The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-06 00:00:00

~~~~~

" SVAPEIt
more than others, but providing for.
whatever they may be, solid and isAlutari gtarenteeit '
against the exclusive spirit of mkjeritiet4.....in-tilg-
land we know that usually the cakstiteencies elect.
two representatives, but a certain nukmber of- deli,—
stituencies return three ; and according to fre pre
sent bill as it stands the number of these three-
cornered constituencies will be 12. It is to this
dozen elections that, subject to future extension, the
new system is proposed to be applied. According to
the amendment upon which the House of Commons
voted, each elector in these 12 constituencies would
be entitkd to give his three votes to the same candi-
date. From that arrangement it would result that
a minority of one-third in the elec'oral b.ady would
be certain to return one out of the three representa-
tive members, a proportion perfectly equitable, and
which in no way interfered with the preponderance
of the majority. The amendment of Lord Cairns,
which has been adopted, mot3ifies the application of
the same princirle by declaring that each eke' Jr in
these 12 constituencies shall vote for only two of
the candidates, which insures to the inP jority one
representative out of three. The cordition of a
minimum of votes insures that a third of the voters
shall be required to render valid the election of the
third member. This mode of election--two votes
where there are three representatives to be chosen, or
three out of four —is already adopted in the Spanish
Cortes in the elections for the bureau of the assembly,
while it is indispensably necessary that the minority
should be duly represented. Whatever may be
the result, Lord Cairns's amendment does intro-
duce the representation of minorities, as would have
done the amendment suggested to the House of Com-
mons, and both amendments have been supported by
the same arguments in the two houses. Decisive
arguments, too, it may be said to every just and
enlightened mind, and the recent sitting of the
House of Lords has brought them into still greater

prominence. With the exception of Lord Malmes-
bury, all the speakers, Lords Cairns, Russell,
Spencer, Carnarvon, Stanhope, Shrewsbury, notir,h-
ton, Stratford de Redefine, spoke in the same sense,
and those who, constrained by discipline or routine,
voted against it, did not attempt to combat it. What
reply could be given to Lord Russell, who asked
whether it was right and proper that out of 20,000
electors 8,000 should be unrepresented without in-
fluence in public affairs, because the remaining
12,000 had all voted together ? What can result
from such a system, especially under a very extended
franchise, when personal influence and judgment be-
comes very much diminished ? What does follow we
know from experience that a considerable number of
citizens, finding themselves always in a minority,
become disgusted and abstain from taking part in
elections, the result of which is known beforehand,
and in which they are aware they can count for
nothing. It is in this manner that assemblies may
be formed, animated by a narrow and exclusive
spirit, carrying to excess the opinions which their
elections represent, finding no counterpoise within
themselves, and, what is still more regrettable for
the dignity of the country, deprived of the eminent
men whom an intolerant majority can always exclude
from the national representation. Let us contrast
with this picture, the accuracy of which no honest
critic will deny, the advantages of the new system
which, by taking note of minorities, will constitute
in the full meaning of the term a true national re-
presentation. Above all, the rights of the majority
remain intact, since being certain of always carrying
two representatives to one, they remain controllers
of the public affairs and destinies of the country.
Government by majorities, or what may be the same
thing, by public opinion, which is the very principle
of Parliamentary Government, is, thorefore, in no
way weakened by this system, while, at the same
time, there would be no longer a disheartened mi-
nority, irritated and discouraged by the feeling of
complete powerlessness and great injustice. This
minority, revived by hope, will take a regular share
in public life, and even when it cannot aspire
to power it will, at least, have the advantage of
speech. It will be certain to send its most
worthy representatives, and when the time shall
come for its accession to power it will not be found
to be soured by enforced silence, nor envenomed by
oppression, but to be, on the contrary, animated by
the moderate and benevolent spirit which emanates
from just legislation. Therefore there would be no
longer the risk of seeing in the constitution of legis-
lative Assemblies those lamentable exclusions which
not only deprive them of the brightest luminaries,
but which too often by their extreme injustice affect
the honour of the nation. To confine ourselves to
our own history, which opinion among us, which
party among us, would not have profited in its turn
by so equitable a system of election ? And what
benefit might not have resulted from it to the entire
nation ? Without going back farther than 1815,
the undiscoverable (introuvable) Chamber could not
have existed with such an electoral system, and how
many other examples might we not instance to prove
that in France an insured representation of the
minority would have been a powerful aid to good
sense and a protection to the public interest ? What
party can be sufficiently arrogant or sufficiently blind
as to expect for ever to enjoy, to the exclusion of
others, that excessive power which the possession
of a majority gives it for a time ? If,
by possibility,
the present regime should disappear, as the Em-
peror in a celebrated speech has suggested, would
M. Rouher or 31. de Persigny, remaining, of course,
consistent to their present opinions, would they
obtain admission to the national Parliament ?
Would not they then be excluded from it, as are
now Messrs. Dufaure, Remusat, and many others,
and yet would it not be right that their views should
be represented, and that it should be represented by
them ? Each party among us in turn has its re-
verses, and then complains bitterly of being given
over without check or hindrance to the domination
of the opposite party. If there be a country where
the rights of the minority are already established
and solid it is England. If there be a country where
minorities have usually been deprived of protection
and have had reason to complain of legal powerless-
ness it is our own. And yet it is from England we
now receive the example of this great reform which
will, doubtless, inaugurate into the world the re-
presentation of minorities. At all events, may
this event be pondered upon and comprehended by
all those who favour the ca-existence of Democracy
and liberty ; that is, all those who are-interested in
the future of France, since our country ii irrevoc-
ably devoted to Democracy, and it is still striving
to found its liberty."

SOLDIERS' GARDENS.—Parties of the men in
camp at Aldershot are hard at work trying to get the
" gardens" at the south camp into something like trim.
At present they have a very woe-begone aspect, and have
much the appearance that a London street has after it has
been " put straight" when the sewers aro being made.—
United Service Gazette.
EMIGRATION FROM LIVERPOOL. —D nring the past
month the total number of emigrant ships sailing from
the Mersey was 47, carrying 11,498 passengers, being an
increase over the corresponding period of last year of
2,508. Twenty-two ships wero for the United States,
with 9,377 passengers, of whom 8,793 wero steerage, and
584 cabin. Of the steerage passengers 2,957 were
English, 137 Switch, 2,493 Irish, and roia foreigners.
Four ships sailed to Canada with 1,097 passengers-927
steerage, and 170 cabin ; one to Victoria, with 1 cabin and
9 steerage passengers. Of short ships there were 6to the
United States, with 619 passengers, 3 to Victoria with 138
passengers, 3 to the West Indies with 37 passengers, 6 to
South America with 92 passengers, and 2 to Africa with
12 passengers.
[A.Dvkirrisimits.r.]—Avoid Medicines: they always aggravate
chronic complaints: but Do Barry's delicious health-restoring
Revelenta, Anbica, Food, which yields three times the nourtsh-
ment of the best in3at, saves 50 times its cost in other remedies,
ands,vriay r,stores perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound
lung healthy liver, pure blood, refreshbrg sleep, functional
regularity, am' energy to the most diserlerad or enfeeiTed
tnWre _
extract a fry's ut of 63,009 curos:—.' The Pope's healt res d
—abtobayTDDinivade
or, i
,hßanniranrryrli,n,a'slnlitFfoooetchhad.aeireHnreCtanalluyreeAdFriNatii6re3,Fithawl,B3e.dx—c,:en'ilfiti`ntri,eheah,ipera4J :es
ja: July
01
entirely2yi,Lss
consumes
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aflopiriteefffueletatoenviciirsyhmmelatili.,
andlt hhasia
nporiaindansacendanansnut rpiraviisaientglyiabeefxrnieem-i
lNenn.t food
5,216t0, on
of the
highly."
rel,h'rionmnatabaeLGßarzeentatend, eofMakelvi,eJnulyye2asra.. Cure
No. 58,216, of the larchiofleBs do Brehan, of seven years liver
complaint,paipitatinlavallstoinvger,abwaady,ddigebesilaitnyn,, nervousness, with
owpflietinhasaannenyaes3r,,veaoantrsids,
escumribaNbloe. 1e:g707n137; Lord
sthteuamrtodsteinnteoclieeras,bLleornde;oislynapynetataotirsfo.nlNin.ct:
(dlYyssPepePpssiiaa, nNerovO4u9sfes2;, asthma, cough,:Bueswtiaptar)etwioientif,eihtlbaetul.eneY
spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria Joly."—Cure No
diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver
4s:el:ad g
smbn 46,270: Mr• James Roberts, of Frimlesyt,
aSull:eclisly
attached.
n;oef 3:03,ty,
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unsavoury
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imitationst i
most
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gl besn.t,_
a2t2res .0;
t,2l,4olnbdsn.,n4;oas.l—street,
an. d CO . , withoutNnloa.l7.l7y,
son, 182, Piceadillv ;
and at 61, Gracechurch-street; 4, Chca,pside; 63, 159, and 296,
oa9rd-street ;330 Strand i and all grocers bud 04emists,