The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-15 00:00:00

pire, and that a great step has been thereby gained
towards obtaining it for ourselves at home.
We are such a very practical nation that nothing
tells more with us than a fact in point. There are

plenty of instances of secret voting at home—
quite sufficient to refute the absurd argument that
it is un-English ; but thanks to the fears of our
aristocrats, of our Whigs especially, not a single
trial has been allowed of an election for a Member
of Parliament by ballot. They would disfranchise a
corrupt borough ; they would unseat a member ;
they would pass a little Bribery and Corruption
Bill ; but, they would never concede one trial of
the Ballot ! Why not ? Why so doggedly op-
posed to the least fraction of what so many of the
first electioneering doctors declare to be such an
infallible receipt for bribery, and for intimi-
dation especially ? We know of no answer but
that one trial would be au irresistible argument ;
that its sure success would settle the question.
But though Lord JOHN RUSSELL and the Tories
would not let Englishmen furnish an example
here, thanks to Sir Joint PAILINGTON, they could
not hinder them from furnishing us with one in
Australia. This has been done, and Mr. NrcuoLsox
is here to give us the evidence of an eye-witness to
what the Ballot has effected in electing represen-
tatives for the Legislature, and by Englishmen ;
—by the very men, in great part, who had been
voters amidst all our bribery and intimidation
here. It is impossible that the fact should not
tell on the public mind ; it will tell more and more
every year; it will clench all our arguments; it will
be the standing proof that advocates of the
Ballot are not mere theorists, and through our
increasing correspondence with our colony, it
will react powerfully upon the mother country.
If the two ex-Whig Premiers intend this
season again to aid, abet, and encourage, the
Tories in opposing the Ballot, we yet hope
that, for decency's sake, they will not dare
to oppose the motion for a committee to
inquire into the working of the Ballot in Austra-
lia and our other colonies. We know they will
dread such a committee ; they will tremble to put
on authoritative record the facts which many wit-
nesses can attest ; but will they have the shameless-
ness to say to such a large body of Liberals, you
shall not even inquire ? Will they unblushingly
shut out the light ? We well know how they fear it,
but what pretext can they have the face to allege
against inquiry. The evidence will pass for only
what it is worth ; the opponents of the Ballot on
the committee will have full opportunity to elicit,
by cross-examination, all that they think favour-
able to their views ; we do not care for a report
by the committee ; let it be composed of half ad-
vocates of free voting, and let the other half be
inconvincibles of the most hopeless stamp,
and let the evidence be fairly brought out
without any opinion upon it being offered by the
committee ; we ask no more, and, if this be
refused, we do hope that every professed Liberal
who refuses it will be sent into privacy at the
next election. Better let a Tory come in than
such a parody of a Liberal.