The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-07 00:00:00

and that although there had been a (I,,erease
on the corresponding quarter of last year of 6,405/. ! !
It is the only item in which there is a steady and con-
tinuous depreciation.

The Post-office, under the judicious arrangement of
ROWLAND HILL, is still improving; the increase there
being on the year 74,0001., and on the quarter 30,000/.,
every additional facility to the public, bringing ad-
ditional profit to the Exohequer. The Crown Lands,
on the contrary, show a deficiency of 10,0001. in
the year, which a closer inspection will show to have
been entirely sustained within the quarter. On the
Miscellaneous there is a decrease of 47,4111. on the
year, and an increase of 9,767/. on the quarter.
Of the extraordinary branches of revenue, it is suf-
ficient to say, that under the head of Imprest and other
Moneys there is a falling off of 27,411/. on the year,
and an improvement of 3,9421. on the quarter, while
under that of Repayment of Advances the improvement
is on the year to the extent of 123,4491., while the
decrease, no less than 64,8801., is on the quarter. On
the whole—the income-tax excepted—the public will
agree with us in thinking that, taking all the cir-
cumstances into account, the nation has every reason
to be thankful at the results of free trade, tried by
the most stringent test that could possibly be
devised.

As old Reformers, we would fain request Mr.
HUME and Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE to consider
whether, should they persevere in the amendments
for which they have given notice for to-morrow on
Mr. HENRY BERKELEY'S motion for the ballot, they
will not be inflicting serious damage on the cause
which they profess to advocate ; affording its
enemies an opportunity of giving the go-bye to the
real question at issue, and, by exhibiting a show of
division among Reformers on the question of the
ballot, encouraging Lord J. RUSSELL in his opposi-
tion to this, the most essential of all reforms, and one
without which an extension of the franchise would be
rather a mockery than a reality—a snare rather than
a boon to many on whom it would be conferred.
In the votes paper of the House of Comtnons we find
the following notices :

"Mr. Hume—To move as an amendment on Mr.
Henry Berkeley's motion for ballot, for Bill to amend
the national representaticn, by extending the elective
franchise, so that every man of full age, and not subject
to any mental or legal disability, who shall have been
the resident occupier of a house, or part of a house as a
lodger, for twelve months, and shall have been duly rated
to the poor of that parish for that time, shall be regis-
as an elector, and be entitled to vote for a representa-
tive in Parliament. Also, by enacting that votes shall
be taken by ballot, that the duration of Parliaments shall
not exceed three years, and that the proportion of re-
presentatives be made more consistent with the amount
of population and property.
'Mr. Thomas Duncombe—To move, as an amendment
to, either :‘lr. Henry Berkeley's or Mr. Hume's motion,
That this House will, at the earliest opportunity in the
next session of Parliament, take into its serious consi-
deration the state of the representation of the people,
with a view to its amendment."'

We will not enter upon the question between Mr.
Hums and Mr. DuNcomas, or take upon ourselves to
say whether Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S assurance that ha
was about to extend the franchise and equalize the
representation, might be sufficient to induce these
gentlemen to postpone their motions, or the contrary;
but the abstract question of the ballot is a widely
different affair. The question of the ballot stands on
its own merits, and can only be treated as it was by
Mr. GROTE. It is no speculative or experimental
good, introducing on the stage new dramatis persona,
but it is good thus far, that it must upset and anni-
hilate a monstrous evil affecting those already invested
with political rights. Whether we increase or de-
crease the number of electors, the ballot is the certain
cure for intimidation, and the number, whether great
or small, can, under its protection, discharge their
duty to their country without fear of consequences,
Now, if Lord JOHN RUSSELL were prepared to take
this great and necessary reform into consideration, as
he is the subject of an extension of the franchise, we
doubt whether the Hon. Member for Bristol would
deem it his duty to press the question this session, but
as Lord JOHN RUSSELL has distinctly declared, in
reply to a question put to him by Mr. HENRY
BERKELEY in the House, that the ballot will not be
included in the new Reform Bill, we hold it to be the
bounden duty of that Honourable Gentleman,
a duty made pressing by the circumstances
which have arisen, to urge the question of protec-
tion to the voter upon the consideration of the House
of Commons this session, and we furthermore consider
it to be incumbent on those Honourable Members
who have voted on the question heretofore to attend
and assist in impressing on the Minister the futility
of any electoral reform which is not based oa the
ballot.

We therefore deprecate the proposal of any
amendment which shall give to the opponents of the
measure, who are at their wit's end for colourable
arguments wherewithal to oppose the question, an
opportunity of charging those Liberal Members who
support it with difference of opinion, distraction in
their councils, and absence of unanimity—weapons
which are flashy and delusive, if not keen and deadly.
We do hope, therefore, that Messrs. DUNCOMBE and
HUME, if they must bring forward their particular
views of Parliamentary reform, will at least take
such an opportunity as may not affect a question so
vi►_ally important to the best interests of the Par-
liamPntary elector and the cause of purity of
election.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of Saturday
and of yesterday.
The PRESIDENT of the Republic, accompanied by
his suite, left Paris for Beauvais yesterday morning,
to be present at the inauguration of the statue of
JEANNIS HACIIETTE. The following report of the
proceedings of the Committee of revision appears in
some of the journals :
" The Committee of Revision of the Constitution as-
sembled on Saturday to hear the report of M. de Melon
(du Nord) on the petitions. The total number of petitions
sent to the Assembly up to the Ist inst. was 13,524, and
the total of the signatures, crosses, and adhesions
1,123,625. Out of this total number there were fur the
revision 741,011 signatures, crosses, and adhesions; for
the revision and prolongation 370,511, and for the pro-
longation alone 12.103. The signatures to unconstitu-
tional petitions demanding either an immediate revision
of the Constitution by the Assembly, or expressing other
unconstitutional wishes, or the prolongation of the
powers of the actual President, are about 42,000 in
number. Only one petition expresses itself in a manner
disrespectful to the Assembly. The Committee pro-
poses to set aside all the petitions of this nature by,
the previous question. Tho report points cut cer-
tain abuses to which the petitionist movement
had given rise, and particularly several denunciations
directed against those who oppose the petitioning.
Some passages of the report gave rise to observations
on the part of the members of the Committee. The
reporter having spoken of the illegal deliberations of the
elective councils who have often expressed wishes fa-
vourable to the Government, General Cavaignao declared
that never until the last session had the councils general
ever expressed political wishes. M. Odilon Barrot
warmly exclaimed against the restricted use which the
men who had achieved power in the name of liberty
wished to make of that same liberty as soon as it was
acquired. In his opinion the struggles and efforts of
parties were the life of free states, and he claimed the
right of petitioning as an essential condition of liberty.
You have,' he said, established the government of
public opinion, would you, therefore place its establish-
ment on the condition that public opinion should not
manifest itself?' On the subject of another phrase in
the report which attributes the revisionist movement to
a popular sentiment, the bearing of which could not be
appreciated, General Cavaignac said petitioning did not
express the free and formal wishes of the coun.ry. M.
Odilon Barrot, on the contrary, maintained that the
movement appeared to him to be truly national, and that
he should be the defender of it from the tribune of the
Assembly. The reporter also alluded to the part which
the public au, horifies have taken in the petitionist move-
ment; he exonerated the central administration from
this influence, but pointsd out the fi event int-rference
of the local authorities. The Committee decided On
hearing the explanations of the Minister of the Interior
before coming t.o any decision on the subject."
The Assernblie Nationale, the organ of M. GtYIZOT,
says that Count NEiSELRODE has addressed a circular
to the Russian representatives at Naples, Florence,
and Rome, informing thew that Austria, Prussia, and
Russia, had resolved upon placing. at the disposal of
these Governments such aid as they might require
against revolutionary movements. Thus, according
to the interpretation of this journal, the Northern
Courts have formed an anti-revolutionary league,
" rendered necessary by the audacious and hypocriti-
cal enterprises of the English Government against the
peace of the continent, which it is English policy to
keep in a constant state of revolutionary agitation."
The Five per Cents. were &no yesterday on the
Boulevards at 94f. 55c.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT TEE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JULY 5.
Boulogne and Amiens, 10 Dutch Rhenish, 27 —Namur
and Liege, 6—Northern of France, 13%3—Tours and Nantes,
7 ex d.—West Flanders, 2A4 ex d.

DEATH OF AN AGED JOUUNAL.—OS Tuesday the
Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury iaanecl ita last paper, After
haying been established fvr 115 years.