ELECTION TALK.

BLACKBURN, and Born:ea—As instances how little the provision respecting the payment of taxes interferes to exclude from the lists Tersons otherwise qualified to become electors, we may mention that the Blackburn Mail of Wednesday, states that the number of persons dis- qualified in that borough by reason of the non-payment of rates, is only nineteen ; and:we have been assured on, we believe, first-rate authority, that the number in the same situation in Bolton is not more than ten! —Manchester Guardian.

Commatt.—The.Falmoutle Packet asserts that there is no doubt of the success of Mr. Pendarves and Sir C. Lemon for the Western di- vision of this count'; and, in reference to the Eastern division, says,

that although there is a great wish to return two Reformers, yet many of the electors will not hazard the peace of the county by getting up

a contest, particularly as they desire not to put Sir W. .Molesworth to much expense. [It- follows, as matter of course, that Lord Valle- tort, who at last election could not command above a quarter of the votes of the county, must be returned for the East division. It would have been considerate, had the Packet explained the nature of that ex- pense from which the electors wish to defend Sir W. Molesworth. We certainly think, that if for the trifling cost of polling-places either he or they are content to return a decided Anti-Reformer to Podia.- merit, the one is as undeserving of the seat as the others are of the suffrage.] DEVONSHIRE, SOUTH John Yarde Buller has offered himself in addition to Mr. Bulteel and Lord John Russell.

DURHAM, SOUTH DIVISION.—Mr. Bowes has been canvassing the electors with much industry. On Wednesday, he made a public entry into Barnardcastle, and his friends mustered strongly. Ile addressed them in a speech in which he avowed himself ready to carry the Reform Bill into beneficial effect. This should rescue him from the imputa- tion of " doubtful" which the Globe denominates him. Mr. Joseph Pease junior, who has accepted an invitation to stand for the South di- vision, in his address to the electors, tells them that he will not, by any false reasoning as to the expediency of a war, or by misapplied epi- thets, such as a "just war," a "necessary war," a " war in self-de- fence," &c., be induced to countenance profligacy of expenditure, blood- shed, desolation, and misery ; but that he will exert himself to procure the adoption of all measures for the melioration of our kind, in striking off the chains of slavery mid mental darkness, in restraining the op- pressor, and in turning the attention of a Christian Legislature to Christian principles. This is good.

ESSEX.—Mr. Wellesley and Sir T. Lennard paid a visit to the town of Romford on Wednesday. They were received in a very flattering man- " tier by the electors, whom the business of the market, or other circum- stances, had assembled in much greater numbers than ordinary. Sir Thomas arrived about one o'clock, accompanied by his sons, Mr. T. B. Lennard, M.P. for Mahlon, and Mr. G. B. Lennard, the barrister.

Mr. Wellesley did not arrive till past two o'clock. After the candidates had made the tour of the market, they returned to the inn, preceded by

a band of music, and attended by a large party of friends. In a short time, the street was crowded with persons anxious to hear from the mouths of the candidates the reiteration of those opinions which they had previously set forth in printed addresses: On the appearance of the gentlemen in the balcony of the inn, they were greeted with the

loudest acclamations. Mr. Wellesley first addressed the assemblage, and was followed by Sir Thomas Lennard. Major Richardson then came forward, and called on the member for Maldon to address the

assemblage. The call was answered by much cheering, and cries of " Mr. Lennard!" Though evidently unwilling, he was compelled to come forward, and he delivered an address of some length ; in the course of which, he commented with considerable energy upon the leading political topics of the day. Mr. Lennard has declined the invitation of

the electors to stand for the Northern Division of Essex. He will continue to represent Maldon while the electors there see fit to con- tinue their confidence in him. We hope they will contrive to pick out a better colleague for him than Mr. Quentin Dick.

GLOUCESTER.—Mr. Hope has expressed his determination of going to a polL Hura..—Two candidates have declared themselves for this borough, Mr. Hutt, and Mr. Hill, the barrister. They are both of very Liberal opinions. At a meeting of the Hull Parliamentary Reform Associa- tion, on Thursday, Mr. Gresham appeared on the part of Mr. Hill, and read three letters from Lord Althorp, Lord Milton, and Sir Tho- mas Deriman, highly complimentary to Mr. Hill, as a gentleman, a man of talent, of liberal principles, and as likely to be an ornament to . the House of Commons, as well as useful to the town of Hull. Mr. Hitchens read two or three letters from Mr. Hill, all creditable to him as a man of honour and of correct feeling. His father is the master of the celebrated school at Hethersage, near Birmingham. He himself was regularly educated to the bar ; and when it is known that Mr. Brougham, now Lord High Chancellor, and Sir Thomas Denman, now Attorney-General, strongly, a year or two ago, recommended him to the Livery of London as a proper person to fill the office of Common- Sergeant, and that Lords Althorp and Milton intrusted to him their cause at the late election for Northamptonshire, we presume that the Reformers here will not be thought to have taken a rash step in in- viting him to offer himself as .a candidate.—Hall Rockingham. [Our worthy contemporary ought to have added to these recommen- dations, the admirable defence made by Mr. Hill for the Nottingham • rioters,—admirable for the talent and industry as well as for the temper it displayed. The learned gentleman is, we believe, in every way deserv-

rig of acceptation ; and will prove, if the Hull people choose him, an • honour to the borough and to the Legislature.]

• KENT.—There was a splendid Reform festival at Maidstone on Tuesday, at which the worthy representatives for the county assisted. We give an observation of Mr. Ryder, as an answer in full to many of - the foolish and groundless objections urged against the Bill— "I certainly am not prepared to say that this great measure is without imperfections dar without faults; but I can assure you who have read the Debates, that I and others. W ho listened to them are perfectly aware, that if we had continued to propose amend- ments, with the intention of rendering the Bill perfect,o r cavilling at every point in order to make our enemies' objection groundless, we might have gone on to this time, or zen longer. We took the Bill as a man takes his wife, for better for worse, but resolveA

all the best of it. The great principle which the Bill establishes is, that which the statesmen who have written upon our Constitution have long contended for—it

contains a power of renovating itselt without at all disturbing its grand outline. It is, indeed, a boon of inestimable value. The People of England have now the means put into their hands of remedying those evils which have been brought upon us by borougis- influence in Parliament. Every Government in the world stands in continual need watching, however excellent it may be in principle."

Mr. Hodges afterwards very pertinently remarked on those whir would now sneak into Parliament on the pretence of being friendly te

the farmers-

" Some friends of Sir Edward KnatehhaiLia their over-zeal for his support, and witlft a blindness to consequences quite marvellous, have endeavoured to exercise more thasi• U legitimate influence over their tenants, and have held out threats which will natis. rally drive that respectable class of persons to consider whether it be not .possible tat • find some mode of giving the suffrage which will enable them to satisfy thew own cum sciences; while others, with singularly bad taste, have boasted much of the good ea times of Toryism,—lbrgetting, I presume. that from that party and their measures haws flowed the manifold blessings of eight hundred millions of debt : and that the farmers of whom they profess to he the especial protector, has been by their means led grasw dually from prosperity to the poorhouse."

LAMBETH.—The number of electors registered for Lambeth BP 2,083; and for the whole borough, including Cainberwell and Newing.: ton, it will be about 3,500. The friends of Mr. Tennyson and M. Him-es have, for some months, been actively canvassing the electors ire their behalf; and Mr. Moore's pretensions as a resident have been long known to the inhabitants at large. A few highly respectable and in, fluential individuals, however, duly appreciating the benefits, and de, sirous, more especially, to evince their gratitude to the Administration, Ivho " through good report and evil report," have conferred upon thee the privilege, for the first time, of exercisino- the elective franchise—. opposing firmly any material alterations in the Bill, especially the ma-. tion of the Marquis of Chandos, which would have deprived the Md-- tropolitan districts of the right conferred on the country at large—have lately been induced to solicit Lord Palmerston to offer himself as a can- didate. In a few days, the signatures of upwards of WO electors in Lambeth. alone were attached to the requisition. The answer of his Lordship responds to the wishes of the requisitionists ; his reply to the deputs... tion assuring them, " that be highly. appreciated this unsolicited mark of approval of his public conduct, mina was no less gratifying to his feel- ings as an individual than flattering to him as a Minister of the Crown."' His Lordship and Mr. Tennyson, it is believed, will be the successful candidates ; the electors having practical proofs of their sincerity att Reformers.— Times. [All the candidates are Reformers; though some doubts have been cast upon Mr. Hawes's claim to the name.] LEEDS.—Mr. Macaulay, in reply to questions submitted to him fit writing, has addressed a letter to the Secretary of the Leeds Political. Union, in which there appears so much heartiness as well as talent, se large a share of sound feeling and good plain practical sense, that we hesitate not to recommend it as a manual for candidates in general,. He commences with the following judicious observations on canmssing

for votes-

" The practice of canvassing is quite reasonable under a system in which men ars sent to Parliament to serve themselves ; it is the height or absurdity snider a systole' under width men are :Alit to Parliament to serve the public. Willie We had only a mock representation, it was natural enough that this ir:aetiee should be carried to a great extent. I trust it will soon finish with the abuses from which it sprang. I trust that the great and intelligent body of people who have obtained the elective fotuchisel will see that scats in t he Utilise of Commons ought not to be given. like rooms in ate_ almshouse, to urgoney of solicitation ; and that a man who surrenders his vote to on- roses and supplications, forgets his duty as rouili as if he sold it tbr a bank-note. I hope to see the day MIMI an Englishman will think it as great an afriont to be courted. anti fawned upon in his rapacity of elector, as in his capacity of juryman. In the poll, mug booth, as in the jury-box, he has a great trust confided to him—a sacred duty to dig* charge : he would be shocked at the thought of finding: an unjust verdict, because thew plaintiff or the defend:tat had been very civil and pressing ; and if he would reflect, ha would, I think, be equally shocked at the thought of voting for a candidate for whose,. Public character he felt no esteem, merely because that candidate hail called upon hima and begged very hard, and had shaken his heard very warmly. I am delighted, though, not at all surprised, to lind that the enlightened and public-spirited gentlemen, in whose" name you u-rite, agree with me on this subject. My conduct is before the electors ofE - Leeds ; my opinions shall on all occasions be stated to them with perfect frankness: fir they approve that conduct, if they concur in those opinions, they ought not for my- sake, but for their own,to choose me as their member. To be so chosen. I should indeed. consider as a high and enviable honour ; but I should think it no homer to he returns& to Parliament by persons who, thinking me destitute of the requisite qualifications, had, yet been wrought upon by cajolery and importunity to poll for me m despite of the better judgment."

He replies to certain questions propounded to him, with that perfect readiness which at once convinces you of the catechumen's sincerity-,

-I will now proceed to answer the questions which you have proposed, as plainly aar I can. To most of them I have formerly replied, and need now only by a simple WEN. mative. I am convinced the Corn-laws ought to be altered in such a manner as ma enable the consumers to obtain cheaper bread—that the strictest economy ought to bet observed—that sinecures ought to be abolished—that no pension ought henceforth to bar given which has not been earned by public services—that tithes ought both in EngIa and Ireland to be extinguished by a fair commutation—that slavery ought to be abet." lished in every part of the empire—that monopolies ought to be destroyed—that moult parts of our municipal system ought to undergo a revision—and that a great and ere, tensive reform in the law, with the view of making it cheaper, clearer, and more rationsg; is indispensably required. I dislike the stamp on newspapers, because I conceive thak, in the present state of public feeling, it operates not only- as a tax on sound knowledge:- but as a bounty on profligate and inflammatory publications. I heartily hope that it, will soon be taken oft I am decidedly favourable to the principle of a bona jide propertrf: tax," The next questions are somewhat more complex. They had evia:- dently been put by one of those gentlemen who are better able-, WI satisfy themselves than to enlighten their neighbours. "There are some other questions in the paper transmitted to me, which regal* longer answers. You ask whether I will support • an equalization to a great extenot. of the Church Establishment, and a ceasing to compel any one to pay for the maintewa• mice of any particular doctrine which be does not approve?' "This question seems to involve a contradiction. • An equalization to a great extela. of the Church Establishment,' implies that there is still to be a Church Establishment. •IIL ceasing to compel any one to pay for the maintenance of any particular doctrine whir* he does not approve,' implies the complete abolition of the Church Establishment., "There is not, I think, a more perplexing question in the whole science of pollee* • than the question whether it be or be not desirable that the State should make pravi. sion for the religions instruction of the People. In fact, it is a question which does mat admit of a general Solittiort. We must look at . the circumstances-of 'every particular case. The Americans, situated as they are, judge wisely in having no established res. glen; the French, on the other hand, judge as wisely in giving a stipend from tlis revenues of the state to the ministers of opposite religions. Before we can properly dew cide.what course ought to be taken in England, it is necessary that we should taksr- many circumstancesinto consideration,—the nature of the ecclesiastical revenues, the, manner in which those revenues are mixed up with private property, the state. if - public feeling, towards the Church. We ought also to consider whether the which is undoubtedly felt towards the Church, by a great and respectable party in country, be a eatable or incurable dislike—whether it proceed from any thing essen. tinily bad in the doctrines and constitution of the Establishment, or from corruptions which judicious legislation might remove. These are matters of which I have thought Ion" and anxiously. It would be impossible for me, within the limits to which I must on the present occasion confine myself, to state all the arguments on both sides which have occurred to me. I will therefore simply declare my opinion without detailing,* - at length. I think it nesirable that the Church of England !Should be refurind -1 do sot think it desirable that it should be destroyed. ". I have said that I object to monopolies generally ; and I know of no reason for ranking an exception in favour of the Bank. lint as the question relating to that .Cor. corition is one which I have not minutely studied. as it is one respecting which very aside and liberal men are undecided. and as it is one which it Committee of the House lot Commons is still engaged in investigating. I think it right to suspend my judgment. Yon must permit me to say. that I entertain great doubts about the expediency of esta- blishing a National Bank, to be condnetd under the superintendence of the Govern- ment, and for the profit of the State. That superintendence would, I fear, be careless, and that profit might turn out a loss. Trading governments have seldom performed well either the business of governing Or the business of trading. I throw out these -merely as toy first thoughts : the subject is one which requires much longer conside- ration than I have been able to give it.'

Mr. Macaulay is a decided friend to the Ballot. We are not aid- icising his opinions, else it would be easy to show that his objection to Triennial Parliaments makes against an accident, not the essence of -such an arrangement.

My opinions concerning the Ballot are already befiwe you. They are unaltered. 3 still continue to think that it is the best mode of voting,—the mode of voting which most --completely secures the elector against the legal coercion of the few, and agaiust the physical coercion of the many,—against ejectments on the one hand, and the outrages ad' mobs on the other. You ask my opinion concerning Triennial Parliaments. I think asevess years rather toolong a term ; but I am inclined to think the term of three years stoo short. At all events, 1 think that it will be desirable, if tlie duration of Parthunents is shortened, to abolish the absurd law which provides that a dissolution shall follow t he demise of the Crown ; that law has, within my own memory, dispersed a Parliament -which had scarcely sat a year. •• But I will frankly confess that I am not disposed at this time to press the introduc- "ion of ballot or any other extensive chanee into our representative system. We have made a great experiment : let us pause, oncost for a few months, and watch its diets. 'Till the first elections under the new law shall have taken place, it will be impossible

▪ say how much that law may have indirectly done to remove those evils which pro-

duced the feeling in favour of the ballot. Till a session or two has passed, it will not be easy to judge whether it be or be nut necessary that the representatives ofthe people 'shook be called to a triennial reckoning. The game is in our own hands. We are sure .-that weenn, if necessary,follow up the great victory which we have won. The delay of year is nothing in the life of a nation : the events of n year may teach us inestimable lessons. &this, however, you may be assured. that I will never shrink front any .change, however extensive, which experience may prove to be necessary for the good ,government of the People."

-The call for a little delay, where delay can do no harm and may do much good, is so reasonable, that none but the most outrageous.specu- latist can object to it. Let us hear the honourable gentleman on Pledges- .. I wish to Add a few words touching a question which has lately been much can- enassed,—I mean the question of the Pledges. In this letter. and in every letter which I have written to my friends at Leeds. I have plainly declared my °pillions. But I think it. at this conjuncture, my dutv to declare that I will give NO PGEDOES. I will not bind myself to make or to supra any particular motion. I will state as shortly as I can sonic of the reasons which have induced me to form this determination. The :great beauty of the representative system is. that it unites the advantages of popular Asentrol with the advantage arising from a division of labour: just as a physician under- Islands medicine better than an ordinary man—just as h shoemaker makes slices better than an ordinary man—a person whose lifir is passed in transacting affairs of state. be- !comes a better statesman than an ordinary man. In polities, as well as every other department of life, the public ought to have the means of checking those who serve it. .lf a man duds that liederives no benefit from the prescription of his physician. be calls In another: if his shoes do not fit him, he changes his shoemaker ; if his representatives _misgovern him, he can discard them at the next election but when he has called in a physician of whom he hears it good report, and whose general practice he believes to be judicious, it would he absurd in hint to tie down that physician to order particular pills -and particular draughts ; while he continues tube a customer of a shoemaker, it would be absurd in him to sit by and meet every motion of that shoemaker's hand ; and hi the aame mariner it would. I think, i/C absurd in him to require pisitive pledges and to exact doily and hourly obedience from his representative. My opinion is. that electors ought -at find to choose cautiously, thers to confide liberally ; and wham the term for which -they have selected their member has expired, to review his conduct equitably, and to pronounce on the whole taken together. " Consider, too, that the business of it member of Parliament is the pursuit, not of :speculative truth, but of practical good ; and that though, in speculation, every truth is -consistent with every other truth, yet in practice, one good measure may be incom- patible with another. It is often absolutely necessary to bear with a lesser evil, in order to get cal of a greater. For example, I think the Corn-laws an evil; but if there '.bad been in this Parliament it hundred or a hundred and fifty members absolutely bound by pledges to attempt the abolition of the Corn-laws. there would have been a division in the ranks of the Reformers ' • the Tories would have triumphed; and I verily believe, that, at the moment at whielt 1 am writing, Lord John Russell's Bill would liave been host, and the Duke of Wellington would have been l'rime Minister. Such leases may and will occur again. Some such cases, I can, I think, distinctly foresee. I xanceive, therefore, that it is the true wisdom of electors to choose a representative whom they believe to be honest and enlightened ; and, having chosen him, to leave him a large discretion. When his term expires—when he again presents himself before them, its/AR be their duty to take a general survey of his conduct, and to consider whether he have or have not pursued that course which has, under all the circumstances, most -.tended to promote the public good. " If the people of Leeds think fit to repose in me that confidence which is necessary to the proper discharge of the duties of a representative. I hope that I shall not abuse it.

• If it be their pleasure to fetter their members by positive promises, it is in their power . to do so. I can only say, that on such terms I minuet conscientiously serve them."

This is precisely what we have often wished to say, though we were _unable to find words to express it so forcibly and well. There is, in- -Aced, but one pledge which a reasonable elector would demand of a :candidate of whose honesty he was assured (and no elector ought to give a vote to a man whose honesty he doubts),—namely, that if by any -chance it should so happen that the majority of the electors and the meml e: take a decidedly different view of any question of national -volley, the member, when he cannot conscientiously yield to the ex- :pressed opinions of his constituents, should resign his charge into their • We know nothing at all about Mr. Macaulay, except in his public -character; in which he has been a good deal carped at, and has given occasion to numerous sallies of small wit, as most men of ability who -spring from the people do in this laud of family-worship. We venture, however, to predict, that if he can but stop his ears to the urgings of -personal ambition,—if he can but wait for honours until they wait on

hint, which they infallibly will do,—be will, before many years pass, -occupy the most distinguished station in the empire that a subject can :occupy.

Mr. Marshall has most satisfactorily answered all the electors' que- .ries. Mr. Sadler has not answered any of them. His letters have a -trick of miscarrying.

NEWCASTI-E-UNDER-LYNE.—An invitation has been addressed by the electors of this borough to Sir H. Willoughby, the member for Yar- mouth (1-mats), and it is supposed that it will be accepted.

Islovcssan.c-neoN-TyNc.—We are happy to observe, that as regards -the electors for the county of Northumberland who have property in

Newcastle, there has been little neglect shown. Up to this after- :noon (Monday, August 20), there have been 942 claims of votes regis- -texed,—nsenely, $46 in All Saints' parish, 223 in Saint Andrew's, 214 in Saint John's, and 159 in Saint Nicholas. More will be registered in the course of the evening.— Tyne Mercury.

NEW SHORERAM.—Sir Edward Sugden has addressed the electors of Shoreham, declaring " that he requires rest, and is not anxious to fore& a part of the neit Parliament ; but it is his firm intention to offer himself as a candidate whenever the next Parliament shall be dissolved."

PORTSMOUTIL—The present members for the borough, Mr. John Bonham Carter and Mr. Francis Thornhill Baring, arrivedhere on Wed- nesday evening, to pay their respects to the electors. They commence& -their canvass on Thursday morning, and completed Portsmouth, it is said, with success.

PRESTON.—Mr. Hunt passed through Manchester last night, on his way to Preston, in company with two gentlemen whose names we did not learn. We had heard it rumoured that he was to introduce a Captain Forbes to the electors of Preston, and that they were to visit that town together this day. We do not know whether Captain Forbes was or was not one of the companions of the honourable member last night. —.Manchester Advertiser.

ROCIIESTER.—Mr. Bernal has been canvassing the electors of Ro- chester; and Mr. Mills, notwithstanding his political delinquencies, will, it is said, again come forward.

SOMERSETSIIIRE.—Mr. Collins, of Court Ash, has addressed the electors of the Southern Division.

SOUTH SlIIELDS.—The friends of Mr. Ingham state that his canvass for the new borough of South Shields has been very successful. The inhabitants of the village of Westoe, which he visited a few days ago, displayed much activity in his cause. Mr. Gowan, a friend and fol- lower of the principles of Mr. Hume, has just announced himself for South Shields.

SUNDERLAND.—Alderman Thompson has addressed a long letter to the electors of this borough, complaining of the Anti. Slavery Society having put him in their Schedule A. He has never, he says, given a vote against slave emancipation ; but he must have an unfettered and deliberate judgment, &e. The worthy Alderman is, we suppose, mo- derately friendly to the slaves, as be was to the Reform Bill. After his vote on Appleby, it would be folly to trust him on any question without a pledge.

SCRRY.—Mr. Holme Sumner, undismayed by past reverses, is again in the field for Surry, where an active canvass is going on in his behalf. He was at Guilford Market on Saturday, canvassing the farmers.

TOWER HAMLETS.—A meeting of the supporters of Mr. Clay took place on Wednesday, at the Court-house in Osborne Street, White.. chapel ; at which that gentleman took occasion to explain his senti- ments on the subject of Reform, which had been a matter of con- siderable doubt among the electors. In answer to questions from an elector, whether he had assisted at any meeting or signed any petition in favour of the great measure of Reform previous to its being carried ? Mr. Clay answered, with respect to the question of Reform generally, that he had been a Reformer all his life ; and in answer to the particu- lar question put to him, he would say, that during the progress of the Reform Bill, he had not only attended 'a Reform meeting in the parish in which he resided, but also had the honour of being appointed Chair- man. Should they do bins the honour of sending him to Parliament, he added, his first object would be to procure a reduction in every branch of State expenditure, a remodelling of tithes, and above all, either to support or bring forward a well-digested measure for a Pro- perty-tax. Several questions were then put to Mr. Clay relative to short Parliaments, and the vote by ballot ; to each of which he ex- pressed himself in some degree favourable. [We wonder it never strikes electors in the predicament of those of the Tower Hamlets, that where a candidate's principles are doubted, the doubt can be grounded on one of two facts only,--either that the candidate is unfavourably known, or not known at all ; and that the fair and legitimate conclusion, in the one case and in the other, is, that such a candidate ought to be rejected at once, unless in the single case where he is opposed by persons who have no higher pretensions than himself. Nothing, surely, can be more ridiculous than for electors, who have in their option known and approved men, to go beating about for the purpose of proving the va- lue of every casual candidate who may see fit to apply for their suf- frages. The Tower Hamlets have at present ten candidates, out of whom to select two. Of these candidates, Lord Althorp and Dr. Lushington have been before the public for many years, and their senti- ments on almost all questions of foreign and domestic policy are on re- cord. They are, moreover, men of large influence, of most honourable character, and indisputable talent. Why, while such men are content to serve them, should the electors go about questioning and searching into the capabilities and opinions of all the political aspirants of the Metropolis, in a bootless search for two more fitting members ? There is an old apologue, of a man who, having got permission from the forester to cut down the tree that he liked best, was so fastidious in his choice, and so long in choosing, that night came upon him before be had made up his mind, and he was at length fain to put up with the Most crooked and scrubby tree in the wood. We fear that the popular electors will in some cases exemplify this story.]