The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

THE BALLOT.

A numerous meeting in favour of the above measure
was held on Thursday evening last, 24th inst., by the
electors and inhabitants of Rochester and Chatham, at
the Theatre, Rochester ; Captain Rains, R.N., in the
chair. A requisition from several of the magistrates and
other influential persons, to the Hon. F. Henry F.
Berkeley, M.P. for Bristol, had been forwarded a few
days prior to the meeting, to solicit the powerful advo-
cacy of the hon. member on behalf of this important
measure.

The first resolution proposed by SAMUEL STEELE, Esq.,
J.P. seconded by Mr. FREDERICK WHEELER, of Strood,
and carried unanimously—" That this meeting deeply
regret the corruption and intimidation so generally prac-
tised at the last election in the city of Rochester and
borough of Chatham, and to prevent the recurrence of
these abuses, so fatal to the elective franchise, it ear-
nestly calls upon the Legislature to allow the votes for
members of Parliament to be taken by ballot." On thi
resolution the hon. member spoke for nearly an hour,
reviewing in detail the principal objections to the ballot
with great perspicuity and force, especially alluding to
the necessity of adopting the means of protection to the
artisans in her Majesty's dockyards and in a most able
and earnest manner repudiated the idea of disfranchising
so important and intelligent a class of the community as
had been hinted at in the House of Commons, from their
liability to undue influence or intimidation. The importance
of keeping constantly before the Ministry the great ques-
tion at issue was urged on this constituency, and the
hon. member effectually silenced a casual interruption
from a Rochester oppositionist, by commenting severely
on a constituency which could cause at the last election
so great a loss to the house and the country at large by
the rejection of the late member for Rochester, Mr.
Bernal, whose 'loss as a public man was felt by all
parties. _ _

The second resolution, proposed by Mr. EASTWOOD in
an able speech, and briefly seconded by Mr. SEATON--
" That it is the opinion of this meeting that the London
Society for the Promotion of the Ballot should meet with
the hearty support and cordial co-operation of the advo-
cates of this important measure, and recommends the
claims of that society to the earnest support of the
public."

The third resolution, proposed by Mr. MAGNUS, and
seconded by Mr. Honmrs—" That a petition to the
House of Commons be prepared on behalf of the electors
and inhabitants of the borough of Chatham, and also
one for the city of Rochester, calling upon the Legisla-
ture to adopt the ballot in Parliamentary elections, and
that the Hon. F. Henry F. Berkeley be requested to pre-
sent the petitions."
The fourth resolution, proposed by Mr. EVERIST, and
seconded by Mr. JAMES CHIDLEY,
thanks of this meeting be presented to the Hon. F. Henry
F. Berkeley for his kindness in responding to the invita-
tion to be present on that occasion," which was given
one more
with three times three, and for the old city of
Bristol. P.M.—" That the

The usual vote of thanks to Captain Rains, for his
able conduct in the chair, and his general advocacy of
all liberal measures tending to the advancement and
good of 11;s fellow-townsmen, was proposed •by Mr.
BELSEY, and warmly seconded by the hon. member for
Bristol.
The meeting separated on the recommendation of Mr,SEATON, to support by their best exertions and influence
the London Society for the Promotion of the Ballot.

LONDON MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.—Last night a 16:-
Cure was delivered at the London Mechanics' Institute,
Southampton-buildings, by Mr. William Rushton, on
" Plain English." Mr. Rushton divided his lecture into
three parts. In the first he showed the importance of
saying what we mean, and the mistakes that are liable
to arise by departing from plain idiomatic Saxon terms,
and employing words derived from the Latin and Greek
languages. In the second portion he gave a brief out-
line of the elements which constitute the English lan-
guage, and illustrated by the scientific terminology
appropriated to botany, the difficulties which the un-
classical Englishman had to encounter before he could
hope to understand that or any other science. These
difficulties he thought were removable, and as the Ger-
mans and the Dutch, whose language was of the same
stock as the Anglo-Saxon, used compound words of home
manufacture for their scientific terms, he thought the
same ought to be done for the English. In the third
part, Mr. Rushton showed how the rage for terms of
long-measure had crept into every department of English
iterature, and in particular into the literature of adver-
isements, of which he quoted several amusing speci-
Mr. Rushton would clearly have the Saxon
element in the language topreponderate. The lecture
was very well received.
MRS. BEECHER STONVE.—We learn that on Monday
at a meeting of the Anti-slavery Committee, arrange-
ments were made for the reception of this gifted lady on
her arrival in Glasgow. It is now understood that Mrs.
Stowe sailed on Saturday last, in the steam-ship Glas-
gow,may be expected here on
Saturday andOn her arrival she is to be
the guest of our esteemed citizen, W. P. Paton, Esq.
On the Wednesday following, we understand that a
public reception will take place in the City Hall, when
orc ogoenqduaeyn tl y
week. she
addresses will be presented ; and on the day following a
soiree in her honour will take place.—North, BritsBl
Daily Mail.
TRIBUNAL OF COMMERCE.— Mr. F. Lyne, the chair-
man of the executive committee formed for promoting
the establishment of tribunals of commerce, has written
a letter to his committee, stating that since the members
last met, Mr. Leycester, one of the auditors, has had an
important conversation with the president, Lord Beau-
mont, on the subject. Mr. Lyne states that he is in
possession of a most influentially-signed requisition to
the high bailiff of the borough of Southwark, asking
him to preside at a public ineeting to be held in the
Town-Hall, to consider the importance of tribunals of
commerce for the commercial community. Early next
month deputations from various places will meet at the
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce to consider this ques•
tion.

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