The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-24 00:00:00

Yesterday the House of Commons held a morning
sitting in order to dispose of the Corrupt Practices
Bill, and this seventh attempt of the kind enabled
it to get through the report. First of all, the
Attorney-General for Ireland inserted the neces-
sary alterations and additions for extending the
measure to Ireland. Captain ARCIIDALL made some
serious objections to the scheme, and said it would
not be availing for several rea3ons. Mr. AYRTON,
as usual, mace himself very officious, and suggested
that power should he given to the election Judge
to keep points of law for the attention of the
Court of Common Pleas, which was acceded to,
and the bill passed with very few alterations.
A good deal of time was wasted in the
discussion of Dlr. FAwcur's clause, which throws
upon the rates the expenses of the returning officer.
Mr. FAWCETT, first of all, made a long explanation
of the manner in which he proposed to guard against
vexatious contests arising. Every person to be
nominated must place £lOO iu the hands of the re-
turning officer, and this sum was afterwards to be
applied in relief of the rates in the event of the can-
di late not receiving one-fifth of the votes that were
received by the successful candidate. This was cer-
tainlyso far an ingenious arrangement, an I provi led
a remedy against abuse of the privilege, but of
course a good many dissentient opinions were found
to exist. Some desired to raise the deposit to three
hundred in the counties, and to one hundred an 1
fifty in the boroughs; and, again, that one-third
of the votes of the successful candidate should be
the minimum for which the defeated one forfeited
his deposit. Mr. H. BEAUMONT showed the most
discernment in hie propo6ition, which he made at
last, which was that every candidate who was un-
successful and did not poll one-fifth of the number
of electors, should have to pay his share of the re-
turning officer's expenses, and also that the pro-
poser and seconder should be liable, in the event
of a candidate being set up without his consent or
knowledge. Mr. FAWCETT withdrew his own sug-
gestion in favour of this last proposal, but subse-
quently upon a division it was thrown out by a
majority of nine. Lord MILTON'S scheme was
considered about the whole counties being charged
for one particular division, and this was agreed to,
but the Solicitor-General's proposal to strike out
Mr. FAWCETT'S clause being carried, it disposed of
the previous arrangement on the score of
the payment of the election expenses. As
majority of eighteen threw out the clause, and Mr.
FAWCETT then said that he would renew the pro-
position to-day, when the third reading will take
place. In support of his motion the Solicitor-
General said that the machinery of the clause
would not work as it was framed, and additional
burdens would be thrown upon the ratepayers, as
candidates would rely upon their paying for the
vexatious contests entered upon at random.

The evening sitting was to have been occupied
by the discussion of the Metropolitan Cattle Markets
Bill, but the house was counted out through the
sudden and adroit management of Mr. AYItTON,
declaring to fight against this scheme with zeal and
ingenuity worthy of a better cause, but it is not
likely that his surprise of yesterday will prevent the
measure being carried. In all probability, the only
consequence will be that a few days' delay may
take place in the prorogation. The hon. member
moved that the house be counted immediately on
its resumption at nine o'clock. Ile persisted in this
until it was found out that there were only
twenty-one members present. Those who were
disappointed yesterday by the manoeu ores
of ;Mr. :AYRTON will not be more likely now
to give way than they were before, and it would be
_ _

well if those who have the interest of the measure at
heart would be more wary, and not afford so many

loopholes to the dexterous opponents who are so
sedulously on the watch. Over and over again
most just protests have been made against the course
adopted by the hon. member for the Tower Hamlets,

and those who join with him in opposing this mea-
sure. All are, however, of no avail, for, time after
time, when the bill is under consideration, motions
for a ljournroent are made, and the Committee is
distressed by the pertinacity with which all efforts
at calm consideration are thus rendered compa-
ratively useless. To-night this unfortunate bill
is to come on again, and then at the eleventh hour
let us hope th It the M etropolitan members will be
more moderate in their conduct with regard to it.
If not, it is to be feared that the Government will
put an end to this unworthy exhibition of factious
controversy by declaring that the House will
sit until a definite decision has been
come to on the merits of the bill quite irrespective