The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-17 00:00:00

THE BALLOT.

The following circular has been issued from the
offices of the Society for Promoting the Adoption
of the Vote -by Ballot, 5, Guildhall-chambers,
Basinghall-street

" DearSir,—Bydirection of the executive com-
mittee, we beg leave to lay before you a statement
of their recent proceeding* and an explanation of
the plan of operation which they desire to adopt
during the coming autumn and winter. For the

ast six months it has been thought expedient to.
transfer the society's operations from out-door agi-
tation to Parliament itself, and the committee have

been instrumental in causing the question of free
and protected voting to be frequently enforced on the
attention of the legislature. By the latest report of
the public petitions committee 87 petitions in favour
of the ballot, bearing 13,733 signatures, have been

presented to the House of Commons during the
session. Those petitions were generally adopted.
by the places from which they came at the in-
stance of your committee ; they exceed in number
the petitions for any other measure of reform, and
are exclusive of a large number of petitions pray-
ing for the ballot with other measures.
" The subject of protected voting was first
brought before Parliament in the late session by
Mr. Duncombe's motion in favour of trying the
ballot at Gloucester and Wakefield, on which a short
but animated debate' occurred. The motion was
opposed by the Government, and therefore, defeated.
Mr. Duncombe received the _ support of several

members who are opposed to the ballot as a mea-
sure of universal application. A resolution in
favour of the ballot was proposed in the House of
Lords by Lord Teynham; Though unsupported in.
debate, the noble lord received the support of seve-
ral peers who were faithful friends of the ballot in.
the House of Commons. Mr. Berkeley's annual
motion was supported by a great majority of the
liberal members and by several conservatives, and
was opposed by the Premier, and a majority of the•
cabinet, who were again content to be saved by
their opponents from a defeat by their friends. The
debate was not satisfactory, as our opponents re-
solved to put down all discussion by noise and in-
terruption, and of course succeeded. The majority
against the motion was larger than usual, but that
is attributable not to the defection of friends, but
to the fears of opponents, who took more trouble to
muster their forces than ever they took before.

" A select committee of the Honse of Commons
was appointed on the motion of Mr. Edwin James,
M.P., to inquire into the prevalence of corrupt prac-
tices at elections, and as to the necessity for further
preventive legislation. The majority of that com-
mittee were opponents of the ballot. Mr; Berkeley
was omitted from the list proposed by Mr. James,,
and the addition of his name was proposed by Mr.
T. Duncombe, and successfully resisted by Mr.
Edward Bouverie, M.P., the chairman of the com-
mittee. Your committee petitioned to be heard by
witnesses before that select committee ; their prayer
was refused, and the subject of intimidation, the
master evil of our present system of election, was
scarcely mentioned during the inquiry. Your com-
mittee were instrumental in causing the examina-
tion before the select committee of Mr. Childers,
M.P., and Captain Clarke, R.E., as to the success
of the ballot in Australia. All the most experienced
commissioners in the recent inquiries at Gloucester
and Wakefield expressed strong opinions in favour
of the ballot, and generally the evidence taken
before the select committee decidedly strengthens
the case for its adoption. The ballot as practised
in Victoria was proposed in the select committee by
Mr. Ayrton, M.P., as one of the measures to be re-
commended to the house. That proposal was nega-
tived. The measures recommended by the select
committee are ridiculously inefficient for the purpose
in view: No further legislation on the subject under
their auspices occurred during the session.
" Mr. Wyld, M.P., brought before the house the .
questiOn of protection to the voter by moving
for leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws
and practice as to taking votes at elections ; the
Government did. not 'oppose that motion. The
bill was brought in, and your committee finding it
on examination to, be a satisfactory measure, being
in fact the ballot as administered in AuStralia, gave
the bill their best support. It wasliut the late period
of the session and the pressure of the 'Government
business which prevented the furtlier progress being
made with the measure. Your committee trust
that Mr. Wyld will reintroduce his bill early in
the next session. Had the Government Reform
Bill been proceeded with, your committee were
prepared for an attempt at the proper stage to
make the ballot part of those measures. One prin-
cipal cause of the failure of the reform bills your
committee deem to have been the omission of the
ballot. Mr. Cobden, it will be remembered, some
years ago predicted that failure would attend any
attempt at a further reform of Parliament of which.
the ballot was rot part.
" The close of the session sets your committee
free to resume their out-door agitation, which they
are anxious to do on an extended scale. There are
upwards of twenty-four boroughs, in which, for the
purpose of obtaining such an expression of public
opinion as may secure the votes of their members in
favour of ballot, meetings should be held and tracts
sent to each elector. It is desirable also to spread
information on the ballot amongst the county con-
stituencies, to whose political welfare the measure
is of such vital importance. In addition to such
agitatioN, every election which may occur should
continue to be made the occasion of imparting to
the constituency instruction on the question of the
ballot. This plan of operation which your
committee desire to carry out cannot of course
be accomplished if they be not entrusted by
their friends with the necessary funds. Over
the expenditure of the society your committee ex-
ercise a very rigid control, being desirous of econo-
mising your funds so far as is compatible with the
efficient conduct of the agitation. The success' of
the society depends upon the incessant utility of
the committee, and involves a considerable expen-
diture of time and money, the usefulness of the
society will, therefore, be co-extensive with the.
means it possesses. The recent proceedings of
the committee, though attracting less notice than
outdoor agitation, involved large expenditure, in
correspondence with constituents in order to secure
the presence of members, and in communications
to members to obtain their attendance at the
various stages of the measures supported by the
committee. About 18,000 letters were issued and.
paid by your committee during the session. We
subjoin a statement of the total amount received
and expended from the formation of the society to
the present time. You will bear in mind that the
money contributed to this society is strictly de-
voted to the purposes of agitation. No payment
is made to members of the committee for writing
or speaking on behalf of the society, the bare tra-
velling expenses -of deputations only being paid.
The only paid officers are an assistant secretary
and a clerk, at extremely moderate salaries,
and the outlay for rent of offices is equally low.
Your. committee direct us to solicit a continuance
of your pecuniary support, and your co-operation in.
rai ng the sinews of war, and to remind you that
'not render them more effectual aid than by
collections in your own neighbourhood.
si
you can-.
ris of any amount, however small, made
in each locality, where we have resident subscribers
promotingsuscript i 0
or correspondents (and these are to be found in
every
funds necessary to elicit such an unmistakeable
part of the country) would soon raise the
expression of that public opinion in favour of the
ballot which everywhere exists, as would secure at
an early period the triumph of our cause.
" Thanking you for your past support, and con-
fidently relying on your hearty co-operation for the
future,—We beg leave to remain, dear sir, yours
faithfully,
"F. HENRY F. Ii3RKELEY, Chairman. •
" EDWARD C.WHITI:HURST,Vice-Chairman.
" CHARLES HENRY ELY,
" SYDENHAM NODES, Treasurers.
" MARK E. MARSDEN, )
" JOHN F. BONTEMS, HOn. Secretary."

---
FINANCIAL STATI;XENT FROM FEB. 14, 1853, TO
Are;, 14, 1860.
Total subscriptions and donatitflis received and
promised between these dates ............ £4,475 18 10
Total amount expended between the same
dates—in office rent, salaries, stationery,
printing, postages, expenses of meetings, and
travelling expenses of deputations ........ 4,313 17 6

GENERAL LAMORICIERE.--A meeting of Catho-
lics was held last night (Tuesday),
.at the Hanover-square.
Rooms, for the purpose of promoting a testimonial in the.
shape of a sword of honour to be presented to General La-
moriciere ; Mr. J. P. Hennessy, M.P.,loccupied the chair,
and there were present a number of Catholic clergymen
and gentlemen. Resolutions were passed, authorising a
subscription list to be opened, and requesting Sir G. Bow-
yer and the Very Rev. J. O'Neal, V.G., to act as trea-
surers. The Rev. J. Doherty and Mr. N. W. jiodges
were appointed honorary secretaries. A committe." was
formed, and amongst those who consented to act were Lord
Fielding, Sir G., Bowyer, General Tyler, Mr. Hennessy;
M.P., Mr. H. W. Wilberforce, It. Berkeley, Esq., R. Motor
teith, Esq. (Carstairs), and the Revs. Canon O'Neal,
Morris, M‘Dynnell, Sing, Dr. Gilbert, &c. It was stated
that a number of other influential names were expected to
be added. A'list of subscriptions amounting to a consi-
siderable sum was read, and the secretaries were directed to
advertise the same in the daily and weekly journals.
THE CAUSES OF DISHONESTY.—The chaplain of
Florsemonger-lane Gaol has been carefully studying the
causes of dishonesty. In his annual report to the Surrey
.justices, which has been printed, he thus presents the re-
sult :—" From my experience of predatory crime, founded
upon a careful study of the character of a great variety of
prisoners, I conclude that habitual dishonesty is to be re-
ferred neither to ignorance, nor to drunkenness, nor to
poverty, nor to overcrowding in towns, nor to temptation
from surrounding wealth, nor, indeed, to any one of the
many indirect causes to which it is sometimes referred, but
mainly to a disposition to acquire property with a less de-
gree of labour than ordinary industry." The italics are the
'rev. author's.