St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-07-26

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Each voter then appears before the
inspectors, and declares rird cOce for
which candidate he gives his vote.
This declaration is entered i'll the poll
books, which, at the expiration of the
time allowed for voting are taken to
the Returning Officer. who adds up the
votes. and immediately declares the
candidate having the highest number.
/ to he duly elected.
\ more vicious mode than this for
nominating candidates could hardly he
comtlived: and 'nomination days" have
become the terror of every market
town in England Imagine the wisdom
of bringing together, face to face, the
heated and often drunken partisans of
two opposing candidates to listen to
their exciting harangues. As the speak
ing progresses. the rival mobs WAX
warmer and warmer. until some palpa-
| bile hit draws from one side a cheer of
| triumph at the expense of the other.
| The hit is met 10y sharp repartee, and
cheers are answered by cOunter-chcers
These are met 10y misses, and misses by
groans. The speaking is soon inter
rupted by hard words, which i'll turn
are answered by harder knocks: and
rotten eggs are followed by brickhatS
and other missiles sufficiently hard to
carry conviction to the most obdurate
opponents. They then go i'll for what
is termed III the vcrnacular IL general
'scrimmage," from which both parties
at length emerge, with their ideas upon
political economy wonderfully brushed
up. As for the speakers upon the hust
ings. they have managed to retire in
very undiguitied haste, and may con
slider themselves fortunate if they have
escaped with anything short of broken
heads.
This is no fancy sketch. There is
never general election that does not
bear witness to similar scenes i'll vari-
ous parts of the kingdom.
Again. the manner of open. or rird
rOce voting is very Objectionable, Civ
ing occasion as ii does for intimidation,
10y which the wealthy landlord or the
large manufacturer may control the
votes of those who are dependent upon
him. Bribery is also extensively prac-
ticed under the present system, i'll def
ance of all precautions against ii. \
ballot bill is now before Parliament
with every prospect of passing through
the Lower House. If il succeeds in the
House of Lords and becomes Il law.
some of the evils now existing will he
remedicd i'll the future.
The mode of procedure i'll the House
of Commons is much the same as in the
! | nlted States Congress except that iii
the former body the Cabinet officers
take II leading part i'll its deliberations,
ii being required that members of the
Ministry must have seats either i'll the
HOUSE. of Lords or Commons. \ Min
istry is usually at the head of Il distinct
political party, and accepts office
pledged To carry out some definite poll
cN of government. Should il hc de
trated that *. placed i'll Il minority
on any important measure which it has
attempted to carry, or If Il vote of want
of confidence Is passed against it. ii
resigns at once; and the Sovereign calls
on the leader of the opposition To form
ii new Ministry.
When ministers have served for Al
period of three Years. they are each
entitled to Il pension of 2.WOO. for life
on retirement. The Speaker of the
House of Commons receives. during
his tenure of office ii salary of 5.OOOI..
besides a house, rent free. and on his
retirement is usually raised to the
pcerage. Members of The Lower House.
like those of the Upper, serve without
pay.
The political complexion of the pres
cnt House is decidedly liberal. The
present Ministry came into power at
the last general election. with Il large
majority of supporters. and is pledged
to many reforms which were impera
lively called for. 1t has already re-
deemed its pledges as regards some
important measures, such as the discs
tahiShmrnt of the Irish Church. the
abolition of purchase of commissions in
the Army. and Il general. though Il de
ftctive. scheme OF national education.
1t has lost prestige. however. during
the past year. partly through political
mistakes. and partly through personal
dissatisfaction and il is considered
doubtful whether the Gladstone Minis
try can continue in office through the
entire term of seven wears.
In speaking of the present House as
IL 'liheraT' one. il must not he under
stood in the sense of democratic or
radical. An anal y SIS of its composition
will show that an overwhelming pre-
ponderance both of numbers and of
influence is on the side of aristocracy
tcresting facts hearing upon this point
were given to the public 10y writer
for the press, during the last Parlia-
ment: and lists of names i'll full were
given in confederation. These state
ments are equally applicable to the
present Parliament, for there have
been but few changes. This writer
SAYS:
three hundred representatives who eli
ther will he peers, or are connected
with peers, or are dependent on peers.
or stand in all those relations to land
holders who are almost peers-a fact
which i'll itself distinguishes the House
of Commons from every other repre-
sentative assembly i'll the world. The
"Great Governing Families" besides
constituting one entire branch of the
Legislature (the Lords), with legal
power of final veto, send up from among
their own children, sOns-in-law, neph-
ews, and cousins. no less than IL clear
third of the House of Commons. When
to this great number is added the list
of county gentlemen and barOnets, who,
though not members of ennObled hous-
es, belong distinctly to the same class.
we shall find that less than one thou
sand persons really supply the whole of
the Upper. and one clear half of the
Lower House"
\ great proportion of the remaining
members are made up of wealthy land
owners and men who have accumulated
commercial or manufacturing fortunes.
The same writer continues:
$50 rich ii popular assembly probably