The Sun.
London, England, 1833-01-16 00:00:00

Liverpool—in the understanding between the
candidates and the electors in some twenty or
thirty boroughs which we could mention—
in the menaces of landlords to tenants who were
desirous of voting in a sense opposed to the in-
terests of those on whom they were dependent ?
A precious palladium, indeed, was open voting,
as exemplified in too many of the recent elections!
But we are told that men who are now by the force
of public opinion constrained to vote honestly,
would, under the secrecy of the ballot, vote against
the interests of public liberty. Not for bribery,
we presume, for the man who would accept a
bribe is not to be relied upon by the suborner in
a mode of voting which gives no proof that the
hireling has earned the wages of his infamy.
How then? Why, here and there a fellow,
secretly a friend to tyranny and corrup-
tion might take advantage of the ballot
to conceal principles which he would not dare
to own to the public. Do not such fellows as
these now vote openly in favour of corruption,
and would the number be increased by the adop-
tion of the ballot ? No ; but, on the other hand,
well-disposed electors, who cannot now vote con-
scientiously without worldly ruin, would be able
to exercise the elective franchise without fear of
destructive consequences. For every voter that the
ballot would make a rogue, we should have
twenty well-disposed men emancipated from
the thraldom which prevents their being
politically honest. If the ballot be such a
discreditable mode of proceeding as the writer
pretends, what a mass of falsehood and treachery
there must be in all those establishments where
the ballot is now the only mode of voting. We
believe, however, that where that mode has been
tried, it has always proved efficacious in preven

in; fraud and undue influence. If so, what rea-
sonable argument can be adduced against its
adoption for the election of Members of Par-
liament ?

Prince TALLEYRAND having replied to the
communication of Lord PALMERSTON on the
subject of the King of HOLLAND'S answer,
despatches were last night sent off to Paris from
the Foreign-office and the French Embassy.
Until the French Cabinet shall have deliberated
on the contents of these despatches nothing posi-
tive can transpire as to the course which will be
adopted towards Holland. There is little doubt,
however, on the subject ; for unless the French
are disposed to accept for Belgium, after all the
expenditure to which they have been put in the
reduction of the citadel of Antwerp, worse
terms than they would have obtained before
that outlay was incurred, they will not listen
to the proposal of the Dutch KING, neither can
Lord PALMERSTON, with any degree of credit,
consent to a reference to the five Powers,
knowing, as he does, that there is an un-
der3tanding between Russia and Holland for
the creation of a delay which might enable
them to profit by the doctrine of chances.
Whatever may have been the origin of British
and French intervention, France and England
have now gone too far to recede with credit or
safety. The question lies in a nut-shell. The
King of HOLLAND still hopes For the re-an-
nexation of Belgium to his present territories,
either by foreign influence, or through intestine
commotion. Improbable as the one or the other
may be, neither is impossible, so long as his
formal adhesion to the treaty prepared by the
British and French Cabinets shall be withheld.
It is for these Cabinets to defeat his hopes and
to prevent further pretext for interference by the
Powers of the Holy Alliance. They can do
this by promptitude and energy ; but if they
allow themselves to be cajoled by Russia, the
time may arrive when it will not be so easy of
accomplishment.

But, independently of the right which Bel-
gium has to independence on the broad principle
of popular freedom, our Ministers are bound to
reflect whether it might not establish a very
dangerous precedent as to other matters of
importance if the Russian Emperor were to
be permitted longer to exercise an influence
over a portion of the continent with which he
is not by his political position directly connected.
His family alliance with the King of HOLLAND
gives him no control over a people who have
thrown off the yoke of the Dutch Sovereign. The
time when Kings disposed of the fate of distant na-
tions, on grounds of personal pride or convenience,
is passed, and two free Governments, like those
of Great Britain and France, should not propiti-
ate the return of principles which characterized
that period. Russia has played too prominent
a part already in the affairs of Europe, and it
would savour of gross imbecility in our Cabinet
to allow her to play the same part any longer.

By the express from Paris this morning the
papers of Monday, and the Messager des
Chambres, dated yesterday, have been received.
They contain very little news of political inte-
rest, being principally filled with details of the
movements of Louis PHILIP, and the Royal
cortege. The interview between the Queen of
FRANCE and her daughter the Queen of the
BELGIANS, on her arrival at Lille, produced a
most extraordinary feeling in the bosoms of
all around. Great rejoicings have taken place
on the occasion, and the inhabitants of Lille
have proved their loyalty to the present reigning
family to the highest degree. After the KING
has distributed the cross of honour to the troops
lately returned from Belgium, they will all re-
turn to Paris, where every preparation is making
at the Palais Royal to receive King LEOPOLD
and his Royal Consort.
Despatches are daily sent from Paris to his
MAJESTY and Marshal SOULT.

The late disturbance at Clichy has had no
further result, although the Carlist party was in
hopes that an emeuic would have taken place in
the capital, i❑ favour of HENRY V.; but the
Parisians, and the whole of France, are fully
persuaded that the fallen dynasty can never again
reign, even should the present family be over-
thrown.

Daily interviews take place between the Aus-
trian, Prussian, and English Ambassadors and
the Duke de BROGLIE, Minister for Foreign
Affairs. The object of all parties is the final