Year: 1871

ENGLISH GOSSIP.


THE BALLOT BILL-PRosPECTs OF A DIssoLU-


TON OF PARLIAMENr-HEALTH OF JOHN


BRIGHT THE AMERICAN DEPUTATIoN IN


ENGLAND.


IPRoM AN OCCASIONAL coRREsP0NDgSTl


LONDON, July $50 far as the House of
Commons is concerned the ballot has become within the
week recognized part OF our Constitutions Nearly


ago its introduction was first advocated In Par
lament by Mr. Grote and little later 1t adopted
as OF the points in the Peoples Charter When Mr.
Grote retired from public life, the late Mr. Berkeley Zone
Of the cadets of the strange aud wul race who have
held the black old keep in Gloucesershire for so many
generatons took up the and brought before
the House every year. For the last four or five years OF
Lord Palmerston's life, the motion became yearly duel
between the twO but there buttons the foils.
The aunty old Premier used to appeal to all sorts of
British instincts-bruta manly, and c0nbative-and
generally succeeded in chatting the ballot out OF court
Outside the House the Charsts collapsed the famous
10th of April ls4s, but the ballot still continued to be an
accepted article OF political faith among the great mass
Of the people, and Its contemptuous treatment In the
peoples House standing grievance After the
passing Of the late Reform BILL every thinking politician
saw that the critical time had come and that the expe'
rience OF the first election under household suffrage
would decide whether secret or open voting would be
the rule future. If that occasion the old scenes
Of intimidation and violence had disappeared. or been
even greatly modified and If it had been proved that the





vote without fear OF employers landlords and trades
unions think it very doubtful whether the liberal
Government would have taken up the question
seriously and except Government measure it could
never have been carried.


But the election of showed that the old influences
were at work. At election has intimidation Of
all hnds-or perhaps should rather say undue infu-
ence to speak euphemistcaly- more prevalent;
while bribery IL not open and fagrant clearly
not extinct likely TO become so. From that moment
the ballot became certainty, and the Liberal party has
been somewhat impatient that the Government should
postpone taking action the matter for three years
The delay of a Select Committee, which was thought
necessary in order to inter our old practices
with decency, was borne with some impa-
tience, for every one knew they were mor1und.
over that Committee Lord Harrington presided, and il
reported last year in favor OF the ballot speaking Of
bribery and intimidation still notorously prevalent
Accordingly the present bill announced OF
the Cabinet measures in the speech from the Throne in
February last and given to Mr. Forster to carry through
The nights debate ended this week with decisive
majority OF "a for the second reading OF the BILL and as the
Government is pledged TO push it through there can be


little question that the Lords will accept it, The debate
only thrashing out once more OF all the old argu-
ments but with the feature that almost all the ad
OF secret vote apologzed for 1t and accepted IL
only as choice OF evils. The only amusing feature in it
was which made by almost every
speaker OF the experience your SIDE 10 is really
freshing TO from how many SIDES matter may be
regarded and what different impressions the facts
will produce on different temperaments. You are cited
as an encouraging example and as a frightful |
warning. The United States are, at one moment, |
Immediately virtuous, conducting elections with per-
feet purity and order and the next deeply sunk under
the heels Of wrepuers and unable to vote for
any party hacks and compelled to vote fer these
eary and often" II is reassurng, however, to find how
many Of our legislators have taken to studying your
stutions less accurately even they have not
crossed the Atlantic II something that the British
organ should engaged In looking west instead Of east
to the New World the future instead Of to the Old
and past.
We shall have opportunity Of trying the favorte
radical Hooways pill before long, least the gen.
era feeling be that the present Parliament will
not tide over session. and that there will be dsso
luton next Summer He must be q sanguine man who /
believes that wllpurge away all the chronic and deep
rooted electoral ailments OF the tough old sinner for
whom IL has been prescribed; but that shall have
rowdysm at the polls certain II is said that Mr.
Disrae and the ablest among the Tories most
that the bill should get through they hold that
the ballot is the last cry to which the liberal party
and Radicals will fall hopelessly, and the time for
o sound Conservative policy for rest and thank
fulness will have at last arrived. With the land and
labor questions in their present condition cannot agree
with them. There will be rest till these questions are
very different position and thankfulness then,
or ever Politically, John Bull has not mite OF thank
fulness in his composition happily for him. by the way
for, Of the chief speakers Mr. Gladstone think
said the other night have got oil best laws and
institutions by resoute grunbng Far from all the din
and whirl Of the end Of the Parliamentary session and
the London season you wild be gsd hear that John
BvGAt 10 steadily pseoverins As health and catching