The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-23 00:00:00

GOD sava the QUERN.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE _REFO.RMEiIg.

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM.

GENTLEMEN—We think that the present state of
political affairs warrants our addressing you. We
do so in the character of Administrative Reformers,
and our purpose is tqsubmit to your consideration
observations upon your duties as electors at this
very important period. We hope that our earnest
desire to promote our country's welfare will prove,
in your judgment, a sufficient justification of our
presumption in taking this step.
The Prime Min;ster, by di,solving Parliament,
has appealed to the public from the decision of the
House of Commons. But the trial of this issue,
however important, ought not to divert your
minds from other and still graver considerations.
The approaching elections will not merely deter-
mine whether the country approves of the policy
of Lord Palmerston in the affair of Canton, but
also Will decide on the character of the Legislation
and Government to which this country is to be
subject for many years to come. If, in decid-
ing on the personal question, we forget or pass
over the great interests of the nation, we shall
commit a great error and do serious mischief.
There is, however, great danger of our makieg
this mistake. The public attention is on the
present occasion so intently fixed upon the matter
submitted to them by the Premier that all the
great questions of policy upon which the welfare
of this country depends seem likely to be D °glee' ed ;
and while the electors are anxious to determine
the question respecting Lord Palmerston'it majority
in the next House of Commons. they appear about
to forget that in providing for that majority, they
may, perchance, send men to Parliament who will
oppose every improvement iu our iustitutions, and
frustrate for years the hopes of Reformers of every
class and character. The present aro the circum-
stances moat favourable to the plans of personal
aggrandisement pursued by unscrupulous political

adventurers. They find the public attention en-
grossed by one subject, awl they hope tint going
with public opinion upon that one point, they may
pass without question over matters far more im-
portant.. Under the guise of friends of the present
Administration you may send to Parliament, as
your re presentati ves,enemies to all reform, opponents
of an extension of the suffrage, opponents of the bal-
lot, opponents of all improvement in the adminis-
tration of our navy and airily, of the law, and of
the managenvnt of our internal affairs. This is a
consideration worthy of the most serious regard, and
we look with Teat apprehension upon the species
of paroxysm into which the public mind has woxkei
itself upon the present occasion.
Our purpose is to endeavour to recall to the pub-
lic attention some of the matters which will seri-
ously affect the well-being of the people, and upon
which, if the people be wise, they will demand ex-
planations of all the candidates for the'r suffrages;
and we earne.tly entreat of our countrymen not to
t • diverted from inquiring upon these matters, by
any declarations, however vehement, in favour of
any particular men, or of any particular adwiuis-
tration.

The instrument of all reforms in our Government
and Adnainistr Ition is the House of Commons.
The reform of that house ()tight, therefore, to be
placed, by all thorough reformers, in the very front
of their demands. The chief means to this desired
end are—le, An extension of the suffrage ; 2dly,
Protection for the Voter in the shape of the ballot;
and 3dly, A more equal arrangement of the elec-
toral distriot3. Any man who evades giving an
opinion upon these points, and who seeks to ward
off inquiry respecting them, by any cajogery or
declamation upon their use, and by earnest decla-
ration of the support he intends to give the present
Adinidstration, is no true friend of the people, and
ought to excite their distrust, and to be met with
opp ,sition.
Next in importance t) reform in Parliament is
the tt.orough reform of all our administrative
departments. In those departmenti, at at pre-
sent constituted, there ii corruption—there is
jobbe-y—reward is gained by favour and influence,
and not by merit. The fitting man is not the man
sought after and chosen ; but he is selected to

eerie the public, who has the greatest number of
friends who can be useful. The consequence has
been and is, that incompetence and blundering are
evinc:d in all the opera ions of Government, and
the people suffer because patronage reigns su-
preme. We bad experience of the working of
this system during the late operations- in the
Crimes. Oer army was b ought to the brink of
destruction by the officials which had to provide
for it and direct its operations, and was only saved
from. ruin by the intetf,:rence of the people and
their representatives, who were made acquainted
with .the existing danger by the efforts of a press
in all cases under the control of private individuals.
So efficient was our official system of Admieistra-
tion for purposes of mischief tint the Government
—that ig, the leading me nbere thereof—were as ig-
norant of the actual condition of things as the
peOple themselves; anl owed their first enlighten-
ment to that very press which conveyed the start-
ling intelligence to the public. This is a system
which must be reformed. But as herein the fruits
of corruption are gatherei, the difficulty of work-
ing out tenefacial changes is enormous. Vague de-
eleratious in favour of Administrative Reform are
very easy, and will be profusely mede. But no man
who is lukewarm,
no man who is not earnestly and
thoroughly a_Re ormer, will ever be found an ef-
fective Minister of this Reform.
To pursue undeviatingly this end, private inte-
rests must be forgotten, individual friendships
must be passed over, party considerations must
have no weight, the public weal must alone be
considered ; and he will be severely Wed who
honestly determines, and strictly adheres to his
determination, to brave all the blandishments of
power, tbe solicitations of private affection, and of
party interests, and to follow only the public good
in all matters connected with the m ,na.ement of
the country's affairs. The mere declaimer will not
do this—Le who foregoes his own opinion to suit
the taste of a constituency is just the man most
likely to yield to the influences which, in support
of jobbery and corruption, will beset him in public
life. He who is pliant to a constituency is not
likely to be the sturdy supporter of the popular
cause in the strife of Parliament, nor steadily to
resist the multitudinous seductions which beset the
path of every man upon whom the people confer
power by making him a representative.
There is one thing more to which we desire to
call your attention. To be an efficient represents
tive, something more is required than merely to
hold c rtain opinions. A high standard of
moral worth and intellectual power is necessary for
him who des:res effectively to perform the duties
of a representative. The flippant declaimer, the
noisy and fluent speaker of a hustings prat on, does
not, by his ready utterance and uublushirg auda-
city, tLereby prove himself to be worthy of the
confidence of his countrymen. If a man have
proved himself by his past life to be diligent in the
inquiry after knowledge ; if he have given proof of
his moral worth ; if he be a strict adherent to the
cause of truth—he may be a worthy representative,
though not possessed of the ready fluency of a
practised debater, or the artful sophistry of a
trained advocate,
Distrust, we beseech you, all who trust to the
power of ,corruption and bribery. He who buys
you will sell you. !Money employed to purchase
your suffrages, is money employed for the purpose
of obtaining a money return. A seat in Paths.-
ment bought from the people is almost invariably
sold to the Minister.
On behalf of the Council of the Administrative
Reform Association, J. A. ROEBUCK,
15, Cannon-street, March, 1857.

Chairman.

CONVOGATION.—The oonvocgtion of the clergy of, the
provinoe of Canterbury has been formally dissolved, and
the various chapters and archdeaconriei will proceed to
the election of proctors in the course of a fair days.
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LAW INTELLIGENCE.—March 21

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Phillip.)

IN RE C. J. MATHEWS. -THE CASE OF MR. CHARLES

MATIIEWS,

The rule in the case of Mr. C. Mathews, the
c:median, to set aside part,of his salary on the
ground "that he was of ability to pay his credi-
t.rs" came cn for hearing, and attracted a' good
deaf of Lofee.

Mr. Sargood appli:d to make the rule absolute,
on the part of Mr. Allcroft, and Mr. Dowse showed
cause for Mr. Mathews.
The rule alleged that Mr. Mathews had an an-
nual saLry of, 4,160/. from Air. E. T. Smith, of
Drury-lane Theatre, and that he was of ability to
pay his debts under his insolvency last year, when
he was discharged at Lancas' er.
Mr. Dowse said it was one of the baldest appli-
cations of his bold friend Mr. Sargood, and h'
should show it was quite baseless.
Mr. Sargead—That is not so bad as -a " base"
application..
Mr. Dowse would show that it was baseless,
having no foundation.
Mr. Comm' ssioner Phillips—And perhaps "leave
not a wreck behind." (A laugh.)
Mr. Dowse contended that the rule was inopera-
tive, and that it could not be enforced under the
87th section. cf the act.

Mr. Sargood referred to the case of Mr. Finlai-
son, the government actuary, in which a similar
application was made. There would no doubt be
a difficulty to enforce the rule for execution, and
thercase he referred to was now in abeyance for an
assignee.
_ _

Mr. Le Nis (Lewis and Lewis), as attorney for
Mr. Mathews, denied that the cases were similar.
Mr. Finlaison had- a certain income, and Mr.
Mathews only a weekly salary. •
After a discussion on the point of law, and Mr.
Dowse having intimated that he had a full answer
to the case,
The Commissioner ordered the affidavits of Mr.
Smith and, Mr. Mathews to be read.

Mr.. Dowse proceeded to read Mr. Smith's affi-
davit, which stated that Mr. Mathews had been un-
der an engagement to IN rform at Drury-lane, which
engagement expired by effluxion of time on the
19th inst. That there was now no existing contract
between them or any person for them. That Mr.
Mathews was never under a yearly engagement
with him. That Mr. Mathews was indebted to him
in 1,2001. and upwards for money paid by him as
his surety, and otherwise on his account, and from
which he was not relieved by his insolvency. That
he never paid Mr. Mathews a salary of 801. a week.
That when under engagement, he paid Mr.
Mathews out of the salary he was entitled to receive
a sum of 201. only, the residue of such salary being
devoted to the payment of his own and other debts,
from which Mr. Mathews was not dischargd under
his petition• Mr. Smith further sti.ted, that had
Mr. Micron made application to him as to the
position of Mr. Mathews, he would have informed
him of the sane.

Mr. Commissioner Phillips intimated that Mr.
Smith's affidavit was a complete answer to the rule.
Mr: Mathews's affidavit was required to be read,
and he stated in a lung affidavit that he had re-
newed Mr. Allcroft's debt under his bankruptcy,
which wag the present debt • that by his exertions
he had paid 2,00 C/. off 5,000/. of his Lyceum
debts when arrested ; that he had only 201. a week
on account of his salary, and when ill for six weeks
did not receive it.

Mr. Sargood complained that the affidavit of Mr.
Mathews should not appear on the files of the
court, as it was merely personal on Mr. Allcroft.
A discussion arose on the subject, and the Com-
missioner required another affidwit from Mr.
Mathews confining himself to the rule.
Mr. Commissioner Phillips said the rule had
been fully answered, and when the affidavit was
filed it would be discharged.

MARCH_ 23, 1857.