ST. ALBAN'S AT WORK.
BT. Amax's has made one effort towards purifying itself—et least if we may trust professions on the hustings; but if so, it has broken down in the effort. However, we distrust these professions of the platform: when electors of places like St. Alban's or Brid- port talk of purity, they are generally thinking of price. One can imagine a borough throwing away an election for once, without selling it, as London fish-dealers are said to throw away whole ar- sies of fish, by way of keeping up the market-price. But St. Alban's has not yet advanced to that degree of refinement. Alder- man Carden, the purist eandidate, boasted of having a majority in promises ; but at the poll the performances on his side proved to be a minority ; and Mr. Jacob Bell is returned with less profession of purity—probably also with less cash than he took down, and a much more intimate knowledge of St.. Alban's,. its peccadilloes and bietoriettes.
The election is one of the traits'ofthe time. St. Alban's is famous- not only for the amount of bribery or of open venality, but also for the amount of " peachine that goes on ; and at the recent display the borough quite, sustained its reputation. Everybody seems to suspect everybody else, except in those-inatanees where suspicionia merged in certainty. " How much did. you get ? " is the greeting addressed to the first elector proposing Mr. Jacob Bell—the something gotten- being assumed as a matter of course. "St. Alban's," says the candid Mr. Bennett, " is. notorious as one of the most degraded constituencies " ; there is a " system. of selling it to the best bid- der." Ay, says a. gentleman on-the other side, "-they talk much of bribery, but nothing of intimidation,"="nothing is said about coercing poor men in the exercise of their votes." Mr. Cabbell, re- joins a supporter of Carden,. on the authority of a Hertford paper, paid hanclre. :tle beyond his legitimate expenses, and Mr. Sell had already, doen_su...._Mt -" elidnot want_tehurt anyliocbeir feelingsf'-c-14f,1141 Ball; had been brought down by Mr. Edwniele and Mr. Men : ,frithis ,.epeaker M. Edwards cried—" I bevel-Tile price : 1 havn,ff aefter in .which you fixed it." Mr. J3lagg demo* the stery::, _he had ne " expeetation"'e.ven, " of reelying more tha.i* the fees, which he was entitled bles TOWneca‘eikt . Ilaile114/Iiirr. Biaggi!" shouted " First Mob:" ,Me: Brown, contiirmOut 04, r.' Bhigesi. alluding to a previous Ca,rdenitet, speaker, " ought to be the,a* man to accuse any male 4 rang money for his vote,"; dive 'llet had summoned 14. Aap 1. fl.fer mono . alic services, and Mr,jenyft gifyr,w' .4E,, ,elei money was ,paiA„ ,..f‘ Aff 9pi Barr} m4. se:t!i1 pl 1 Blefg1":1' I /Mr r 8R Carden's friende„ -re,:t An lir. Bell toMorraw.r .,_ 4 ,ifir, -e ,i :1 • .;1!, •J ...:f q't )/11 • q.., vi scull
, PHI ill*
Mr. Carden caPped' these r,;7-iei " 1/4+14 who sold the borough" told b1P),4114 t'. Ila s ,price *14f$ pliall; 4000/. ; but " a person " had offered to' sell the borough to Mr. Carden.for 2000k, or even for 15001. And the incorruptible, Gar- den pointed out to the venal constituency a more legitimate in- ducement than• hard' dash : the hint is- really ingenious, as a sug- gestion to break the sudden effect of a sudden reform,—as opium has been suggested to drunkards by way of a more decorous re- source against depression in the transition state.
A St. Alban's election is an old joke ; but really it is time
that a stop should be put to these exhibitions. They are amusing, but they are scandalous ; they make one laugh, but the moral' and social mischief that they occasion are a heavy price for the diver- sion. We see by the recriminations on,Monday how the "repre- sentative men" of a whole community are tainted with self-accu- sing suspicions that lying, venality, and a- general disregard of honesty, are the common attributes of electoral human nature. It may be said that the radical cure would be an extension of the frill:Whit*: but there is no question of the frandhise before- the public. Lord john Russell has found'a convenient( instrument in the Anti-Papal ferment to block out that and' other questions-. Disfranchise the borough then, you cry : but disfranchisement is a' Measure that must be used' sparingly ; if you disfranchise St. Al-
ban's, how can you leave the franchise to -- or to ?' And if you curtail the House of Commons by so many Members,. how can you postpone the duty of making good the deficiency by transferring the franchise to= places that have recently, risentee greater importance ? You want more immediate and practical measures. The
habitants of of the town are no doubt the most interested in cleansing the borough of the foulness which is upon it ; but we all know that self-61de is doubtful, and at the best tardy. There is-nothing to *Mel corporate affection clings so devotedly as to filth : Sudbury preferred destniction to expurgation ; just as in physical reforms sanatory measures, have had to be forced upon corporations, sole and aggregate. There is no privilege so precious as an established. nuisance : an eminent knaoker of Islington defied- the improvement. of Commissioners ; and aggregate Smithfield will have to be tune from London- City by Main force.
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