The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-24 00:00:00

CANADA.

Lord WHARNCLIFFE asked if the Noble Earl had
received the promised dispatch from the Governor of
Canada, and if so, whether he would lay it on the table
to-morrow?

Earl GREY said he had received the dispatch, and
he would lay it on the table on an early day, but he
could not promise to do so to-morrow.
Lord B 1 OUGHA3I postponed his motion on the
nbject of crumb, to this day fortnight, iyhela ho g,hould

dxaw the attention of the House to recent events in
Canada, and to the Bill introduced by the Government
and azsented to by the Governor General.
PETITIONS.

The Earl of YARBOROUtiII presented a petition
from Hampshire, complaining of agricultural distress,
and praying for a revision of kcal taxation.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented petitions com-
plaining that Sir Robert Peel had passed free•trade
measures contrary to the interests of the agriculturists,
and praying for the imposition of a duty on the im-
portation of foreign corn, and against the repeal of the
navigation-laws.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the
committee of the Shipowners' Society against a repeal
of the navigation-laws, or in the event of such a repeal
being determined on for an extension of the time before
it shaq be brought into active operation.
Earl TALBOT presented some petitions against a re-
peal of the navigation-laws.
NAVIGATION-LAWS.
On the motion of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE,
their Lordships resolved themselves into Committee on
the Navigation-laws Repeal Bill, Lord Beaumont in the
chair.

On the clause enacting that the measure shall come
into operation on the Ist January, 1850, being proposed,
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH moved that the
word " one" should be added, so that the Bill should nut
come into operation until January, 1851.
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before
Four o'clock.

PETITIONS.

Mr. J. WILLIAMS presented a petition from a place
in Monmouthshire praying for an extension of the juris-
diction of the County Courts; also a petition from the
congregation of Barnsbury Chapel, Islington, praying
that international disputes might be settled by arbi-
tration.

Mr. HENRY presented a petition from Lancashire in
favour of an extension of the suffrage.
Sir JOHN TYRELL presented petitions from places
in Suffolk complaining of agricultural distress.
Mr. BUSFEILD presented a petition from Lancashire
in favour of a superannuation allowance for aged poor-
law officers.

Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD presented a petition from
a place in Oxfordshire in favour of the Clergy Relief Bill.
Mr. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from St.
James's, Westminster, praying for a Committee to in-
quire into the mode in which the police-rate is levied.
Mr. B. OSBORNE presented a petition from Middle-
sex in favour of the Bill for enfranchising copyholds.
Mr. PRYSE presented a petition from Cardigan in
favour of vote by ballot.
ROYAL ASSENT.

Sir A. CLIFFORD appeared at the bar of the House.
and delivered a message from the Lords, commanding
the attendance of the House at the bar of the House of
Lords to hear the Royal Assent given by Commission to
certain Bills (for which see Lords' report).
Colonel SIBTHORP presented a petition from Lin.
cola, praying for an extension of the jurisdiction of the
County Courts.
Mr. DEEDES presented a petition from Kent com-
plaining of agricultural distress in that county.
Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Liver.
pool an- gains the sale of tithes.
Mr. MILES presented a petition from a place in So.
mersetshire, complaining of the spread of beer houses.
NEW SPANISH TARIFF.
In reply to a question put by Mr. BANKES,
Mr. LABOUCHERE said he had no objection to lay
on the table of the House the new Spanish tariff in the
same way as that of 1841.
THIRD READINGS.
The following private Bills were read a third time
and passed:—
Society for the Prosecution of Felons—Distribution oi
Funds Bill.
Taunton Town and Market Improvement Bill.
REPORTS.

The Reports on the following Bills were considered
and agreed to:—
East Anglian Railways (Ely and Huntingdon Rail-
way Extension of Time) Bill.
Edinburgh and Norther❑ Railway (Formation of Slip
Quay and other Works at Granton, Extension of Station
at Edinburgh, Regulation of Perth Stations and Amend-
ment of Acts) Bill.
Torquay Market Bill.
NATIONAL ARBITRATION.

Mr. COBDEN postponed his motion for national
arbitration until Tuesday, the 12th of June.
THE DUTY ON ADVERTISENIENTS.

Mr. EWART gave notice that on an early day he
should move for the repeal of advertisement duty.
IRISH SPIRITS.
Mr. REYNOLDS presented a petition from distillers
in Dublin, Drogheda, and other places, praying to be
placed on the same footing with regard to waste and
other matters, as the distillers of England and Scotland.
NEW METROPOLITAN BOROUGH.
Mr. MACGREGGOR postponed hia motion with
respect to constituting Chelsea and Kensington into a
new borough until the 14th of June.
THE BALLOT.

Mr. U. BERKELEY presented a petition, signed by
7,188 inhabitants of the city of Bristol, in favour of the
ballot, and another, signed by 2,000 inhabitants of
Cheltenham, to the same effect.
Mr. J. WILLIAMS presented a petition from Mac•
clesfield, and another from a❑ individual named Fowler,
residing in Cardigan, to the same effect.
Mr. 11. BERKELEY then rose and said that in con
sequence of the resolution passed last sessio❑ he had
now the honour of presenting himself to the House to
a,le for leave to bring in a Bill to give the
electors of Great Britain and Ireland the protection of
the ballot in the discharge of their solemn and bounden
duty to return fit and proper Members to serve in Par•
liament.—(Hear.) He hoped he should not be told that
the House was surprised at the passing of such a reso-
lution, as such an accusation would be most unjust,
since his motion was on the Votes and Proceedings
or the House for full three months before the motion
had an opportunity of being heard. All the usual no-
tices had been before Hon. Members. There was the
notice which they had on their table every morning
before and after notice had bee❑ given. There
was the regular notice which they had a second
time on the Saturday before the week in
which the motion took place ; and thirdly, there was the
printed notice on the day on which the motion was made.
Coneequently it was impossible to say that the House
was surprised at such a motion, and it was impossible to
disturb the decision. In addition, too, to these regu-
lar notices, in consequence of the vexatious counts out
of the House during the last session, he addressed a

letter to the editor of the Times newspaper, stating his
intention to bring on the question, even if he made use
of the privilege ot taking a Government night. Nothing,
then, was left undone on his part to secure due
attention to the motion ; and that motion, deferred by
no lanit of his, came on for hearing on the Bth of August
last in a much fuller House than usually transacts the
business of the country at that period of the session—a
House consisting ot 171 Members, exclusive of
the Speaker. Now, if at that season there
were Honourable Members not present who were
more intent upon attending to their private pleasures
than discharging their duty to their constituents, the
decision ought not to be disturbed on that ac-
count, otherwise as well might they establish that
the decision ot a quorum of a Committee should
not be binding because sonic of the Members thought
proper to go to the Derby or the Oaks. How, there-
fore, Hon. Members could refuse him leave consistently
to bring in this Bill he could not understand, that was if
they desired to uphold the dignity of the House.—
(Hear, hear.) For his own part he should be
most willing to save the time of the House, and to rest
satisfied by referring to the debate of last session, upon
which his case should rest, and he was content to hear
the opposition of that miserable attempt at argument
which on that occasion was opposed to it. Give him
leave to bring in the Bill—give him leave to
carry out the principle which was conceded last year,
and he would be quite satisfied, but he was told that he
was to be met with an opposition in 'inane, that the re-
solution of the House was not to be observed, and that
leave was not to he given to bring in the Bill.
The course he intended to pursue was that which had
been followed upon all occasions. Ho defied those
who were against the ballot to read the debates on
the subject, and not admit that the arguments
that had been adduced both for and against
it were all in its favour. He would throw himself on
the indulgence of the House, while he endeavoured to pre-
pare for the threatened attack that was to be made against
him, and the fortified position he held on the subject.
There was one particular argument on which the op-
ponents of the ballot founded their case ; it had been
used by the Right Hon. Baronets the Members for
famworth and Ripon, and the Noble Lord the Member
for the city of London, their whole case depended on
utterlyttwAhh eee r e pto
otthheet
evalupeo poll
l of
constitutionfa
underno the
yf
seh country.
screw of
ele
noltf.
arisdnscurdiimepynereintseidoon that secret voting was hostile to
t every general election tens of thousands of electors
landlords, bankers, solicitors, creditors, and
customers, while a similar number,s' owing
to the present system, thought it advisable
to pursue a middle course, and either refused to vote or
refused to register.—(Hear, hear.) And it was ridicu-
lous to say in face of the evidence which was before
them, that that was the exception and not the
rule. The Honourable Member for Birmingham
(Mr. Muntz) had stated that at least 1,000 electors
in that town were deterred from giving a conscientious
vote, yet in the face of a multitude of evidence
of that kind the Ncble Lord (Lord John Rus-
sell) and those who argued with him, would
persuade the House that this country was in
a primitive state of political innocence. He, however,
thought that the over-weaning lust for political sway
on the pat t of the upper classes had rendered nugatory
all powers of resistance by the poor and
middling classes, and reduced them to a State
of politielal bondage.—(Hear, hear.) As regarded pro-
tective voting, the arguments used were positively worth
nothing, but if they vi ere, they told directly in favour of
his Bill. Give the elector freedom, place him beyond the
reach of intimidation, and then they would have freedom of
of discussion, and clear the country of the vitiated system
which now existed.—(Year, hear.) Ile would next en-
deavour to meet the particular arguments which had been
brandished by the opponents to his measure. It was pre-
tended that if they grve electors power to conceal their
votes the electors would be utterly unable to keep their own
counsel. Now, it appeared to him that a man bad a
sufficient reason ;or holding his tongue when
ruin stared him in the face. But it was said
the British elector bad it not in his nature to
keep his own counsel—that the secret would he
forthcoming—thgt in 'ac the3tiitsnit post NV? eTto

though in so doing he should prove himself an ass.
Now, when they attributed that excessive garrulity to
the electors of this country, they seemed to forget that
there are hundreds and thousands of Odd Fellows,
Foresters, and Masons, who could and did keep the i
secrets of their charitable orders inviolable. He did
not find Hon. Members who were members of clubs
disclosing their secrets. He would propose to them
a familiar case. Let them suppose some young '
military gentleman of Celtic origin and sanguine tem-
perament communicating to his friends out of doors
what passed in his dui); but would any gentle man go
into the streets and tell the secrets of his club? But
discretion, which was said to be the better part of
valour, would prevent disclosures; but not so wah the
humble elector. He feared for the loss of his farm, and
of his customers, and for his suffering wife and family.
—(Hear, hear.)—and yet they told him (Mr. H. Ber-
keley) that such a man could not keep the secrets which
they could keep. Depend upon it that where secrecy
was the best safety the secret will be kept with even
more than club-like or Masonic fidelity. On the other
hand, he (Mr. 11. Berkeley) imposed no secrets on
voters ; he might proclaim how he voted at the poll
or wherever he pleased; but it was for the protection
of the man who had to go through the ordeal that
secrecy was invoked. In all cases the ballot would attain
that object. Ho believed the undue influence of people
in high station, and rich in estate, would be put down
by it, whilst he believed the influence of property and
station, would be diminished not one jot. He now
craved permission to address one word to those Hon.
Members who were in favour of the ballot, but doubted its
efficacy without the extension of the suffrage. There
was no Hon. Member in that House more willing to
extend the suffrage than he was—(Hear, hear)—but he
was prepared to contend that without the extension of
the suffrage the ballot would be perfectly efficacious.
There could be no doubt that any change in our elective
system must be for the better—(Hear, hear)—and they
could give him no proof of the failure of the ballot
where the ballot had been tried. It had been said the
ballot was a failurein America ; he utterly denied the
more, he could state that
)groir3iously in that country for
iats s er
hadtio n
answered— Hear, h
seoa. r 3Y
for the the protection of the dearest rights of
mankind that in the slave holding states at this moment
abolish the ballot, because
toits influence that the aboli-
tiontt hneeyyy
fearedwereof seeking
under
slavery would arrive. —(Hear, hear.)
The Hon. Member then read a petition from Bristol
very. numerously
admirablyin the United States. No higher eulogium
signed, stating the :ballot had worked
could be passed on the ballot than did
this petition—it was utterly impossible to do
so. In America the ballot acted as a shield
to the voter ; but intimidation stood forward and
soughtits abrogation, in order that the slave trade
might be perpetuated and tyranny do its work, and
turning to our own country he found that its concession
to the people was denied on the same ground—namely,
that of intimidation. But if ho had a doubt that
that the ballot would work well, that doubt would be
iv once removed on a comparison between:our electoral
system and that of Belgium. In 1830, under the
influence of the French Revolution, a new Belgian
Constitution was formed. The qualification to entitle
a person to vote averaged, according to the different
localities, from the payment of 20 to 100 florins. In
1843, however, the Belgians improved their
electoral system ; one universal qualification
of twenty florins paid in direct taxation
amounting to 11. 15s. 2d., being the qualification. Thus
the electoral body was increased from 40,000 to 80,000,
and the system had worked most beneficial for the
welfare of the country. The progress that had been made
under the system was perfectly remarkable. He pointed
to Belgium to show that the ballot would be perfectly
efficacious here—he pointed to it as a practical in-t ncto
that the working of the ballot in England must rival
the working of the ballot in Belgium, but it was not
necessary that it should do more than accomplish the
same good purpose it had in Belgium. The Hon. Member
then referred to a work addressed to the Conservatives of
England by a Conservative, which, as far as we could
understand the Hon. Member, approved of such a pro-
tection being afforded to the voter as the ballot.
the writer then proceeded to state the monstrous in-
justice that was done by Election Committees, and
cited the case of the Honourable Member for Dublin,
and the vexatious proceedings taken in that case
He had pointed the attention of the House to the
example of Belgium, and having done so, he thought he
had laid a solid foundation for his case. He was much
struck the other day by reading a speech made b y his
Royal Highness Prince Albert during his late visit to
Lincolnshire. His Royal Highness on that occasion
gave infinite praise to the relations existing between
landlord and tenant in that part of the country which
he said did not depend upon more written, but on
mutual trust and confidence between the parties. He can-
fidently believed that the measure he now proposed would
tend to cement the good understanding which ought to
prevail between landlord and tenant, for h. e believed it
would have a tendency to improve the relationship which
all orders of society ought to bear to each other. Let them
put their trust in the people and they would confide in them
He believed that the measure if carried would cause the
rich to be more careful of the interest of the poor—
(Loud cheers)—it would have a tendency to prevent
absenteeism; he believed it would extend the use of
the suffrage, and he asked leave to bring in the Bill
because he felt it would cause the privilege orders of
society to endeavour to gain that by merit which they
were now trying to gain either by gold or force.
namely, political distinctions—(Cheers)—and, lastly, he
asked for leave to bring in this measure, because he be-
lieved it would tend to uproot terrorism, which was the
oul blot on the escutcheon of the Constitution of the
country.—(Cheers.)
Mr. JOHN WILLIAMS seconded the motion with
great pleasure, for under the existing system, iatirnida-
;ion and corruption was the rule, and those who justified
it must either give up their case or put forward some
new argument against the present motioa.—(Hear,
hear.) He stood there as the representative of a class of
traders who were remarkable for attachment to the con-
stitution; but even they, while exercising the franchise,
were compelled either to violate their consciences or
submit to loss.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") lie had suf-
fered much in this way himself. He had long considered
it the right of every man of full age to be entitled to the
franchise, and as ho never concealed his opinion Ist that
respect, he had, suffered much in trade through it.—
(Hear, hear.) Some time ago he took an interest in the
election of a friend of his for Marylehone, and
because he refused to sacrifice his conscience
and support to the other party, one of his
best customers directed him to send in his account, add-
ing that he should never darken his doors any more.—
(Hear and a laugh.) So with respect to one of his
neighbours in Regent-street, whose connexion lay
amongst the aristocracy, on the occasion of the same
called upon him to solicit his vote
promised it. Upon hearing which,
ladysebi
luleetc tshiaoei nd had a,
db b,ljetyo alreadyoutradespeople ought to oblige your
customers, u
do not vote for us, I will go to the
Duchess of So-anti-so, Lady Sosand.so, and the Ho-
nourableoftheoperation ofthesomechangesystem, Mrs. So-and-s a and get them to with-
draw their custom." That was a wimp's and
e
andtruetillustration
wash
t e
effected.—(Near,e
hear.) The lion. Member concluded
by seconding the motion.
Mr. GRAN PLEY BERKELEY gave his cordial
adhesion to the measure. He read several letters from
tenant farmers, and others among his constituents, com-
plaining of the influence exercised upon electors by land.
lords, and stating that they would rather be without
the franchise than with it, and only allowed to exercise
it as they did at. the present moment. One
tenant fa
rmer had nad his farm taken from him,
which he bad held under Lord. Filetardinge for up.
wards of thirty years., and who did not even vote at the
last election.
'I he Honourable Member then
read several other letters from electors, show•
ing the extent to which treating and intimi-
dation was resorted to during the last election. His
floe. Friend, the Member for Manchester, (Mr. Milner
Gibson), might be compared to a political Joseph; he
had been obliged to flee from the Treasury bench in
order to save his political virtue.—(Great laughter.)
He was of opinion that shortening the duration of Par-
liaments, without the ballot, would be valueless.
Indeed, instead of having a beneficial effect it
would place greater power in the hands of Peers
and other persons of influence. We should be
curious to see how those on the Government benches
would vote on the question. In 1842 the following
gentlemen voted for the ballot:—Colonel Anson, Mr.
Bellew, Captain Berkeley, a relative of his own, the
lion
• George Bvng, Admiral Dundas—(Hear, hear)—
Sir George Grey—(Cheers and laughter)—Lord Marcus
Hill—(Cheers and laughter)—the lion. Mr. Macaulay,
Mr. Fox Maule—(llear, hear, and laughter)—Mr. Par-
ker—(Hear, hear)—Mr. Ponsonby, Mr. Redington,
Mr. Shed—(geer hear)—Sir William Somerville-7
(Laughter, and cries of " Hear, hear")—Mr. 'Tut-
nell—(Cheers and continued laughter)—Mr. Ward, Mr.
Buller, and Mr. Gibson Craig.—(Cheers and laughter.)
We were curious to know how thus Gentlemen would
vote on the present occasion—bow far they would sus-
fain their former protestations on the present occasion.
—(Hear, Is hear.)
/ ate trusted the House see the necesity
of affording them the protection of the ballot.
Captain BERKELEY entered into a defence of Ear.
Fitzhardinge, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

THE STANFIELD HALL MURDERS
DISCOVERY OF THE WEAPON.
WYMONDIII.II, WEDNESDAY.--The discovery of the
weapon by which Rush perpetrated the murders at
Stanfield Ilan has created considerable interest in the
County. The locality in which it was found certainly
tends to show that the presumed search made
by the county police was at least carried out
in the most slovenly manner. For several weeks they,
with sixty or seventy hired labourers, under the personal
direction of Colonel Oakes, the chief officer of the force,
at a very great expense to the county, were engaged
in almost the complete demolition of Potash, the
turning up of the lend, and the emptying of the
numerous pits of water which abound in the diatricr.
In fact, to such an extent was the search said to have
been made, that, to use the words of one of the OH
cials, had so small a thing as a pencil case been secreted,
it would have been turned up. It may be stated
that the weapon had been so placed after the search
by some person, for the purpose of obtaining a large
reward, but a general opinion prevails that that portion
of the farm where the discovery was made had not been
examined at all. Although the process of ejectmret
has been serrid on Mr. James Rush, son of the de-
ceased murderer, and the furniture disposed of by
public auction, yet he continues to hold pissession of
the farm. It appears that in the course of last
Saturday one or two of the labourers were engaged in
clearing away some muck which stood near a shed at the
eastern extremity of the barn, scarcely 30 paces from
he bile; door 9f I)Qtalh, when a double-barrelled slant