The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-10 00:00:00

to the men who were somewhat neutral. In the first e lee-
tion, for instance, there were five to be returned, and though
there were 60 candidates, the average number voted for were
only two or three. The ballet worked best at single elec-
tions ; and it had this strong -point,- that it put a stop
altogether to afternoon bribery, which prevailed to a great
extent. (Hear, hear.) That was entirely stopped by the
ballot for this simple reason, that it was just as easy to bribe
a man at half-past eight in the morning as at half-past
three • and the numbers being unknown till the end of the
poll, there was no temptation to raise the price on the pre-
tence of a close run. (Hear, hear.) The house had now the
opportunity of carrying out an experiment which might,
indeed, be doubtful, but could at any rate do no harm.
Wakefield and locester were pretty much in the position
of political suicides. They were dead bodies lying on their
table • it was for the house to deal with them as they
thought proper. They were the surgeons, with power to
make an experiment which could not hurt dead bodies, but
might be of the greatest use to society and to the political
institutions of the country. He hoped the house would agree
to give practical application to a principle which was dear
to the great majority of the people and to hon. members
who sat on his side of the house. He would assuredly sup-
port the motion of his hon. friend. (Hear, hear.)
Sir J. SHELLEY (amid loud cries of " Divide") appealed
to the Government, after the speech they had just heard,
showing the entire success of the ballot in Australia, to
withdraw their opposition to a motion which was supported
by the Liberal party in that house. Everything said by e
Home Secretary had been contradicted by what had fallen
from the hon. member for Pontefract.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE replied, he was sure the house
felt exceedingly indebted to the hon. member for Ponte-
fract for the very able and interesting statement he had
made in reference to the ballot—(hear)---and he personally
begged to thank him for the valuable support he had given
to his motion. With regard to the argument of the noble
lord at the head of the Government, he had only to say
that he put this forward as an experiment, and nothing.
else. He wanted the experiment to be tried, and he used
the expression of one of the candidates for Glocester when
he said that he wanted to get in the thin end of the welts,
hoping that he would soon be able to drive it home. (A
laugh.) Great measures were not carried in a day. They
must proceed by slow degrees. It was thus they carried
Jewish emancipation. It was by taking Baron B,othsehild
from behind the bar and placing him in one of their com-
mittees and to meet the peers in conference that they were'
enabled to convince all rational men that the contest was at
an end, and the result was that they bad now four hon. and
distinguished members of the Jewish persuasion represent-
ing ix that house large and important constituencies, while
the British constitution and the Established Church, which -
it was said would perish the day a Jew took his seat, stood
exactly where they were ; and so it would be with their
representative system after the ballot was introduced.
The house then divided • the numbers were".
Ayes
Noes

Majority against the motion -31
The announcement of the numbers waa received with
sheers by the supporters of the motion.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Lord PALMERSTON then rose, and said that perhaps it
would be convenient that he should inform the house that
he hid that evening received a communication from his
right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who
stated that he felt perfectly competent to be in his place to -
mortow and make his financial statement. (Hear, hear.)
CONVEYANCE OF VOTERS, &c., BILL.
Mr. COLLIER obtained leave to bring in a bill to pro-
hibit the payment of the expenses of conveying voters to
the poll, and to facilitate polling at elections.
.SPIRITS (IRELAND) ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
Mr. V. SCULLY moved the second reading of this bill,
but while he was explaining its provisions, at the request
of Col. DUNNE,
An HoN. MEMBER moved that the house be counted, and
there being only 27 mombers present, the Speaker left the
chair, and the house adjourned about 10 minutes after 12
o' clock.