The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-19 00:00:00

THE BALLOT.

and each member of them took an oath that he I
would not divulge the opinion of any other mem-
ber. (Hear, hear.) He (the lecturer) asked that
the elector might be placed in the same condition
as the officer sitting in court-martial. (Hear, hear.)
Then with reference to " the Councils of the Sove-
reign," the Privy Council was a secret court and no
member of it could divulge what took place in it
without the sanction of the Sovereign. (" Hear,
hear," and cheers.) The Cabinet conducted their
proceedings in secret, and many parishioners in
vestry voted by ballot. (Hear, hear.) The
learned lecturer adverted to several other remarks
in the pamphlet and commented on them to the
disadvantage of " Scrutator" and the amusement
and instruction of the audience, and in conclusion
proposed the following resolution :—" That as it is
now understood that a reform in the representative
system will engage the attention of Parliament
next session, this meeting desires to record its con-
viction that no extension of the suffrage will be
satisfactory unless protected by-the vote by ballot."
Mr. RUMSON, seconded the resolution, concurring
with the observations which had fallen from the
lecturer, and expressing a hope that the public
would be alive to the necessity of securing an ex-
tension of the franchise.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Thanks were tendered to the lecturer by accla-
mation for his able and convincing discourse, and
to the chairman for his conduct in the chair, after
• which the meeting separated.

A public meeting was held at the Athenaeum,
Exeter, on last Thursday evening, to promote the
incorporation of the vote by ballot in any Reform
Bill to be brought forward in the next session of
Parliament. In consequence of the inclemency of
the weather the attendance was not numerous.—
Mr. H. Norrington presided.
The CHAIRMAN, in commencing the proceedings,
stated that the question of the ballot was of consi-
derable importance ; for it was necessary that every
man who had been entrusted with a vote should be
protected, and should have the power to deal with
it as he thought proper. It was of little service to
give a man the right to vote unless he also had the
power to exercise it according to the dictates of
his conscience. After some further remarks of a
practical character, the chairman introduced
E. C. WHITEHURST, Esq., the vice-president of
the Ballot Society, who began his remarks by ad-
verting.to the recent speech delivered by Sir G. C.
Lewis on Parliamentary Reform, and declared that
he complained of three evils at elections—bribery,
intimidation, and too great expense. With regard
to the first, of these two evils he quoted extracts
from. the. West Briton newspaper, showing the in-
fluence Which had been exercised by Lady Moles-
worth over the votes of her tenantry, and that Sir
Joseph Sawle had reduced the rents of certain of
his tenants 10 per cent., on condition of their
voting for his favourite candidate' at a recent elec-
tion. But Sir Joseph Sawle was not the only
lord who exercised an influence over his tenantry.
The Rev. W. Oliver, a clergynian of the Church of
England, wrote a letter some time ago to Mr. John
Smith on the subject of the West Kent election, in
which he said, " I hope you are, like myself, a good
Conservative, and will vote for Sir W. Riddle ;
landlord and tenant should always vote on the
same side, and if we go to a new lease this shall be
one of my stipulations !" The lecturer commented
on these cases with considerable ability, and ad-
duced several others of a similar nature to prove
the extensiveness of intimidation and the necessity
for the ballot. On the expensive mode in which
elections were conducted he enlarged on the sums
paid to lawyers in the late elections for Exeter and
the Northern Division of Devon. From a return
published in obedience to an order of the House of
Commons of the declared expenses—for of the real
expenses they could know nothing—at the last ge-
neral election, he found the following sums, under
the head of Exeter, as paid by Mr. Gard :—" Soli-
citors' charges, £4BO. (Laughter.) All that was
paid, but all that was not enough—(laughter)—
because Mr. Sanger, solicitor, claim ed 152 10s.
That claim was admitted to the extent of £l5 only,
which sum had been tendered to him and refused ;
the remainder of the claim had been objected to.
Well, that was a good deal of money to be spent
at an uncontested election ; and as far as we had
heard no contest for Exeter had ever been dreamt
of. (Hear, hear.) But Exeter, after all, had done
pretty well in that respect, compared with some
other places. North Devon, at that election, shone
in unapproachable lustre on the subject of payments
to lawyers. (Laughter.) Fromthe same return he
found that the Hon. Mr. Trefuiss, one of the pre-
sent members he believed—(the Chairman—Un-
fortunately he is)—at any rate, he paid very dearly
for his seat, for he paid to 70 canvassing agents,
£743; to 23 solicitors as advocates, £221 ; to 22
district professional agents' fees and disbursements,
£1,557 ; to Mr. Bremridge--in addition to £l7l
paid out of pocket—i3oo as a fee for himself and
clerks in conducting that election; making a total
of £2,000 paid by one candidate to Devonshire
lawyers. (Laughter.) Well, then, Sir Stafford
Northcote, the unsuccessful candidate, paid to 30
canvassing agents, £167 ; to 23 solicitors and clerks,
as advocates and canvassing agents, £438 ; to 18
district professional agents' fees and disbursements,
£1,280 ; to Mr. Daw, election agent, his fee and
payments made by him as such, £604; making
another £2,000 paid into the pockets of lawyers.
(Applause.) Next came Mr. Buller, the Liberal
member for North Devon, but who, misguided man
—(laughter)—voted against the ballot, paid to 34
canvassing agents, £122 ; to eight solicitors as ad-
vocates, £47 ; to 34 district professional agents'
fees and disbursements, £1,597 ; to Mr. Smith, for
conducting the election, £los—making another
£2,000, and altogether a total of £6,000 paid to
lawyers of North Devon at the last election. (Ap-
plause.) Now, it was said in that ancient and valu-
able book, which their chairman so aptly referred
to, that "in the multitude of counsel there was
safety," but he had heard it said that the meaning
of it was not " legal" counsel. (Much laughter.)
He quite concurred in that interpretation, for if a
candidate at an election had 34 lawyers to ad-
vise him, he would hardly know where he stood.
(Laughter.) Bu why pay so many ? Electioneer-
ing law was after all very simple, and on all the
points of law which might arise in a county
_elec-
tion one man of ordinary professional experience
could give the candidate all the advice required.
(Hear, hear.) But lawyers knew how to turn the
election screw—(hear, hear)—and to do them credit
they turned it as mercilessly as they did it effec-
tively. (Hear, hear.) If he wished to represent a
town, and he was enabled to retain the majority of
the lawyers, he cared not whether his opinions were
liked by the constituency or not ; he would be the
member—(hear, hear)—for the lawyers knew where
title deeds were at home—(dear, hear)—who was
on the wrong side at the bankers or the merchants,
and who had had a small strip of parchment from
London—(laughter)—and that was why enormous
sums had been paid to these lawyers. (Hear, hear.)
Passing from this subject the talented lecturer
clearly explained and pointed out from a neatly
executed painting, the mode of working the ballot
as adopted in some of our Australian colonies ; and
went on to reply to a pamphlet which had appeared
on the subject of the ballot since his last visit to
this city. Now he should be extremely happy to
announce to the meeting who the writer of that
pamphlet was, but unfortunately he laboured under
this disadvantage, that the sworn foe of secresy and
the great advocate of publicity had chosen to pub-
lish his pamphlet anonymously. (Laughter.) He
had assumed the name of " Scrutator," but looking
at what he said " Screw-turner" would be a more
appropriate name. (Laughter.) But however that
might be—and he did not wish to wrest him from
that secresy which he very properly sought—he
must call their attention to some of his remarks.
Having selected from the pamphlet a passage on the
responsibility of the voter, and one showing that
the friends of the ballot were increasing in number
and importance, the lecturer read the following
quotation :—" There are also those who would try
to establish an analogy between its practice in clubs
and in parliamentary elections ; as if the merely
personal and social construction of these societies
bore any resemblance to national and political mat-
ters." Of course they did not, but the use of the
ballot stood on the same principles in both cases.
(Hear, hear.) For instance, if it were a cowardly
thing for a man to refuse to vote for a particular
candidate, because the giving of his vote might be
attended with absolute ruin to himself and family,
it was equally unmanly to drop the black ball
into a box to exclude a man from a club. (Hear,
hear.) With reference to a sentence in the pamphlet,
that bribery might prevail at elections under the
ballot system, the lecturer showed that such could
not be the case, for the briber could not depend on
bribing the right man, and there would be so many
facilities for detecting bribery,should it be attempted,
that the candidate, though lie might have the dis-
position, would not think it safe to make the
experiment. It was not necessary to prove, in a
case of bribery, that a vote had been given for
money ; because the act declared that either giving
or offering money for a vote was enough to consti-
tute bribery and set aside the election. The
pamphlet went on to say—" If the subject were not
too serious to admit of joking, we might dilate on
the ridiculous idea of a Briton, who boasts, Bri-
tannia rules the waves,' that the sun never sets
upon the British dominions,' of the heroes of Alma
and Inkerman,' and what not. That this Briton
should be afraid of shouting at the polling booths,
I vote for Snooks,' but must sneak like a pick-
pocket or a petty larcener of broken victuals, alone
into a room, and drop his card into the ballot box,
for fear My Lord should frown—Sir Thomas refuse
to shake hands—or their ladies buy their gloves or
figs at their neighbour's shop instead of his own."
That man who wrote that did not know what it was
in this country and in the times in which we live,
to be exposed as a working man, or a tradesman, to
all the disadvantages of fierce competition, or over-
bearing taxation. (Hear, hear.) If he did he would
know that it was not so easy a matter to make up
a customer after he had lost him. (Hear, hear.) If
he knew anything of the people of this country he
would know that it was all very well for those men
who " fare sumptuously every day" to preach these
doctrines, but he referred him to an extract in
a letter written by the late Sir Charles Napier. Sir
Charles had been a considerable time without
food, upon which he said he would sell his vote,
even to the devil. (Laughter.) He (the lecturer)
would put Sir Charles Napier against the author of
that pamphlet. (Hear, hear.) After quoting
other passages from the pamphlet the lecturer read
the following :—" In all our Courts of Justice, in
all our public acts and deliberations—from the
Councils of the Sovereign and the Iligh Court of
Parliament to the parish vestry, among Ministers
of State, Senators, Judges, Magistrates, Town
Councillors, Boards of Guardians, and parishioners
in vestry assembled—open voting prevails as the
universal practice:, Here was another mistake.
All our courts of justice were not open to the pub-
lic. (Hear, hear.) Courts-martial, which'
exer-
cised a power over the lives and liberties of some
of her Majesty's subjects, were not open courts,

rHE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, OCTOBEI 19, 1858.

that this body may be traced to the year 11 8.C.,
when it appeared, as Dion Cassius relates, " under
the consulate of M. Valerius Messala Barbatus and
P. Sulpicius. Quirinus, before the death of Agrip-
pa," and for many days seemed "as though sus-
pended over the city of Rome." It is only necessary
to suppose that the comet's orbit coincided some-
what more nearly with that of the earth than it
does at present (an inference supported by several
subsequent appearances), and, taking the year 11
B.C. as our point of departure, we may zecognise
the comet at almost every visit up to the date of
its last return. Notwithstanding their extreme
tenuity it is evident that these bodies may exist in
their actual state for thousands of years.
1 had prepared a few observations upon the
" original theories" of comets with which we have
been occasionally indulged during the last six
weeks ; but, on further consideration, have deemed
it unadvisable to occupy your valuable space with
such matter. I feel much respect for the " Morens,"
but very little for people who, with a high appre-
ciation of their own abilities, will not take the
trouble to acquaint themselves with the antecedents
of cometary astronomy, or, by acquiring a moderate
knowledge of the mathematical part of the subject,
avoid misleading the public with their improbable
and frequently preposterous notions.

A FAMILY SUFFOCATED.

".E--Oct. lb

twice £75. In the mer Lntime, I remain your sin-
cere creditor." The wit a ess added that this letter
did not at all relate to t] i e goods, the warrant for
which had been pledged ' b y the defendant for £6O.
Mr. Lewis—There is av, open account, and we
hold this seed till the aci.) ounts are settled.

Mr. Sleigh—The prisol ler owes us £3OO.
Mr. Lewis—You mak k the statement, and he
denies it ; one statement is worth as much as the
other.

Mr. Sleigh—Was the prisoner indebted at this
time to your father in a to. amount of several hun-
dred pounds ?
Mr. Lewis—lf that co testion is put I must go
into other matters; I del r it.
Witness—He was.
Mr. Sleigh—And is he: ;still indebted to him?
Witness—He is.

141-:. H. Cutler, of the !firm of Cutler and Barker,
seed factors, of King William-street, produced the
warrant for 16 bags of clover seed, which he said
had been deposited with them by the prisoner for
an advance of £6O. He believed the endorsement
on the warrant to be in th.e prisoner's handwriting.
Mr. Sleigh—l have now to apply for a remand
to a future day, in order that we may complete the

case.
Mr. Lewis—There is a good deal of correspon-
dence which it will be my duty to put in evidence
on a future day. Will your lordship accept bail?
The Lord Mayor—Yes ; I will take the pri-
soner's own recognisance in £lOO, and he must
find two sureties in £5O each, with 24 hours' notice
of bail.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—John Sullivan,
a sturdy Irish vagrant, was brought before Mr.
Beadon, charged with assaulting r. Richard Car-
ter, barrister, No. 44, Upper BedfMord-street.
Mr. Carter said that on Saturday evening he
was with two ladies in Charlotte-street, when the
prisoner came up to him with a boy and begged of
him. He told him he had nothing to give. The
prisoner, however, would take no denial, but pressed
upon him and also on the ladies. He told him if •
he continued to press upon them he would call a
policeman and give him in charge. The prisoner
replied, lifting his stick, " If you do I'll give you
cudgel," at the same time using very bad language
and calling him very bad names. The prisoner
continued to follow him through several streets,
using insulting and threatening language. He
begged the prisoner to leave the ladies, who were
greatly terrified • but the prisoner refused to go
away, making the boy cry, as if to excite the sym-
pathy of the crowd who had collected. Before he
could get a constable the prisoner came up to him
and struck" him a blow on the side of the head, say-
ing, " Take that. Do you call yourself a gentle-
man ?"
Police-constable 47 E saw the prisoner strike the
gentleman and took him into custody. The prisoner
was very violent, struck him, threw him down, and
kicked him. Witness was obliged to get assistance
before he could lodge the prisoner in the station.
The prisoner said that he was drunk at the time,
and he did not know what he was about.
Mr. Beadon said it was very abominable conctr.et
on the part of the prisoner, and he should there-
fore send him to hard labour for three months.

Al AR YLEBONE.—A well-dressed man,, who
gave his name Armand Haynaut, a native of Nor-
mandy, and a young woman named Sarah Cooper,
were charged by police-constable White, 96 S,
whose evidence clearly showed that at 12 on the
previous night he found the prisoners in a most in-
decent position in Cambridge-terrace, Regent's-
park. They were taken into custody, and the male
prisoner, after much resistance, struck him a blow
on the mouth.
For the assault on the constable he was fined
205., or 14 days, and the female was sent, without
any penalty, for 10 days to the House of Correc-
tion.

SOUTHWARK.—Thomas Curtis.a middle-aged
man, residing in Gravel-lane, was brought before
Mr. Burcham, charged with attempting to commit
suicide by taking poison.
Police-constable, 174 M, said, that about 10
o'clock at night he was on duty in Gravel-lane,
when he saw the prisoner sitting on the step of a
door. He appeared very bad; and was groaning.
Witness asked him what was the matter with him,
when he said he had taken poison, and he saw a
piece of paper on the pavement near him, on which
was printed " oxalic acid." He immediately took
him to a doctor's in the neighbourhood, where an
emetic was administered to him, and he shortly
afterwards recovered. He then took him into
custody and ascertained that he used oxalic acid
in his business.
Mr. Burcham asked the prisoner what he had to
say in answer to the charge ?
The prisoner said he very much regretted taking
the poison, but it was all owing to his wife's con-
duct. She was almost always drunk and neglected
her home, although he allowed her sufficient out of
his wages to keep everything comfortable. When
he went home at night to have his supper he found
her dead drunk and nothing provided, and in a
moment of vexation he took up a small quantity of
oxalic and swallowed it. He promised not to do
such a thing again.
The constable informed his worship that the
prisoner was a steady man, but his wife was a great
drunkard.

Mr. Burcham told the prisoner that it was very
foolish on his part to take poison because his wife
was a drunkard. Under all the circumstances he
should discharge him, and he hoped he would not
make such an attempt again.
James Clements, a tall, powerful-looking man,
by trade a smith, was brought before Mr. Burcham,
charged with committing a serious assault on
George Searle, breaking his leg, and forcing the
stem of a tobacco-pipe into the roof of his mouth.
Sergeant Gardner, 25 M, produced a surgeon's
certificate from the hospital, setting forth that
George Searle was lying there in a precarious state
from a broken leg and injuries to his mouth.
Mr. Burcham said the case might terminate
fatally, therefore he should remand the prisoner for
a week.
The prisoner asked if his worship would accept
bail ?
Mr. Burcham replied that he could not under the
circumstances.
He was then conveyed to Horsemonger-lane
gaol.

LAMBETH.—Sarah Hill, a middle•aged woman
of diminutive stature, was charged before Mr.
Elliott with pretending to tell the fortune of
Rosetta Parker, a married woman, residing at No.
11, Howley-place, Belvedere-road, and stealing
from her ss. 4d. under that pretence.
The complainant--I first saw the prisoner last
Wednesday week. I was at the street door when
the prisoner came up to me, and asked me if I
would like to have my fortune told ? I made no
objection, and invited her to take a cup of tea.
While at tea she asked me for a glass of water, and
remarked that I must put my wedding-ring in it.
" She then told me," said witness, "that I must
put the glass away where no one could see it, which
I did. She next asked me for my mother's ring,
which she put under my stays. She stated that I
was to let the glass remain till she called again on
Friday. She had 6d. before she went away. She
called on the Friday, when she asked for the glass.
At her request I poured the water from the glass
and filled it again. She then told me to put some
sugar in it, and she placed the glass away in a
The prisoner next directed me to put
in the corner of a pocket handkerchief,
csuminibeosairldv.er
upon which I produced four fourpenny pieces. The
prisoner observed that it ought to be larger money,
and that the larger the better. My husband who'
os h'inseil t e aur si- .)a pairSh e
and
complainantg aeainni e
had been out of worlea long,while, got into employ.
tthoeb Monday,
when ....„,
left, and '
on fl c libto oltass. last
t (Hereweek,
saw her
when she asked me for the handkerchief.
She opened it, when, upon
seeing the four-
penny pieces, she said, ' I told you to put larger
money in it. I got 45., which the prisoner took
with the fourpenny pieces, and, as I thought, placed
them in a piece of paper. After she did that, she
told me to tie some cotton round the parcel, which
t
I did. The prisoner stated hat she would leave
the parcel with me, and
would call again on the
g.
Thursday followin As she did not call that day,
and as I wanted to b ay my boots on the Friday, I
opened the parcel, and found it to contain only a
few farthings."
Mr. Elliott—What did you expect ? What was
all this done for ?

Complainant—She told me she knew all about
the planets.
Mr. Elliott—What do you mean—that she would
tell you tour fortune ?
Complainant—She said that she could not tell
fortunes by the cards, but by 'the stars.
Mr. Elliott—Did you believe all this ?
Complainant-1 did not put much faith in her,
but I never had my fortune told before. My mother
advised me not to take notice of such things.
Susannah Sharp, complainant's mother, said that
the prisoner, on Monday, succeeded in getting her
wedding-ring, which she possessed 24 years, under
pretence that it wanted repairing. She would not
mind the loss of the money if she could get her
ring.
Police-constable B 154 said that he took the
prisoner into custody at 11 Holland-street, ,
Black-
friars, He told her the charge against her ; she
said it was all true.
The prisoner did not deny the charge.
t
Shp was sent for two months the House of
Correction.