The Sun.
London, England, 1832-12-29 00:00:00

ANSWERS.

OBJECTIONS.

It is um-English, say If the Ballot be un-English, why
its opponents.; contrary is it used in Clubs and Colleges
to the plain, open, fair- But if it be un-English, is the dis-
and-above-board expres- gusting bribery, engendered by the
sion of political feeling corrupted minds and dishonest am_
characteristic of English. bition of the rich, and used to suit
men, and therefore not the base purposes of faction—bri-
applicable to this country. bery, which is applied by wealth
to misery and poverty, by cupi-
dity to cupidity, by knavery to
knavery, which like an evil spirit
glides into the heart, overpowers
reason and conscience, and calls into
active resistance those bad passions
which, but for it, might still have
remained dormant in the human
breast—is this intended to be desig-
nated as peculiarly un-English ?
Yet this, the Ballot is meant if pos-
sible to annihilate! Then, is the
tyranny miscalled influence, which
reduces poor tenants and tradesmen
to the alternative of seeing their fa-
milies ruined or voting against their
conscience, is this also the purely
English liberty that the Ballot is to
destroy ? The honest, open, pride-
and-envy-of-the-world liberty of

Great Britain!

It is a premium on There is nothing so easy as lying,
lying and deception. even without the Ballot, and the
premium will not equal that given to
ambassadors for the same thing. To
those who are determined to lie and
deceive, it affords a cloak ; but do
they not already lie and deceive ?
and will the Ballot make them
worse ? It will at least hide a perni-
cious example; it insures their un-
biassed choice, good or bad, and the
result will be the preponderance of
the mass of good or evil in the cow.
munity. If evil predominate, then
good is un-English, and to natu-
ralize it you must raise by educa-
tion the moral standard of the
people at large, which after all mill
be the only really eicient Reform.
It will not succeed, for This seems the only sensible ob-
it will not prevent land. jection to the Ballot, but may be
lords from canvassing be- met by a general determination,
fore the vote is given, and brought about by time, of the voters
consequently will not pro- not to promise their votes. In
tect the honest conscien. clubs, in colleges, and in juries,
tious man, while the it would be thought an insult to
knave and unprincipled ask how a man voted. Why
do not deserve protection. not the same circumspection in
the exercise of a right more sa-
cred and valuable than them all ?
Let a voter when canvassed return
the nursery answer to importunate
children, " Ask use no questions and
I will tell you no lies." But what is
the objection to an Act of Parlia-
ment to make all solicitation for
votes illegal ? Ido not mean to say
that this would quite prevent can-
vassing, but it would make the can-
vasser feel that he was committing
an illegal Itct, and furnish a fair
excuse to the poor voter for not
answering.
As to the assertion, that the
knave and unprincipled person
don't deserve protection, I am
afraid, if rigidly adhered to, this
rule would put too great a mass of
the community beyond the pale of

the law.

It does not answer in In America, it is quite true,
America, where, in spite few take advantage of the Ballot ;
of the Ballot, every man's but this only proves that it is not
opinion is known. generally required there; it might
as well be said that a man should
not have an umbrella, because he
did not take advantage of it at
every sprinkling of rain. In Ame-
rica, there is no aristocracy, and
no tenants depending on great
people for the support of their fa-
milies. There is no country where
the Ballot is less required, and ac-
cordingly it is but little used.

In conclusion, I have only to observe, that the per-
nicious effects of the present system we all agree are de-
moralizing to the greatest degree; that the ballot can
hardly wake things worse, and that there is every prospect
of its putting an end to some, at least, of the gross bribery
MALI give it a trial ?
lY AND HONESTY.
now snApFreßvlaEleNntD.
TToheAniowßhy

ANTWERP.

ANTWERP, DEC. 25, TUESDAY NIGHT.

Christmas-day has passed over with tar more satisfac-
tion to the inhabitants of this city than they had expected
some days ago. They enjoy their liberation, as every one
who considers their position a month since may easily con-
ceive. They dread no longer a bombardment, nor the
vengeance of the King of Holland on them and their
families.

Poor old Chasse ! be seemed to feel his position as most
painful, when, with tears in his eyes, he expressed his
hopes that the military men of England would consider
his defence as worthy of his ancient reputation. It will
brand the King of Holland, who surrendered Erfurth in
1806, wi,hout a struggle, with indelible infamy if he
condemn the gallant old soldier to become a prisoner.
Yet the fears of General Chasse seem to show be will.

The Dutch people have always retained their old terri-
tory, in which their ancestors gained so much glory.
Since their union with Belgium they never stood so high
as they may now by doing justice to themselves and to
this country. They have got their King to themselves,
for whom, since his arrival as Monarch in 1815, when
he, by chicanery, Antlered the trial by jury here, the
Belgians could entertain no sincere affection. It is one of
the distinguishing marks of the Belgian system of laws
which the Dutch do not like.

Yet some here pretend that to be avenged of his ab•
.olute allies, the King of Holland will make that people
again a Republic, as of old. Others assert that he has
not the courage so to do, although with his immense
wealth he could live well as Stadtholder, and spare the
Dutch the costs of royalty. His answer as to the fate of
the gait i,on of the citadel has not yet arrived.
During the surrender of arms yesterday, under General
Favauge, a Belgian officer insulted some Dutch ones ; be
has been reported by the French to King Leopold, who
has ordered his arrest,

This night the town is tranquil. At 8 o'clock the Society
of Harmony played some exquisite music before the Palace,
in which the King and the French Princes dined.

WEDNESDAY, 1 O'CLOCK.
I have waited all the morning to hear the decision of
the King of Holland, which has not yet arrived.
The weather is fine, and crowds perambulate the town
and the quays. Orders have been given to remove the
barricades in the streets of the town.

'I he Regency of the city have applied by deputation to
the King for three points : Ist, that the walls of thi.
citadel next the town be immediately abolished ; 2d, that
a price be laid on leave to see it now, for the benefit of the
poor, and 3d, that the state of siege in which Antwerp
has been some time be removed. I have not beard the
King's answer, but it strikes me as odd that the Corpora-
tion should make the latter demand before the decision of
Holland as to peace or war be known.
The burgomaster has published a proclamation re-
pre.ving the excesses committed by a few of the lowest
rabble on Monday towards the Dutch prisoners, and
stating that the respectable people did not participate in
such unworthy conduct.
On the river all is tranquil. The Austrian brig lies
opposite to the dock, ready to sail : 10 or 12 small ves-
sels went down this forenoon with the Dutch wounded
from the Tete de Flandres and from the citadel, going to
Bergen-op-Zoom.

The Dutch flig, which was taken down yesterday by
some French officers, as a mark of submission, at the Tete
de Flandres and the forts, continues to float there still.
Over the citadel there is none flying.
The inhabitants, who fled from their houses during the
alarm, continue to throng home.
Crowds of endow arrive ; but the prohibition to see the
citadel as yet disappoints them sadly : there is great diffi-
culty also to get into the trenches.

HALF-PAST 1 O'CLOCK.

I was deceived yesterday by a person who ought to
be well informed as to the passing of M. de Tallenay into
Holland. I have been now assured, on good authority,
that neither he nor the French officer sent by Marshal
Gerard on Monday have been allowed to pass int) the
Dutch frontiers. They now remain on the confines,
waiting for the reply of Holland as to the fate of General
Chasse, and the late garrison of the citadel of Antwerp,
which will, as some maintain, be procrastinated long. K.