The Cardiff Times

I RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. I FOR THE PAST WEEK < 1880 1879 In De £ A. £ Taft Vale 10472 8752 1720 — Penarth Harbour. &c 251 S3 1991 272 — Pembroke'and TenDy 488 504 16 Rtivlnney 3267 [2.90 577 Mid Wales 627 655 28 Brecon and Merthyr 1313 1291 22 London,Chattiaro, & Dover 81521 21412 109 Great Western 142873 131903 1C970 London & North-Westorn 1S1833 17;:010 8828 — London & South Western 48200 47358 812 — Midland 117286 11,07-41 6495 Lancashire anci Yorkshire 65959 62191 3768 Metronolitaii District 7073 6275 80S Metropolitan 10818 le IC8 210 Great Eastern 51555 49800 1755 South Eastern 37540 36525 1015 London. Brighton. & S. C 36136 31373 1763 North Eastern — 16199 Waterford and Limericii.. — ri8 Athenrv and Ennis — — 75 — North British — — 575 Great Northern — — 379 — Sheffield and Lincoln — 1798 — Caledonian — — 1774 — Great North of Scotland.. — 185

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES. & DEATHS, Notices of Births, Jrarri8, and Deaths are charged at !he rate of is for the nrst Twenty Words, and 6d for every additioruil Ten Words, and rhvst be PREPAID. In all vises the notice must be authenticated bv the name and address of the writer. I BIRTHS. MILEs.Tune 19, at Pontymister, the wife of Mr James Miles, Risca Colliery, of a daughter. MUNN.—June 21. at 5, Piercefield-place, Roath, the wife of Mr Jame3 Munn, of a son. 1062 MARRIAGE. GRIFFITHS-WILLIAMS. —-3une 24, at Llundilo Talybont Church, Pontardulais, by the Rev. J. Jones, Josiah William Griffiths, to Mary Williams, Aberdare House. 1713 DEATH. Tit >CT0R..—June 17, at Bentley Villa, Conway-road, Emily Mary, the infant daughter of S. J. Procter. 1650

'lEopics of the SEec! e SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 1880, LOCAL. CLERICAL OBSTRUCTIVES. THE clergy of the Church of England have been, and will continue to be, most bitter opponents oi School Boards. We are will- ing to give them all praise for the efforts made by them on behalf of elementary education, ere the passing of the Education Act in 1870. Up to that time the ele- mentary schools of the country, especially in rural districts,had been almost exclusively in their hands, and it was a most bitter pill they had to swallow when School Boards invaded their educational preserves. All sorts ofpbstructions were placed in the way of the hsited School Board, and when it became established the same tactics of opposition were relentlessly pursued. We could point to numerous instances where the principal opponent of the local School Board has been the clergyman of the parish. In the year 1874, an order from the Education Department was issued, calling upon the managers of the Bassalecr Church School to extend the school. In default of such ex- tension, a School Board was formed, and now, after six years have expired and the Board is in full operation, the Church School is to be extended, At the last meeting of the Duffryn and Graig School Board a conversation ensued as to the Bas- saleg Church School being constituted an elementary school within the meaning of the Act. The committee of management of that institution were now carrying out works which, if carried out in accordance with an order of 1871, might have saved the rate- payers a considerable sum. Now that the district had provided all the school accom- modation necessary, it was considered by some members unfair that the Bassaleg schools should be extended so as to afford accommodation for children which would otherwise attend the Board School, and secure the Government grant towards the expenses of the institution. The School Board cannot stop the Church School from becoming an efficient, elementary school, if all Government requirements are complied with but the inhabitants of the parish must bear in mind that by sending their children to the Board School, they are assisting to decrease the rates whereas if they counten- ance the Church School, they are only acting in favour of clerical monopoly.

THRICE WIDOWED. THE frequency of accidents in the collieries make it no uncommon occurrence for a woman to have lost two husbands by pit calamities, but in the case of a woman at Pontypridd named HIGGINS, whose husband was killed at a colliery at Pendyris, on Saturday last, it. appeared that she had pre- viously mourned for two husbands, one by sudden death, another by a colliery accident, and now the third has gone. It is an old saying, that '? familiarity with danger breeds contempt," and it is well known that colliers' wives, however much they mourn the loss of husbands suddenly taken from them by death, are yetHw familiarised to pit accidents that they da4iot B^gafd the bereavement with the samafkeen feelings of anguish with which a countrywoman mourusat her hus- band's death. We say not this in disparage- ment to the female population of the colliery districts,but only in explanation of the appar- ent nmichalaneeyiiih. whichthe bereaved widow joyfully puts-off her weeds, and enters into the marriage state for a second and even a 'third time, with a man who obtains his dangerous livelihood underground.

RUNAWAY BOYS. MOST boys-at some period or another in their juvenile earder, become possessed of the idea that they, would like to go to sea. The tales they read about the sea are all painted ¡' in.glowing colours, for everything calculated > to-damp their enthusiasm ,for: a sailor's life is kept out of boys' sea story-books. If the boy who cona. these tales of exciting adven- ture, and strange scenes in foreign lands, be a tiuaid boy, he will content himself with a longing for a sailor's life if he be an ad- venturous, bold, or head-strong boy, he will, perhaps, breach the subj^fct to his parents and if ^checked in his desires, will generally cut the Gord knot by running away. Of course" inmost cases this act filis the parents' minds with grief and apprehension, w and forthwith a search is instituted, the Press is a eged to with" a view to his cap- pp I- ture, and this generally ends in the boy being found, as was the case with the-eldest son of one of the I'ar--eat treideam enin'Ten*ov, who .mysteriously disappeared on the 1ill iust., nothing being heard of him for a week. On the day iie left home, the youth, who ia about 16 rears of age, was seen going up the "Ola Road" a little before six o'clock. Evfry effort was made by the parents, wiio were in great trouble, to find him. Telegrams were despatched to "police superintendents and other officers in '-seaport towus, as it was well known fiat he had a great irtslination for tlte sea. These eflbrte were vat length successful The parents received a telegram on Saturday 4aatinfOTmittj| them that the lttd ,h»d bet a 1 < captured by$Swansea pbiio&iian outboard j a schooner in- Swan^a Docks, bound to j /Dartmouth. Hia lather &t once loft for Swansea. But if parents were wise, they would adopt different tactics. We can easily conceive a fohd mother's fears lest her boy should be drowned at sea; but if the parents were to ascertain on board what ship the boy had gone, and let him go one voyage, in nine times out of ten the boy would come back thoroughly cured of his craze for the sea, and become from that time forward all that his parents would desire him to be. It is not likely that the son of a prosperous tradesman would have liked the hard fare and hard work of sea life on the return of the schooner he would proba- bly have returned home a wiser and better youth.

THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL CENTENARY. IN no part of the Kingdom has the Sunday- school Centenary movement been taken up with more glad enthusiasm than in Wales. In all large towns meetings have been held to organise processions, special sermons, public meatings, &c. But in most cases the jealousy of the Church party has resulted in their action being taken entirely regardless of what the Dissenters have proposed to do. A short time ago we congratulated the Church party in Newport on their superi- ority to this petty jealousy, but our anti- cipations have been rudely shaken, for our Newport correspondent remarks that judg- ing from the course adopted by the re- presentatives of the schools of the Es- tablished Church, they have entirely severed themselves from the great body of Sunday schools, as represented by the Sunday-school Union and Wesleyans." This is much to be regretted, and shows that in places where Church people are in a minority, their jealousy of and antagonism to Dissent are greater than where Church and Dissent are more equal in point of num- bers. In one; town we wot of, where the Church party and Dissenters are about equal in numbers, the whole of the Protes- tant Sunday-schools have their annual de- monstration together on Whit-Monday, and the Sunday-school Centenary is to be similarly celcbraLed-by a grand united procession. The Manchester Diocesan Con- ference recently passed resolutions showing a warm feeling toward Nonconformists, and an earnest desire to get rid of existing differ- ences.- We are much afraid that a long time will elapse ere the Churchmen of South Wales become imbued with similar senti- ments.

A DONKEY PARADE. THE officers of the Monmouth Engineer Militia must be a jolly set of fellows, if we are to judge by the account our Monmouth correspondent sends us of a laughable spec- tacle which took place at the annual sports of the regiment. We are told that seven gentlemen fell in on parade, under the com- mand of Captain and Adjutant Sir ARTHUR MACKWORTH, who was on horseback. The officers had hold of a donkey, and were each handed a penny tin-whistle, with commands to-blow the same. On the signal from the adjutant, each gentleman had to "go through his facings" on the back of a donkey, and the steed was not to move. After this, at the word of commrnd, the donkeys broke into a gallop, followed by Sir ARTHUR round the field, being persuaded to go the pace by a crowd of buglers and drummers chasing them, and making dis- cordant noises on their instruments. Of course the whole field finished in a lump, some of the "steeds" having left their riders behind. We confess that we never before heard or read of a donkey parade carried out in the above fashion. Perhaps it was the bright idea of the Captain and Adjutant, Sir ARTHUR MACKWORTH himself and though the sight must have created immense fun for the spectators, there would no doubt be present some cynical people ready enough to draw comparisons between the asses and the gentlemen who rode them.

THE RECTOR OF MERTHYR ON THE BURIALS BILL. THE Rector of Merthyr has a name for eccentricity, but it is of a genuine, honest description. He is not the man to hide his thoughts because they may possibly give offence to somebody, and least of all does he keep his opinions to himself when they concern the Church of which he is a member. The Rector's ideas on religious equality are totally opposed to those of the great ma- jority of his Church, and especially his clerical friends, and his letter to the London Dally News, on the Lords' Amendments to the Burials Bill, will probably excite as much disgust in the minds of his clerical brethren as it will admiration amongst the Dis- senters of South Wale?. The Rector says :— "As rector of the largest Nonconformist parish in Wales, 1 have no hesitation in say- ing that the carrying of Lord MOUNT and the Archbishop of YORK'S amendments is simply disastrous to the merits of the Burials Bill. And if these amendments are not quashed by the Com- mons there is an end, so far as Wales is con- cerned, of all peace and quietness regarding this great question. Wales will never be satisfied. And, speaking as a Churchman, I do not see how she can be satisfied. Lord SELBORNE'S Bill was universally hailed here but the passing of these two amend- ments is regarded, at any rate in Wales, as throwing the whole question over only to be argued over again. In large towns like this it will be a great injustice. Incumbents and ministers were glad of the compromise, and looked forward with thankfulness at the prospect of interchange of duty in con- secrated and unconsecrated grounds, for which I could give many reasons." A few more clergymen in South Wales of the Rector's opinion would pave the way for Christian Re-union far better and quicker than all the theorising of a score of societies.

THE CARDIFF PILOTAGE BOARD BILL. THE letter of A Ratepayer," on the Cardiff Pilotage Board Bill, which we print in another column, ought to rouse the rate- payers, on their own behalf, to protest against the action of the Corporation should that body go with the Bute Trustees, and appeal from the decision of the Commons Committee to the House of Lords. But our correspondent puts the case so aptly before our readers that we will quote part of his letter, believing that it deserves more than passing notice :—"A Bill was prepared by shipowners and pilots jointly, but previous to definite steps being taken, every means was exhausted by shipowners and pilots to induce the Corporation to consent to a moderate representation of shipowners, pilots, and merchants, without avail, al- though a large numberjof members of the Corporation were in favour of such represen- tation. With the vindictive opposition which the Corporation, in conjunction with the Bute Trustees, have given to the Bill, I do not believe the town sympathises, and for the reason that the objects sought to be obtained by that Bill do not affect the in- terests of the ratepayers prejudicially in any way whatever; and should the town authori- ties decide to follow the lead of the dock authorities, and again oppose the Bill in a higher House, I trust before doing so they will take such steps as will give to them a fair and reliable knowledge of the opinion of the ratepayers. I do not wish to repeat at length what has been done in the course of this opposition. The passing of a formal resolution not to oppose the pilots represen- tation the signing a petition on the same day to oppose the Bill intotoj the vacillation and indecision at first shown by the Corpora- tion aa a body, then the eager junction with the Bute authorities, and the determined opposition oi a section of the Council to the BUI and its promoters there. What of the future ? Are the ratepayers' funds to be used for the purpose of carrying out the cap- ricious views of a certain section of the Council V .T4:Jt tion is one of vital interest to the ratepayers, because it touches their pockets. It behoves them to watch the proceedings of the Council, and if the Bute Trustees deckle to carry the appeal to the House of Lords, to take care e said Tnuteea are not assisted with the ratepayers' money.

GENERAL, THE BRADLAUGH DERATE, THE debate on Mr BRADLAUGH'S case opened on Monday, in ihe House of Commons, when Mr. LABOUCHERB moved," That Mr BRADLAUGH, member for the borough of Northampton, be admitted to make an affirmation or declaration, instead of the oath required by law." Sir HARDINGK GIFFARD moved, M an amendment, "That, haying regard to the reports and proceed- ings of two Select Committees appointed by this House, Mr BRADLAUGH be not per- mitted to take the oath or make the affir- mation mentioned in the statue." Much cant has been spoken by members who have taken part in the debate; on this case; but Mr BRIGHT did not spare the members of the Opposition who were the principal objectors to Mr BRADXAUOH being allowed to'take lm.«6i £ & i.Mc BBI$HT saa d that f&r take thejpAtjia 1 which wouldbe biu&pgiipQu ImeQuaeMitce* and; added Mr BRIGHT U I pretend to have no conscience or no honour superior to the conscience and honour of Mr BRADLAUGH. It is no business of mine to set myself up—and it is no business of yours to set yourselves up—as having a conscience and honour superior to that which actuates Mt BRADLAUGH." Mr BRIGHT further stated that gentlemen, he dared, say would represent themselves and others that they were the defenders of re- ligion, of orthodoxy, of decency, and he knew not what. But he was there as a de- fender of what he believed to be the principles of the Consitution, the freedom of constituencies to elect, and the freedom of theelectedto sitin Parliament. The majority, however, have decided that they do not wish BRADLAUGH to become a member of Parliament, but we presume the matter has not ended. ————

THE ART OF WAR. ALTHOUGH the votaries of the military art are classified by political economists as coming under, in some senses, the igno- minious category of unproductive labourers, yet their profession, as the institutions of the world aie now constituted, stands very high in value. It is a pity that this is so. But the fact remains, nevertheless. When we leave out of sight the gaudy uniforms, the drilled troops, and all the pomp and circumstance attending great armies, and think of the purpose for which these armies are kept up, we cannot altogether admire the following words which fell from the lips of Sir GARNET WOLSELEY at the annual Press Fund dinner in London:—"There have been different ages, the golden age and the silver age, and I think we are justified in calling our own the hard working age, when men feel that they can attain to excellence in no walk of life without great exertion. While that is true in all branches of civil life it is equally true in military matters, and no officer nowadays can be worthy of the commission he holds without deep study of the science of the profession to which he belongs. The time has gone by for an officer to be considered a good soldier because he has a good drill and able to carry out the ordinary routine of the parade ground and the barrack. To be worthy now to command men can only be attained by study of military science and of the military history of past ages, so as to draw lessons for guidance in the future." It is certainly desirable that men should be ardent in their professions, still it is a pity that civilisation should have made learned and wise men enthusiastic in their ability to be able to kill!

THE TAY BRIDGE. THE Tay Bridge, which came to pieces one night, a few months since, with such disas- trous results to the passenger train Which was passing over it, is to be restored. At all events an effort will be made to do so. A Bill has been lodged in the Private Bill Office of the House of Commons to provide for the restoration of the railway communication across the Tay, near Dundee, and for other purposes." The Bill is promoted by .the North British Railway Company, and seeks for power to reconstruct the bridge at a lower level, with alterations and additional works for strengthening the structure, so as to give stability to the same. The estimated cost of the proposed works, beyond the amount required for restoration, is £200,000, and the company are willing to execute the said works, if authorised by Parliament. It is understood that the proposal to erect the bridge at a lower level will be strongly op- posed by the shipping interest of the loca- lIty, as interfering with the navigation of the Tay. It is*just possible that the shipping companies may have the opinion that their shares would advance considerably in value if the bridge were never built.

FOREIGN. THE STATE OF AFGHANISTAN. THERE are still some anuoyancss.in. Afghan- istan, but there is not any very serious trouble as compared with what has taken place in that country within the present century. There have not been any treacher- ous attacks upon the lives of our countrymen but the tribes are far from quiet. A telegram from the Viceroy, dated 21st June, says that the gathering at Maidan is not yet formid- able, and the British field force from Ghazni has come to Charasia. A convoy was attacked on the morning of the 19th, be- tween Pezwar and Jugdulluck Kotal, f and the assailants were beaten off. A recon- noitring party was reported to have engaged with the enemy towards Arganda on the 20th. There was no news of importance from Herat or Kandahar. Wali, at Girishk, receives promises of support from chiefs towards Herat. From Quetta some raiding is reported on the line, but several of the rubbers have been secured by the military.

THE BERLIN CONFERENCE. THERE is not so much importance attached to the present Berlin Conference as there was to the one which took place at the same city, and from which the Earl of BEACONS- FIELD and Lord SALISBURY returned with the peace with honour which only had exis- tence in name and never in fact. But for all that, there are some important matters to be settled at this self-same Conference. The boundary line proposed by M. WADDINGTON for the Greek frontier follows the river Kalamas and the watershed formed by Pindus and Olympus, leaving not only Janina, but also Metzova on the south side. It is alleged that this line has been agreed upon by England and France for a long time, and the duty of the Conference was to determine the details of the boundary, in accordance with the requests of the labours of the Technical Commission. Germany seemed to anticipate some annoyance from Turkey in her threatenings to resist the decisions of the Conference but the Wes- tern Powers were more sanguine that their financial hold over the Turk would compel him to comply with their wishes.

THE FAMINE IN KURDISTAN. LADY SXRANGFORD has sent an extract of a letter sent from Kurdistan by HER MAJESTY'S Consul-General at Tabriz, describing the streets of Ooroomiyah and other parts of Kurdistan. The, extract says —We are desperate. The daily deaths in the town are from 30 to 40 per cent., and in the villages it is the same. We are doing all we can with charitable funds and from our own purses; but we cannot show our faces, and are almost overpowered by the description of the famished beggars. At night in bed we hear them wailing and crying outside our doors. In the street at every little distance you see a part or all of a family lying on the ground almost naked, some begging, some dying, many dead. Others lie speech- less, with imploring faces. Often I can eat nothing myself after seeing these things; and yet I believe I am getting hardened to them, they are so common. My workmen can hardly do any work, they are so faint; yet they are greedy for work to be given to them. This deplorable state of matters is rendered all the more serious when it is known that there is no money to buy seed to avert famine next year. As yet only £6,809 have been sent out to feed four millions of people. Surely our rich and charitable friends at home will give some assistance to relieve such suffering.

HOWELL'S SCHOOL EXAMINATION. WHILE making every allowance for the un- fortunate circumstances under which the HOWELL'S School at Llandaff has had to be conducted during the past year, we cannot congratulate the governors, teachers, and friends of that institution on the re- sults of the recent examination. We do not blame the teachers. We would rather express sympathy with them on account of the difficulties with which they have had to contend. We can readily giefull credit to them for having struggled nobly with adversity, and acquitted themselves well. A man who undertakes to do his own work thoroughly must not be censured because he has not done both his own and another person's to the satisfaction of all concerned. Biit while we acquit the teachers of all responsibility for any failure in the results, we should like to know what the governors have to say for themselves. The illness and death of the Head-mistress must, of necessity, have had a] depressing influence upon the school, and one can easily understand that if her duties -wer laid upon MiaS HAYNESj the assistant mistress, and .the other teachers, these ladies were unduly weighted* But we do not fed bound to accept the plea the Head- mistress WAS j to attend to her duties. We should prefer faring that proper steps the school from suffering any injury from -deficiency* in the-^k^ ,,t{f M ,i'Q c! yoxuoz Si-18 iU^duouuttUMi'- The* joanaet ■ ■ mi liu.-i i m. "■■■■ j afford to sustain so heavy a loss as that in- volved in the long absence of the head of the institution. They should not have been called upon to make such a sacrifice. It was incumbent upon the governors to see that no girl should be required to lose time or to sacrifice valuable opportunities. What was wanting ought to have been supplied. These girls cannot go a second time over the lost ground. To some of them the loss may ultimately prove a life-long injury. We understand that at the examination there were only two governors present. This is also disappointing. Ou such an occasion as the Annual Examination and Prize-day one would have expected something better than this. For the sake of seeing with their own eyes and hearing with their own ears, for the encouragement of the teachers, and in order to satisfy the general public that the HOWELL'S Charity is admin- istered by men who do more than merely allow their names to appear upon the rcll of governors, these gentlemen should have made it their duty to be present in greater force. If, again, we turn to the results of the examinations, which have been held viva voce and in writing, we fear that the instruction is of too rudimentary a character. Generally speaking, the higher schools for girls are very imperfect. There is a very preva- lent notion that the learning of French and music constitutes a good education for young ladies. We need not point out that this is a profound mistake. Under the pretext of teaching music, there is more superficial and comparatively useless in- struction imparted than in almost any other branch of learning. Many young ladies have learned to thrum a piano without learning any music at all. Music is a science, and must be taught and learned as such. Mere mechanical playing on a piano is only an art requiring mere practice—an art, we admit, not without its charms whereas the science of music is what every person, male or female, must be taught be- fore having any right to claim to have a knowledge of music. Even in the art of play- ing, a very large proportion of girls go no further than to be able to perform what they have got up by dint of hard practice. We do not apply these remarks to the musi- cal lessons given at HOWELL'S School. Not having had any opportunity of witnessing the results of the work done there in this department, we have no right to insinuate that, in this particular subject, the School has been wanting in success; but we^know that our remarks are applicable to what commonly passes for musical instruction. In French, again, the results, as reported by the Examiner, are not satisfactory. We do not know why French should enter so largely into the school-life of a girl. No doubt the French language, if thoroughly acquired, may become useful in after- life, especially to a tourist, but the structure of the French language is not such as to develope the mental powers to any great extent. It is the most easily ac- quired of all languages, and as an intel- lectual discipline is not to be compared with German. Yet German is despised. It is kept in the background. Forgetful of the fact that to know anything of it worth the knowing, it is necessary for the learner to spend many years over it, it is too often brought in at the end of the curriculum as a sort of make-weight, and consequently the pupil leaves school without any such knowledge of the language as will be of the slightest advantage afterwards. It will be noticed that in his report, the Rev. G. WOOD observes that i(would, in his opinion, be well if German could be begun lower down in the school, or have more time appropriated to the study of it, so that the more advanced students, before leaving, might have read some of the masterpieces of SCHILLER. We should hope that HANS ANDERSEN'S tales do not repre- sent the highest flights of German culture in this school. These tales are doubtless beautifully told, but we might apply to them an often misquoted passage, "He that run- neth may read them. We cannot help remarking that the impression left upon one's mind, after perusing the report, is that French is the subject on which chief stress is laid. Even here, however, what is the result? What books have been read ? In the highest class there were fourteen pupils, only eight of whom obtained half-marks. It is but just to observe that one pupil, Miss BEATRICE FURZE, obtained 381 out of 410 marks as the result of her examination in all subjects, but while we have to speak in praise of her attainments, we are sorry to find that the pupil second to her fell short of this by nearly 100 mark?. When we descend to the lower French classes, we find nothing satis- factory. The Examiner complains. He says that he cannot be wrong in pointing out the very imperfect acquaintance which the girls have with the portion of French gram- mar which they are supposed to have studied, and adds, "Their knowledge must, of course, be rudimentary, but there is no reason why it should not be accurate so far as it goes." Certainly not; but all these facts afford ample evidence of the school having been neglected. Nbr does even an Examiner's report enable us to judge how far the deficiency actually reaches. One would need to see the questions in order to form a correct judgment. They may possibly have been comparatively easy. That they were difficult, the report prohibits us from assuming. We regret the result. We are sorry that we cannot speak in terms of praise of aq. institution which ought to shine with a brighter light. But what can we expect from exclusiveness ? It has been the misfortune of far greater schools than this to have suffered from exclusiveness. Oxford and Cambridge Universities suffered materially on this account, but no sooner were their windows, so to speak, thrown open than the fresh air went in and venti- lated them, producing health, life, and cheerfulness. Those who seize upon our charities, keep them in their own hands, tie them up like captives in chains, brand them with the stamp of a narrow sectarianism, and devote them to selfish ends, may think they are securing a prize for them- selves and for their own glory. They are mistaken. They are not building a house for the living, but rather constructing a coffin for the interment of those who might have lived.

REVELATIONS OF ELECTION PETITIONS. IN the good old times, when an election was over, the fashion was to chair the newly- eleoted member. The fledgling politician with all his. blushing honours thick upon him was placed upon a portable platform stalwart young men dressed in knee- breeches, divested of their coats, and wear- ing around their necks the colours of the winning party, carried this platform and the member on it from end to end of the prin- cipal streets. Special retainers with Stout thick sticks cleared the way in front and kept guard behind, ltan onslaught might be made by opponents, and in this fashion, with colours flying and bands play- ing, it was no uncommon thing to see an honourable member being carried about, as if he were some favourite idol of the mul- titude. By his side were not unfrequeatly placed bags of silver and copper money, which he from time to time threw to the crowds that lined the route, and part of the fun of the day was to see the vulgar scramble for this splendid opportu- nity of literally picking up money in the streets. Now about an ex- hibition of that character, repulsive though, it might be, there was a savour of hopesiy and frankness } .biJh js .waiting in the present day amongst those who pa- dertgfce to ,i ggtgfa ot-jth? ,"81.JØ.wa of thaSuzaa. JEhuat-. Tnrr~i j" ni'i I i „ m was done formerly in the way of distribute ing was not done in a corner, but openljj and there was no attempt to hide the pro1 cess. But now the case is vet) different. The law requires the strictest purity in elections, and accordingly, who set to work in cold blood a. I corrupt a constituency work likt moles, in the dark. But sooner ot later their villany is unmasked. The eleC tion judges inquire into their conduct, and then comes the oft-told tale of attempts t6 buy and sell men's votes, as if they were so much merchandise. The revelations at tha trials of election petitions are certainly any thing but entertaining to a realer with high notions of political morality. There to be ingrained in some British electioneer- > ing agents t the firm conviction thai "every man has his price." The ac: cumulated experience of the past ought to teach them that even gold cannofc always corrupt a voter, and the evidence given at the trials of election petitions slioWSf that very frequently men accept a bribe, and afterwards vote against tho briber. It used to be supposed that the Ballot would prevent bribery, because the briber would not be willing to part with his money unless he could verify that the subsequent vote given in his favour. But the old notion is still extant that a man who takes a bribe" ? will generally vote as he is paid te vote. This, however, as wo have said, is, to some extent, upset by the evi- dence at election trials, and thus we have? another exemplification that the fool and hit money are easily parted. Judging by the amounts offered for votes, a very low opi- nion must be entertained of the self-respect of the British voter and truth to tell thd British voter himself is to a great degree answerable for this. In one case evidence was given of a widespread and systematic attempt to corrupt a constituency by a distribution of twopenny tickets, which were accepted as "good" at the public- house, and the co-operative store and even the children were supplied with them., and converted them into sweets at the toffee- shop. We read of sums as small as 3d and 6d having been given to voters as the cost, price of their votes. It would seem almost impossible to discover any act surpassing this in meanness but the electioneering agent has boundless resources. He avails himself of industrial establishments and of charity. Men are employed in the hope 01 catching their votes; coats, clothing, bread, and soup are distributed wholesale tc people who do not require it. Of course, the tap is kept well on. Day and night the intoxicating stream flows. There are other means of getting at" voters, which, although very shady in theii character, do not bring anybody within the ken of the law. How to prevent this tam- pering with the constituencies of the country is a question which ought to engage serious attention. It may be that if we adopt the system of electoral districts, the constitu- encies will become so large that no man will have a purse large enough to bribe them. But apart from this, we are of opinion that the candidate should be made re- sponsible for the bribery. If a man gives his agent permission to spend money like water, he ought to be able to guess what is being done with it. To give an agent ample funds, and ask no questions, to be willing to reap any advantage that may be forthcoming from the expenditure, and then, when the money proves to have been" spsnfc in bribery, disclaim all responsibilityj is not an edifying spectacle. In most affairs of business every principal is responsible foi the acts of his agents, and that rule ought to apply in the case of a candidate and an elecol.. tion agent. An effectual remedy might be J found if the creatures who give and take | bribes were to be disfranchised for the term of their natural lives. The punishment would be severe, but then the crime calla for severity of treatment.

THE HOUSE AND THE CONSTITU- • ENCIES. THE stage which the proceedings in connec- tion with Mr BRADLAUGH have reached brings us to a very serious crisis. During the course of the excited debates in the House of Commons we have said almost nothing. The opposition to Mr BRADLAUGH partakes much mere of the character of infuriated passion than of calm judicial reason. There was a party determined to oust him, and they would not listen to argument. The other side also betrayed much warmth of feeling. The only one who appeared to be perfectly calm and self-possessed was Mr BRADLAUGH himself. Thia case is one of a class with which few men care to have very much to do, not because they have any doubt as to the line of argu- ment which a strict regard for justice com- pels them to follow, but because there are many lowminded and venomous persons ready to twist and distort arguments so as tc make those who use them appear before the world as the advocates of atheism. Fear, however, will never deter us from pleading for justice to be done even to an Atheist. Those who think that it becomes them to pour abuse upon men who demand justice fox everyone without distinction, are free to make | all the use of their vile weapons which i. misapplied ingenuity can suggest. We have Only one course before us, and that we adopt —to give every man his due. Mr case appears to us to be a very simple one. He was duly elected to represent the borough of Northampton in the House of Commons. The constituents had a right to elect him. There was no law- ful impediment in the way. There are legal disqualiifcations which unfit candidates of a certain class from being returned to Parlia- ment,or atleastfrom taking their seats there, if returned. In this case there was not one of these disqualifications. Mr BRADLAUGH went up to St Stephen's with as good s right as any man who had obtained a i majority of votes. It is true that he is an Atheist, but there is no law prohibiting Atheists frÖDïäitting mParlíg,ment BRADLATTOH could not, fko-rofn-ro, bo objected to on that score. We regret and deplore hia opinions, and so do all those who voted in his favour on Tuesday night, but our regrets do not form any portion of the law of Eng- land. Our regrets must not be substituted ) for the laws by which Jhe proceedings 01 Parliament and other institutions of ■ the country are controlled. Nor must we permit our regrets to tempt us to violate these laws. To his own Maker, a&d to Him alone, mustMr BRADLAUGH be responsible for his religious convictions, or for convictions which are in opposition to all religion. Sir HENRY DRUMVOND WOLFF may examine the religious convictions of Members of Parliament when he has been appointed to the high office of judge of all mankindi. Till then he willjfind sufficient employment in examining hia own. Mr BRADLAUGH, having been duly elected, presented himself at the table to take the oath prescribed or, at least, to make an affirmation in lieu of taking the ciuk tomary oath. Acting junder the impres- sion that he was at perfect liberty to make an affirmation, he declared his preference for that form. It must be clearly borne in mind that he did not refusetotakethoatb. We call special attention to this, bec^dse igc believe that many persons jre Ubpurisig under a false impression on this point. A careful perusal of the official report of the proceedings of the two Committees appointed by the House to investigate the whole ,c., will soon dispose of that point. In ptff ogicial report it is expressly declared Moil Mr BRADLAUGH did jipt refuse to takethe i oath, but only stated his preference for £ h« form called Affirmation. This, as we arc now aware, Jjjuf refused. Ivhetiiel the f House :ji" :I:re- it or jmC. ve jmA net baflt