The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-04 00:00:00

THE BALLOT.

The supporters of the Ballot are hoping a series of
meetings in the metropolis. The second was held on
Wednesday, under the presidency of Lord Campbell.
Amongst those present were Mr. Muntz, M.P., Mr. Eykyn,
M.P., Dr. Brewer, M.P., Dr. Dalrymple, M.P., Air.
Howard, M.P., Mr. Rylands, M.P., Mr. Illingworth,
M.P., Mr. Stapylton, M.P., the Hon. Auberon Herbert,
the Hon. George Brodrick, Mr. Bowring, M.P., &c.
In his opening speech the noble CHAIRMAN said what
they now had to combat was that vague and false
association which connected the Ballot in some minds
with everything that was coarse and dangerous; but
the best answer to that feeling, his lordship thought,
was a brief reference to those hon. gentlemen by whom
the cause had been advocated. In highly complimentary
terms he referred to the labours of Lord Macaulay, Mr.
Grote, and Mr. Berkeley, and said that a new advocate
had sprung up in the person of Sir Henry Bulwer, whose
talent had been exercised in every quarter of the world.
It had been urged that the Ballot was un-English, and no
doubt the observation was correct ; but as yet it had never
been tried in parliamentary elections, and therefore no
decided opinion could be formed respecting it. He sought
by argument to counteract the unjust impressions that
existed in the imagination and the sentiments of some
men against the Ballot, and spoke of many circumstances
which gave additional encouragement to the society. His
lordship said that many of the most conspicuous and
effective members of the Government were in their favour,
and he especially adverted to Mr. Bright, whose name
was received with marked applause. Other circumstances
of great encouragement were the experience which has
been gained by the friends of the Ballot in Australia,
where the machinery had been pretty well adjusted; and
the great success that had attended the movement in Man-
chester subsequently.

Mr. EYKIN, in a brief speech, said that however great
corrupt practices at parliamentary elections may have
been, the hotbed of corruption was in the municipal elec-
tions, and being strongly impressed with that belief he had
given notice of his intention to move that the Ballot be
adopted at all future municipal elections.
The Hon. GEORGE BRODRIcI said the only argument
against the 13a11ot worth answering was that urged by
Mr. Mill, namely, that the evils which the Ballot would
cure were now diminishing, and might be abated
altogether. He maintained that the dependence of the
poorer class of voters, and the rural population especially,
was a refutation of that argument. At Woodstock,
for instance, out of 1,200 voters, no less than
500 were agricultural labourers, of whom 400 were
under the direct influence of the Duke of Marlborough.
The opponents of the Ballot pointed to the experience of
America as a reason for its rejection, but he maintained
that the reference to America did not bear upon the ques-
tion at all. The ballot in America was what was known
as the open Ballot, there being no secrecy whatever,
because in the United States the poorer portion of the
population was ten times more independent than the same
section in England.

The Hon. AUBERON HERBERT said that during his stay
in America he was struck with the law•abiding character
of the people, which, he said, was the result of their con-
viction that, being in possession of the Ballot, they could,
when the elections came roand,rernove any undue pressure
that was put upon them.

Mr. MuNTz said that whenever the Ballot was referred
to, distant countries, such as Australia and America, were
spoken of ; but people had only to visit Belgium to find
proof of its happy results. He believed that of the recent
converts to the Ballot the defeated candidates formed a
very large portion. He regretted that at the last election
South-West Lancashire went the wrong way, but he con-
soled himself with the reflection that Mr. Gladstone's
rejection was one of the greatest triumphs that had been
obtained for the Ballot.

Dr. BREWER said the prevention of ferment at elec-
tions constituted sufficient ground for the adoption of Ulf
Ballot.
Mr. BOWRING and other gentlemen also addressed the
meeting.

The proceedings terminated with a cordial vote of thanks
to the noble chairman.

THE REPRESENTATION OF MIDDLESEX.

The Conservatives of the county of Middlesex have
again been celebrating their victory at the general election.
Lord George Hamilton's return was unexpected to a
large body of even the Conservatives themselves ; and their
joy is proportionately greater. Willis's Rooms, the old
banquetting hall, was crowded with a large and distin-
guished company. Amongst others there were present
Sir J. Pakington, M.P., Sir S. Northcote, M.P., Earl
Beauchamp, the Earl of Verulam, Lord C. Hamilton,
M.P., Lord C. J. Hamilton, the Earl of Bective, Lord
Jahn Manners, M.P., Mr. Mowbray, M.P., Lord R V.
Tempept, -Viscount Crichton, Mr. Christopher
Sykes, M.P., Mr. H. Dyke, M.P., Mr. W. H. Smith,
M.P., Sir W. Farquhar, Sir John Gibbons, Mr. Newde-
gate, M.P., Mr. Fowler, M.P., Mr. Cubitt, M.P., Sze.
Among the speakers were Lord C. J. Hamilton, Lord
George Hamilton, Sir John Pakington, and Sir Stafford
Northcote. Lord C. J. HAMILTON rejoiced that the
Government had somewhat qualified the reckless reduc-
tions which they were making in other branches of the
service by the assurance that they would soon institute
reforms in the Militia calculated to bring that force into
closer relations with the army, and toincreaseits efficiency.
To all real reforms Militia officers would accede with Plea-
sure, but whether they would hailwith equal satisfaction the
transfer of patronage from the hands of lords-lieutenant
of counties to those of the Secretary of State remained to
be seen. The proof of a pudding lay admittedly in the
eating of it, and he must say this particular pudding
carried with it some feelings of indignation. In speaking
of the question of the day, he translated the cry " Justice
to Ireland" into "Obedience to Cardinal Cullen."
Lord GEORGE HAMILTON, in congratulating himself and
the meeting on the glorious victory which had been
attained, protested against explaining away on the part
the Liberals. While, however, they had been victorious in
Middlesex, it was useless to disguise that the Conserva-
tives had been beaten at the elections in a manner they
bad no right to expect. They had some consolation, how-
ever, in the importance of the victories they had gained.
It certainly was not of frequent occurrence that by a
single county three Liberal Cabinet Ministers were sent
begging
about the country for seats. Passing to the
state of Ireland lie said : The present Government
took credit for discontinuing the suspension of the
Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland, but it was owing to
the state in which the country had been handed over
to them that they were able to do so. As regarded the
Irish Church Bill, looking back at what had occurred
200 years ago in an historic city in the north of Ireland,
he saw that a small but determined minority by the skill
of their leaders and by the dissensions and jealousies of their
adversaries were able to resist the assaults of overwhelm-
ing force. 'Whatever might happen in the future, the pre-
sent duty of the Opposition was plain—to resist a violation
of national compacts.

Sir J. PAKINGTON, on the Irish Church, said he had all
along disapproved the principle of the Irish Church Bill,
but now that it had been published to the world, with all
its characteristics of plunder, injustice, and irreligion, he
was more opposed to it than ever.

Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE pointed out how a Parlia-
ment elected under Lord Palmerston's Government really
to oppose a Reform Bill had turned out the very one to
pass a Reform measure. Might not a Parliament chosen
to pass the Irish Church Bill do as its immediate prede-
cessor had done—the very opposite of what it was intended
to do. He referred to the loss of Mr. Fawcett's measure
that day as an augury of the same kind. The Govern-
ment, elected by a majority of 120 to carry out a parti-
cular policy announced in the Queen's Speech, were
interrupted by one of their most ardent supporters, who
proposed a bill interfering with the course which they
intended to pursue. Her Majesty's Government sup-
ported their supporter, as, indeed, they were bound
to do, and the Opposition were gratified to find
that the Government were placed in a minority
of three. Might that happen very often ! On
the Irish Church question, Sir Stafford said he had
listened to the wonderful speech which was delivered by
Mr. Gladstone on Monday with a feeling that it was one
of the greatest efforts of one of the greatest orators, not
only of the present day, but, he might say, of the present
century. But one thing surpassed his admiration for the
eloquence, the skill, the lucidity of that address, and with
that feeling that assembly now present would sympathise
—it was a feeling of alarm and horror at the scheme
which the address embodied. The ingenious and
elaborate proposals that were made in that speech
were as bad as the speech itself was good ; and he
confessed that he should look with the greatest dread at
the prospect held out were it not that Englishmen and
Conservatives did not readily know when they were beaten.
He was satisfied that when Englishmen understood the
measure they would feel that it was one unparalleled in
its character—one combining a gigantic scheme of robbery
with a still worse system of bribery ; one threatening
not only the branch of the Church established in Ireland,
but the existence of the Established Church in Eng-
land also. When once the people of England knew
the true nature of this scheme, he had no doubt and no
fear but that public opinion would make itself felt in Par-
liament, and that the measure which was now threatening
the country would be dissipated like many others which
had threatened it in times gone by. At all events, the
course of the Conservative party was clear. They
might be in a minority. It might even turn out that they
were in a small minority, but they had a clear line of duty
before them, which was to resist this measure to the utter-
most, to do their best on every occasion thoroughly to
IX /M 9 it§ is lc miLthela the ixra ("ft