The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-21 00:00:00

corporation will get more notes into circulation by
the depreciation of the coin ; and as that corporation
seems the party most likely to profit by Mr. GOUL-
BURN'S conduct, we can only suppose that he has
acted so improperly from the sinister influence of the
Bank parlour.
We must refer to Mr. BULLER'S able speech for a
full exposure of the evils of the measure, by which
that gentleman properly said the Ministers had done
more harm in a fortnight than their tariff would
make up in the course of a year. Mr. BARING, Sir
R. PEEL, and Mr. HumE justified the conduct of the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, but their observa-
tions do not alter our opinion that the infliction of so
much evil on the working classes was wholly un-
called for.

The Government is the authority responsible
for the currency; the people are not respon-
sible. The Ministers, therefore, ought to have
acted very differently. Instead of making the
public boards and offices refuse light coin,
they ought to have enjoined them to receive it
in all payments, and to receive it at all times, unless
it was very bad, and there was a good ground of sus-
picion that the person tendering it was fraudulently
cognizant of its deficiency. They ought to have
asked the Bank of England to do the same,
and they ought to have enjoined that body to
stop all the light coin it received it the
course of its own business, and which was paid in
by public offices, and send all that light coin to the
Mint, the Government making good the loss. So
they would gradually, and at all times, withdraw all
light coin from circulation, and keep it out of circu-
lation, never causing the public -any trouble. The
currency would no more be liable, under such a
plan of renewal, to be sweated, than under the pre-
sent plan. The cost of renewal, too, would always
be paid by the public, and would never fall on indi-
viduals. As to the detection and punishment of clip-
pers and sweaters, they must be provided for by dif-
ferent laws and different methods.

To-night Mr. WARD brings forward his resolution
" That in all future elections for Members of Parlia-
ment, the votes be taken by Ballot." Notwithstand-
ing the astounding acts of corruption, and some of
intimidation, which the late election brought to light,
we cannot compliment Mr. WARD by saying that
his motion is well timed, or that it is precisely what
is now needed. As a step towards constitutional im-
provement, we might regard it with satisfaction ; but
we doubt whether it ought to precede the extension of
the suffrage. The bribery, and corruption, and inti-
midation now so rife, are only the symptoms of a great
disease, the cure of which cannot be effected by the
Ballot. It will apply only to the existing consti-
tuency; the great complaint out of doors is, that the
existing constituency is a legal usurpation, and apply-
ing to it the Ballot may only conceal its deformities,
without curing them.
However useful the Ballot may be to prevent inti-
midation, to those who are willing to be bribed it
will supply a place in which they may safely com-
plete their guilt. The late disclosures concerning
Bridport, Belfast, Ipswich, Newcastle-under-Lyme,
Nottingham, &c. &c., all show a great number of
electors willing to be bribed. There were more such
cases at the late general election than cases of intimi-
dation. As long, therefore, as the present small
boroughs are preserved, in which the vote has a con-
siderable market value and the voter is needy, as long
as he regards—to use the language of Mr. M. M ILNES—
the candidate, who gives him a few pounds, as his best
friend, the Ballot, we are afraid, will only be a
screen for bribery. It will enable every needy voter
to sell his vote at the highest price, unchecked by fear
or shame. It may prevent intimidation, but that is
now, possibly, a less evil than the bribery it will en-
courage.
At any rate, the Ballot is not demanded by the
bulk of the unenfranchised ; and, should it be carried,
will be of no avail in healing our present dissensions.
It certainly is not the thing which is now wanted ;
and, as Mr. WARD knows, we believe, that he cannot
carry his resolution, he might as well leave the mat-
ter untried. It rather appears to us as one of those
much derided make-believes, or routine shams, in the
present state of parties, than as a real measure, which
he who brings it forward expects will succeed. It is
a parade motion, made now because it has a
kind of party purpose in it, and was made be-
fore when intimidation was more dreaded than
bribery, and when confidence was placed in
the present constituency, of which experience has
now demonstrated it is quite unworthy. It was
originated long before the existence of the present
dissatisfaction of the unrepresented, which will make
them regard the Ballot as conferring an additional
privilege on the elector, degrading them still more, by
totally excluding them from any possible means of
influencing the elections.

The Government, we have reason to believe, has de-
cided upon the removal of Lord DE GREY from the Lord
Lieutenantship of Ireland, and the will of the Cabinet to
this effect has already been communicated to his Lordship.
To cover the recal of the Noble Earl from an office to
fill which no British-born Peer could be more incompe-
tent, it has been suggested that he shall plead severe ill-
ness, and implore her MAJESTY to relieve him from the
cares of a state trying even to the soundest constitutions.
This boon will be granted with the best grace in the
world ; his Lordship's illness will be royally deplored ;
and exceeding regret Will be expressed that the Govern-
ment should be deprived of the invaluable services ofo
prudent and sagacious an Irish Chief Magistrate. The
farce, however, will deceive no person. Lord DE GREY,
is to be removed from the government of Ireland, because
he leagued himself with the Orange faction, and re-
solved to govern Ireland upon Orange principles..
The Lord Chancellor, Sir EDWARD SUGGEN, and the
Irish Secretary, Lord ELIOT, had' the good sense
to oppose this retrograde policy. They saw very
well that the Orange system of Government could never
again be revived in Ireland, without perilling the horrors
of a civil war, and their acts, since their accession to
office, have consisted chiefly of a series of protests
against the measures proposed by the Lord Lieute-.
nant. Sir R. Pert., who has business enough on his
hands without.a rebellion in Ireland, has agreed to the
recal of the Noble Earl, whose retirement may now be
daily expected. In fact, the Ministry have decided that
Ultra-Tory principles must be abandoned by the Irish
Government. It is no longer doubtful that five-sixths of
the Irish people are decidedly Liberal, and that their
opinions can no longer be influenced by the politics of
Dublin Castle. They are therefore to have an adminis-
tration more in harmony with their wants and wishes,
in order to weaken as much as possible the influence of
Mr. O'CoNNELL and. the Repeal agitation. Ireland will
not be governed upon avowedly Whig principles, but in
reality no other principles will meet with the approbation
of Sir R. PEEL. Of one thing we are certain, and that
is, that after the removal of Lord Du GREY, Irelend
'will enjoy a more liberal Government than she did under-
the Whig administration Of Earl GREY, when she had
1 an ANGLESEA for Lord Lieutenant.
We have heard it confidently stated, that Lord DE

Gallic will be succeeded in the Government of Ireland
by the Duke.of BUCCLEUCH. Without looking beyond
the ranks of his party, w© "do not think Sir ROBERT
could choose a better man. The Duke, as a Scotehman,
would have to encounter some prejudices in the capacity
of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, but these would disappear
the instant PADDY found that the Duke was rich, libe-
ral, and resolved to see justice done to Catholic and
Protestant equally. It is to prevent any misconception
of the character of the Duke. of BUCCLEUCB.
on the part of the Irish Press, that we take upon us to
assure them that we know no reputed Tory who would

more liberally and impartially administer the Govern-
ment of Ireland than the Nobleman in question. He
has no sympathies with the Orange faction, and is
capable of respecting the mistaken prejudices of a
people, who maintained with so much obstinacy, under
such long and severe trials, the faith and the customs of
their fathers.

We congratulate Sir It. PEEL upon the. moderation of
the policy which he has resolved, to adopt towards Ire-
land. It is the wisest, safest, and best course that he
could pursue. By no other could the union of the two
countries be now maintained. Nor will it prove less
important in another point of view. Sir lionEuT
I'EEL is fast breaking the neck of Toryism in Eng-
land, whereas in Ireland he must soon extinguish
it altogether. Let him only take it few
steps more in the path which he is now following, and
we see nothing to prevent a coalition of parties, in which
vo,efnfir.ne,otwhehNivshisgtasn. chi‘eisrt.
Lord Join.; RIiSSELL and himselt may sit cheek by jowl
right to boast that he
upon the Tr enaiosnut 111Ln
half
rßf
cesanoseebma B.
much
coEht
Fsupporters
has not
oigseitline
extirpated the Corn•lavv League as Sir ROBERT PEEL
the neck
where °erraell
has, that he has broken the hack of Toryism in Great
inß Iritariolna,
nad.
and bentislnso p
upon breakinga
work,
Liberal that will not wish the Premier Deceiver-Gem:-
rat the utmost success ?

It is gratifying to witness the healthy tone which per.
lades the speiio' hes of limbers of Parliament on canto