THE BALLOT BILL.

WITH much satisfaction we now present our readers with a copy of Mr. Gaom's intended Bill " to enable Electors of Members to serve in Parliament to vote according to their own inclination "—for such is the emphatic meaning of the less simple phraseology of the preamble.

A bill for this purpose must be little more than the description of a technical process; and if witlings find any thing to ridicule in the minuteness necessary to make that process plain, they are perfectly welcome to fire their shot at the Ballot-box : they will not pierce it.

Next week, we shall give a full description of the mechanism, illus- trated by an engraving. In the mean while, we can assure our readers, that it is a simple and effectual instrument for the end proposed : it will inssie ..iercey, and there can be no mistake. Nov that the constituencies see that their Representatives are in earnest—that a bill is prepared, and the requisite machinery ready—they will of course do their duty, and urge Parliament, and the Liberal Members individually, to give Mr. GROTE'S plan a fair trial.

A BILL TO ENABLE VOTES TO BE TAKEN BY BALLOT AT THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS TO SERVE IN PARLIAMENT.

Whereas it is expedient, in order that the Freedom of Electiors should be better secured and the Bribery and Intimidation of Electors prevented, that the votes el Electors at the election of Members to serve iu Parliament should be taken secretly and by way of Ballot : Be it therefore enacted by the King's Must Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and coneetit of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Pailiantent assembled, and by the authority of the same, That every Returning! Officer shall, on or before the day of next ensuing. provide Ballot•boxes and eases to be attached thereto, made aceenling to the specification contained in the Schedule to this Act annexed ; and that such Ballot-boxes and cases shall be kept by every Returning, Officer, who shall from time to ti ire, at the ex- piration of his term of office, deliver over the same to his successor. 2. And he it enacted, That at every contestol election of a Member, or Members, to serve in Parliament, there shall be placed in every poll-booth one or more of the said Ballot-Luxes, and that every such Ballot-box shall be so placed, that no person shall be enabled to see any voter mink the vutieg- card placed in the ease thereof. And be it enacted, That at every contested election the Rettn tang Officer shall, bet nett the day of nomination and time appointed for the commencement of the poll. provide, or cause to he provided, a sufficient number of tends with the name of every candidate printed thereon alphabetically, in leeible capital letters, and sefficiently apart to lie easily distinguished, and mimed in such a manner as to permit each of the said cards, when placed in the case of any Ballot-box, to be punctured or marked opposite to each name; and that each of such cards shall be of the size seenti )))) ed in the Schedule hereto annexed. 4. Awl be it enacted, That previous to any voting.card luring placed in the case of any Ballot-box, the said Ballot-box shall be publicly examined, and that the same shall be ascertained to be empty. o. And be it enacted, That every Returning Officer shall appoint a Super- intendent at every Ballot-bex, who, during the period of the election, shall r rd.y re- quit. n: le 11.1!, t -carpet

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remain behind the same, and ehall from time to time place in the case of tho Ballot-box one of the said cards having the names of the candidates printed there- on at aforesaid, and shall, as soon aseach voter has passed from before the Ballot - box, remove the slide or support of the said voting card, and permit the same Is fall into the Ballot-box, and shall then immediately replace the said card. 6. And be it enacted, That each candidate, or in his abaerme his proposer, or in the absence of his proposer his seconder, may nomilate a person to remain behind the Ballot-box with the said Superintendent ; an4 that every such Associate of the said Superintendent may require it to be shown to him that a single card only is at any time put into the case of the said Ballot-box, and that such card has no private mark thereon. Provided always, that no assn. elate shall himself put any card into the ease of the Ballot-box, or in any way be permitted to touch or intermeddle with the voting cards. 7. And he it enacted, That no voter shall be permitted to pass in front of any Ballot.box. in order to vote, until he shall have presented himself to the Re-

turning Officer, or his deputy, and shall have taken such oath or oaths, or shall

have made such affirmation or affirmations, as may be required of him, and shall have answered such questions as are required to be, or may be, put to Electors previous to their giving their votes, by Acts passed in the second year of the reign of his present Majesty, entitled " An Act to Amend the Repre- sentation of the People in Engl and and Wales," (2 W. IV. c. 6:a); " An Act to Amend the Representation of the People in Scotland," (2 W. IV. c 60-; and " An Act to Amend the Representation of the People in Ireland," (2 W. IV. c. 88) : and That, after a voter has taken the said oath or oaths, or made the said affirmation or affirmations, ;f required of him as aforesaid, and has satisfactorily answered the said questions, he shall be pee aitted to pass to the front of the Ballot-box, and shall, with a metal point provided for him, mark or puncture the voting card opposite the name of the candidate or candidates fur whom he votes.

S. And be it enacted, That if any Returning Officer, or his deputy, shall permit any other person than the voter for the time being to he in front of the Ballot-box, or permit any pet son to he in such a p ssitien as to be enabled to see the mark any voter may make upon the voting card, or shall permit any person to pass in front of the Ballot-box in order to vote without first present- ing himself to be examined, and being examined by the Returning Officer, as aforesaid, (Penalty) And be it further enacted, That if any Superintendent of the Ballot-box shall not, after a voter has passed from h, forethe Ballot-box, let the voting card fall in the Ballot-box, or shall himself in any manner mark or permit to be marked, any voting card before beittg put into the case of the Ballot- box, or shall put more than one card into the said case at the same time, or shall refuse to permit any Associate to see that any card put into the case of the Ballot-box is single, or unmarked, (Pcntilty) And be it fun they enacted, That if any voter or other person shall during the period of any election do any wilful damage er injury to any Ballot-box, or to the case attached to any Ballot-boa, (Pr natty Six Mantra' Imprisonment.) And be it enacted, That so soon as the Poll is in any day closed, every Deputy of the Returning Offieer at every po11-booth shall, in the presence of the said Superintendent, and in the presence of such of the said .associates as may be present, take out of every Ballot•box all the voting cards, without count- ing or examining the same; and shall immediately enclose and seal op the said voting cards, and shall permit the seal of each of the said Associates to be put thereon as any such Associate may desire, and shall forthwith deliver the same to the Returning officer; or in case the Returning Officer is himself present, or presides at any polling-booth, he shall, as aforesaid, himself enclose and seal up the said voting cards, and shall permit the seal of each of the said Asso. ciates to be put thereon as any such Associate may desire, and shall keep the same unopened ut.til he shall declare the state of the pull in the manner herein- after mentioned.

ID. And be it enacted, That at the time at which any Returning Officer is by law directed to declare the state of the poll at any contested Election, all the parcels of voting cards of each polling-booth shall be produced, and the Return- ing Officer shall openly Lreak the seals thereon. and before counting any of the marks on the said cards, shall, with rut distinction, put the whole of the said cards together ; and that the said Returning Officer shall then take cads voting card separately, and shall publicly declare before what name or names a mark or masks has or have been made or punctured on such cards, and shall cast up the number of marks before each name on the several cards; and shall then declare the catmidate or candidates before whose name or names a majority of marks has been made, to be the Member or Members duly elected to serve in Pal liament : Provided always, that every card that shall be marked or punc • tared opposite to the names of a greater number of candidates than the vacancy or vacancies to he supplied at any such Election, shall be set aside, and that no mark damn' shall be counted ; and that reels candidate, or any persists autho- rized by hint for the purpose, or in ease of time absence of any candidate, or of his neglect to authorize any person for this purpose, Isis proposer, or seconder, or any person authorised for this purpose hy Isis proposer, or in the :Assent* of his proposer authorized by his seconder, may require the Returning Officer publicly, aid at the thee of in-re-siting the said seals as aforesaid, to show to him etch or :ley of the said cards, and the mark or marks thereon.

11. Clause directing cards to be preserved after the declaration of the poll, and eards set a-ids to be preselect! separately. 12. And whitens it is expedient, 'nit thee,. should lie as fir as possible, a

nnifertnity iu nuking the ea-es t, said Ballot.

boxes, • • e • !lot specification in the Act annexed : He it en tc• • !.a ri.hys millet t •Ilis Act. the Lords ef ; - e•-• • !etre in t. and Elia- 1•aa . .! WI,,n1 they

shall

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