TOPICS OF THE DAY.
"REGISTER, REGISTER, REGISTER! "*
Watr.8 there is life there is hope." Though worsted in their late conflict with the Tories, the Liberals have not been disarmed or put hors de combat. They have still positions worth defending, ° nd the means of annoyance besides. They must use the Reform Act for their own protection, and convert it also into a weapon of offence. Its 'capabilities for the latter purpose more especially
are very great, as may be seen Isv referring to a copy of the In- 'tendons to Objectors, circulated by the Reform Association.
The time allow:si by law for objecting to votes expires on the 25th instant; and it is rather late in the slay to begin drilling. Still, much may be done before the 25th, by zealous Reform- ers if such are to be found. The Tories are not slothful : they have motives for activity which the Liberals want, and are encouraged by recent successes. Yet there is no reason why they should have their own way entirely at the next registration —putting all their own bad votes on the register, and striking off every. Liberal in whose title they can pick a Haw. It ts impossible to read the " Grounds of Objection" to claim- ants, without being struck by the ingenuity displayed by the au- thorsof the Reform Act in throwing obstacles in the way of procur- ing the franchise. We are now persuaded, that, except in times of sigh political excitement, the great majority of persons quali- fied to be put on the register will shrink from the disagreeable consequences to which by that act of citizenship they are rendered liable. For example, it may be objected to a claimant, that his property is not of sufficient value—that his lease is not an original one—that he is not the real owner of the property which stands in his name. All or any of these objections may be the subject of investigation, and produce unpleasant disclosures. The question which everybody, who has any motive for shunning such an in- quiry, will ask himself, is, what equivalent is a vote for all this annoyance ? Complaints are made that people are indifferent about the register. The Committee of the Reform Association, says their circular, " have seen with much regret the very small attention which has been paid by Reformers to the registration of voters." This carelessness may excite regret, but not surprise. We happen to know that the Collector or Assessed Taxes in an extensive dis- trict in one of the Metropolitan boroughs, scarcely received any money on the 20th of July last, though for the four previous years his counting-house was crowded till late at night by persons eager to pay in time to secure their votes. Now, they care little. apparently, about disfranchisement ; the General Election, for which many have been looking out ever since PEEL'S ejectment, being over, and another election not being likely till a large pro- portion of the recent voters are in their graves. If the Reform Act is not to be made the instrument of con- verting the country into one vast rotten or nomination borough, something must be done to simplify the means of acquiring the franchise. There must be a plain and uniform qualification. Sir JOHN CAMPBELL is only playing with the subject in his Registration Bills; which he has no greater (probably even much less) chance of carrying, than some bold measure, such as nei- ther he nor his colleagues dream of. The Tories, who are striving to reduce the constituent body to small dimensions, at the same time increasing their own propor- tional share, profit by the complexity of the franchise. Nothing answers their purpose better than a law which makes the right of voting expensive and troublesome. They employ lawyers to re- gister their dependents, and annoy Liberal claimants with objec- tions. Their agents are annually becoming more skilful in the conduct of this important branch of l'ory politics: they will soon be in as complete possession of the Registration Courts as of the Courts in Westminster; for the Independent Reformers, who must generally act for themselves, are every year more and more dis- gusted with the trouble and vexation attendant upon the acquisi- tion of the franchise. During four years these consequences have been urged upon the consideration of the Whigs in office; who regarded them not. We are now reaping the bitter fruits of their self-complacent inattention. It will not be very long before the divorce of the mass of the People from the majority of their so- called Representatives in Parliament will be complete. It is not Credible that the nation has become disgusted with real Reform ; yet the number of Members elected to the House of Commons who will throw every impediment in the march of improvement, is increasing, and will soon overpower the Liberal Members. Then we shall have arrived at that most dangerous state for a country, in which there is no sympathy between the great body of the people and their rulers.
• From Sir Roam. Part's last Tamworth speech.
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