The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-23 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIB,—A. principle of legislation in reference to the
suppression of corrupt practices at elections has just
been affirmed for the first time by a maj 3rity of the
House of Commons. It is a principle of such great mo-
ment—one that is likely, if permanently recognised, to
be productive of such important consequences, that I
deem it desirable that public attention should be more
particularly directed to it. As the adjourned debate
upon the disenfranchisement of the borough of Gal way
is fixed for this evening, I think the present is an oppor-
tune time to make a few remarks on this important sub.
jest.
Hitherto the only penalty really inflicted upon elec-
t -re convicted of corrupt practices has been the total
disenfranchisement of the borough.
This system of punishment violates a principle of
natural justice, inasmuch as it involves the innocent
in a common punishment with the guilty. In the most
notoriously corrupt boroughs which have undergone
the sentence of disentranchisment there have always
been a considerable numb;.r of voters who have been
free from participation in venal practices, including
many poor electors who, end whose ancestors, bad long
and honestly exercised their elective privilege. Tue
law that punishes these equally with the guilty,
by a total disenfranchisement of the borough obviously
violates a first principle of natural justice ; but
no such principle can be infringed without its en-
ta ling in the long run injurious consequences which
far more than neutralies the apparent gain immediately
attained. lam well aware that statesmen who have re-
lied upon the universal application of these simple but
great principles of truth and natural justice, and have
sought to press them into the service of political
affairs have been too often called Theorists"
and doctrionnaires ; but, sir, let the public depend
upon it, these are, nevertheless, the principles
which must and will ultimately prevail. We are rapidly
passing into an era in the progress of civilisation when
the universal application of these simple, bul great prin.
ciples of legislation will be more and more recognised
ai a paramount necessity, and when those who yet
oppose them, upon utilitarian considerations of present
gain, will be regarded as products of a past age.
As one out of the many evil consequences of this un-
just law we have this result, that those constituencies
which have been guilty of the most flagrant corruption
escape unpunished, because petitions against bribery
will not, as a general rule, be promoted when the known
result would be a disenfranchisement of the borough.

So that this system, thus based upon a glaring viola-
tion of a principle of natural justice has this for one of
its natural results, viz., it defeats its proper cm' as a
penal enactment, f instead of operating to suppress, it
actually becomes the means of sheltering the vice it is
framed to punish.
Now, sir, the House of Commons has, in a division
upon the last debate upon the bill brought in by Mr.
Clive to disenfranchise the borough of Galway, for the
first time affirmed the principle that the disenfranchise-
ment shall be confined to those electors only who have
been convicted of corrupt practices. I would fain
hope that the strong go d sense of the country and
the House of C.Aumons will support Mr. Walpole
in this the first attempt to give Parliamentary sanction
to this just principle of legislation.
It requires some moral courage to propose and ci-rry
any measure that involves novel principles, or is unsanc-
tioned by precedent ; and in this respect alone, I doubt
not, the measure will encounter serious oppo,i ion.
But I would press upon those who would oppose this
measure to weigh well the benefits that will surely flow
from its adoption. One of its immediate and
direct consequences will be to withdraw the im-
pediment which has hitherto prevented the bring-
ing forward of p,titions against bribery at elections ;
for so soonas it will beknoccn that the di. e.ifranchisement
cf the borough will not be the inevitable penalty of gross
bribery, but simply the disenfranchisement of the guilty
voters, the result will be that petitions will be preferred
simply for the purpose c•f purging the register of electors'
names, who, and, too often, whose ancestors are known
for generations, to have made a venal use of the fran-
chise whenever occasion offered. In all habitually cor-
rupt constituencies such men are well known. To give
the uncorrupted electors the opportunity of ridding the
register of such members without incurring the risk of
a total disenfranchisement would, I am convinced, do

more to suppress c rrupt practices at elections than any
other measure that has yet been directed to this object.
For taut) reasons I woull appeal to the strong com-
mon sense of the country and the House to support the
Secretary of State in this the first attempt to give
legislative sanction to this principle.
There is only one honest objection that can be urged
against the measure, viz., that its tendency would be to
diminish the franchise ; but in fact there never was an
argument more essentially hollow, or base I upon a more
transpat ent fallacy ; because, though it will, it is true,
diminish the number of electors, it will o❑ly do so by
the removal of those who maks a corrupt use of the
franchise, a result which must prove a positive gain, in-
stead of a loss, as every honest politician must admit.
In conclusion, I may be just allowed to say that I am,
I think, entitled to speak with some authority on this
subject,* having for a long time advocated the adoption
of the principle, now for the first time affirmed by a.
majority of the House of Commons, and endeavoured to
press it uuon the consideration of successive govern-
ments. At the same time, lam desirous of adding that
I am in no way connected with the borough of Galway,
and therefore advocate the measure sclely upon general
principles and abstract merits,
I am, Sir, &c.,
E. T. WAKEFIELD.
Lincoln's Inn, April 23, 1858.
* In 1851 I published a pamphlet advocating the prin-
ciple of this measure ; " A Letter to Lord John Russell
upon the Suppression of Bribery at Eleetions." London :
Wildy & Sons, publishers.

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT
KILLARNEY.

DUBLIN, We.lnesday.—The Royal tourist is ex-
citing the liveliest interest in the districts through
which he is passing. Every little town on his route
has its story to tell of what he said and did. At
Skibbereen the Prince has immortalised the hostelry
of a certain Mrs. Doyle.
MONDAY EVENING.—Hi 3 Royal Highness is still
quietly domesticated at the Victoria, visiting each
point of attraction from day to day, and at inter-
vals enjoying with all the keen appetite of a fine
spirited boy, the duck and rabbit shooting which
the shores of the Lower and Middle Lake just now
furnish in great abundance, and ever and anon
wiling from" its watery homethe silvery trout. The
weather is glorious, which leads to the hope that
his Royal Highness will prolong his stay to the end
of the week. I have reason to think he will then
proceed to Valentin, to visit the notables of that
interesting locality and the terminus of the Trans-
atlantic Telegraph. The Admiralty yacht, now at
Bantry, will, my informant states, then take leave
of the Prince on board, and having given him an
opportunity of viewing the wondrous Skelligs—
where, by the by, he can enjoy right royal shoot-
ing, the magnificent scenery of the Dingle coast—
steam away for the Shannon.
A lively letter from a lady in the Cork Constitu-
tion gives the following account of the Prince on
his way to Glengariffe :
" Two great events have happened since Sunday
—the arrival of a whale in this harbour, and a live
Prince in our western metropolis. The papers have
informed us of his royal highness's arrival in Cork,
but we hardly believed lie would have the good
taste to visit that very celebrated and interesting
locality, Skib., which must have appeared to advan-
tage in a down-pour such as we had all day Thurs-
day. However, he did not much seem to
mind, though the people remarked that he was
" very badly clothed,' aiAl he was driven by
the gingle-boy to Mrs. Doyle's hotel, where he
went in and asked for a tumbler of
.Bass's ale,
which he took standing at the counter.
then asked if she had-any real potheen, and,
being answered in the affirmative, lie ordered a
glass, which he tasted, and then mixed with the
Bass, which his suite all shared. Miet. Doyle took
the party foe people come about Mr. Madder's
promised steamer, and on the Prince remarking that
Skibbereen so:met' a ri,ing place, she said 'lt would
be, if there was any one there who had interest to
have the river deepened from the quay at Old Court,
to allow the steamers to come up to the town.'
Shortly after a crowd began to collect, as a rumour
spread of a Prince, an actual live Prince, le in; to
be seen, so he speedily mounted the gingle and set
off for Bantry. The gingle driver, who ill, of
course, be immortalised as 'the boy who dr. ve the I
Prince,' is now an object only secondary, and e is
full of all the Prince said and did. How he told
him to get some of the sods of turf as they Ot,ve
al.mg, with which lie amused himself pelting, or, as
the boy said, cruisting, everything as they passed.
I think some of the magistrates were disappointed
that the Prince did not commit some breach of the
peace, and, like a second Prince Hal, get himself
brought before the worthy bench. Mrs. Doyle is,
of course, in eestaci,s, and Mrs. Hegarty in pro-
portienate despair at the celebrity of her rival, who
Is going to get a case for the liimily-honoured-d tum-
bler, thriutl,h she remarks, with?' no little mortifica-
t!on, that it was unfortunately the most diicul
oured glass in the shop, and had a bit out of it.'
Everyb >cly was running to look at the glass Yes-
terday and to hear all about it, and the happy Mts.
Doyle is going, of cot': se, to call her hotel The
Prince of Wales'—in fact she seems to cons:der that
she has now some priva c property in the Princ
and she ca,lkd the gingle-boy an ' impudent ruffian,'
to dare compere himself 10 a Prince, because he
said he was about li s height, as if he was like such
a fellow in any way.' 1 fully expect that the
highly-honoured gingle will, like Ne•son's ships,
the Vi ,ry and Royd. George, be eu,, up in frag-
ments and couver ed inro all s,,rts of knick knacks,
and no doubt the st,:flinp' of the cushions—if in.
deed they were ric-jt i>tuffsed with stones, as one I
last travelled on certainly llbe sold for
putting into ring, See If you wish for any mo-
ment° you ought to apply for it in time, for the
fever of royalty is now at its height."