The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-05 00:00:00

can't."

Mr. WEIITHIIMIST —Mr. Coleman has made the ad-
mission. He says he can vote as he but M:.
Green can't. (L iud laughter.) Let us imagine the
ballot is instituted at Hertford, wha:: would Mr. Cole-
man be the worse ! Would he be less independent that.
now I He would be juit .s able to vote as be think,
proper- as he does now. And would not Mr. Green,
whom Mr. Coleman points out as the victim of coercion,
be in a bet ter position I (Laughter.)
Mr. H. COWMAN—He is the only man in Hertford
the ball,t *Out,' suit.

Mr. WHITEHURST--I am willing to take that admis-
sion, because if there is only one man in the borough ef
Hertford who wants the proteo ion of the ballot, I say
that man would be better off, and all the others would
be none the worse. (Interruption.) How could they
be any worse off 3
A Voice—There would 'be no bribery. (Laughter.)
Mr. WHITERMIST —Mr. Coleman, upri4ht and proud
in all the cou-ciousness of his integrity, c mid go forth,
and proclaim wits, a trumpet—
Mr. COLEMAN—I should have you for the trumpet, for
a better mouthpiece I don't know. (Loud laughter.)
Mr. WRITEHURST—But my sympathies are with Mr.
Alfred Green, who is the victim of coercion, according
I
to Mr. Coleman's account. (Laughter.) have not
yet heard it denied that coercion at elections does pre
vail, or that the ballot would prevent coercion, and I
have yet to learn why any man is entitled to know how
another man votes. (Cheers )
Mr. G. STAVELEY, of Victoria, then came f r erard to
address the assembly. He said he had been a a resident
at Ge elong, in Victoria, for some years, and had bad
frequent opportunities of watching the operation of the
syei ern of voting by ballot, there adopted. The result
was that, though at the first averse to the secret mode
of vying, he became a thorough co avert to it, after see-
iug its g od effects. A tran--pareocy, illustrating the
me le of voting adopted iu the colony of Victoria. was
then exhibited, and explained by Mr. Staveley. At a
b-nch in the polling roam sat the returning officer, the
poll clerks, and scrutineers. Toe voter approached this
bench, and it having been ascertains-t that he was quali-
fied to vote, received a polling paper, upon which the
names of tie candidates were printed, from the poll
clerks. He then retired into a recess, provided will a
desk and writing materials, where he could not be
seen, and striking out the names of the p reohs he
did not intend to vote for, carried the paper back to the
bench, and deposited it in a lecked box, in which there
was a slit for the purpose. His vote was then recorded,
and he returned home. At the close of the poll, the
papers were taken out, and examined in the presence of
the returning officer, the poll clerks, and scrutineers ap-
pointed by the candidates. Tne result was perfect
secrecy. No one knew how a msn voted, and nobody
now asked a man, because he was unable to give teem
any proof on the subject. The mode of voting in Vice.iria
had led to the disountinuarice of all canvassing, which
was now useless, and of treating, bribery, and
intimi-
dation, which were useless also. A candidate now bad
to be content with addressing the electors, and taking
what means he could to make his sentiments known.
What had been done in Victoria could be done in
England ; for there men were not Russian, or French,
or American, but Lig' eh, Irish. and Scotch. Mr.
Staveley concluded his address by quoting the opinions
of eminent men in Victoria, and of Victorian news-
papers, formerly opposed to the ballot, who were now
of opinion that it was the best means of taking the votes
of the citizens.
In answer to a question, Mr. STAVELET said that, if a
man could not read, he might get the Sheriff, who was
sworn to secrecy, to strike out the names of the persons
for whom he did not vote from the voting paper. There
was, however, a law by which, at the end of five years,
persons who could not read would be deprived of the
privilege of voting.
Mr. J. L. FOSTER asked what protection there was
against any tampering with the voting papers.
Mr. STAVELEY said there was no opportunity whatever
for tampering with the papers without the concurrence
of the returning-officer, the clerks, and the scrutineers,
which was not at all a probable event. Each scrutineer
woull look after the interest of his own candidate, and
that would prevent any tampering with the papers. Im-
mediately after the close of the poll, the numbers are
ascertained, and the papers sealed up and sent to the
Government officers. In order that there may be no doubt
as to the genuineness of the papers, the sheriff is obliged
to sign every one of them before they are given out ;
they are then counted out to the returning-officer in
fifties, and he has to account for every one of them.
In answer to a question from some one in the body
of the room,
Mr. STAVELEY said the papers were numbered, by
which means the Government officials might be able t
asc,rtain how any person voted ; but the numbering was
not an essential part of the system, and in Ta-mania
the papers were not numbered.
The CHAIRMAN then made a few observations, in which
he expressed himself strongly in favour of the ballot, and
referred to the scenes of disorder and drunkennesswhich
were witnessed at Hertford on the occasion f the last
municipal election. He concluded by proposing a
reso-
lution to the effect "that this meeting deeirer to ree ,rd
ite convic.ion that vote by ballot is necessary."
Mr. BLACICABY then rose and said—lt was now
an open question, and as he neither courted the
smiles nor feared the frowns of any one, he should ex-
press his opinions freely. The chairman had not cour-
teously reflected on the creditability of the voters of
Hertford, at the Municipal election especially. He (Mr.
Blackaby) was not quite sure that anything
disorderly
or discreditable occurred, but if it was so, both sides were
alike. He thought, under all circurn,tancee, when a
man got up to advocate any cense, it was wise to steer
clear of personalities, lie knew his Wisci!:;!!3l.l_Tal foolish*

noes. Solomon told him that, and therefore he knew it.
But he must say that, whenever a man got up to advo-
cate a iiraifcal qu-stiornit would be wise of him to steer
deal of any internati .nal matter, (Loud laughter.) He
did not know why people laughed. There was a very
good ,ayi g— " Fouls laugh, and wise men keep their
con- teoa cs." (Renewed laughter.) He hoped he should
be ex used ~,aki“g these personal remarks ; bu, he felt,
A. a . that he bad *been personally attacked.
He dared ay his remarks would go through the public
but rhai; oid not daunt hint for a single moment.
These were rude remarks, hut n t personal. (Laughter.)
Mr. FOSTER then aildrp,sed a few wcrds to the meet-
ing, in oopo-ition to th, adoption of the ballot. He
characterise(' it as tin-English, and as calculated to pre-
vent voters from taking that interest in p ditics which
they did now, and which i, was important they should
continue to take. if the bailot was adopted a man
would give his vote and go home and think no more
about politics till another election ; but now men were
always talking about politics, and thus erroneous opi-
nions were corrected, and right conclusions arrived at.
The experience of the working by ballot in a new noun-
' try like Australia was not a criterion for us ; but we
should rather look at the working of it in such countries
as France and America, where the result was anything
but desirable. He concluded by proposing an amend-
ment, to tilt, effect that it was not aesirable to adopt the

Mr. H. COLEMAN seconded the amendment, and said
he was quite satisfied that the people of Hertford were
too independent to require the protection of the ballot.
Mr. Newman had been in the town but a short time,
but be was e remarkably busy little body—(a laugh)—
both in parochial and other matters. He did not b-
j,ct to that, however, for if a gentleman saw evils in
society, it was quite right of him to try to rectify them ;
but if Mr. Newman th.uAt they were going to have
the ba,tat forced upon them, he wa3 quite mistaken.
(Cheers.)

The CHAIRMAN said he was glad to hear that Hert-
ford was sv pure as not to need any improvement. But
he must say, although he had been only at Hertford a
short time, he had heard something about 14 days'
!eases. (Cheers, laughter, and hisses.) .
The amendment and motion were they put to the vote,
and the chairman declared that in opinion the show
01 hands wa.. slightly in favour of the ballot.
This announc-went gave great disga•isfaction to the
opponents of ttie ballot, some of whom declared there
were four t.> one against it, and others aid there were
two ter one. T., us the numbers appeared to be so nearly
equal that, wy.i.out ac ually counting them, it was im-
possible to :ecide which had the-majority. After a little
uproatiou- pretesting against the announcement of the
division, the meeting quietly dispersed.

ANOTHER HEA FY GALE ON THE NORTH-
EAST COAS AND i OSS OF LIFE.

On Saturday ad.viers 'at Lloyd's furnish a list of
serious casualties which occurred on the North-east
coast, during a heavy gal.- on Thursday and Friday
morving. It comwencrd from the northward, and
veered to the N.E., bl6wing ht avy squalls, with
rain, and causing the sea to break on the beach
with great fury.

Between Flamborough Head and the Tees, the
weather was exceedinAy bad, and several vessels
were driven ashore. A sad catastrophe happened
off Scarborough oil Thursday morning. A boat in
which were several lieu, su:posed four or five, was
observed by she coast guard to be endeavouring to
make fir the harbou,. Tee gals was at its height,
and a very heavy ,ea was running. The boat had -
approached wi:hin a wile or so of the shore when
it capsized, and all the unfortunate fellows who
wet() in it perished. Lwer in the day, the boat was
washed ashore, and on a piece of wood at tho stern,
was bound th name of " Robert Hudson." The
unfortunate men are supoo,ed to have formed the
crew of a coasting vessel which foundered during
the gale. None of the bodies as r t have been cast
p. The boat is about ten feet in length, and is in
the cus,cnly of the receiver of iroits for the district.
On rho same morning, near the Tees lighthouse,
' the schooner Kingfisher, Captain Patterson, from '
the Tyno, was driven ashore ; and at Staithes, in
toe neighbourhood, another, the Steerwell, belong- .
ing to Whitney, sank.
The most serious, loss, however, as regards the ,
extent of property, was the wreck of the Loudon
and Newcastle sere w steamer Ros-dale, Capt. Wood, ;
~n the Lorivsoar Rocks, near Hartlepool, on Thurs-
day morning. In the course cf the right and Fri-
day morning she went to pieces, and her loss is
valued at 20,0001. She was bound to Newcastle,
and, it is statad, was in charge of two pilots.
She had almost reached the Tyne, when she
was driven back by the gale, and was endea7
vouring to run into Hartlepool harbour when •
she drove on the rocks. The life-boat was
tot out, and succeeded in rescuing the crew
of the ill-fated steaitier. It is reported that the
plots d d net keep her in the proper (kennel, but ,
the whole of the facts will be gone intit at an in-
quiry which the Board of Trade have directed.
The R sedale was built about hree years ago, and
was the property of Messrs. Palmer, of Newcastle- .
upon-Tyne.
The wore northern coast appears to have expe-
rienced as severe weath r. The accounts from St.
Andrews state that on Thursday morning it blew a
terrific gale, almoet nnaoia”ting to a hurricane, from
N.E., with hail and sleet. On the previous night
the flee ship t heSutlej, almost a new vessel, nearly
800t.insburde,i, commanded by Capt. Grant, bound
for Me!beurne, with a valuable general cargo, was
wrecked at the mouth of the Tay harbour (Dun-
de-). She was endeavouring to put to sea, when,
from some unfortunate circumstance, which the
account does net specify, she struck on the Tay bar
with such violence that she speedily filled, the offi-
cers and crew being obliged, for the safety of their
lives, to abandon her in the ship's boats. At the
hood the ship was carried ashore near Ranerston,
where she became a wreck. She belonged to the
port of Dundee, and her 1. ss will exceed 20,0001.

Oountr v lYlarxets.

LEICESTER-APRIL 3.

At our corn market to-day there was a small supply of
wheat, which sold at an advance of le. per quarter, good
white making 44. and red 463. pet quarter. The trade in
barley ruled dull, and last week's rates were maintained. ;
Beaus in small supply, and Is per quarter dearer. Oats
were scarce audio. higher.