND
TOPETE INTO SARAGOSSA.
SARAGOSSA, Ocr. 16, Evccuto.

Marshal Serrano and Admiral Topete made a
triumphal entry into this city to-day, and wore
received with great enthusiasm by the people, all
liberals of every shade fraternising. Marshal Ser-
rano, Admiral Topete, and the democratic leader
Martos, delivered patriotic speeches in favour of
liberty of conscience and the rights of individuals.
The people unanimously cried " Down with the
Bourbons!" " Long live Serrano, Prim, Toilets,
Olosaga, and Rivera!"

MADRID, Ocr. IG.

The government has decided upon carrying out
• monetary reform upon the basis of the French
unit. It is announced that a loan of 700 millions
of reels will be negotiated with an English bank-
ing firm on very equitable terms.
Marshal &mum and Admiral Topeto left for
Saragossa this morning.
The revolutionary junta of Malaga has given its
adhceion to the provisional government.

HUNGARY.
PESTA, (k 7. 16.
The Empress has left for Goodoelloc this morn-
ing.

Prince Harageorgewii•h hag hem reninvo4l otgain
to Pebth.

The conference of the ildegates fr the french
South German vailwaym have lowered the tariff for
the transport of breadatuffd.

ROUMAN I A.
BUCHAREST, Om. 14.

In conformity with the Anny Organisation
Bill, which has been adopted by both llous,.s of
the Diet, the army will ho completed this year by
a contingent of 10,000 men.