The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-07 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1870.

Repetition or, in other words, use does not st
the infinite variety of the scheme first projected,
now, as nearly as possible, twenty years ago by the
Prince CoNsoßT—the scheme long since familiar to
us and
,to other countries of Christendom under the
well-known title of International Exhibitions..
Since the Crystal Palace was first projected in
1850, the idea then brought to light has, as
one may made the tour of the world. The
notion then realized on the greensward of Hyde Park
in '5l. has been realized, more or less comprehen-
sively in others of the capitals of Europe, in Paris at
one time, in St. Petersburgh at another—to say
nothing of the International Art Exhibition at Man-
chester, or of the great omnium gatherum at Dublin
—bearing, of course, all the while, especially
in remembrance the grand intermediate display which
took place in '62 at South Kensington. Coming as
these demonstrations do, apparently in cycl s, the
scope of which seems in some mysterious way to be
matter of uncertainty, it will be perceived that there
are indications already of the next of these in rotat!on,
the Grand International Exhibition designed to take
place here in London in the year immediately ensuing.
The proceedings which took place yesterday at the
rooms of the Society of Arts in John-street, Adel
phi, were obviously, only very slightly, preli-
minary. Nevertheless, as the merest com-
mencement, as marking the fact of an ac-
tual starting point, the occasion was intrinsic lly
full of interest. As clearly enough indicating her
MAJESTY'S personal ca. e for the undertaking, Prince
CHRISTIAN, it will be seen, occupied the po.ition of
chairman. Practice making perfect, we doubt no'
that all the more esscnt'al details of the enterpfis.)
will be sedulously seen to and cared for thr,,ughout.

ITECENT proceedings with a view to the repres-
sion of bribery have not proved particularly satis-
factory or hopeful; beut it is evident that the Govern-
ment and the judges are doing their little best. Simul-
taneously with the announcement of the bills for dis-
franchising Beverley and Bridgwater, comes the news
that a notorious offender at Norwich has not only met

with conviction, but has actually received sentence.
Here is a little progress. If these measures of retri-
bution are not all that we could wish, they are, at
least something. Disfranchisement is a remedy
which is to be tolerated only for want
of a better, for it deprives of the right to vote
many persons who have exercised that right with
perfect propriety, and who ought not to suffer
through the mere accident of residing in a town
containing an exceptionally large proportion of
corrupt electors. The fear of disfralichisement
does not restrain candidates, for these
are at liberty to transfer their attention
elsewhere. The fear of disfranchisement does
not restrain voters, for men who are prepared
to sell themselves will not forego their gains alto-
gether because of the probability that the career
of iniquitous profit will be brief. The punish-
ment awarded to Beverley and Bridgwater is,
in short, pure and simple retribution ; yet in
these bad times we are thankful for small mercies;
and it is a comfort to find that the open toleration of
bribery is not without limit. Moreover, these two
boroughs have not only failed to turn their advan-
tages to good use, but their title to the repre-
sentative privileges they have abused is highly
doubtful. Bridgwater and Beverley return
each two members, and either under the
most favourable circumstances would be
amply honoured with one. With a population of
10,800, as in the case of Beverley, and 11,300, as in
the case of Bridgwater, these two boroughs have
hitherto enjoyed decidedly more than their fair share
of electoral good things. It is likely, too, that
if the • rogues were eliminated, the honest
voters would not be sufficiently nume-
rous to form a constituency, and thus the
injustice they suffer through disfranchisement
is reduced to a minimum. Moreover, the representa-

tion will not be lost. Many districts are inade-
quately represented—the whole of Scotland is an
example, and thus the loss of Bridgwater and
Beverley will be the gain of some deserving towns or
counties. Disfranchisement is a highly convenient
mode of redistributing seats, though as a punishment
it has not the best of logic on its side.
At Norwich the success of justice has been as
imperfect as at Bridgwater. By a sentence
of six months' imprisonment for municipal
bribery, Ilardiment has met with a severe
bat not disproportionate punishment. Yet this
triumph of justice is materially impaired by the
facts that, out of seven prosecutions for parliamentary
and municipal bribery, only two ended in convic-
tions, and the acquittals were greeted with boisterous
Joy by the good Norwich folk, proving that corrup-
tion still ranks as a high virtue in that borough,
that interference with bribery is looked. upon as
tyranny, that justice in short, so thoroughly rotten is
the electoral principle of the place,would be efficiently
vindicated only by sending half the consti-
tuency to join Har4inient. Nevertheless
this conviction must act ass a certain
terror to evildoers. Ilardiment was one of
those subordinates who are prepared, for a duo con-
sideration, to do the actual dirty work, the detail of
corruption, the ladling out of the gold, and the tap-
ping of the beer. His Into Night to render it more
difficult in the future to set machinery
like himself in motion. Candidates may
escape, but agents like Hardiment, whether
they operate at Parliamentary or Municipal elections
may always be run down. Their deeds are too
notoriens t 9 be covered with those Pleas of ignorance