The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-19 00:00:00

THE ADOPTION OF THE BALLOT THE BEST
--MEANS FOR PERMANENTLY SECURING ,
THE BLESSINGS OF FREE TRADE.

TO THE EDITOR OF T.IIE SUN.
SlR,—Whilst the various political chieftans are
maneeuvring to obtain power by securing the triumph of
their own particular dogmas—at a time when we have
a Protectionist Government actually in power, threaten-
ing to endanger the permanence of free trade, thereby
reviving the excitement of the Anti-Corn-law League,
and the antagonism of class interests,—and when from
the pledges of the Protectionists doubts are
engendered in the public mind as to what
may be the future commercial policy of this
country, it appears tolerably certain that the
battle between Protectionist and Free-trade principles
will for the present throw entirely into the shade all
prospect of a reform in our representative system, and
possibly retard for years the accomplishment of the
peoples' natural desires, unless some decided steps be
taken for uniting under one common banner the various
sections of Free-traders and Reformers. Strange that
such should be the position of the Reform party with a
majority of professed Liberals in the Commons House of
Parliament !

It behoves, therefore, all sections of Reformers at a
crisis like this to be united in purpose, and firm in the
principles on which they are to take their stand. I re-
joiced to observe that an influential meeting took place
on Thursday last at Lord John Russell's residence, as,
from what transpired at that meeting, hopes may be
entertained of better things for the future from the
Whig party, should they again be called to take the
helm of the State. Lord John has withdrawn his milk-
and-water measure of reform, and will probably
see the necessity of making considerable amendments in
it before again introducing it into the House of Com-
mons, so as to make it more palatable to the great body
of the people. Ere many weeks can elapse a dissolution
of the present Parliament will take place, when the
Reformers will have to fight the battle under disadvan-
tages to which they would not have been subjected
had Lord John's late measure been better adapted
to the exigencies of the times, and contained a
clause for taking the votes of electors at all future
elections by ballot, without which, I maintain, it will be
almost impossible to arrive at a fair conclusion as to the
feeling of the people generally, either under the present
system, or even supposing the suffrage to be extended
in the manner lately proposed by the Whig Govern-
ment. .

The course that now appears to me to be open to the
various sections of the opposition party, comprising
Peelites, Radicals, and Whigs, is to unite firmly on two
grand points—" Reform and Free Trade," by which the
blessings of cheap food may be permanently se-
cured to the people, the prosperity of the country
at large maintained, and the cause of progress
materially advanced. The policy of free trade was
nobly carried out by the late Sir Robert Peel, to the
sacrifice of his own personal interest, and it is but due
to the memory of that distinguished statesman that
his followers and the admirers of his policy should
make a glorious struggle for the maintenance of the
legacy for which that patriot suffered so much
abuse from former friends, besides loss of
power. There are many able statesmen left
of the Peel party, with Sir James Graham standing
prominently forward as their leader; these statesmen
are decided favourites with the great mass of the people,
and if they play their cards well, are certain very soon
to be called upon to take a prominent share at least in
the management of the affairs of the country.
The Russell Reform Bill being shelved for the pre-
sent session and Parliament, let a demand be immedi-
ately made for the ballot; all sections of Free-traders
should now unite on this one subject, and let a measure
be at once brought forward, before the present Parlia-
ment be dissolved, to secure " freedom of election and
protection to voters in the exercise of their franchise,"
and even under our present system of representation, free
trade would be saved from all danger. If this course be
not adopted, it is far from improbable the landlords' and
Government influence combined will secure a majority
to the Protectionists at the ensuing election, and whether
they could succeed or not in re-imposing a duty on corn.
the country would be thrown into a state of convulsion
from one end to the other; trade and commerce would
suffer to a great extent by the distrust thereby
caused with regard to our commercial policy;
and instead of progressing, we should be decidedly taking
a retrograde step. The Whigs have ever been more zea-
lous Reformers in opposition than when in power. Now,
then, should be the appointed time for the Liberals to
urge upon the Whigs and Peelites the necessity of con-
ceding the ballot. This accomplished, the Protectionists
would speedily be driven from office, and we should per-
haps see established in their place a really strong Admi-
nistration, comprising the most liberal and enlightened
statesmen of the age.
I, for one, do not despair of seeing a popular Govern-
ment formed from the ranks of the three parties to which
I have before alluded,iviz., Peelites, Radicals, and Whigs.
Surely the following list contains names deserving of
respect and confidence, and far better qualified for
safely guiding the vessel of State than the Protectionist
Government:—Sir James Graham, for instance, as Pre-
mier, and to lead in the Commons; whilst Lord John
Russell should succeed the Marquis of Lansdowne as
President of the Council, and with a Peerage to lead in
the Lords. The other more prominent offices of the
Cabinet could easily be arranged, when we have such
men as Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Cardwell, the Duke of New-
castle, Mr. Sidney Herbert, and others of the Peel party;
Lord Clarendon, Lord Palmerston, !Lord Granville,
Lord Seymour, Mr. Fox Maule, and the more active and
liberal of the late Whig Government (including the late
Attorney and Solicitor-General); and from the Radical
party the names of the veteran Hume, Messrs. Charles
Villiers, Milner Gibson, Sir B. Hall, Cobden, Mac-.
gregor, and other favourites, might fairly be selected t'
take what is but their due, a share in a Liberal Govern-
ment.

Such an Administration as the one I have hinted at
would give confidence to the Reform party throughout
the entire length and breadth of our country, and wfAild
be enabled to bid defiance for ever to Protectionist 'and-
lords, who have only their own self-aggrandisemeut in
view in striving to re-impose a duty oa corn.
In conclusion, then, let me urge on all Free-traders
and Reformers cordially to unite for the purpose, of de-
feating the monopolists,. and if it be not possible,to carry
the ballot during the existence of the present house of
Commons, let the programme of a' greatly amended
Reform Bill be at once submitted to Parliament,
that when the general election takes place
the people may feel they have something to ea cpect trom
a new Parliament, and something really worth making a
struggle for. Let the watchword be—" Re'form, Free
Trade, and Vote by Ballot."
I am, Sir, your obEdient servant,
Tomes, March 15, 1852. A LIBERA.L-PEELITE.

THE NAVY RESERVE.
It consists rather happily with the reeneral views of
the country that the single positive step taken by the
House on Monday evening should have been that of
granting the usual supply for the naval service. The
first vote was a simple one, but it did indeed, as Mr. W.
Williams observed, amount in effect to passing the whole
of the navy estimates. As we consider these estimates,
in general respects, not objectionably framed, and as
" seamen and marines" must need's be included in every
possible scheme of national defence, we are glad that at
least so much advance has beer. made in the " business
of the country." Nearly half the means required for the
effective service were thus provided by a few minutes of
general agreement.
The vote proposed by the new Government is taken,
as we had conjectured, without alteration from the esti-
mates of the late Administration. The number of sea-
men, boys, aad marines " to be employed in her Majesty's
fleet" of necessity regulates the general cost of the effec-
tive branch of the service. This number, as proposed
for the current year, is 39,000, being the same as for
1851. It includes 26,000 seamen, 2,000 boys, and
11,000 marines, of whom 5,000 are employed on shore.
But the votes of Monday evening went further than
this. Though the total numbers proposed were only
39,000, yet the sum voted for wages, 1,469,0541., was
computed for an aggregate of 44,000, inasmuch as it
included the cost of the proposed naval reserve. The
scheme, therefore, although no discussion ensued upon
the point, has thus far obtained the practical approval
of the Legislature. Tho particular views expressed in
rserve,"
its details we took occasion to elucidate some few weeks
ago, but the subject is new invested with considerably
more importance as a substantial reality. The " re-
as our readers may recollect, is to consist of
men, 1,000 of- whom. are tobe petty ,
they are to beo selected with such
,000
regard otffick cperresviaonuds
service and
presumption conduct cortificates as to warrant a
They they will be among the best of
their class.are to be raised by volun-
tary entry, to -
v They in merchant sphrictenc:
some ship in
oorabee borne on the books of
1321”i0n, and to be furnished, on
certain conditions,
annual tickets of leave.
3 at liberty to take ser-
e are then to Wibth
and payment every three months at the trade
only, and they are to
nthehmoinseelves for inspection
most
convenient
voyages
9t.hZ.atorthl2ely.
of the stations appointed for that pur
t pose. The induce- .
of
otrhteh aompoo ut
tnytoof;
o6e/r.
sa,
en in respect of peasions
meets extended consist ot wages
shall be placed on the
aynedaroffoarnt
and expectancies—two years o " reserved" sereic b '
undertaking
same footing with actual eearaf
reckoned equivalenta eing
to one at see. "Such ia,the outline
of the naval reserve.
The objections obviously producible against this plan
resolve themselves into the sole argument of its inade-
quacy. No person denies that it will be advantageous as
far as it goes, or that the aggregate expenditure entailed
by the vote, 38,6001., will be well invested. It is simply
alleged that 5,000 seamen do not constitute a sufficient
reserve against such contingencies as suggested any re•
serve at all, and that these 5,000 will be so dispersed as
to be practically little more available than ordinary
hands in the event of emergency. These objections,
perhaps, are not easily answerable in themselves, al-
though 5,000 good seamen can hardly be considered
an insignificant reserve when we ri.fitxt upon the time
and trouble required to send, even a single three-decker
to sea; nor does it seem likely that these men though
engaged on the home trade, could be so distant from
one of the several stations appointed as to be long in re-
plying to a call, presuming, as we may safely do, as
their good faith and character. The exceptions to the
plan, therefore, imply little more that the measure might
have bee'n made more effective at a greater cost.
Views, however, of a more ,cxtenaive kind have been
entertained, we, believe, by the-advocates of the scheme.
It has beekooncoived that the inoculation, as it were, of
our merchant marine with 5,000 picked men from the
royal nary would tend to place the Queen's service in a
much more desirable light among those who may be any
day called upon to reinforce it. It is said that if mer-
chant seamen, instead of being deluded by wilful mis-
representations., could be properly apprised of the true
1 couditions of the royal service, they would never enter-

THE SUN,