112 NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



stand. Parties have assumed more distinct shapes than hitherto. 

 Whigs, Liberals, or Radicals or by whatever name they have been 

 called have emanated from one family, and have been more or less 

 attached to one cause the freedom and enlightenment of the People. 

 The late Elections have more distinctly denned the shades which 

 have always existed. For ourselves, there is a straightforward and 

 manly course, which we shall never shrink from. We are pledged 

 by our expressed opinions as Radical Reformers, so long as an abuse 

 shall remain, and as such we are not afraid of endangering our con- 

 sistency by word or deed. We identify ourselves with neither rumps 

 nor juntas ultras are the fag-ends of parties, and are alike of little 

 value. The free constituency of this country must not be intimidated 

 by a misguided multitude : it is in the worst spirit of the borough- 

 mongers. Clamour, with ourselves at least, will never carry con- 

 viction, nor will protestations of patriotism secure confidence. 



The Elections and their progress have so engrossed the public 

 attention this month, that other topics have been comparatively of 

 minor interest. The newspapers, daily and weekly, have been filled 

 with lists of candidates and the state of the polls- If we except the 

 slaughter at Antwerp, and a few domestic murders of more than ordi- 

 nary atrocity, very little of interest has varied the uniformity of 

 election news. The result of the latter, however, has furnished mat- 

 ter for exultation with all supporters of the rightful cause. The 

 Tory predictions of anarchy, rioting, and bloodshed, have been falsi- 

 fied throughout, save where they have been themselves the chief 

 instigators. The quiet and orderly demeanour generally observed, 

 and the very little inconvenience generally felt by electors, furnish 

 an admirable argument in favour of short parliaments, should they, 

 on mature reflection, be deemed advisable. Another has likewise 

 been elicited by the result of the elections the necessity of the Bal- 

 lot-box. We must confess having had a reluctance for advocating 

 the adoption of this measure ; it argues a compromise between the 

 open and manly feeling which ought to characterize the British free- 

 man, with the cowardly, hypocritical dealing of the slave. The 

 circumstance of the Ballot being used at clubs, and at all private 

 elections amongst the privileged classes, is no argument in its favour ; 

 we should be sorry to see the day, when the Commons of England 

 regard the manliness, the fearlessness of independence, with so apa- 

 thetic a feeling as its aristocracy do. 



If we are obliged to resort to the measure, by whom are we forced, 

 but by the acknowledged and bitter enemies of all that is really honest 

 and noble Conservatives, do they call themselves ? Conservatives 

 of the base and degraded portions of our being Conservatives of the 

 gallows and the lash. But their political existence is well nigh 

 ended. The ballot will extinguish it. The only feeling for their fate 

 will be that of slaves for their task-masters ; their only monuments, 

 debt and taxation. 



IP Ministers really mean to do themselves justice, and deal equi- 



