The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-14 00:00:00

NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE.

AQUA. AMARELLA restores the Human hair
to its pristine hue, no matter at what age.
JNO. GOSNELL and CO. have at length, with the aid
of one of the most eminent Chemists, succeeded in perfect-
ing this wonderful liquid. It is now offered to the public
in a more concentrated form, and at a lower price.
Sold in bottles, 3s. each ; also 55., 7s. 6d., and 15s. each,
including brush.

Red Bull Wharf, Angel-passage, 93, Upper Thames-
street, London, E.C.

BIGHT WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, 6h. 11m.—Afto oon, Gh.
To-Monliow.-:Morning, 6h. b3m.—Afternoon, 7. 17m

Let

correspondence is therefore nearly as perplexing to
the majority of foreign diplomatists as was the con-
versation of that inconvenient ambassador who
puzzled every one by always speaking the
truth ! The Americans must be fully satisfied
with the high value which Lord STANLEY sets upon
the maintenance of a cordial understanding between
the two couutries, and he is none the less likely to
maintain it because he can respect the rights of
others without yielding his own.

Nothing could be more tame than the manner in
which Parliament resumed its labours last night,
for there was a total absence of the excitement
which generally prevails on such occasions ; at any
rate there was no attempt to disturb the course of
business by the introduction of party spirit, and
the debate proceeded in a satisfactory style. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer had a rather invidious
task to perform, but he acquitted himself of it with
success, and the House appeared inclined to follow
him with intelligence. The right hon. gentleman
brought in a bill to amend the laws relating to
electoral petitions, and providing more effectually
for the prevention of corrupt practices at Parlia-
mentary elections. Having entered into some ex-
planations on the subject, he showed that the pre-
sent system of election committees did not answer.
They were very expensive, and as their decision
is uncertain no direct check has been put
upon the growing practice of " corrupt compromise."
Hitherto, as Mr. DISRAELI observed, the principle
admitted has been that the House has assumed to
itself the right of deciding upon election returns,
but we have now come to the time when public
opinion has declared that some other tribunal must
be resorted to if we would arrive at a more satis-
factory result. Last year this subject was mooted
in connection with the Reform Bill, and the
Speaker it was resolved should be requested to
" construct a panel of gentlemen of the long robe,"
and then when a petition was presented three mem-
bers of the panel should investigate its merits. This
transfer of jurisdiction was very generally approved
of by the House, but it was deemed advisable to
refer the bill to a select committee. The committee
approved of the change, but decided that the
jurisdiction should be transferred to the Court of
Queen's Bench. Some resolutions were passed on
the subject of those guilty of bribery, and it was
decided that any member or candidate who was
personally convicted of bribery should be disquali-
fied for seven years, and that if he repeated the
offence he should be disqualified for life. The
Government had come to the wise resolution, that
it is their duty to bring in a bill which was in strict
conformity with the recommendations of the com-
mittee, but they found an obstacle in the way of
so doing, which was that the Judges did not ap-
prove of the proposal. Their decision has been
received with " mortification" and disappointment,
but no one can blame the Government for giving

way to it.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer asked the House
to give its candid consideration to the proposal then
made, which was to the effect that a new Parliamen-
tary Election's Court, to consist of three members, the
Judges to have a salary of two thousand pounds a
year, and that " appeals from the decisions of
revising barristers should also be referred to
that Court." On the whole, we believe that the
Government has done the wisest thing that they
could do under the circumstances of the case, and
the House evidently felt so from the manner in
which the proposition was received. Mr. GLAD-
STONE'S remarks ou the subject were, much to the
purpose, and the right hon. gentleman's speech was
distinguished for its fair spirit and candid opinions.
He considered that the Government had acted
well in the decision they had come to, and he also
adduced two very valid arguments to show why
the present system of election committees was not
desirable. One was that the committee were
forced to look at the matter as between
the two candidates, and not on the gene-
ral subject, and the other that it was
impossible to have the advantages of a " local in-
quiry" by the present system. Mr. GLADSTONE'S
own impression seems to be, however, that the
matter should be referred to the superior Judges, a
view which Mr. LOWE also took, declaring that they
had no more right than any other public servant to
refuse to perform the duties which Parliament im-
posed upon them. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
told the House that the Judges declared there were
44 constitutional and personal objections" to the
propositions made to them, and at that moment to
undertake them would be at variance with their
duties to their SOVEREIGN and country, and incon-
sistent with their " oath of office." It is to be re-
gretted that these objections should be held sufficient
to deter them from undertaking the proposed work,
and we fully expect that the disappointment and
regret of the House will be shared by the country,
for the scheme as proposed by the committee and
sanctioned by the Government seems one certain
to commend itself to universal approval, and must
have secured the approbation of all interested in this
important matter.

Mr. BRIGHT seemed unwilling 'that the House
should lose one of its old and important privileges ;
and this was rather a curious idea for the hon.
member to take, since he is no adherent to old
forms and ancient usages ; but all seem glad to get
a change for change's sake. He considered that
they had better let things alone and "not make the
proposed transfer, because in some five or
ten years the small constituencies would
be altered, and then the experience of the large
constituencies in respect of mere electoral machi-
nery would bring a large majority of the House,
and the country to accept before long the principle
of the Ballot." This is„no doubt, very sensible
reasoning in itself, but then it is not desirable to
wait in the present unsatisfactory state, and the
more inconvenient and unpleasant the commission
of bribery is made, the more likely people will be
to accept the Ballot, or, at any rate, to waive some
of their objections to it. We do not agree with
Mr. BRIGHT that the proposed transfer is an " ex-
traordinary,unpleasant,and desperate remedy ;" and
surely if a thing is wrong, and the means
hitherto taken to prevent that wrong are found
to be unavailing, the best thing to do
is to adopt new measures of prevention and cure.
We see no chance of the present House agreeing to
the Ballot, but if it fulfil half.the promises it made
last night it will do something very effective to put
a stop to bribery, and that is a decided step in the
right direction. This is not the time to stick too
closely to ancient privileges, and bow to established
forms and usages, wLen their maintenance inter-
feres with the public good and the general progress
of the day. Parliament will do wisely to look
closely into this matter ;
and since both the
Government and Opposition seem to agree as
to the necessity that exists for a change,
we may confidently hope and expect that
before long a wise decision will be come to.
Bribery has long been a disgrace to us, and the
sooner a decided stop is put to it the better; but all
the talking in the world will prove of no avail
unless some very strong measures are taken -which
will convince the reckless and unprincipled among
us that the matter has become too serious to be
trifled with any longer.