The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-03-20
The New Reform Bulls In England.

In another column will be found abstracts
of the Reform bill introduced in the House
of Commons by Mr.. Disraeli, and of the
more comprehensive measure which it is the in
tention of Mr.. Bright to force on for discussion
at an early period. In reading over the altera-
tons recommended by the tory Ministry one can
not help admir'ng the ingenuity with which the
principles upon which Mr.. Bright's bill are based
are at once admitted and evaded. We have the
ballot, the educational test and the population
scale of representation, all recognized in degcees
SO modified as to render them imperative eitl er
for good or for evil.
Let us take first the "permissiv, ballot"
privilege, and see what it amou IT. to. Non
resident voters are to be allowed 10 write on
slip of paper their own name and those of the
candidate or candidates they mean to vote for in
the presence Of two witnesses, householders, and
to transmit the same through the post to the re-
turning officer, who, On the day of polling, shall
open such paper in the presence Of the candidates,
or their agents and record the vote therein given
We need not point out that this ballot
clause is merely facility for voting, and in no
respect protects the voter against the conse-
quences of the free exercise of his franchise. Even
if it conceded to him the privilege of voting Sc
cretly at his choice, which the designation of
the clause would imply, it would still be no pro-
lection A tenant availing himself Of it would
be sure to fall under the suspicion Of his land
lord, and would be treated accordingly.
The educational clause gives the franchise to
the following persons Graduates of UNIVERSE
ties ordained priests or deacons of the Church of
England or officiating ministers Of other religious
denominations, barristers at law or certifcated
pleaders or conveyancers, certiGcated attorneys,
solicitors and proctos, members of the medical
profession duly qualified under the medical act
of 1858, and schoolmasters holding certificate
from the committee Of her Maesty's Council on
Education. The limitation to the above classic
cations takes from the educational qualification
all the value which it would otherwise possess
There is not one Of the persons who would
obtain the right Of voting under it who
would not be possessed of the franchise
either as freeholder, copyholder, fundhold-
er or tenant occupier. The classes for
whom an educational test is required are not
those who can qualify by reason Of their in
comes. II is the qualification of intelligence.
irrespective Of property, that au educational test
is intended to secure. But Mr.. Disraeli does not
SO understand it. He excludes the INDECENT au-
thor, the undergrad journalist, the prccariously
employed clerk, all of whom may be as compe-
tent to exercise the franchise inteligently as the
lawyer. the clergyman, the physician OF the 60
vernment schOolmaster. Furthermore, he shuts
remuneration does not bring them within the
test fixed by the ledger clause-a rental of eight
shillings sterling week And yet these men
are far better qualified to exercise the franchise
discriminatory than the clod-hoppers of Suf-
folk, who are led to the poll by their landlords
like flock Of unresisting sheep.
From what We have stated it will be seen that
the Disraeli measure is only q sop thrown to
Cerberus, and can in no way satisfy the wants
or demands Of the English people. 1t is remark
able only as conceding the forms of the two great
principles for which the masses in England have
been so long contending-the ballot and the edu-
cational qualification Of course, as they are
presented on this bill they are merely delusion
and snare but they will be made powerful use
Of when the discussion takes place upon Mr..
Brights measure. Coming from the Tory party,
they Indicate to what an extent they are prepared
TO yield under the influence of outside pressure.
We should not be surprised, for instance, to find
that, pushed between the adoption of the ballot
pure and simple, and general educational quail
fcation such as we have skctched out, they may
not be indisposed to adopt the latter. We be-
Geve that il would be much better suited to the
character, temper and institutions Of the English
than secret veting With the ballot must come
republic-with an educational franchise may
co-exist constitutional monarchy.
The NIGGER AGITATION STARTED IN New
MExICo-A STRONG Bill. FOR THE ProTEr-rroS M