The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-11 00:00:00

Liberal—a Reforni Bill is eventually submitted to
the consideration of the Legislature by her
MAJESTY'S Government—the bill is refused to
be considered by a factious combination of the
quasi Reformers : an id the Cabinet which has
been treated thus di: ;ingenuously finds itself com-
pelled to appeal to the country—driven less by the
dictates of policy, than by a sense of honour and
a feeling of patriotism to dissolve a petulant and
impracticable Parliament
Upon this morrow, therefore, of the eleventh
anniversary of the 10th of April, 1848, we are
vividly and painfully reminded of how large a
debt of gratitude is owing by the nation to the per-
verse Whig faction headed by Lord J. RUSSELL—
stiII for a few days-longer M.P. for the City of London.
To the Whig Reformers (!) for years past we owe
Nothing in the way of Reform, nothing even
in the way of the seriously and honestly attempted
Reform of Parliament. The Whig leaders, in fact,
have really in very deed been all this while the
true obstructives. They have been unable to
carry their own wretched little modicum of im-
provement ! They have been averse—directly and
absolutely opposed, to the carrying out of any really
great improvement, such as the Ballot! And they
have been unwilling at last to allow any other
political party to attempt the solution of a problem
in every respect above their own capacity Such
are the considerations thrust upon our remembrance
upon the morrow of the 10th of April, reflections
distressingly revived by the recurrence of this me-
morable anniversary. Recollecting not simply
how little, but, in truth, how absolutely Nothing
has been effected in the shape of Parliamentary
Reform during all these fruitless years past by the
so-termed Reformers—we say as earnest and tho-
rough-going Reformers, we say fervently now upon
the eve of this general election—Any one rather
than a Whig ! Any one rather than one of these
sham Reformers, one of these implacable enemies
of the Ballot, one of these factious opponents of the
first Bill giving genuine promise in any way of its
capability of expansion into a real and comprehen-
sive Reform of Parliament.

Taunton shares with London the honour of being
a battle-field for the Ballot. Our readers will
remember Mr. LAI3OUCHERE'S reply to the memo-
rial of many of his oldest and most respected sup-
porters in the faithful borough, which has, from
1830 to this day, given him a seat in Parliament.
They may also remember that we thought it of
sufficient importance to notice it at the time ; and,
though like the electors, we entertain a high regard

for Mr. L.kBOUCIIERE'S public character and
services, we felt compelled to suggest that they
could not compensate for a hostile vote in regard

to that Reform which is the line of demarcation
between efficient and effete Reformers. While we
deeply regretted having to say—don't vote for
Mr. LABOUCHERE—because, though one of the
most respectable of the Whigs, he is too much of a
Whig to concede a real franchise to the dependent
elector—we yet could see no alternave. The Ballot
is of more consequence than Mr. LABOUCHERE, as
we think : to resist it is of more consequence than
to retain his seat, as he thinks. In this wide
divergence of opinion, such old friends as Mr.
LABOUCHERE and Taunton had better part. For
the Liberals to elect him would be to proclaim that
all the old Whigs might safely imitate the hon.
member, and that they did not consider the Ballot
fundamental in a Reform Bill. For him to vote
for the Ballot would be, he says, to vote against
his convictions.

It appears that "very many of his old tried sup-
porters" take the same view as we do of their duty.
By the resolutions forwarded to us from a meeting
of the Ballot Society in Taunton, we are informed
that they " will not be prepared to vote for him, or
for any other candidate whose opinions are opposed
to the Ballot, on which question Mr. LABOUCHERE
was for many years neutral." They point out to
Mr. LABOUCHERE that his reply to them proves the
need of the Ballot in Taunton, since he acknow-
ledges that he should, if the Ballot were adapted
there, receive more votes than he now does—that
is, that many DARE not support him under open
voting. Also, that in stating that he has
" left his tenants as free in the use of their
elective franchise as he is himself, he shows
the existence of a power over the minds of others,
with which no man can be safely trusted in a free
representative country." In truth, Mr. LABOU-
CHERE'S argument is that of kind slaveholders on
behalf of slavery. He uses his own political slaves
so kindly, that he thinks slavery no harm. Pater-
nal despotisms might be very good if all were
NERVAS and TRAJANS. The misfortune is
that absolute power endangers also NEROS and
DOMITIANS.

The Liberals, it seems, think that Mr. LABOU-
CHERE, by his own speeches, and those of some
leading supporters, was the chief cause of a Tory being
returned at the last election, instead of the Hon.
W. F. CAMPBELL. On this ground, if Mr. LABOU-
CHERE prefers a Tory to an intelligent supporter of
the Ballot, the liberal electors would be surely
justified in preferring a Liberal friend of the
Ballot to him. Possibly, it is intimated, Mr.
LABOUCHERE may succeed by Tory aid ; the same
aid to which Lord JOHN RUSSELL looks in London
and in the House of Commons ; if so, we wish
him joy of his allies. He may find, before many
years are past, that the country will get rid of
both the aristocratic cliques, adopt Mr. ROEBUCK'S
views, and set up, as it is well able to do, for
itself.

Mr. LABOUCHERE is, however, invited to go
down to Taunton and discuss the matter with his
friends... He cannot be afraid to do that. _ He, an
old-seasoned debater, and they, we suppose, chiefly
relying on personal experience and native mother
wit. If they are in the dark, -while he, Lord
JOHN, Lord PALMERSTON, Sir CHARLES WOOD,
Sir G. C. LEWIS, and the whole clique of old Whig
stagers are in the light, it behoves these gentlemen
to enlighten those whom they at present mis-
represent. The burgesses of Taunton now say
that " nothing but a large reliance on what is
called the Tory party in this borough" could secure
Mr. LABOUCHERE'S return, while he remains hos-
tile to the Ballot. He will surely not furnish such
flagrant proof that he is a Tory after all. He
will argue it out with his old friends.

Their language, meantime, is courteous, though
firm. "As at present informed.—they say—we
believe freedom of election (without which the
great principle of representation is clearly a
nullity), can only be secured by secret voting ; and
that no other mode of protecting the honest voter
has been suggested or can be found." They further
say that " being of opinion that the Ballot is the
only practical means for the effectual removal of
evils so great and humiliat!ng, it does outweigh all
other considerations with them." They object
also to extension of the suffrage without the
Ballot as only an increase of political tyranny.
Taunton has spoken well ; we hope its deeds will
correspond to its words.

We regret to announce the death of M. de
Tocqueville, whose great woi on America, and
whose other literary labours, replete with the
soundest political philosophy, have won for their
author world-wide fame.