The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-09 00:00:00

ciples. This is, doubtless, an easier virtue for a
Liberal than for a Tory landlord. The middle
classes, amongst whom farm-tenants rank, are the
strength of the Liberal party ; left to themselves
but a small minority of them would be Tories.
The landlord of Liberal politics hi- little need,
therefore, of self-denial in bidding his tenants to
vote as they please. The pleasure of landlord, and
that of tenants, in this instance,, coincide. A
practical reason, by the bye, why Liberal landlords
need not be hostile to secret voting. They would
lose nothing by it of personal influence, and their
cause would gain materially in the counties at

large
The fact alluded to in our first observation illus
trates the truth of these remarks. Last Wednes
day a public meeting was held in the Town-hall of
Woburn on the subject of the Ballot. The Town-
hall was lent by the Duke for the purpose, and the
assembly was a large one. There has been, for a
month or so past, considerable excitement on the
subject, in Woburn, in consequence of a lecture de-
livered some time back by Mr. WHITE, to prove
that the Ballot was immoral, " because all secrecy
was so." Lord CHARLES RUSSELL presided at the
lecture delivered by Mr. WHITE, which, though a
clever one, and unanswerable, if his starting point
were conceded, could not be termed more than
clever, since no one could allow that concealment
itself is wrong, especially when the wickedness of
others compels us to have recourse to it. If so, indeed,
the whole system of expedients generated by the
necessity of honest men protecting themselves
against rogues would be wrong. The immorality
of secrecy and concealment is indeed a doctrine, we
should say, hopeless enough to preaeh to a nation
distinguished almost equally by the seemingly
incompatible qualities of reserve and out-spoken-

ness.

As Mr. WHITE was to be present at the meeting
and a deputation from the Ballot Society to take
the lead, the small town of Woburn was not a little
excited. It was known that the Duke was not the
man to be the least aggrieved by either a warm
defence of the Ballot or a warm attack on it. His
own family had walked, in Parliament, into dif-
ferent lobbies on the annual motion, and never,
therefore, was the question put to a fairer test—
" What do small agricultural towns think and wish
on the Ballot?" All were free to speak and act as
they pleased, and we may add, we believe, with
truth, that every elector present—and every per-
son who hopes to become an elector by virtue of
Lord DERBY'S or JOHN BRIGHT'S Reform Bill, or
by Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S, as may yet be the case
—that they all felt assured that under the Duke
and his family they should not need the Ballot for

themselves.
Well, after the deputation from the Ballot So
ciety had had full scope—after Mr. WHITE had
replied—after the deputation had rejoined—
and after a brisk fire of lively ques-
tions had been kept up for some time and with
much spirit, and apparently to the great entertain-
ment of all—after all came the voting—and it cer-
tainly was a model vote—" That although this
meeting feels that if all landlords were equally
liberal with his Grace the Duke of BEDFORD the
necessity for the Ballot would be lessened, it still
feels that its adoption is most important, and that
any Reform Bill which does not contain a provision
for secret voting will be unsatisfactory." Who will
say, after this, that the Duke's political clients at
Woburn are wanting in political gratitude ?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL will, however, permit us to
remind lthn of the weight which this vote should
have with him. It is the Abbey town itself which
has voted for the Ballot. He has repeatedly, and
we believe with perfect honesty, insisted on the
value of our small agricultural boroughs, asserting
that they possessed a peculiar character, and a
considerable number of independent minds. He
would, we suppose, rather group than abolish
them. Woburn is just one of the small places
which his Lordship would like to have representa-
tion, in some way, with other places of a similar
class. Now, Lord JOHN may see, if he will, how
one of his own favourite class of towns thinks on
the important question of the Ballot. He will
allow, we are sure, that not one small agricultural
town in a hundred is better qualified to ask his ac-
ceptance of their opinion as a representative opinion
L than Woburn. It is free to vote as it likes under
the RUSSELL family—its inhabitants have fewer
personal reasons to desire the Ballot than those of
almost any small town in the kingdom—yet Wo-
[ burn advertises Lord JOHN most distinctly that his
I Reform Bill will not satisfy without the Ballot. It
is surely worth his while to review his opinion
and position on thequestion, when Manchester and
Woburn unite in their demand.

His Excellency the Minister for the Netherlands
has been confined to his residence in Lowndes-square for
the last ten days with an attack of rheumatism.
His Excellency the Saxon Minister has returned
to town from the continent.
The Duke of Buccleuch and the Earl of Dalkeith,
M.P., have arrived at Montague House, from Boughton
House, Northamptonshire.
The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland are
expected in town early next week from Alnwick Castle.
The Marquis of Hartington has left town for
Vienna.

The Earl and Countess of Craven have left town
on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Verulam, at Gor-
hambury Park, Herts.

. .
The Earl of Beverley has left Portman-square
for Torquay. His lordship has recovered from his late in-
disposition.
The Earl and Countess of Bective are on a visit
to the Lord High Commissioner, and Lady Young, at
Corfu. The noble earl and countess intend to return home
for the meeting of Parliament. . _

- _
The Earl and Countess of Lichfield have arrived
at Baron's Court, county Tyrone, on a visit to the Marquis
and Marchioness of Abercorn.

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston left Cam-
bridge House on Tuesday for Broadlands.
The funeral of the lamented Lady Clementina
Villiers will take place on Saturday. Her ladyship's mor-
tal remains will repose in the family fault at Middleton.

Baron Lichtenstein has arrived at the Brunswick
Hotel from Germany. The Baron von Hargen has taken
his departure from the same establishment.
Sir Hamilton and the Hon. Lady Seymour have
left town on a visit to Mr. and Lady Charlotte Egerton at
Mere Hall, Cheshire.
Lady Peel has arrived at her residence in White-
hall-gardens.
Sir Charles Rushout and the Hon. Lady Rushout
have left Fenton's Hotel for Sezincot, Gloucestershire.
LIVERPOOL, Dec. B.—The screw steamship
Kangaroo, belonging to the Liverpool, New York, and
Philadelphia Company, sailed to-day for New York with
the United States' mails, 140 passengers, and a full and
valuable cargo of fine manufactured goods, a considerable
portion of which were Irish fabrics. On Saturday the
Cunard Royal mail steamship Persia sails for New York
with the Canadian and United States' mails. The Black
Ball Australian passenger ship Marco Polo arrived
to-day from Melbourne, which port she left on Sept. 3.
She has on board 47,000 oz. of gold, valued at £185,520,
and 113 passengers.
ARRIVAL OF AUSTRALIAN GOLD.—The Black
Ball clipper, Marco Polo, arrived in the Mersey yesterday
(Wednesday) from Melbourne, which port she left on Sept.
9th. She brings 47,900 ounces of gold, equal to about
£185,520, and 113 passengers. The voyage was protracted
by
aon mailthiertehe, oee:otay hrlfeyo au-s-y r gales, and also some very rough
partwea-
golodf
sthihepsvowyealFee.adßveyrttihseedlasfotr Aseuas, but
by the arrival of the Dover Castle at London, in the early
part of the week, and the Marco Polo at Liverpool, yester-
day, the only vessels now at sea are the Janet and the Or-
well; the latter vessel, however, will not bring much gold,
and would leave Melbourne about the end of September.
If the Janet left at her appointed date, Aug.she is now
over 90 days at sea, and may be looked g for 30,very day.i
THE FOG.—A very heavy fog prevailed in Lon-
don yesterday. From a very early hour the darkness ne-
cessitated the lighting of gas in all tnhsdoeecimoe,ffianpc offices and aotadhdse soshft or
tpe
hes
et.
traffic
cc on
wastheriverwas considerably
iemnptieredlyed.susApet
day the fog appeared to us thicker and darker than any fog
)ve ever remember to have observed in London,