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

itrEtlT 01' TIIf PVIILIO JOURNALS,

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The Times declares the progress of the Corrupt
Practices Bill in the House of Commons on Monday night
was sufficieLt to prove that it rests with the Government
whether it shall become law, and also bow far it may be
amended in passing through committee. It was, indeed,
evident that there was much latent feeling against the bill
and against all legislation on the subject, but it is of a
kind which cannot prevail unless it be encouraged by the
laxity of the Administration. A large number of members
are seriously desirous of doing something to detect and
repress bribery. An equally large section, conscious
that this is their last session in Parliament, are willing
to assist in promoting a measure which cannot
interfere with their future peace of mind. Supported by
these two bodies, and carrying with him the strength
which the weakest Government commands, Mr. Dis-
raeli may do with the Bribery Bill what he will.
The opposition to the bill was led by Mr. Bouverie.
He submitted to the House an alternative scheme
which went to the root of the Government pro-
posal, but it was rejected by 204 to 127. This
decisive defeat of Mr. Bouverie's suggestion shews
the strength of the party which supported the bill.
The main principle of the bill having been thus affirmed
once more, and by a majority more decisive than ever, it
would be pleasant to pass at once to the consideration in
detail of the amendments of which it is susceptible ; but
it is necessary first to dispose of an obstacle, said to be
portentous, which arose out of a second division yester-
day. The bill, referring the trial of petitions to an
external tribunal, proposes to create the tribunal by
selecting from the common law judges two of ther num-
ber, who shall be set apart for the sole duty of trying
election causes. Mr. Ayrton, instead of this, proposed,
and by a majority of 136 to 71 carried, a suggestion that
an additional judge be appointed to each of the three
courts of Westminster, and the trial of election petitions be
then conducted by each of the eighteen judges constituting
the superior courts in rotation. This was, in fact, the
original proposal of the Government, but the Solicitor.
General argued against it, and when it was adopted Mr.
Disraeli declared he must reconsider the effect of the
alteration upon the bill, and progress was reported.
As it had been announced at the beginning of the
sitting that it was absolutely necessary supply should
be taken at ten o'clock, the fact that progress was reported
was insignificant, nor can we attach any more weight to
Mr. Disraeli's grave warning that Mr. Ay-rton's amend-
ment was perilous. It plainly does not touch the
principle of the bill, and it has this recommendation in
its favour, that it secures a greater variety of judges,
and avoids the possible hazard attaching to the choice
of a person who should afterwards fail to command
confidence, and yet would be practically irre-
movable. Mr. Disraeli himself admitted that he might
have preferred the original plan of the Government,
but as the judges had objected to it he felt a difficulty in
pressing it. The remonstrance of the judges, he declared,
had great weight with the House of Commons, and might
be equally potent in the House of Lords. Whatever effect
this remonstrance produced at the time, it is evident,
however, it had quite evaporated last night, since the
House, immediately after Mr. Disraeli had solemnly
recalled it to their memory, decided in its teeth by
a majority of 65. Mr. Lowe rightly declared that
it was the duty of the House of Commons to
constitute the best tribunal possible ; and we
feel persuaded that the supposed opposition to Mr. Ayr-
ton's scheme will disappear if the slightest resolution be
shewn to uphold it. The supposition that the House of
Lords will be inclined to reject a scheme which was cut-
e )cted and approved in Lord Derby's Cabinet is so
chimericd that we cannot fear an opposition which seeks
aid in such an argument ; and if Mr. Disraeli on Thurs-
day next should still treat Mr. Ayrton's amendment as a
serious obstacle, the Times will be compelled to look upon
it as the covert of some secret and unacknowledged dis-
like of the bill.

The Post says it is not improbable that the bill may
never come before the committee again. The creation of
the new judges was, so to speak, the backbone of thd
measure ; and if that proposal is negatived, however
desirous the Government may be of passing a bill for the
better prevention of corrupt practices at elections, it is cer•
tainly unlikely that they will proceed with one which
will be framed exclusively at the dictation of the Opposi-
tion. Besides, it must be remembered that the latter are
not themselves agreed on the tribunal which should be
substituted for the existing one ; and under these circum-
stances, perhaps the best plan would be to postpone till
next year the creation of that new jurisdiction which must
in any event soon supersede that to which we have been sc
'ong accustomed.

The Daily .Neirs says the House of Commons is evi
dently inclined to take up Mr. Disraeli's challenge, and tc
pass the Act for the Suppression of Corrupt Practices at
Elections. Now that its last session is drawing to a close-
and the inevitable dissolution already casts its shadow
before it, the House is more ready than it has hithertc
been to give effect to its virtuous resolutions. Honourable
members vie with one another in their professions of
anxiety not to allow the session to close wit:.out
leaving on the statute-book some pr:wision for the
additional purity of the succeeding Parliament: Nearly
everybody seams to be anxious that some bill should pass,
and even those members whose antagonism to the mea-
sure is only badly concealed under hostile criticism of its
details are anxious to repudiate any hostility to the prin-
ciple of reforming the procedure in the punishment of
bribery. The Gov, rument may not be very much in ear.
nest about the bill, Lut Mr. Disraeli must at least have
the credit of putting to a test the earnestness of Parlia-
ment.

The Herald notes that the Radical party in the United
States, smarting under their recent defeat in the impeach-
men t process, are yet by no means prepared to gi v e up the day
as lost. They are already meditating another impeach.
meat of the President. This time the scales would be
turned in their favour. If the same votes were given the
same way as before they would carry their will by a
majority of more than two-thirds in the Senate. Already
the two Repub!ican representatives of the State of
Arkansas have been admitted to the Senate in spite of
the President's veto. The senators of the other Southern
States are to follow, those of North Carolina first and
then of the other seceding States of the old Union,
under what is called the " Omnibus " Reconstruction,
Bill. Including Arkansas, the impeachment majority
would be 37 to 19 ; adding North Carolina it would be 4]
to 19—a majority of more than two-thirds. As the Pre.
sident's veto on the Arkansas Bill has been overruled by
the House, we make no doubt that any attempt on his
part to prevent the entry into Congress of the ne,gro-
elected delegates of other Southern States will be similarly
nullified. Unless, what is most unlikely, a reaction of
feeling should set in among that compact body of Repub.
lican legislators which is directed by Mr. Stevens in Vie
Lower House and Mr. Sumner in the Senate. we may
take it for granted that a new trial of the President on
the same issues as the last will result in his degradation
and expulsion from office. Under the direction of
Mr. Thaddeus Stevens the articles of indictment have
been much simplified and condensed. Next time the
President is to be tried on four counts. The first charges'
him with violating the Constitution, in setting up, without
consent of Congfess, Provisional Governments in the
Southern States. 'lie second, with criminal misuse of the
pardoning power. The third, with abusing Government
patronage in order to defeat the Reconstruction Laws. The
fourth, with corrupt use of the same patronage in various
State elections since 1865. This indictment, we are told,
is all ready, but is not to be brought forward until the
admission of a sufficient number of 'Radical senators from
the South has made a conviction certain.
The Standard remarks that the people of Nova Scotia
will not be able to complain that they have not had a fah
hearing in the British Parliament. In the House of Lords
on Monday night, their chosen advocate, Lord Campbell,
did as much justice to his cause as it was susceptible of,
and in a three hours' debate—if that could be called a
debate in which all the arguments and all the conclusions
were on one side—the Nova Scotian grievances were
p-tl,2ntly and laboriously sifted. The result is such as
have been expected. There was literally no ground, as
the greatest friends of Nova Scotia were forced to admit, for
such a motion as that which Lord Campbell submitted.
To propose that a commission of inquiry should be
sent out to America to inquire into the working of an Act
width at the time of the Nova Scotian petition had been
barely six months in operation, was scarcely less than an
insult to Parliament, which, in passing that Act, was
actuated solely by a regard for the interest of the North
American Colonies, and indeed was only registering their
own declared will. The Nova Scotian Legislature had
prayed for the Confederation. The delegates from the
North American Colonies had drawn up a scheme of union
in accordance, as we might reasonably suppose, with the
wishes of the high contracting parties. The duty of the
Imperial Parliament was but to sanction and put into
formal shape a measure originating in the colonies them.
elves and based upon their own mutual interests.
Whether, in all respects, the rights and interests
of the Nova Scotians have been regarded in the
details of the Federal Act is a very fair question to
raise, but a question, we submit, not for the Imperial,
but the local Parliament. It is at Ottawa and not in
London that the case of the Nova Scotians should be pro.
scented. It is impossible, after giving up to the Dominion
Parliament the full right of entertaining all local ques.
Lions affecting the commerce or the industry of the pro.
vineeq, that we can attempt to inquire into every case of
individual grievance. As Lord Carnarvon very perti.
neatly observed last night, there never was a union yet
which worked smoothly and in perfect harmony at starting. The Nova Scotians have been provided with their due
share of influence in the new Confederation, and it will he
their fault (ally if they cannot exercise it to the redress of
any substantial grievances of which they may have to
mplain. As to the sentimental part of their
.prayer,
that, we repeat, is uttered in vain in the Imperial Par-
liament.

The Telegraph rejoices that in the Bankruptcy Court
Sir Moron Peto and his two partners, Messrs. Betts and
Crampton, have passed their last examination, and
received orders of discharge. Few persons can have been
surprised by the proceedings of yesterday. The lengthened
and searching examination to which the bankrupts were
subjected at the hands of so competent an inquisitor as
Mr. Linklater, although it revealed the existence of loose
and careless arrangements, and of a practice based on
most erroneous estimates as to results, chewed nothing
which brought the individuals mainly concerned within
the penal clauses of the Bankruptcy Act. It certainly
appears astounding that enormous transactions could
have been undertaken with so little care to define the two
aides of the bargain as to permit a miscalculation to the
extent of six million!) sterling ; yet such appears Co hal"
been the fact. - • -