The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-25 00:00:00

LORD BURY O.N. THE BALLOT.

An enthusiastic meeting of the Liberals of the Eighth
Ward, was held on Friday night, in the Bath House, Saint
Martin's at Oak, Norwich—Mr. I. Williams presiding, .and
Mr. Pigg occupying the vice-chair.
Lord BURY spoke as follows on.the subject of the ballot :
—I was canvassing in this ward to-day, and there was a
gentleman, whom I do not see present, though I have no
doubt he is in the room, who said that he wished to know
my sentiments on the subject of the ballot. I said to him,
"Sir, if you will attend the meeting at the Bath House
to-night, I will tell you exactly what I Think about the
ballot, the probability we have of carrying it, and the rea-
sons which induced me to give it my best support." On
several occasions I have been reminded that at a meeting
held here in Norwich, two years ago, though I expressed
my intention to vote for the ballot, I said I was not quite
clear that it would be so efficacious as its advocates desire.
I said on the occasion I have referred to that I had been a
good deal in America, and that I have seen, while there,
that the ballot did not promote secrecy—that I knew there
was no such thing as secrecy in America under the ballot,
and I confess I formed the rather hasty opinion that this
would render the ballot useless in England. lam no longer
of that opinion—for two reasons, first, because I am no
advocateof compulsory secrecy, and next, because the cases
of England and of America are quite dissimilar. The ad-
vocates of this mode of voting are accused of wishing to
compel a man to conceal his vote. What an absurd accusa-
tion] What law that was ever framed could compel a man
to keep a secret ? What man would vote for such a law,
even were it not an impossibility on the face of it ? I vote
for the ballot, but not because I believe that it will per-
form impossibilities like this, or that it is desirable that it
should be made to do so, but because I believe that its
effect will be good. No longer ago than the beginning of
this year I was present at a general election in America,
and I certainly did find that the votes taken by ballot
were not in the least secret. I saw the canvass book of
a member of Congress who had been returned under the
ballot, and opposite every man's name was the vote he had
given at the last election, and at the election before—in
fact, I believe that out of 3,000 or 4,000 names there were
not ten whose votes were not known. But then the re-
flection Occurred to me, why is this so ? Why is this
election not secret? And I put the question to my friend
the member of Congress. I said to him, "You have the
ballot here, but your ballot is merely a name ?" He re-
plied, "The reason the ballot is not secret with us is that
we do not want secrecy, and because with us the ballot is
merely a manner of taking votes. We could make it secret
if we liked, but wages are too good here for any man to be
under the screw. The man who can earn £1 ss. to £1 10s.
per day does not fear the screw,' and why should he fear
to announce his vote wherever he likes, or to let everyone
know what it is ?" (Applause.) This being the case in
America, the ballot there is nothing more than a means of
taking votes ; and when non-advocates of the ballot allege
that it has failed in America, tell them, as I tell you now,
that it has not failed, but is simply not in full operation
because the people don't want secret voting. (Cheers.)
But when I come to England I find that the case is some-
what different. On the very last occasion when the ballot
was discussed in the House of Commons, and when my col-
league and myself had the pleasure of voting in its favour
—(hear, hear)—several of its opponents, who were among
the most influential members of the house, got up and used
all those old and threadbare arguments that have been so
often used before, telling us that we wanted to introduce
into this country an un-English mode of voting. "
Un-
English." What does that mean ? It means that it is not
the mode practised in England. I quite agree in this—it
is not the mode practised in England—but when we have
established it as the mode of voting, will it be un-English
then ? Will it not, then, be the mode adopted by the
English, and therefore the English mode of voting? (Ap-
plause.) What an absurd argument, therefore, is that of
the ballot being uu-English. But there is another meaning
which they attach to the term. They mean by it some-
thing that is not above-board, which does not declare itself
openly, which fears to assert itself in the face of day. Why,
gentlemen, I am not in favour, and I trust no Englishman
is in favour, theoretically, of concealing the vote he gives at
an election. I like to see a man march straight to the poll
shouting at the top of his voice the name of the candidate
for whom he votes. (Hear, hear.) That, certainly, is an
English and straightforward way of voting, and I should
like to see every man in the position to pursue that mode ;
but, unfortunately, there is a reverse to the picture. (Hear,
hear.) We must not forget that there is many a small
tradesman who conscientiously believes that one candidate
would represent his views better than another, and who has
had the franchise entrusted tohim for the purpose of voting
for the candidate he approves, but who is obliged under the
influence of the "screw," as it is popularly termed, to vote
against his conscience. (Hear, hear.) Novi thatappears to
me to be an un-English mode of voting—un-English in the
sense I have just mentioned as being not above board, and
not in the face of clity. (Applause,) The real un-English
voter is the man who is obliged to 'go to the poll and vote
against his conscience. (Hear, hear.) Would not such a
man be better off with the ballot, so that be might vote in
secret and save his consciencefrom the moral lie involved in
voting as though he approved one candidate when in reality
he approves another ? (Applause.) I heard it stated by
Lord Palmerston, that in the present day there is no such
thing as the " screw." (Laughter.) I heard it stated by
him that intimidation had gone out of fashion. Now, I will
just tell you what I heard no later ago than last Saturday.
I was then talking to a gentleman from Yarmouth, and I
asked, "Are the Liberal candidates going to win ?" He re-
plied, " Well, they ought to win, but the Tories have got the
screw on uncommon tight." Now, if I had had an oppor-
tunity of speaking during the delete on Tuesday, I should
have contradicted the assertion of the noble lord by telling
him the story I have just told you. It is for these, and from
no other reasons, that I vote for the ballot. Ido not wish
for compulsory secrecy. I wish every.man to vote according
to his conscience, and, if he chooses, in the face of day. But
I also wish every man to have the power of voting secretly,
for in that case it would not be weal' anybody's while to
attempt intimidation, as it could not be known whether
that intimidation was successful or not. If the gentleman
whom I canvassed to-day be present, lie will, I hope, have
received such an answer as will assure him that when I
again vote for the ballot, as I certainly shall do, I shall
vote on conviction. (Applause.) When I came befcre you
two
years ago I had been out of England for years—l was
usaleyantlsmint Imhay vpeowdeevr,obtteodinithperuwvheoulleyesnelefrguinesbofe
new to English politics—l was an untried man ; since then,
and since I have been your representative, I can honestly
and
catechism, heny ody
body to that pursuit, that I have endeavoured, by every
opinions on allsubject, and
that I believe if a
that further reflectio points. (Applause.)
(ATpbpelyause.) mymind
pressed at the last election.
eurtectoonpfiurmt poli-
ticalemdeththeroopuignhiomnsylex-.
would find that I entertained very dis-
tinctbeen founded on reason and appear I toca can
l e assureto hyaovue
me and my friend Mr. _ common sense,' and if you do
Schneider—for one won't, go in
without the other—(hear, hear)—the honour of again re-
turning us to Parliament, I trust we shall in the future
pursue the line of conduct we have chalked out in the4pa t,
and shall always be found among the foremost in all liberal
movements, whose- object is to carry out to the fullest ex-
tent those.wishes and feelings which I am sure animate the
people of NotWieh, (Great applause.)

The following is the report of the directors, to be
submitted to the general meeting on the 27. th
instant :
" The report is accompanied as usual with a statement of
the company's accounts, upon which the directors have to
offer the following remarks :—The credit side or the work-
ing account for the past year exhibits an increase in freight
and passage. money, as compared with that for 1857, of
£7,647 18s. 3d., notwithstanding the unsettled condition of
Mexico, which ha.vit is believed, materially interfered with
the exportation of ipecie from that country. In order to
inserve uniformity in the accounts with the European and
Australian Royal Mail Company, and consistency with the
working agreement between -the two companies, credit is
taken in the working account for £34,392 14s. Bd., the
amount of the hire of the Tamar, Teviot, and Wye, em-
ployed in the service of that company; but it must be borne
in mind that this sum does not represent actual realised re-
ceipts, but that it simply forms part of the debt due by the
European and Australian Company. On the other side of
the account; the item of coals shows a diminution as com-
pared with 1857, of £6,721 Bs. 2d., arising mainly from the
more favourable terms on which tonnage has latterly been
obtained. Wages show an increase of £4,005 Bs. lid.,
which is accounted for by the additional pay of the sfficers
and crew of tlie.ships chartered to the European. and Aus -
tralian Company. In provisions a decrease of £3,312 13s.
7d. -occurs, notwithstanding the increased receipts for pas-
sengers conveyed ; this result is to be attributed to the more
complete organisation of
,the arrangement for victualling
the company's ship's, more especially those employed in the
intercolonial scrvice. The differences in the other items of
the account call for no particular observation, but it maybe
stated that the Australian service has been charged, as in
last year's account, with a portion of the office expenses
and salaries, which items in consequence appear less
than tht usual average. The result of working the Aus-
tralian service, which will terminate, on the part of this
companY, with the arrival• out of the mails despatched'
from Southaraptm in February last, eannot .be ascertained
until sufficient time has elapsed for'the receipt of final re-
turns from the colonies, and the subsequent completion of
accounts in the London office. The directors can-only state,
therefore, in general terms that the loss will be greater than
was anticipated at-the time of the last general meeting, and
under the circumstances they have deemed it prudent to
appropriate the surplus beyond £200,000 to the credit of the
insurance fund, viz:, £51,919 7s. 5d., as a provision to meet
such loss. The shareholders will observe that the amount
of advances to 31st December, 1858, on account of the Aus-
tralian service, still appearing in the balance-sheet, is
£126,490 13s. 3d. This sum, however, would be diminished
by the' contract money due on the Ist of January last, and
the additional allowance of £6,000 per month, amounting
together at that time `o £82,250. The differehce Will form
a part of the amount against which the company hold the
Tasmanian and other property as security. In the report
submitted to the proprietors on the 21st of April last year,
reference was made to contracts which had then been en-
tered into for the construction of four new ships, viz., three
of abour 3,000 tons each, and one of about 1,000 tons
builders' measurement. The directors have now the satis-
faction of stating that two of the larger class, and the smaller
vessel, have been launched, and that the whole of these
three vessels will shortly be engaged on the service for
which they have been provided. These vessels have been
well and substantially built, and it:is expected they will sa-
tisfactorily accomplish the accelerated speed required under
the new contract with her Majesty's Government. The
fourth ship will not be ready for sea until the early part of
next year, it having been recently decided to build new
engines for her, instead of removing those from the Mag-
dalena, as at first intended.' By this anangement the com-
pany will be enabled, if they should so decide, to run the
Magdalena for some years on the Brazil line, and thus turn
her further services to beneficial account, the vessel being
still in good condition,' and possessing greater capacity for
the traffic upon that route than the vessels at present em-
ployed on it, while her lighter draught, from carrying less
coal, will secure a higher rate of speed. As stated at the
last meeting, the outlay for repairs during the past year has
been considerable, in consequence of the large number of
intercolonial vessels withdrawn for overhaul and refit, and
the expense of new engines for the Wye. To meet this out-.
lay, the dhectors have deemou it prudeift to write off eight
per cent. to cover wear and tear, though they still hope that
in future six per cent. will be found sufficient for this pur-
pose. In April, 1807, the shareholders were informed that
the number of directors, besides the chairman and deputy-
chairman, had been limited by a special court to nine. The
directors have now to state that the number has been in-
creased to ten, as formerly, and theyhave much pleasure in
expressing their hope that Sir James Duke, who is the only
candidate on this occasion, will prove a valuable acquisition
to the company. The balance of the profit and loss account
available for dividend, &c., is £36,683 18s. 9d., out of• which
the directors recommend that the ordinary dividend of £2
per share, free of income tax, be declared. The dividend
warrants to be posted on the evening cf the 29th inst."