The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-27 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1847.

Elections will come off in rapid succession through-
out the provinces during the ensuing fortnight. Ex-
tr 'ordinary is the excitement prevalent already in the
different boroughs. The saw and hammer are even
now busily plied for the immediate erection of the
temporary hustings. Electioneering committees are
involved in the toils of preparation. Candidates are
roving from house to house, canvassing with unusual
assiduity. Party cries are scarcely so numerous as
formerly, but the belligerent forces—the popular
majority, and the stand-still minority, the Free-trade
Liberals, and the Protectionist Tories, the lovers of
cleanliness, and the advocates of their own inalienable
dirt, the supporters of the Government, and the very
"awkward squad" of Lord GEORGE BEsvrtricK—are
confronted upon the various local arenas. Every
independent elector niust buckle up for the
contest as earnestly as if the destinies of the
empire depended-upon his solitary decision. That is
the true philosophy of Parliamentary elections ; that
is the only substantial guarantee for success; that is
the undoubted precursor of victory and exultation.
Let it not be forgotten—let every Liberal wear it in
his heart—let him wear it as an amulet against de-
feat, and as a talisman for the realisation of his most
cherished expectations.
A ?lath., innotl.y sportgard= is p
position of affairs in the principal commercial cities
of Great Britain. We shall enumerate them with as
much brevity as is consonant with distinctness. Four
we have already, namely, in our yesterday's im-
pression, particularised—London, Manchester, Liver-
pool, and Glasgow. We have recommended, and
will still recommend, the concentration in those dif-
ferent cities of the Liberal influence for the
victorious return of their several popular candidates
—RUSSELL, PATTISON, ROTHSCHILD, and LARPENT,
for the representation of the first; GIBSON and
BRIGHT for the representation of the second ; Mao'
for the representation of the third ; MACGREGOR and
HA STIE for the representation of the fourth. The
qualifications of those eminent candidates are as un
equalled as the liberality of their principles is un.
questionable. Nothing but a traitorous and inex

cusable indolence can transform the propitious
auguries of their canvass into discomfiture. Nothing
but a superior ♦igilance among the supporters of their
antagocists can divert the suffrages of those distin-
guished constituencies from the national cause to the
cause of a Quixotic faction.
Unless BIRMINGHAM at last relieve itself from
the incubus of Conservatism, in the person of its

late representative, Mr. R. SPOONER, and asso-
ciate Mr. G. F. MUNTZ with Mr. W. SCHOLEFIELD,
a candidate of indisputable honesty, and a man bear-
ing moreover in his name the prestige of his
father's honourable reputation, the independent elec-
tors will be justified in regarding with suspicion and
incredulity the nominal liberality of that emporium
of our inland manufactures. Mr. Murizz, under all
circumstances, may count upon a triumphant recep-
tion from those constituents who have hitherto found
him the untiring promoter of every measure calculated
to ameliorate the condition of the labouring classes.
In Birmingham we are satisfied that the necessity for
a currency reformation will not be forgotten. At
LEEDS popularity seems to be concentrating around
the banners of one Liberal candidate, at least, namely,
Mr. JAMES GARTH MARSHALL. Leeds will, doubt •
less, bear in recollection the necessity of an uncondi•
tional diffusion of secular knowledge through the
agenc% of national education. Mr. BAINES and Dr.
HOOK will at least have done good service to thy
cause of popular instruction, by exciting discussion
upon a matter of such paramount consideration among
a constituency of so much intelligence. From the
friction of debates, such as those excited latterly in
Leeds, the truth must ultimately shine with reful-
gence. YORK is still unhappily abandoned to that
obtuse section of politicians which, if encouraged,
would infallibly stultify all the more generous efforts
of a patriotic Legislature. BUCKINGHAM, in like
manner, continues a pocket constituency, almost as
glaringly as in the heyday infamy of the rotten-
boroughmongering system. GLOUCESTER will as-

•uredly return none other than the Honourable
Captain M. F. F. BERKELEY, a resolute Liberal,

and one of her MAJEsTr's Lords of the Admi•

ralty, associating with him, Mr. W. P. PRICE,
of Tibberton-court, an advocate for popular measures,
who appears on the retirement of Mr. J. PIIILPOTTS.
In Captain BERKELEY we cannot distinguish any or
that unconstitutional sycophancy to the Lord of
Berkeley Castle, which, in our estimation, utterly
disqualifies Mr. GRENVILLE BERKELEY for the re-
presentation of West Gloucestershire. Mr. GREN-
VILLE BERKELEY is notoriously the nominee of Earl
FITZUARDINGE, and consequently his election must
proclaim with a damning distinctness the corruption
and venality of the independent electors. For this
reason we are persuaded that the Hon. G. C.
GRANTLEY F. BERKELEY is a preferable candidate.
Even with a vivid remembrance of his rather ugly
revelations, even with a recollection of his long
tailoring scores with STULTZ; and his indecorous
violence both of vituperation and self-defence, we art-
convinced that the Hon. GRANTLEY BERKELEY is a
candidate immeasurably preferable to Mr. GREN-
VILLE BERN FLEV. The latter is the overt puppet of

Earl FITZPIARDINGE, the former is a sort of enthu

siastic rebel—one that in the delirium of a politica

emancipation hitherto unknown to him would almost
at a c-ftity to the Charter, and march under
the banners of Radicalism. A rebel Liberal rree from

he thraldom of a peer, is better surely than the passive

[nstrument and pliant mouthpiece of that peer.

The

one may become the puppet of the populace, the other
is the puppet of a nobleman. For HULL, Mr. J. CLAY

promises admirably. For NORWICH, Mr. PETO is
singularly suited, and for READING, Mr. Sergeant
TALFOURD has a brilliant prospect of heading the poll.
To-morrow we shall resume our synopsis of the pro-
vincial elections, and their antagonistic candidates.
Meanwhile let two incentives keep alive the enthusi-
asm of the Liberal electors—two incentives—two
words—COURAGE !—ACTIVITY

It has repeatedly been our painful duty to direct
, the public attention to instances of the abuse of
power by occupants of the magisterial bench. A
more flagrant case has, however, seldom occurred
than one reported to have taken place at Wellington
on Monday last, and which we have extracted from
the columns of a respected contemporary, the
Somerset .County Gazette. A boy named WINTER,
only eleven y ears of age, was charged with having
stolen a few (twelve) apples. The magistrates con-
sidered the charge proved, and in the exercise of their
discretion, tempering justice with mercy, they sen-
tenced the unfortunate child to "four months' im-
prisonment with-hard labour, to be once privately and
once publicly whipped, the public whipping to be
through the town of Wellington." . Can this be
possible in merry Englanet in the nineteenth
century ? Can this be the result of the improved
legislation that has taken
ment, so revolting to ev
Parliament ? Is it credible place under a reformed
er hutinh that
e thatm infdo,r
som degradingof punisti-
that men in full strength aldsovi
, to the unfortunate sufferer,Y
have fallen victims to its effects,tt
sgiaononjudourfr injurious
sv
ee constitutionstiunonfl khicetai
infliction,
tnha
brief period under the fatal resut
e obsolete,every spectator--
so brutalizing and demoralizing
onth and fallen
one that had practically becort
I
into disuse, is to be revived
wretched child, and the whole town aenda
Pierwsigonrahboofura..
hood disgusted, to gratify the caprice of
confinement, &sago:
serial Solons ; and with the addition of another afigoig.
ging (in private) and four months'
ciated with depraved and abandoned characterso,ho- '
will speedily initiate him in every description.
of villany, and banish _any hesitation or
remnants of a better 'feeling ' that may

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