The Sun. — 1842-05-07 (London, England)

THE HARWICH ELECTION PETITION.—The petition against the return of the two Tory Members for Harwich, on the usual grounds of bribery, treating, &c., has been withdrawn, under circumstances which, acquainted as we are with many of the facts that would have been established in evidence against the sitting Members, we greatly• regret, although we can well understand the desire which the• petit loners would feel to avoid the immense expense of prose using the petition. The Tories were too well aware of the fate which awaited them to allow the case to proceed. It is, we understand, arranged that Major Beresford shall immediately accept the Chiltern Hundreds, and Sir Denis Le Merchant be elected in his stead without opposition.—Evening .Paper.  iirroittf')libition  SUN OFFICE Three o'clock.  The vast number of murders that have been committed in the metropolis within the last few years, casts a great stain on the country, and ought to teach humility to those who boast of the superior civilisation of England, as compared with all other nations. While slanders and calumnies,'not twelve months ago, were heaped upon the Irish people by certain writers in London, charging them with murders and cruelties—and Spaniards and Italians in the same spirit of national prejudice have been stigmatised as assassins—deeds have • been' committed here which make the blood run cold. Assassinations have become frequent, murders of the deepest die have been pepetrated, one-third of the murderers yet remaining undiscovered ; and what shows their great cruelty, many of those atrocious crimes have been committed against helpless women, by the persons bound to protect them. This was the case with GREENACRE, BLAKESLEY, GOOD, and several others, showing a depravity and unmanly violence rarely surpassed.. The case of the wretched man COOPER, now in course of examination, is of a different kind, but it is almost unexampled for reckless, wanton disregard of human life. He murdered one fellow-creature on the spot, seriously, and perhaps fatally, wounded another, and it was from no want of will on his part that many more did not fall victims to his savage disposition. These are certainly ominous symptoms of the present state of society, and, from whatever cause arising, inflict a great disgrace on. the country. It singularly enough occurs, too, at a time when.more noise is made. about Church extension, religious meetings, and Sunday travelling than at any former period—when Sunday schools are held in every village, and assemblages collect all over the country at stated periods for humanizing and converting to the Christian faith people of every clime. Enormous sums are sent out of the country yearly for these purposes. Might they not be better spent at home in encouraging education, promoting industry, and preventing crime? Something must be done to abate this great disgrace, or England will become a reproach and a bye-word among all nations.  Lord BROUGHAM has brought in a Bill to give protection to witnesses examined before Committees of the two Houses of Parliament, respecting bribery at elections. The Noble and Learned Lord, like every person who pays any regard to the corrupt state of the representation of the country, is alarmed at the frightful extent to . which this moral pestilence is spreading. We have serious doubts, however, as to the efficacy of his Lordship's Bill as a remedy for the evil. We doubt whether any laws could be framed which would check bribery under the present state of the elective franchise. The incentives are too great and the facilities too numerous for legal hindrance. The best way to check bribery is to begin by extending the franchise. Household suffrage, or the adoption of a knowledge qualification, would inflict a mortal blow upon bribery. The next best step to be taken, but here Lord