Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-06-23
THE BALLOT m ENGLAND.

-"
The British Government are resolved
to supplement the Parliamentary Re-
form bill of 1853 by adopting Vote
by Ballot" This idea has been adopt
ed in consequence Of the Committee on
Elections having reported that the bal
lot Is the only protection against
bribery, corruption and intimidation
ut elections. One member Of that
Committee was formerly n Parliament
man and a high Official in Australia,
and his opinion of the working Of the
ballot in that colony must have largely
Influenced his colleagues. The Tory
press Of England is highly Indignant
with Mr.. Gladstone for sanctioning
what. being the system in America, Is
denounced by British pubiiclsts as
"wholly un+English," and hostile
journalists declare that Mr.. Horace
Greeley has said that the ballot does
not secure secrecy. Moreover, with
some Ingenuity, these opponents
adroitly have stolen a shaft from the
Rev. Sydney Smiths Quiyer-he hav-
ing been a liberal and something more.
The venerable and obese Canon Of st.
Paul's and Rector of Combe Florey,
though a very able man, was not an
example of absolute wisdom. He had
a habit, while protesting remarkably
advanced opinions, of looking at pub
lie questions through Wing s~pectacles,
and therefore six+and-twenty years ago
wrote a pamphlet against the ballot,
apparently for no other reason than
because Lord John Russell, Lord Hol-
land and other Wing publicists object
ed to 1t. He quoted from our John
Randolph the following opinion "The
adoption of the ballot would make any
nation n nation of scoundrels If it did
not find them so" and expressed his
own belief in these words:
The single lie on the hastings would not SUI.
fee; the concealed Democrat who voted against
.his landlord must talk with the wrong people,
subscribe to the wrong clubs, huzza at the
wrong dinner, break the wrong head, lead dfhe
wish 70 escape from the watchful Jealousy OF
his landlordl q long life OF lies between every
election and he must do this not only euudo,"
In his calm and prudential state, but IRE
deundo," from the market, warmed with beer,
and expanded by alcohol; and be must not only
carry on his seven years OF Discrimination before
the world, but In the very bosom OF his family,
or he must express himself to the dangerous
g~arrulity Of wife, children, and servants, nom
whose lndiscretion every kind Of evil report
would be carried to the ears Of the watehfal
steward. And when once the ballot IL estab-
hshed, mere gentle, quiet lying would not do to
hide the tenant who secretly votes against Ills
landlord; the quiet, passive liar will be sus-
pected. and he will nnd, II he does not wave mis-
bonnet and strain his throat In furtherance OF
his bad faith, and lie loudly, that he has put In a
false ball in the dark to very little purpose.
Such was the. opinion Of q great
writer, knowing very little on the sub
ject, who died twenty-five years ago.
But, oddly enough, a great living lib
eral, who exercises his small influence
As a philosophical politician Though
his own parliamentary career was the
reverse Of successfully also opposes vote
by ballot. Mr.. John Stuart Mill aflrms
that the ballot will be 4 greater evil to
the British population than any other,
because it must weaken the feeling
which causes the "Aigher classes not to
lie, and would make the loper-though
most habitual liars - ashamed of
lying" He does not express himself
very clearly, this famous Mr.. Mill, but
as to the terribly bad character of his
countrymen - which seems to have
dropped mconsciously from his pen,
all we can say is-he certainly has had
lifelong opportunity of becoming thor
oughly acquainted with it! Notwith-
standing the dicta Of the American and
the English writer's, vote by ballot, on
our own system, will inevitably be-
come part and parcel Of parliamentary
elections in England, In a short time.