The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-22 00:00:00

thus Ido n hesitate to affirm that the Ballet will tendcr
each general (=lection a fair test of principles instead of an ti
appeal to the s!avery and debauchery of the land.
A. Some people think that many of the you:7s ate too
ignorant to know how to vote. B. The Ballot w:ll ha an
excellent motive to the Aristocracy to instruct them. But
this is a point which refers to the suffrage and not to the
Ballot.

A. Is the Ballot an organic change ? B. Assuredly
not, how can it he ? it is merely an alteration in the modus
operandi of a constitutional luw. Lord John Ru2sull was
for it in 1832, though he demurs about it now (when it is
ten times more needed than then) and his Lordship was al-
ways atminst " Organic Changes."
A. Do you consider the Ballot a party measure ? B.
Certainly not ; it is applicable to both parties : of all others
the Tory party ate bound to advocate the Ballot, seeing
they are never tired of vaunting that they possess the hearts
of the Constituency. Perhaps nothing more eleaily proves
the unspeakable falsehood of the faction ( I do not allude
to its numerous dupes) than this assertion, coupled with
desperate hatred to a measure which, if they spoke the
truth, would realize all their desires.

A. In what light do you view those who understanding
the nature and efficacy of the Ballot, yet re: ist it ? B. In the
light of Tories : I cannot do otherwise, for as they cannot
but see Reform daily worstencd by the prowess of corrup-
tion they are aiding corruption by refusing the only adequate
defence to reform.

A. Will not opinion check corruption ? B. Does it
check corruption ? Is not the love of the people as great
for good government as it ever was : and has not the ma-
jority for good government in the House of Commons
dwindled from 200 to 10, and that in 5;% ears ? No, Sir ;
corruption is chucking opinion, and ere long will gag it,
until it bursts forth in violctce and popular revolt, and it
is to this gaol that the Conservative Whigs and Tories are
by their mad resistance to the Ballot rapidly goading the
people. They who are for peace, justice, constitutional
liberty, and religion, are for the Ballot. They who are for
tyranny, corruption, and anarchy, are naturally and necessa-
rily against it. Of which party, Sir, are you ? A. Of the for-
mer decidedly. B. Then, Sir, a duty is contingent on your
decision, which as a patriot, a citizen, and a christian, you
are bound to fulfil :
PETITION FOR THE BALLOT.

BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

BIRMINGHAM, THURSDAY MORNlNG.—Yesterday, the
morning performances at the Town Hall were Mendels-
shon's St. Paul, and a miscellaneous concert. The at-
tendance was much greater than upon the previous city—
the galleries as well as the body of the Hall being full, al-
though not inconveniently so. The Birmingham critics
are enraptured with the oratorio, and Mendelssohn has
begot a musical favour here unequalled since the time
of Weber's appearance in England at the production of his
Oberon. The vocal parts were allotted to the same singers
who appeared a short time since at Exeter Hall, when we
noticed the oratorio. There was some slight but not ma-
terial alterations, all of which, however, were beneficial.
Bennett is rapidly improving, and will shortly be second to
none as a sacred singer. Phillips exerted himsclfgreatly. Ma-
chin likewise was very successful in the recitative, of which
a great deal fell to his lot, while Miss C. Novello, Mrs.
Shaw, and Mrs. Knyvett considerably added to their al-
ready deservedly acquired reputation. Our surprise and
gratification at the extraordinary precision and efficiency of
the choruses of which we spoke yesterday were, if possible,
increased by witnessing the brilliant effects they produce]
in various parts of the oratorio to-day. The performance
of St. Paul lasted three hours, and was conducted by the
composer with a quiet and unestentious dignity, the unfail-
ing accompaniment of real talent of any species. Grisi and
Albertazzi then sung some selections of sacred music in ad-
mirable style. . .

The evening meeting was held at the theatre, which
was crowded to excess. But a few minutes after the
doors had been opened, there was not even standing room
to be obtained in either pit,.. boxes, or gallery, and
many parties were, consequently, disappointed, and com-
pelled to return home again. The attraction of the
evening was the opera of Semirainide, in which Grisi,
bertazzi and Tamburini sustained their original characters
as at her Majesty's Theatre last season, and afforded the
spectators, many of whom now witnessed them for the first
time upon the stage, the rare union in their persons of a
combination of first-rate dramatic and operatic ability. Cu-
rioni played Rubini's character, Idreno, but proved a very
inefficient substitute. Lablache's character, Oroe, was re-
spectably sustained by Giubeliei. The opera was com-
pressed into one act, and was received with the greatest
approbation. In the miscellaneous concert, which followed,
consisting of selections from Bishop, Balfe, Costa, and
others, Phillips was encored in his ever fresh and delightful
song, " The Light of other Days," Harper's trumpet ac-
companiment obtaining its usual applause. Miss Clara
Novello sung the Scotch ballad " Bonnie Prince Charlie"
with much sweetness, and the audience called for its repe-
tition. The performance did not terminate till 12 o'clock.
It is stated that the receipts, independent of those at the
theatre last night, and for the sale of book &c., already
amount to upwards of 6,000/.

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