The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-13 00:00:00

and a sort of preliminary ballot to select one. The late
member for Lambeth, Mr. Wilkinson, an ardent supporter
of the ballot, was one of the rejected, and he pu.blished an
address declaring that the most unjust and wicked agencies
had been used to tamper with the result. That showed
what they might expect. He believed the proposition was
a most plausible political imposture. (H e ar.)
Mr. CONINGHAM could not allow the observation of
the noble lord with regard to the late divil ion to pass unno-
ticed. He and other supporters of the balk ,t had retired from
the division because the question immediately before the
house was the resolution of the noble lord tl ie member for the
City, and they did not wish to encumber it with the ballot.
He believed the ballot suffered from being brought forward
as an isolated question ; it ought to be part of a great men
sure of reform. It appeared the Governme) it intended to give
a strict negative to the question. The rigl it hon. gentleman
the Chancellor of the Exchequer held very different views,
when in his address to the electors of M arylebone he ex-
pressed his conviction that it.was necessary to complete the
machinery of the constitution by two measures, triennial
Parliaments and vote by ballot. How could the right hon.
gentleman reconcile those sentiments with the negative vote
he was about to give ?
Mr. BERKELEY, in reply, said he felt very much edified
by the speeches of their two leaders on that side of the house.
(Laughter.) For some time back they had looked in vain
for any such unanimity, but now their leaders sat on a box,
like the two Kings of Brentford, smelling at the same rose—
(laughter)—although they disagreed on a most vital and
important point with those who constituted their party.
(Hear, hear.) It was impossible to answer the audacious
and flagrant speech of the noble lord. More audacious and
flagrant rubbish he had never heard—(laughter)—nor de-
livered in a more jaunty manner. (Laughter.) The noble lord
had attributed things to him he never said, about fines and
imprisonment, and electors' wives. What he did say applied
to the noble lord as well as anybody else ; he did not suppose
the noble lord told everything he did to his wife. (A laugh.)
The noble lord the member for the City had, as usual, got
hold of the idea of a trust. If the electoral franchise were a
trust they knew the condition that the elector should exer-
cise free and unfettered, according to his conscience. (Hear,
hear.) The noble lord had forgotten that this measure had
passed the House of Commons in 1710, but was rejected in
the Lords. He despaired of seeing hon. gentlemen on that
side acting and holding together as a party until there was
some unanimity amongst their leaders. (Hear.) The noble
lord had referred to his absence from the recent division.
The noble lord forgot that 140 members had abstained from
voting. He would not attempt to answer the noble lord,
who had gone off in his usual slight and jaunty manner,
and having gained the cheers of hon. members on the other
side of the house who were opposed to the bill sat down a
perfect hero in his own estimation. (Laughter.)
The house then divided—
For the motion
Against it
Majority against
The announcement was hailed with loud cheers from the
Opposition side of the house.
MANNING OF THE NAVY.

Sir C. NAPIER said, in the present state of the house
(there were not more than about 20 members present when
the gallant admiral rose) he should not, as he had intended
to do, bring the report of the Manning of the Navy Com-
mission before the house, but he would recommend the
First Lord of the Admiralty to do all he could to make
known to sailors what were his intentions relative to the
manning of the navy.
VEXATIOUS INDICTMENTS FOR MISDE-