The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-17 00:00:00

tions being there passed—not by large majorities,
but by acclamation—resolutions declaring—
What? Mr. BRIGHT must surely have
already been interested to see—What ! De-
claring among other things—that the Go-
vernment has no constitutional power to
coerce States by military force—that if the power
of coercion exists it is of a legal, and not of a
military character—that the democracy cannot
sustain a war against sovereign States—and con•
sequently that, in obedience to the dictates of
right, and justice, and humanity, this shameful
war should cease!

The " annual benefit" of Mr. BERKELEY, as Lord

PALMEBSTON, with that pleasantry which is often
a convenient method of dealing with awkward sub-
jects, styled the oft-repeated question of the Ballot,

:ook place last evening, with the customary result

Mr. BERKELEY, in introducing the old familiar
motion, reminded the House that this was the
fifteenth occasion on which, as the successor of Mr.
GROTE and Sir HENRY WARD, he had brought
forward the question of the Ballot. In support of
his motion he cited the example of numerous
societies, besides the cluts, of which most of his
Parliamentary antagonists are members, and re-
ferred to the experience of other countries, as show-
ing how beneficial was the introduction of the
Ballot, even under the most unfavourable circum-
stances. In France it has enabled the Opposition
candidates to enter the Chamber of Deputies in the
face of a despotic Government. In Australia it
has been serviceable, although, from the general
character and condition of the people, no country
needs it less. In America, the hope of reversing
the mad policy which is urging the North to ruin,

lies in the ballot box ; while in our own country
we have, unhappily, only two many illustrations of
the necessity of reforming our present mode of Par-
liamentary elections. Mr. BERKELEY alluded to
an incident which gave a very striking support to
his theory. At a recent election the Conservative
candidate commenced his addiess with the words,
" I abhor the ballot." The next day, however, this
hater of secret voting informed his supporters that
he regretted being compelled to withdraw from the
contest, as a great territorial influence had been
brought to bear on it, and, therefore, he could not
go to the poll without involving many of his humble
supporters in instant ruin. As Mr. BERKELEY
justly observed, one of these addresses was a com-
mentary on the other. Let us hope that the

results of the present " honest and English
system" has made a convert of the gcn-

tleman in question. The ingenuity with
whih some landlords evade the Corrupt
Practices Act—one man declaring he gave his

tenant notice for the shape of his nose—was also
forcibly shown by Mr. BERKELEY. We suppose
these subterfuges and ingenious devices are consi-
dered English and manly by the opposers of the
system of secret voting. Lord PALMERSTON having
repeated the old, timeworn arguments, which are
never subjected to the test of practice, determined,
with his usual readiness and daring, not to shrink

from the advocacy of his opinions, even though, as
,eader of the Liberal army, he was attacking one of

its chief positions. But all arguments, sneers, and
denunciations fail before the " inexorable logic of
facts." This unaccommodating evidence shows us
how measure after measure, reform after reform, are
powerless to touch the evil. Now candidates and
agents can evade the acts that forbid bribery and
treating with a facility only too gladly welcomed
by the lower class of electors ; now landlords and

employers can escape the consequences of open in-
timidation by a thousand secret byeways—the end
of which is only too surely known to the " indepeL-

dent" voter. The need of election committees and
bribery petitions is a disgrace to our age and con-
stitution. It was only the other night that a mem-
ber introduced a bill to guard against fraud and
corruption with regard to those very petitions, a
fact which proves significantly enough how hope-
less are such piecemeal reforms and precautions.
It is notorious that almost every one of the clauses
of Corrupt Practices Bills may be easily evaded.
Who can prevent a man from acting in the capacity
of a disinterested friend of the candidate ? and
who shall prevent that disinterested friend from
receiving a token of his friendship, or, what
is more, who will know that he receives
it ? The confusion, and sometimes the riots,
of a contested election would be effectually
prevented by secret voting, so we may certainly
expect a strong and persistent opposition from all
who profit by the weakness or vices of their fellows.
Still there is no reason to despair of the good cause
being won. Every year it gains in strength, every
year its supporters make their protest against the
folly that leaves weakness open to temptation, and
exposes dependence to the abuse of power; and
similar perseverance has won many a harder fight
before now. The gradual adoption of the Ballot in
so many of our social and municipal arrangements
is the best proof of the feeling of the middle classes,
and when once the public is thoroughly convinced
of the urgent need and benefit of its adoption, when
the public voice is once loudly raised to demand
honest elections and independent representatives
the virtuous indignation of the upholders of open
voting will prove powerless against it, and the
' Ballot will be won.

Yesterday was a grand day for Oxford, and one
that will long live in the recollection of all who
were fortunate enough tube present. As has been
the case with the numerous meetings and cere-
monies in which the Prince and Princess have borne
a part, everything went off auspiciously on this
brilliant occasion. The entertainment had also,
in this instance, the merit of novelty. The
Princess could never have -witnessed anything
like it before, and the -welcome she received
in all quarters had in its enthusiasm something
chivalric in its devotion. The Prince of NV ALES

was not a stranger to many present. H© has I
passed some time at Oxford during the course
of his extended and excellent education, and
therefore greater interest was imparted to his
presence in those halls and colleges where he had
dwelt as a scholar before visiting the m as a prince.
When the Prince and Princess ha'. entered the
ch.ht-inian theatre there was a btu st of a -

Iplause