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 rneefing, 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 thcs
hon. member effectually silenced a casual interruptio n
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 21
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 adtve-
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, at'd
seconded by Mr. Homilis--" That a petition to ea.,
House of Commons be prepared on behalf of the electe.rs
and inhabitants of the borough of Chatham, and al 3°
one for the city of Rochester, calling upon the Legis
ture to adopt the ballot in Parliamentary elections, all"
that the Hon. F. Henry F. Berkeley be
requested to pre 3'
sent the petitions."
,
The fourth resolution, proposed by Mr. EVEBIST, al .d
seconded by Mr. JANES CHIDLEY
P-M--" That the
thanks of this meeting be presented to the Hon. F. Hen: rY
F. Berkeley for his kindness in responding to the invita-
tion to be present on that occasion," which was giv' en
with three times three, and one more for the old city of,
Bristol.
The usual vote of thanks to Captain Rains, for it ise
able conduct in the chair, and his general advocacy 0;
:
all liberal measures tending to the advancement ai.ia
good of his fellow-townsmen, was proposed by r.
_
BELSEY, and warmly seconded' by the hon. member for

The meeting separated on the recommendation of 3/ Ir.
SEATON, to support by their best exertions and influence
the London Society for the Promotion of the Ballot.

LONDON MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.—Last night a :lec-
ture was delivered at the London Mechanics' Instiicu te,
Southampton-buildings, by Mr. William Rushton, on
" Plain English." Mr. Rushton divided his lecture i ato
three parts. In the first he showed the importance) of
saying what we mean, and the mistakes that are 112 ible
to arise by departing from plain idiomatic Saxon ter' tee,
and employing words derived from the Latin and Cr sek
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
irn-
classical Englishman had to encounter before he muld
hope to understand that or any other science. Th,ese
difficulties he thought were removable, and as they G er-
mans and the Dutch, whose language was of the sal no
stock as the Anglo-Saxon, used compound words of hoi no
manufacture for their scientific terms, he thought t he
same ought to be done for the English. In the thi
part, Mr. Rushton showed how the rage for terms of
long-measure had crept into every department of Engli sh
literature, and in particular into the literature of ally, er
tisements, of which he quoted several amusing sve
mens. Mr. Rushton would clearly have the Sax on
element in the language to preponderate. The le cti
was very well received.
MRS. BEECHER STOWS.--We learn that on Mends,/
at a meeting of the Anti-slavery Committee, arrang;e•
ments were made for the reception of this gifted lady on
her arrival in Glasgow. It is now understood that.M re.
Stowe sailed on Saturday last, in the steam-ship Glas-
gow, and consequently she may be expected here on
Saturday or Monday week. On her arrival she is to be
the guest of our esteemed citizen, W. P. Paton, E sq.
On the Wednesday following, we understand ha t 2
public reception will take place in the City Hall, when
addresses will be presented • am on the day following a
soiree in her honour will 'take place.—North
Daily Mail.
TRIBUNAL OF COMMERCE.—Mr. F. Lyne, the chair'
man of the executive committee formed for prom.Dtirig
the establishment of tribunals of commerce, has w-ritta e
a letter to his committee, stating that since the member, g
last met, Mr. Leycester, one of the auditors, has had al
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 meeting to be held in the
Town-Hall, to consider the importance of tribunals a
commerce for the commercial community. Early next.
month deputations from various places will meet at t
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce to consider this ques-
tion.