The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-21 00:00:00

DEFECTS OF THE REFORM BILL

(From the Halifax Express.)
The Reform Act has been tried for eight yaart: 4
and has consequently had a sufficient trial to enable us
to pronounce a decisive opinion on its merits. lts
fects in matters of detail are manifold ; but most •
these might easily be amended, were there uo u
soundness in its general principles ; and it is that ti
soundness which is the main cause of its failure.

To particularize these defects in principle, we
observe, first, that it retained the old system of dist*
buting the representation amongst counties, division
counties, and large and small boroughs,instead of dividi
the country into districts, and giving each district a f.
share in the representation
A second defect in principle will be found in t,
nature of the elective franchise, or rather franehist
which it established. The Act not only retained tl
varieties of franchise which existed under the old. syster.
but it also added new ones, and thereby increased a
complexities of the suffrage, instead of diminishing then.
as it would have done, had one simple and general kit,
of suffrage been established, and all the other.
set aside. By extending the suffrage to ever:,
householder who has . paid rates for a giver
term, and has thereby gained some title to b
regarded as a settled inhabitant ; and •by pr,
venting the creation of fictitious votes, made by t)
division of tenements, claims for premises not occupit-
as dwellings, &c.,—the practical working of the ineasur,
would have been rendered exceedingly simple, an,
would have included within the pale of political privi-
leges, a very large mass of the pOpulation, now renderer
discontented by their exclusion.
These we consider to be the two grand defects in tl,-
principle of the Reform Act ; and one of the most pr -
minent of its faults, as to matters of detail, is the annual
gistration of the entire constituency. The harrassing n,-
cure of this part of the machinery of the Reform Act, i!
too,well known, and too deeply felt, to need much elu
eidation. By its instrumentality, two serious evils arc
incurred. One of these is the great curtailment of th
number of voters, and the other is the annual revival o
the party animosities of an election.

A-notiier grievous error in the details of the Act,
the requirement of the payment of a shilling, from cad.
voter, for his enrolment on the register. This tax.,
small as it may be thought, has proved very obnoxious,
and is a frequent source of disfranchisement. It ougl.
never to have been enforced ; and its exaction has doi
much mischief to the cause of Reform.
These are some of the defects of the present electo.r
system, as established by the Reform Act of 183.).

A BATTLE BETWEEN A DOG AND A MoisTKEI
—ln 1790, a curia us battle took place at Wore„ter
between a dog and a monkey; on a wager of three guine,
to one that the dog killed the monkey in six minutes, the
owner of the dog agreeing to permit the monkey to use a
stick about a foot long. Hundreds of spectators assembled
to witness the fight, and bets ran, eight, nine, and ten to
one in favour of the dog, which could 'hardly be held in,
The owner of the monkey, taking from his side-pocket e
thick round ruler, about a foot long, threw it into the
paw of the monkey, saying, " Now Jack, look sharp, mind
that--dog !" " Then here goes for your monkey !" cried the
butcher, letting the dog loose, which flew with a tiger-like
fierceness. The monkey, with astonishing agility, sprang
at least a yard high, and falling upon the dog, laid fast.
bold of the back of the neck with, his teeth, seizing ore
ear with his left paw so as to prevent his turning to bite.
In this unexpected situation, Jack fell to work with his
ruler upon the head of the dog, which he beat so forcibly
and rapidly, that the creature cried out most eloquently.
In short the skull was soon fractured, and the dog carried
off in nearly a lifeless state. The monkey was of the
middle size.

TieE LATE STORM.—The information which
has reached us from the out-ports gives a lamentable
description of the effects of the late gale. Many vessels
have been totally wrecked, and numerous lives lost. At
this period the Shipwrecked Mariners' Benevolent Society
have been rendered conspicuous, for those who have es-
caped from the wrecks have been hospitably received 113
the agents of that truly charitable Institution. We un-
derstand that the numerous cases which presented thew
selves as objects of compassion have greatly diminishes
the funds of the Society. We hope, however, that the
public will render that support which will admit of th.
Institution giving their aid in times of a like calamity.

TIGIIT SHOES.—.I am not yet forty, but I at:
old enough to have left off wearing tight boots. Beside.
I have a theory of my own on this subject. I don't thiin
small, straight, sharp.toed, squeezed-up feet are handsorrc
They are not what Nature intended. The fore part of t 1
foot should be wide. The pedestal constructed to bear t;
magnificent, upright, form of man should have breadth at,.
ficient for the purpose. The foot of a Roman or a Greer'
had more room to perform its constant and laborious avc
cation. There is in the modern boot or shoe a savoar
Chinese stupidity.

COMRIE, Nov. 13.—N0 fewer than four, son_st
say six, shocks of earthquake were observed here betweer
half-past two p.m. yesterday and seven this morning, all .
however', of the gentler kind, consisting almost entirely L
sounds resembling those caused by the discharge of distan.
artillery, modified by that hum or half musical tone whiC
generally serves to distinguish those subterrrnean expin
sions from atrial ones, even when otherwise most like them
The seismometers were not sensibly affected. Yesterda.
WAS mild and pleasant, some rain in the fore part, and higl•
wind throughout the night. Barometer yesterday and to
day 29-3; thermometer 50 to 52.
ALARM OF FIRE AT ST. THOMAS'S Hao,sei,
PITAL.-On Thursday evening much alarm wasacrree r:.1.,
among the inmates of St. Thomas's Hospital ferohrinalneyap,ct
that flames were issuing out of one o
that extensive building. It was first noticed
who gave immr
Archer, the messenger of Guy H
's __ospitaatthe flames pr
diate notice, when it was discoveredhth
on account of !h.
tnh:ticed by 51;
seeded from the chimney of the bat
exertions
of
~.
furnace being over heated.
By
the
y prompta water contiguous,
number of men, and the
thecgarrival of any engi.nes:
the fire was eminguished,
numerous inmates, and beforecurious
remains of annqui;;-
POLTON.—Some.
toguthanntreat gratification of thr.
ocl.toßn,.,tre.pkocp.ertTybr.v
H.
p. resent employed in carrying on tio,
Aorkmen who
';, are at
family Feat of the Calderwoo&
wAerirmeidrai'leS%erePd. aCf.ew dalY)surahcglom,atGP.
i:nprovem,.rits at t .
were
excavating viithi,i a few feet of the oldest part ra
they suddenly came upon AR
the skeleton of a Male, sup.
ancient
,i stone
ca
knight, as the remains of a horse were fowl
pase„ to .
of the coffin, and such is well known tr.
within i a few yards
.., .
' containing wh en
the Ma nsion-ehooffinas 9,
the mode'. of tntirement in'the thirteenth cell,
have been
u it was the custom, at the death of a w.;rrior, to
.
sacrifice his steed al.cl interAtim at his side. This event
has created a great sensation in The neighbourhood of Lr-;..; <,
Bade, when
and occasioned stveraearned discussions on 51115
tn
subject. The general opinion entertained is, that thin
knight was slain in the memorable battle fought near
Mavisbank and Roslin, in 1330, during which troubled
period the banks of the FAk were the see, .e of men- a
bloody cewest between the English and Scotch.—Scotsmen

ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
Under her Majesty's Immediate Patronage.
popular and interesting resort is OPEN DAILY

from Ten till-busk.

The Afenagerte, which is unequalled in the number, variety,
and beauty of the specimens it contains, occupies several spa-
.r.-,ieus and elegant buildings comfortably heated, and arranged
•vrith the nearest possible assimilation to the natural habits •
the animals. The most important additions recently received
are the rare and beautiful black Leopard, le Mignon Elephant,
a pair of the scarce Curassows, called. Cushew• Birds, the Sacred
loi,, the Bush Cow (the only specimen in Europe), a pair of
Ca:so-saries, the Monster Boa (the largest ever seen ia confine-
scent), &c.
The splendid collection of Caraivora are fed at Four o'Clock,
at s hich time the ferocious attributes and amazing muscular
p ewers of these forest monarchs are displayed to the utmost ad-
vantage. Admission, One Shilling.