The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-31 00:00:00

BOW SHALL WE MOVE FOR THE

BALLOT?

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Cordially agreeing with you that now is
the time to press for the ballot, I must be allowed to
express my dissent from your advice as to the•way
in which it should be brought before Parliament.
It appears to me that a motion for leave to in-
troduce a bill is the proper course. Logically the
question given the constituent body—How can it
best exercise the right of voting ? is entirely dis-
tinct from the questions, Who shall have the vote ?
and What places shall send members to Parlia-
ment ? It appears to me, as Mr. Cobden recom-
mended at Roehdale, that these matters should form
the subject of separate bills; for instance, it would
be far easier to pass a bill extending the suffrage,
pure and simple, than a bill whick should also ex-
tend the suffrage and redistribute the seats. You
would have the Liberal members voting in a body
for that measure ; but mix up that bill with sche-
dules of enfranchisement and disfranchishment,
and the whole question becomes involved in a con-
flict of personal and local interests, which will im-
pede the progress of the measure, and possibly—
not improbably—defeat it altogether on the third
reading.

Precisely the same reasoning applies to the se-
paration of the ballot from the other questions.
If the ballot be presented to the House in a pure
and simple form those of its supporters in Parlia-
ment who are always glad of an excuse to shirk
their support—and they are many—cannot shrink
from saying " Aye" or " No" to the question—
Shall there be the ballot ? But if it is put as Mr.
Wyld attempted last year, as an amendment to a
Reform Bill, you give all these gentlemen an excuse
for absenting themselves from the division, and
also bring against you the votes of numerous Whigs,
such, for instance, as Mr. Brand, the whipper-in,
and Mr. St. Aubyn, the mover of the Address this
session, who would hesitate to give a direct Tote
against the ballot, but will venture to do so when
they can shelter themselves under the plea of the
ballot being made an obstruction to good measures.
An examination of the division on Mr. Wyld's ad-
dition, and reference to the speeches of men like
Mr. Scholofield, who declare that though supporting
the ballot they will not peril the Government
Reform Bill because it does not include it,
affords abundant proof of what I say. The effect
of bringing forward the ballot at a crisis when the
forces of both parties are whippecb'in to a great
party division, is only to increase the majority
against it. Had all the 238 members of the late
Parliament who were pledged to the ballot been
present, and voted with Mr. Wyld, the majority
against the motion would have been 383, far ex-
ceeding any former majority against it. Such a
result would have been no encouragement to the
friends of the ballot. Those acquainted with the
management of proceedings in the House of Com-
mons will concur with me that it is far easier to
secure a debate and a good division on a motion for
leave to bring in a bill, than if the ballot were intro-
duced in the shape of an instruction to the Com-
mittee prior to the Speaker's leaving the chair.
As to moving clauses in committee, although that
may perhaps be done by way of protest if the
motion for leave be rejected, it is, I think, clear
that it would be almost impossible to obtain a fair
discussion of the question in committee, and I
know the difficulty of securing the attendance of
members in the uncertainty which always at-
tends the proceedings in committees of the whole
House. Another reason why I deprecate mixing
up the ballot with the. Reform Bill discussions is
brie my mind of considerable weight. Many sup-
porters of the ballot, while they support it, deem it
of minor importance to the extension of the fran-
chise and the redistribution of seats. I differ from
these gentlemen, but I should be sorry to give them
occasion to say or think that the ballot was put
forward in opposition to, or in a manner likely to em-
barrass the passing of a measure dealing with their
favourite questions. On these grounds I cordially
acquiesce in the decision come to by the council of
the Ballot Society—it was the unanimous vote of
the members present, and agreed with the opinions
expressed by a majority of the letters read from
absent members.

The tone of the speeches both in the council and
at the public meeting showed that no desire to con-
sult Whig prejudices, or the convenience of the
Government, or any motive but the practical object
of obtaining the greatest number of Parliamentary
votes—is the guiding principle of the leaders of the
movement.
' I remain, dear sir, faithfully yours,

E.C.W.
6, Lower Belgrave-street, S.W., Jan. 28, 1860.

The Duke of Newcastle left town yesterday for
Windsor Castle, on a visit to her Majesty.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Normanby have
left tho St. George's Hotel, for Brighton, for a few days.
The Earl and Countess of Yarborough, the Hon.
Mr. Monson, M.P., Mrs. Lane Fox, and Lord West left the
Bedford Hotel, Brighton, yesterday, for London.
Viscount Palmerston arrived in town yesterday
from Windsor Castle.

Viscount and Viscountess Lismore ha'o left the
Earl of Portarlington's on a visit to his Excellency the
Earl of Carlisle, at the Castle, Dublin. The noble viscount
and her lad; ship are expected in town in the second week
of February.
Viscount St. Vincent took the oaths and his seat
in the House of Lords on Tuesday last, the day of the
opening of Parliament.

Lord J. Russell left town on Saturday for Wind-
sor Castle, on a visit to the Queen.
We stated last week that an addition of men
would be made to each of the Infantry regiments at home
and in the colonies, exclusive of India. In this augmenta-
tion the Foot Guards will be included, an addition of 1,400
men to the brigade, or 200 to eachbattalion, being resolved
on. No increase of officers will take place.—driny and
Navy Gazette.

General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, a
diedne at his
, Bart.,
President
Sir Thomas was born in
seatn ear
Loaf r thege ,
on ild Societyay last. °f Edinburgh,
the same house in which ho died, on the 23d July, 1773,
and was thus in his eighty-seventh year.
'Colonel M`Murdo, C. 8., Commandant of the
Military Train, has been appointed Inspector-General of
Volunteers. There are to be six sub-inspectors, with the
rank of Brigade-Major, but the arrangements respecting
the selection of these officers are not yet complete.----elrmy
and Navy Gazette.
The term Comptroller of the Navy has been sub-
stituted for that of Surveyor of the Navy. Is this the be-
ginning of the re-establishment of the old Navy Board,
or are the five principal officers of the Navy to form part
of the Board of Council of the Admiralty ? The introduc-
tion of this improved business element in the administra-
tion of naval affairs, though open to ROlllO objection in point
of form, will beyond doubt facilitate the trausection of
affairs.—drtny and Navy Gazette.