The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-07 00:00:00

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD
REFORM ASSOCIATION.
(CONTINUED ON MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.)
Sir,—On Monday the sth the Government inti-
mated that it gave up the intention of conferring the
franchise on the Militiamen. " The attempt but not
the deed." The public thirst for an extension of the
franchise will not be abated by this indication of the
direction in which the tendencies of the Government
were moving.
In consequence of questions asked, a discussion
arose on the subject of the lonian Islands. What a
humiliating sight to see, that England with all her
supposed advantages, is just as unable to govern any
dependency without the constant exercise of brute
force, and just as unable to win anybody's lova or
obtain anybody's confidence, as Russia or the Turk.
Rightly, in some senses, said the member of the
Bslgian Chamber, who rose and roundly declared,
that the English were pirates and barbarians. We
have not, at least our Government has not, got
beyond that phase of society. The Romans were
gentlemen compared with us. A late exhibi-
tion of art bad for its subject, the Britons
lamenting the departure of the Romans.
Who ever lamented the English, or failed
to greet their departure as a riddance ? This may
fall heavily some day, if among the chances and
changes of this mortal life, the political existence of
Great Britain should come to depend upon her popu-
larity among her neighbours. What a breaking up
would upon that day be ! What sullen ghosts of in-
jured individuals and injured races, would start up and
scream for retribution ! And why should it have
been so, and why should not Britain have been the
nurse of liberty and happiness in all quarters of the
globe ? Simply because the worse portions of the
porter-pot had rule. Because the froth at the top,
and the dregs at the bottom, carried it against the
wholesome middle part, in which the value of the
draught resides.
One principle officially announced by the Govern-
ment on this occasion, was significant. It was, that
" offences of the press are the last to which trial by
jury ought to be extended." It follows of course,
that they are the first from which it ought to be taken
away. You see where we are going, " pit-a-pat,
pit-a-pat," like the young lady coming down the
ladder to join her lover. For those who have eyes to
see, it is time they should employ them to the use
that nature iuten led.
In the Committee of Supply 460,0001. was voted
for the expenses of the Kafir war without a division.
The rule laid down by authority and precedent, is
that any man may incur expenses who can, and there
is nothing to be done but pay. Pay first, and discuss
after, is the law upon the case. It would be as con-
trary to bienseance as making " a horrid noise" when
broken on the wheel, to talk of voting against the
payment. It would not be destoor, as is the term
the Orientals apply to the law of custom by which
they are despotically ruled. Anybody who did it,
would lose caste,—would be held as not coming
within the conventional decencies of life. It would
be as bad as a woman's clothing her nakedness, by
adopting the Bloomer costume, and cutting off the
chance of the pleasurable exhibitions the public every
now and then through accident enjoys. And still,
what prospect, what possibility, is there of checking
irrational expenditure, if this rule is to prevail ? Let
it go on till people are tired of it ; only let us assist
the arrival of that period, by pointing out the facts.
In the debate on the Corrupt Practices at Elec-
tions Bill, another of those tokens occurred, which
like the smells from a slaughter-house, Warn
us poor
dumb beasts of whither we are being coaxed or
driven. A move was made from the Tory side, to
insert in the Corrupt Practices Bill, an exception in
favour of " reasonable refreshment." Why is not
the voter to refresh himself I And by what rule of
policy is he to be refreshed by the candidate, any more
than the candidate by the voter? Further still,
what is to be " reasonable refreshment," and how is
it to be measured ? A captain in the navy
.affirmed
upon his word, that he saw the armourer of his ship
supplied from time to time with half a pint
of beer in a horn, by a boy that waited on him ; and
on taking note by his watch, he found the horn came
every five minutes, making nine gallons in the twelve
hours. Is nine gallons to be " reasonable refresh-
ment ?" If not, where is to be the limit? The evident
result of such a legislation will be, that in all bo-
roughs where a certain class of voters exists, the
claim for " reasonable refreshment" will take the
shape of a kind of head-money, and any candidate
who will not give it, will be told " Oho, then we
will vote for somebody else that will." The remark-
able thing, was the number of Members from what is
called the Liberal side, who announced their good
wishes in favour of the plan. Such is the manner
in which under the present circumstances all evil
things put forth the leaf; and the subject is by no
means done with, though withdrawn for the present.
On Tuesday, after some debate on a Bill aimed at
improving the condition of the Ballast-heavers on the
Thames, the House was counted out at an early hour
on the Suitors in Chancery Relief Jarndyce
and Jarndyce, it appears, must go on for the present.
And now, if nothing unexpected occurs to the con-
trary, I will take my leave till, probably, the 21st.
I am, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.
Blackheath, 7th April, 1852.