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

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL l5, 1858.

which the Time's() earnestly, and we may say bitterly

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

advocates. It would disgust the great body of

the people, and what is of still greater importance,
a large majority of the independent constituencies.
lb would reader the answer to the appeal to the
country, that would most assuredly take place
under such circumstances, perfectly decisive, and
ensure a privileged tenure of office to Lord DERRY
and his coadjutors. Lord Jomx Russzrz has
shown that he cannot be betrayed into such a
shallow and injudicious line of policy. His indig-
nant refusal to be dragged through the mire has
foiled the inequitable and, we may add, the uncon-
stitional attempt. It has exposed the ambuscade.
Hence the mourning and
Rime illce lochrymce.
objurgations of the Times and Post, and of the
smaller fry that follow in their wake, who have
all their dictatorial truculence, without any of their
weight or ability.
It will be time enough to assail Lord DERBY,
when he has been guilty of any act of commission
or omission injurious to the national honour or
the national interests. Hitherto there has been
no shortcoming—nothing of which the most
querulous could justly complain. In foreign
affairs, we find that the WALEWSSI despatch was
answered in a temperate, but, at the same time,
a dignified manner, and that " the unpleasant
differences" have been completely got rid of, and,
with them, the Conspiracy to Murder Bill
has been consigned to the tomb of all the
CAPITLETS. WATT and PARKS have been
set at liberty, and although they have suffered
cruelly, both physically and intellectually, they
have been restored to their friends and country,
and we may reasonably anticipate that full com-
pensation will be insisted on by the Government,
which accomplished in a few days what it took
their predecessors a greater number of months
not to cl 4. Certainly there has been no cause for
complaint in the substitution of a truly British
Minister, firm, although not vapouring, for " the
despot-loving CLARENDON."
In the administration of the most important
branch of the national establishments, Sir Joso-
PAZINOTON has won golden opinions even from
the most virulent assailants of the Government.
He has proved himself to be a well-intentioned,
painstaking, and intelligent Administrator. It
is scarcely a compliment to say that, when com-
pared with Sir CHARLES WOOD, the advantage is
all on his side ; politically speaking, it is " Hy-
perion to a Saty r." He has unsparingly exposed
the folly of getting rid of tried and disciplined
men, engaged for continuous service, under cir-
cumstances that rendered the Admiralty
liable to a charge of breach of faith.
The admirable machine is broken, the ves-
sel dismantled, the crew dispersed to seek
service abroad, in order that a new and inex-
perienced body, not accustomed to work together,
may be collected at great expense and after
considerable delay. We trust and believe that Sir
J. PAKINGTON will set his face against this most
absurd piece of red-tapism.
The budget will be opened, the financial scheme
developed, publicly on Monday, or at all events early
in the week. We shall then have an opportunity
' of comparing Mr. DISRAELI with Sir G. C. Lzwis,
and we fancy that the result will be even more strik-
ing than in any of the other departments. Why,
then, should the Liberals repine ? Why should
they strive to displace the men who are faithfully
carrying out their wishes, in order to restore
those who, under the disguise, or rather the name
of liberality, are really obstructives t Lord JOHN
Russzta. has merited the thanks and gratitude
of the country for defeating the ill-omened
scheme, the artful dodge attempted to be prac-
tised on the community.

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 7 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-
i 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 JOHN PAKINGTON, they could
not hinder them from furnishing us with one in
Australia. This has been done, and Mr. NiczoLsozr
is here to give us the evidence of an eye-witness to
what the Ballot has effected iu 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 out
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 I 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
b 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.

Sir Joint PAHINGTON, under the DERBY Admi-
nistration of 1852, had the honour of giving to
Y:ctoria the Constitution which has completed
itself by establishing the Ballot. Mr. NICHOLSON
called attention to this fact last night at the meet-
ing held in the Freemasons' Tavern to present that
gestleman with a valedictory address on his re-
turning to Australia, and he adverted
with pleasure to the whole course taken
with the colonies by Sir Jortzsr, during
his Administration. We have, certainly, a
0, lonia' Secretary now, not at all less liberal than
Sir JOHN PAZINGTON, and we can hardly believe
that Lord STANLEY locks with any displacency on
the result of Sir JOHN'S colonial management.
A. letter, indeed, was read, amongst others, from
the Noble Lord himself, expressing his "regret
hat he was unable to be present, and to pay his
respects to Mr. NrctronsoN." Whether or not,
therefore, Lord STANLEY be prepared to make every
elector's vote his own in England, we may presume
that be thinks none the worse of Mr. NICHOLSON
for being the author of the bill for independent
voting in Australia. We hope, however, that
,fficial intercourse with the colonies will only
strengthen the liberal tendencies of our Colonial
Secretary. Canada will show him what a blessing
it is for a Government to be clear of Church and
State questions, the reports from that colony
being that, at elections, ecclesiastical questions
are never heard of, and have nothing to
do now with the voting. While from Australia
he will learn that an order and propriety, unknown
before, pervade all the elections there, as well as
in New South Wales and Tasmania. Such a
"Sociologist" as Lord STANLEY, must, therefore,
be not a little prepossessed in favour of a plan
which at least conduces so much to public
morality. There is probably not one of our States-
- men more interested than our Colonial Secretary in
the people's advance in knowledge and good
morals ; and, happily, of the working, in these
respects of the Ballot in Australia, the evidence
is superabundant. Lord STANLEY wilt be able,
we may be sure, to give Lord Ness a little useful
light before he makes another speech at Cocker-
mouth.

It will hardly be denied that the meeting last
night is a fact of some importance. We do not
want to magnify its consequence ; let it pass only
for what it is worth. But what is the fact ? Why
just this. After the Ballot has been publicly ad-
vocated here for many years, ever since Mr.
GROTE'S time, to go no further bask, by a succes-
sion of the ablest men in the country—men whose
theories on law and commerce have for the
most part become irreversible facts----after they
bad demonstrated by every argument drawn from
reason and kindred facts, that the Ballot Was the
d eppreenp da
reantti
ovno:
iang
after this long and
full
conditionofeffifr
necessary
efficient
• 4 .
verification of all their arguments is brought us
from one of our colonic)... The Ballot is carried
in Australia ; the author of the measure returns
country; ho is
for a little relaxation to the mother
no orator, but a plain,
meetings to tell the
business-like Englishman; he
is requested by numerous large
matter-of-fact story, of how
they manage the
MSBallvt in Australia, and how it works there. .
story is everywhere listened to with deep and
practical interest ; he returns home, and before
he goes, a highly respectable assembly here meets
f 1 to present him an address of thanks for his ser-
vices in England, and of good wishes for his future
1 career in his own country. The meeting of last
night, thee, recognises the fact that a great boon
has been conferred on a distant part of our ern-

LATEST NEWS.;

INDIA.

The following telegram has been received at the

India House :

To J. D. Dickinson, Esq., India-house.

Lucknow was completely occupied on the 17th
of March. On that [date] the sixth (the last) post
of the enemy in the Moosabagh was captured.
The enemy had retreated northwards.

The cavalry is in pursuit.
117 guns have been taken.

Captain Mitchell and Lieutenant Boole, of the
Artillery, with a party of Ghoorkas, have rescued
Mrs. Orr and Miss Jackson. The ladies had
been protected by Meer Valeed Alby Derejal, and

had been well treated by him.
The restoration of authority in the city has been

commenced, and great efforts are in progress for
reassuring the population, which had fled in
great numbers to the neighbouring villages.

SARDINIA.

The Journal de Belgrade gives the following as
the text of the order from the Prince of Servia for
the release of the Servian senators, who had been
condemned to perpetual imprisonment for a con
spiracy against the life of the Prince :
" Every one knows with what generosity the
Prince of Servia commuted into imprisonment for
life the capital punishment to which the senators
who were the authors of the conspiracy against
him had been condemned. The clemency of his
Highness towards the criminals did not stop there.
During the winter, and particularly on the occa-
sion of the great fetes, he deigned to ameliorate
their situation very considerably. Now that the
holy fetes of Easter are approaching, be does still
more. Actuated only by the feelings of his heart,
and animated with the desire to extend more
widely his right of pardon, he has, out of con-
sideration to the unfortunate families of the pri-
soners, Etienne Stefanovic, Paul Stanisic, Paul
Jankovic, Cvetoko Rajovic, and Milos Mercajlovic,
remitted their punishment of imprisonment, on
condition that they shall quit the territory of Ser-
via, and tot return to it without his authorisation."
A letter from Semlin, in the Augsburg Gazette,
says :—" The documents relating to the last plot
against the life of Prince Alexander have been
handed to the Turkish commissiouer, Ethem Pacha,
who immediately forwarded them to Constanti-
nople. The commissioner has not been contented
with the partial pardon granted to the condemned
senators, but has instituted a rigorous inquiry into
the grievances alleged against the prince. and his
government. Since the Servian nation achieved
its independence, no Turkish envoy has been re-
ceived with the enthusiasm and pomp displayed on
the present occasion by the population of Belgrade.
This reception is, in fact, a demonstration of the
inhabitants against Austria and Ruswa, as well as
against Prince Alexander. The authority of the
latter is much shaken."

war still rages, although victory cannot be hoped TBE BALLOT—ENTERTAINMENT TO
for by the demagogues. As long as factions and
parties stand in revolt against the law, govern- WILLIAM NICHOLSON, ESQ.
ment must maintain a policy of resistance.
When factions shall have been destroyed and par- A soiree in honour of William Nicholson, Esq.,
ties subjected ; when there shall exist in France, late Premier of Victoria, Australia, and thefounder
as in England, only one constitution and one 1 of the ballot in the British dominions, took place
dynasty ; when political struggles shall have for its last evening at the Fieeraason's Hall. There was
object to attain reforms and not to provoke revolu-
a large I attendance. Amongst those on the plat-
tions, then will the policy of resistance have seen form were Mr." Nicholson, Mr, H. Berkeley, M.-P.,
its day, while government will be enabled, with- , Sir Arthur Elton, M.P., General Thompson, M.P.,
out danger, to open a greater field to liberty. These Mr. Tite, N. P. a tlr. Ayiton, M P., Mr. White,
considerations ought to strike the attention of elec- M.P., Mr. Greer, M.P., Mr. Wyld, M.P., Mr.
tors of all opinions." Whitehurst, the Secretary of the Ballot Society ;
The occupation of Perim is thus commented on Mr. E. Miall, Mr. Geesin, Mr. Doulton, Mr.
by the Courier de Paris : Samuel Morley, Mr. Elt, Mr. Nicolay, Mr. Stave-
" The possession of this island completes in an ley, Australia ; Mr. Brown, Basingstoke • Mr.
admirable manner the network of strategical posi- Westgarth, Australia ; Mr. George Jones, Bristol ;
tions which insures thesecurity of British commerce 1 Mr. James OemPbellr Mr. Mackinnon, Australia ;
and of the British navy. Complaints and repre- Mr. Prout, Mr. Bontems, Mr. Beardmore, Mr.
sentatious have been made in vain to the English J. P. Robinson, Manchester, dec., dre.
Government, which remains faithful to its ancient Refreshments having been served,
traditions of developing its power wherever it has Mr. H. BERKELEY, M.P. (the chairman), said
set foot, of never thawing back from a struggle, that though suffering from severe indisposition, he
but of always holding itself peepared for the latter. had great pleasure in attending ou this occasion,
The English, not contented with the (03npati011 of when beauty, worth, and talent were combined to
Perim, have already commenced erecting fortifica- do honour to merit. He rejoiced in seeing so large
tione on that spot. It is high time to check the an attendance of members repreeenting important
coniinual encroachments of a power which violates bdrouglis.
the plainest rules of the right of nations, which re- Mr. WHITEHURST, the secretary, read letters
spects neither solemn treaties nor the dignity of from Lord Stanley, M.P., expressing " his regret
its neigh]) aurs, and which, with insane blindness, at not being able to attend and pay his respects to
abandons itself to its lust for conquest and aggran- Mr. Nicholson," also from Mr. Grote, Mr. M.
disement, in spite of the lesson afforded by recent Gibson, M.P., Mr. Crossley, M.P., Mr. Sergeant
misfortune. Let England reflect that the island of Parry, Mr. J. L. Foster, of Australia, Mr. Bright,
Perim belongs to Turkey as much as the island of M.P., and Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P., expressing
Serpents, and that if the Porte has not the energy regret at their inability to attend, and concurring
to guard its own honour and integrity, it behoves in the tribute to Mr. Nicholson.
the great powers to undertake that task." The CHAIRMAN said that Mr. Cobden, whose
BOURSE, April 14.—The following were the name was dear to every friend of the ballot—
closing quotations : (cheers)—was prevented attending by a domestic
4 per Cents
Do. end month
3 per Cent. ..... 69 45 Piedmontese (5)
Do. end month
Bank Shares ...... 3090 Austrian
Credit Mobilier ... 740 Spanish Threes
Do. Account 738 75 borne Debt fortune, and then turned his attention to the
RAILWAYS.—FOR CASH. fare of his fellow men. After filling all honourable
Orleans
Northern
New Ditto
Lyon and Mediteran. 8121 Grand Central
New Ditto
Geneva
success mu-t be attributed to reasons which did not
exist in Australia. The advocates of the ballot
stood on the immutable principle, that no legisla-
ture had a right to confer the franchise on any set
of men without protecting them in its exercise.
(Cheers.) They held, with the late Duke of New-
castle, that every man had a right to do what he
liked with his own—with this difference, that the
late duke attributed too much value to nteum,
alas
too little to time, or rather put the one for the
other. (Rear, hear.) So long as a man had a
right to vote for representatives he had a right
to be protected in doing so. We in this country
had to contend with a difficulty whieh was not
known to Mr. Nicholson—to address a House
of Commons which was returned by a House cf
Lords—(hear, hear)—and consisting largely of
the scions of noble houses, and held their sea's in
the Lower House by ieecsnt as much as their fathers
did iu the Upper. (Cheers.) These men considered
it a rebellion against their authority if the electors
did not vote for their nominees. It was true Mr.
Nicholson had to meet a very severe opposition ;
all the arguments used on this side the water were
found "mocking and gibbering" at Mr, Nicholson
there ; all the trash about un-manly and uu Eng-
lish was there revived ; but he could now say,
"Veni, vidi, vici." (Cheers.) He had read a lesson
to Englishmen, which they must be dull indeed if
they did not profit by. It wee certain that at no
distant time we should reap the benefit of the work
so ably commenced by Mr. Nicholson. In present-
ing to him a feeble testimonial of their regard and
respect, this meeting honoured themselves as much
as him. (Hear, bear.)
Sir A. ELTON, M.P., expressed the high satisfac-
tion he felt in moving the address about to be
presented to Mr. Nicholson, and in advocating the
cause of the ballot before so influential an assembly.
The future of our Australian colonies was destiued
to be great and glorious, and their laws ought to
be such as would inspire the people with noble and
independent sentiments. The ballot was eminently
recommended by the principle of fair play, so dear
to every Englishman ; for it put those who were
without influence on a level with those who pos-
sessed it. It was ofeen found that those who sneered
most at the ballot were themselves addicted to the
degrading practices of corruption and intimidation.
(Applause.) Some said the ballot was not needed in
this country ; but ask the tenant, the traelesman,
and the artisan whether they did not require that
protection. (Hear.) They wet e entitled to vote
without let or hindrance, as much as the proudest
nobleman in the laud. If they wished the franchise
to be a sham only, the sooner they went back to
rotten boroughs the better ; if they wished it to be
a reality, it could only be rendered so by the ballet.
(Cheers.) He rejoiced at meeting with Mr. Nichol-
son, and trusted that he would long live to aid in
the promotion of the popular rights of his country-
men. (Cheers.) The non. barorot moved the adop-
tion of the following address ; and that it should be
presented to Mr. Nicholson by the chairman :
"To William Nicholson, Beet., of Melbourne, in the
Colony of Victoria.
" In the name and on behalf of the Society for Pro,
meting the Adoption ot the Vi,te by Ball t, we are
commissioned to express to you their gratitude for your
services to the cause of representative government and
tree institutions. Deeply attached to representative
institutions, and desiring their improvement wherever
adopted and their progress throughout the world, we
lament in our country they are marred' the operation
of debasing and tyrannical influences, the tendency of
which is to destroy all sense of pubic duty in the elector
—to falsify and suppress the genuine expression of public
opinion—to exclude virtuous sod able into from Parlia-
ment, and to perpetuate bad governmeet and maladmi-
nistration. We therefore rejoice that your far-seeing
care for the colony which owns you ameng-a her states-
men, provided that simultaneously with the establishment
of representative institutions, there should be thrown
around them the invaluable safeguard and protection
of the bal.ot. The and iubted success of the measure, of
which it is your just pride to be the author, by exhibiting
the well working of an electoral franchise, widely extended,
and at the same time purified and protected, will promote
the improvement of our institutions at home, and the pro-
gress, concurrently with civili-ation, of popular rights
throughout the world. We gratefully acknowledge that tie
adoption of the ballot by our fellow-countrymen in Aus-
tralia Las greatly strengthened our hands, who are
, labouring to procure for the people of this country a free
r and protected suffrage, by enabling us to point to secret
voting as already a British institution. We should in.
adequately express the obligations to you of the friends
of free and protected voting in tne mother country, if
we omitted to convey to you their thanks for sacrificing
that leisure, the enjoyment of which was the proposed
object of your visit to your native country, by pub-
licly narrating, on several distinguished occasions, in a
mariner long to be remembered by those who heard it,
the history and success of the ballot in your colony. In
the name of the society, and of an immenfe number of
our countrymen who ai.xiously look forward to the
establishment of protection to the people's franchise, we
thank you for your services to our cause, and wish all
happiness and prosperity to you, to your family, and to
the great Anglo-Saxon community of which you are a
member and an ornament."
Mr. GRESIt, M.P., seconded the adoption of the
address. He expressed, on behalf of himself and
the si-ter country, the warmest sympathy on be-
half of the ballot, and begged to thank Mr. Nichol-
son for his distinguished services. (Hear, hear.)
He was a living argument in contradiction to the
sophistries that bad been urged against the ballot.
(hear.) He had devoted his leisure to travelling in
- this country, and removing many prejudices which
still prevailed against the ballot. (Hear.) Within
the last century a vast alteration had taken place
in our treatment of our colonies. We had learned
a lesson from the revolt of the United states ; we
now allowed thrm to think for themselves, and
hence we had this young colony of Victoria spring-
ing, as it were, full-armed from the brain of Mi-
nerva, and with all Minerva's wisdom. (Cheers.)
Teat colony had adopted the ballot as the charter
of its liberties ; and we could not do better than
copy the example. (Hear, hear.)
Mr.. G. JONES, of Bristol, a working man, ten-
dered the thanks of his class to Mr. Nicholson for
his hearty exertions iu the cause of the ballot, and
refuted several of the backnied arguments that have
been urged against it,
. The CHAIRMAY then presented the address.
Mr: NIcHOLSON on rising was most enthusiasti-
cally received. After thanking the meeting for
the honour done him, be said he had been
guided in his efforts in Australia by a desire
to benefit the colony ; but should the example
prove of service tothis country he should rej oft e the
more. (Hear, hear.) Since be returned to Erik.
land he had been asked certain questions, and had
confined himself to answering them, as to the work-
ing of the ballot in the colony. On various occa-
sions he had gone into full details, and in no par-
ticular had he ever been contradicted. (Hear.)
The legislature of Victoria bad adopted his motion
for the ballot by a majority of 8, although that body
consisted of one-third government nominees. In
illustration of the working of the ballot Mr. Nichol-
son exhibited a large painting, showing how the
first election by ballot fur the city of Melbourne
had been conducted. It was so arranged that after
the voter was identified, and had received his vot-
ing card, he had no means of s'eowing it before he
delivered it into the ballot-Lox. The plan had
worked well ; for though some elections had been
closely contested, in no case had the decision of the
rettuniug efii.sor been di-puted. Tale mode of vot-