Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-05-11

The ENGLISH HusTINGS.-The London Sun
foreshadows some of the Election Scenes anticl-
pated in the choice Of a new Parliament The
comparison between popular Election in Great
Britain and the United States is worthy of note:
An opportunity is about to be afforded to the
admirers of both forms of government to make
comDarisons between them. Oligarchy IS
now on its trial Next week or the week
after, the eyes of Europe and America will be
fixed upon the working OF our electoral system
IF in the ordeal throug IN which We are about 10
mass we can exhibit to the world the admirable
spectacle of q great and free people proceeding
with all the camnesS and dignity OF conscious
unripbtness and independence to the choice
of REPRESENTATIVES and II that choice iatiS, III
the main upon men of prObity and intelligence,
then VIC NAV have no reason to be ashamed oil
onr form of government. But IT, on the other
hand. there should be revived scenes to which on
former occasions we have been unfortunately no
strangers: should candidates once more endeaV-
yor TO intimidate or debauch the voters, or tue
electors once more yield to intimidation or sue
cumb to corruption, then we think we shall nave
no great cause to boast of our superiority over tue
members of the great Transatlantic RePuohc.-
In Specializing as to which of the two Spectac'es
the country is most likely to present, 1t natural
Iy occurs to us to inquire what is the oDJecI OF
these vast sums which are confidently reporter
to have been collected by well known poiitlcal
currently rumored, have been contributed by
one eminent statesman, and every other mem
Der of the party, of any mark, has been lald, II
| il said under contributions proporuoDate 10
| hiss means We are told that these forced
loans are raised for the purpose OF maintaining
the Conservative party IN power, ana oeieaU"S
the popular demand for Reform. But how is
the money to be applied? These vast sums
cannot be legally expended in contesting seats
| whore there is only a reasonable prospect OF
SUCCESS. The conveyance OF voters to the poll
the erection of the hustings, the hire OF rooms
the employment Of canSasserS cannot ABSORB
the sums which are said to be about to be law
shed in the forthcoming struggle We fear there
can be no room to doubt that all this prepare
ton means neither more nor less than whole.
sale system of corruption. The gentlemen OF
| England who express such horror oil rcpuOh'
can excuses appear to be about to plunge INTO
a sea of political filth and debauchcry. All con-
siderations of honor and honesty appear to be
forgotten. If the corrupted is base, is not the
corruptcr infinitely more so! We may see now
the real reason why the system OF open voting
is adhered TO with such tenacity We can now
see through the hyPocriticai pretences by which
the Ballot is opposed.
and debauchery Of all sorts are the usual con
comitants Of an election in this country, then
the opponents Of the Ballot arc justified IN
calling it un-English ana the preparations on
foot for securing Conservative majority are
appropriate We are no defenders of popular
any more than of aristocratic licence and proh
gacv We would coudemn them as mcuh ir
New York as in London or Manchester, but we
have strong suspicion that if fair comPari
son could be instituted, nothing would be found
during the progress of popular struggle III
the United States, to- equal the dlSgracefnl cor
ruption which will shortly be exhibited in thi:
country during the grogress of General Flee
ton.