The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-16 00:00:00

r STJ N, 0 1) ON,

Parliament. It was scarcely to be expected that
this year, of all years, he would-deny himself the
gratification of fiuding out another of his old plea-
surable opportunities. This particular year of
grace, when he might actually, by means of his
accustomed motion, test the views enter*
tained in regard to the Ballot by the aggre-
gate wisdom of a newly-elected Parliament.
A test, moreover, especially desirable under the
circumstances—remembering that this newly-
elected Parliament is positively, (so far as we can
judge of the opinions of Members, from the views
expressed by them at the Hustings) to a very con-
siderable extent a Ballot Parliament ! A House
of Commons, at any rate, to say the very least of
it, among whose members many new Advocates of
Vote by Ballot may be confidently anticipated
upon Mr. BERKELEY'S next Division. Provided
always the popular representatives are not alto-
gether forgetful of the promises, either volunteered
by, or extorted from them at the period when they
were merely candidates for the suffrages of their
constituents !

Bearing in mind the interest attaching to the
revival of the Question of the Ballot by its inde-
fatigable champion, the Member for Bristol—we
cannot feel any surprise that the B .11ot Society,
in anticipation of the Test of the 30th instant,
should have called a meeting for the eve of that
Momentous Tuesday—an aggregate meeting, to be
presided over by Mr. GEORGE WILSON, the famous
Anti-Corn-Law League Chairman of Manchester !
Our astonishment would have been great, had
they not resolved upon such a course of proceed-
ing. We exult in the proof thus afforded by the
Ballot Society to the Liberal Reformers through-
out the country, that they are in very truth, alive
to the importance of the occasion. Never
yet have the prospects of the Ballot looked at
any period more propitiously. Let its sincere
and earnest advocates, one and all, be true to it
and to themselves—and a step onwards is already
accomplished. We have not forgotten our prc-
mise as to this next Division upon the motion of
Mr. BERKELEY. We have not forgotten it, and
we shall not forget it—that promise distinctly
made some time back, "and since then more than
once deliberately reiterated. We shall not merely
be watchful and observant ourselves, but we
shall enable others, by means of type, ink,
and paper, to be watchful and observant
likewise. We earnestly exhort our pro-
vincial contemporaries generally to co-operate
with us in these endeavours. Let each
liberal local journal throughout the country re-
produce in its columns the division list con-
Rpictionsly pririt-Al with some particular mark,
(whether by capit or italics, or asterisks),
notifying to the locality the part taken in regard
to this division by each respective representative.
Remember the present is a very notable turning-
point in the pathway leading right on to All Re-
forms generally, and to this one great Reform
of the Ballot, in particular.

GREAT 'HANDEL FESTIVAL —Her Majesty the Queen
and his Royal Highness Prince Albeit have intima,ed
their intention of being present at the Crystal Palace at
the performance of Handel's oratorio "Judas Macca-
bmus" on' Wednesday (to-mornw), the 17th of June.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert will be accom-
panied by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
his Imperial Highness the Archduke Maximilian
of Austria, his Royal Highness Prince Frederick
William of Prussia, their Royal Highnesses the Princess
Royal, Prince Arthur, Prince Alfred, and a numerous
suite. The party will be conveyed in 9 royal carriages.
In order to remove a misapprehension which appears to
exist on the subject, we are requested to state that seats
of both do-criptions, in excel.eht positions, are still to
be bad, and that both the guinea and half-guinea tickets
can be changed for reserved seats on payment of this
difference in price on the spot. We have also been re-
quested to state that as a very considerable number of
the representatives of the provincial press from the prin-
cipal musical towns have visited London specially to at-
tend the Handel Fee ival, the cmimittee of the Sacred
Harmonic Society have intimated that on presenting
their festival tickets at ttie Central Ticket-office, Exeter
Hall, this day, they will receive an invitation for the
performance cf Mr. Costa's " E'i " to-morrow (Wednes-
day) night.
Her Majesty, yesterday, inspected the engraving,
by Mr. Thomas Land-;eer, to be dedicated to the
Queen, of Madile. Rosa Banheur's picture of the
' " Horse Fair."
The Archduke Maximilian of Austria, attended by
Lord Charles Fitzroy, went yesterday morning to St.
Paul's Catiedral, and afterwards inspected Westmin-
ster Abbey and the new Palace of Westminster.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended
by Lady Augusta Bruce and Sir George C )caper,
arrived at her residence, C;arence House, St. James's,
yes!erclay morning, from Frogmore,
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge
and the Princess Mary arrived at their residence, at
St. Jane-'s Palace, last evening, from Cambridge
Cottage, Kew.
His Highness the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh, ac-
comoankd by Sir Joh❑ L )gir), has arrived at Claridge's
Hotel, from Castle Menzies, N.B.
The Countess Craven gave an elegant ball laq even-
ing, at the family mansion in Charles-street, Barkeley-
),quare.

Their S,rene Highnesses the Hereditary Prince of
Saxe Meiaingen and the Prince.and Princess Edward
of Saxe Weimar were among her la-lyship's guests.
Lady Hogg had a ball last night at her mansion in
Carlton-gardens.
Lady Hall of Llanover's evening assembly will take
place to-morrow, the 17th inst., and not on the 17th
July.
Lady M..lssworth entertained at dinner, last evening,
his Excellency the Amba.ead .r of France and the Coun-
tess de Persignv, the Marquis and Marchioness of Lon-
donderry, his Excellency the Sardinian Minister, Maria
Marchioness of Ails-bury, the Marquis of Climricar le,
the Ea.' of Maimesbury, Vise suns and Viscountess
Newport, 11.. n. Mrs. Anson, Mr. Harcourt, M.P , and
Frances Countess Waldegrave, Viscount Burlington,
Lady Dufferin and Lord Dufferin, the frou. Mrs. Dyce
Sombre, &c.
The Right Hon. Sir Benjamin Hall gave dinner} on
Wednesday and Saturday last. Among his guests were
the following :—)-Ili Excellency the Bavarian Minister,
Vie Duke of Cleveland, the Marquis of Blandford, Lord
Killeen, the Earl Cawdor, the 1-'rl of Lanesborough,
Lord Win. Peulet, Lord R. Grodvenor, Lard Downes,
Lard Bateman, L •rd Bury, Lord Rivers, Hon. H.
Maud, Baron Marochetti, Hon. R. Cavendish, Hon. Sir
E. Oust, Sir H. CAterell, Sir H. F. Davie, Sir Robert
Brownrigg, Sir C. Barry, Mr. Stirling (of Keirs), Mr.
Holford, Mr. Herbert (of Ll tnarth), Mr. Autin, Mr.
Rolls, Dr. Quin, and Mr. George Russel
THE GRAND CALEDONIAN BALL.—Yesterday the
committee of the ladies patronesses of this fancy dress
ball met at Willis's Rooms, for the purpose of complet
ing the arrangements for the 211. At the meeting the
customary resolution was pas•ed, that the members of
the Royal fa.nily and the foreign ambassadors and their
ladies should bs invited. From what can be gathered,
there is every prospect of a very full and brilliant ball.
LYCEUM THEATRE.—The second representation of
" Camilla" by Malame Ristori, last night, attracted the
largest audience that hasyetassembled to witness thegreat
tragedienne during her present engagement in England.
Her performance possessed all the merits which we
noticed in detail on Saturday, and excited a similar en-
thusiasm.

MAIDSTONE.-REVIEW BY THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE,

—Yesterday his Royal Highness the General Com-
manding-in-Chief. attended by a numerous staff, arrived
here by the 12 15 train, North lient, and reviewed the
troops of the garrison, the object being to give the
colonels of the several cavalry regiments as insight into
the " system of equitation" practised at the depot, pre-
viously to the dismissal of the " 'Jrained" men to their
respective regiments.
UNITED STATES MAIL.—The Postmaster-General
gave notice yesterday that a ship letter mail for the
United States will be made up in the General Post-
i office to-morrow morning for the Vanderbit steamer
North Star. Letters must be specially addressed to
go by the North Star, and the postage must be prepaid.
VOTE BY BALLOT.—WO observe that the execiative
committee of the Ballot Society have called an aggregate
meeting of the friends of the ballot, and delegates ap-
pointed by them, fsr Monday, the 29th inst., the evening
netore Mr. Berkeley's motion is made in the House of
Commons. Mr. George Wilson, of klanchester, is ex-
pected to preside. We are requested to state that the
committee hope a.l friends of the ballot will attend on
the occasion.

RATE OF DISOOIINT.—A few of the speculative pur-
chases in the Stock-Exchange yesterday were said to
have been made on the anticipation of a lowering of the
rate of discount on Thursday next. The stock of bullion
and the reserve of notes are considerably beyond the
points at which they stood in May last year, when a re-
duction to 6 per cent. was adopted ; but among many
persons an impression prevails that no immediate move-
ment wi'l be made, Vie transient character of every re-
cent recovery being assigned as the reason for hesitation.
Some of the principal letters from Parts express doubts
of any reduction being made next Tnursday in the rate
of discount of •the Bank of France. Others assert not

only that an alteration wi 1 be reeolved upon, but that it
will be to the extent of 1 per cent. The directors, it is
said, greatly desire that the tot step should he taken
by the BAIA of England.