The Welshman

THE PEARL-WEARER. BY BARRY CORNWALL. I [It is recorded of the pearl-diver, tliat he died (from over-exertion or some other cause) immediately after hi had reached the land or boat from which he had plunged; I and that amongst the shells which he brought up was one that contained a pearl of surpassing size and beauty. ] Within the midnight of her hair, Halt-hidden in its deepest deeps, A single peerless, priceless pearl, (All filmy-eyed), t'or ever sleeps. Without the diamond's sparkling eyes, The ruby's blushes— there Íl lies, Modest as the tender dawn, Whet; her purule veil's withdrawn, The flower of gems, a lily cold and Ye,-what doth d! 1 AM its beauty, all its grace ? All the honours of its phce? lie who plucked if from its bed In the far blue Indian ocean Lieth, without life or motion, III his earthly dw(>nin¡r,-dcml And his children, one by one. When they look upon t le sun, Curse the toil, by which he drew The treasure from its bed of blue. Gentle bride, no longer wear, In thy night-black odor us hair, Such a spoil. It is not fit That a tender soul should sit Under such accursed gPIJ) AY hat need'st ihoti a diadem Thou, wiihiu whose eastern eyes, Thought (a starry Genius!) lies? — Thou, whim Beauty has arrayed !— Thou, whom Love and Truth have made Beautiful,— in whom we trace "Woman's softness—angel's gncc- All we hope f--r.— ail that streams Upon us, in our haunted dreams ? () sweet I.dv! cast aside, AVitli a gentle, noble pride, All to sin or pain allied! Let the wild-eyed conqueror wear The bloody laurel in his hair! Let the black arid snaky "ine It GUild the dri nker's temples twine! Let the slave-begotten gold Weigh on bosoms hard and cold! But be Tnot: for ever known By thy natural light ,,¡";ie

IIOLLALLUCGRWYDD DCV. Pwy roddodd i'r ITaulweri ei gnnol-d.lydd oku ? Pwy dilysgodd i'r UtJatl lewyrchu'n v nes Pa ddwylaw a wisgodd y neiocud wyhrenawl A ser, fel rhyw euraWi ddeiuynau, yn dlos ? Pwy barodd i'r gwvntoedd en ffyrdd i adnabod ? Y ceft.for i wybod ei ianw a'i drai A'r dydd a't. nos oradw o fewn ell terfynau ? Ac idd y tymorau eu eylchoedd lieb lai? A allai dyn ddeall v hwriad arleidrawl ? A fedrai gydunaw'r mawr beiriant o dde 1 Ymrstvii ei ddwylaw o hpg,"1I i begwri, Ac archi oil iddvnt i droi yn ell lie ? Eill dyn <ryfansoddi a'r oil o'i fedrusrwvdd Y gwaelaf udarer a dyi! Neil wrth ei iwvi l ys i a l w i fn d e l i.a<'tl\ Y llei.d' wybedyn, net; yate wad Yr Anrl.vydd a roddodd ddechreu;:d croadigneth, R!1W!I lwiiodd pin pelhui rvteddol yn syw; Ac hefyd an'.dlodd trwy'r cvr'an yallur.wg, Y gwych debygolrwydd f) enaid t ~a nyw. Wei ynte, ynisrytn-vn i'r Arglwydd rh.-goraw!! I'r Duw tragywyddawl rhown fuliuit yn bur! Yr hwi a ddoe?.? d'urH?dd a'i dd?yt .w K-dkia??, Haul, Hoer, a ser diril", a dyfnfor, a thir. lf;tL)I. !er, a ser dirif, iL dyfiifor, ?t tiiir.  1.J 1.\ GO. I. r, IAGO.

a C 55 A P S. A young lady asked a gentleman which he thought the prettiest tlover, roses^ or tulips ? Your ladyship's two tips," lie re¡:Jicd, betore all the roses in the world." A gentleman who fancied hirnseif a pendulum always went upon tick, and never discovered his delusion until he was "wound up" in the Queen's Bench! ill you take apuieh ?" said an acquaintance, offering his snuff-box to a Cullercoats fishmonger. No, I thank you," replied the latter, I h;lVe just had one trom a iobster. The Buffalo Advertiser has an account against a com- mission-iigent who is not very anxious to pay the money The editor therefore■ offers him a commission of ."viper cuill. coi tit to a letter Dick, Some xcax prav lend to me c" i nave not, Tom, a si'Ujle-stick, Or w,.cc".S ',i give to tl"ec. K'.rr.KpRtss.—The wise and active conquer diiffculties by daring to attempt them. Sloth and folly shiver and shrink at the sight of toil and hazard, and make the iiu- possibility they fear. Two ladies of Snndgatc disputing lately on the ruprc- tabdity of each ether's family, concluded the debate' in till, f* I'd have you kliGW that I've an IIncle a bannister of the law." Much about your bannister, retorted Mrs. Doyle: "havetft I a first cousin a corridor in the navy ?" A soidier, during a campaign, stole a shirt from a firmer who required him to make restitution. The soldier re- fused. Well," said the farmer, if you won't pay for it now, you will at the day of judgment." Faith," said the ready rogue, suiting the action to the word, "if you'lJ trust me so long, I'll just take another MAURIED.— Mr. Large to Miss Little— If Fate should sparing be of ill, And ot good luck profuse, Thin Large arid Little union will A little Large produce. PIIRFNOLOOY. — As a phrenologist and his friend were conversing, the latter said to the former, "Did it never occur to you, to rap 011 the head those who came to sub- mit their skulls to ycur examination, by way of trying if they were empty ?" No, said the other, "It was not necessary; as 11 they had anything in their heads they would-trfVer nave come to mc;" An old gentleman of the name of Gould, having mar- ried a very young wife, wrote a poetical epistle to a to inform biin of it, ,iiiti concluded it thus- So j ou see, my dear Sir, t.'?ou?h i aM eighty years old, A?td ()?e;ncenininI"v?tv:t.h old Gould. To which his friend replied, A girl of eighteen may love it is true, ?l,ut believe me, dear Sir, it is Gold without U. VY hat word would make you sick, if you leave out o-- e of the letters ? Answer—M (usic). What sea would make a good sleeping room? Answer—Adriatic (a dry attic). Why is a short negrolike a white man ? Be- cause lie is not a tail (at all) black. -What letters used to be distributed at tournaments? Answcr-Lar;p S (largess). \i het word of ten letters can be spelled with ,ive ? Answer—X PUN C (expediency). |n what part of London should Quakers live ? Answer—In Halt- on Garden. Why has a clock always a bashful appear- ance?— Besause it always keeps its hands before its face. JUDGE JEFFERS OX THE JUDGMENT SEAT.The (.■hiuujo Ai.ierica* furnishes us with a portrait (a carica- turc, we presume,) of John Jefthrs, Esq., a h'sh j idichd o?icer 0. the repabiic of Texas:—This individual (savs our contemporary) is from New 1- rsey ?iiid if lie lived in the days of Hogarth, he might have been immor- tauzed in oil colours. He is four feet "ix inches hi?h, t.Illzc(l ill o' :I 'lie Is foul '?eet S;x i-?iclies a!i(I six 'with 1)?toriieii A-ortiy of' shirt, and Mexican chapeau, he looks the facsimile ot' the* Jack of (dubs, His nose resembles a vern?i?h pear half-way buried :u a basket of, rri,? s. M t*o .i-, ing is a report of proceedings bei?jrc hu?at the last Court:— liepuhlic of Texas" r I versus ] j- For stealing a mule. JIm Donngan, J The testimony was conclusive against the accused, ac.d the I prosecuting attorney declined summing up. Magistrate; Oll must speak on this case, or, d n me, I'll discharge the criminal. ou can't come it over old J eHers by lav- ing low and playing dummy. My judgment is, that the prisoner stole the mule; but as he is a poor man, this entirely does away with the criminal intention which constitutes a theft, as brother Bill used to say in the Jarsies, in similar cases—and brother %as a filst chop lawyer. Then, as there was no criminal intention, the mule will belong to the prisoner, and the prisoner will be discharged by paying costs of prosecution. The prosecuting attorney will be sent off to the brig (the brig is an old hulk, which was driven ashore in 1X37, the hold of which, in the absence of better accommodation, is used for a gaol), two days for contempt of C(Jllrt, ill":wt ,¡rguing the case and producing the law. TiJ tJrt will now adjourn all cases on the docket till more ;ic"e t'i,on,, New Orleans, for the Court prefers ice in liquor this Let weather, and the parties must bring it in liberally when it ai rives, or they will be ei :;<ed from the docket. Them's old jeffei's' sentaneiitL'. New ol-.tpe.

a rr.i'.p into mi sons. Trtc most practised ia the defection of those pranks of authority hich are said to mak the angels weep, would b: puzzled to discover worse cases of violation of law than are to be found in the administration of it—existing in the regulations or numerou !oriSOHs, with reference to b wtiess of ihet, the cmd construction of cells, and the extension of solitary confinement. As we propose to take another glance over the cases noticed by the inspectors, the ques- tion of diet, as the general grievance, and the most fertile source of complaint, may first be mentioned. The prisons in w hich it is reported to be dangerously low, include those at Bodmin, Bedford, Devizes, Edinburgh, Gloucester, Huntingdon, Ipswich, Shrewsbury, Swaffham, Warwich, Worcester, Wakefield, and many others; and although it cannot be said that the Magistrates in any case have adopted the experiment tried in the Penitentiary of lower- ing the diet, ia opposition to the surgeon's advice, yet it is abundantly evident that a reduced scale of diet has been maintained in many places so long, that the surgeon has only been called in to cure, not to prevent, malady—to save life, not to preserve health. These frightful evils have been partially rectified, yet they flourish in some places unabated. It still remains within the power of any two fantastic Magistrates to lower the diet till the surgeon cries out"-and he does not always cry out in The report from Gloucester says— Those who are in solitaiy confinemcnt for a fortnight gener- a!!y becom" "maciated, and very frequently suITer diarrhoea, but tLen they have only a pound and a halt' of bread, and a pint and a half of mint water Ii day, wl1ich is too little." What is the consequence of this" too little ?" That the surgeon, who has held office between thirty and forty years, and has great experience, "continually puts them on extra diet." Thus, discipline is upheld by a continual and enforced relaxation of its rules-a novel mode of pre- serving it. A low diet is maintained by constantly giving it up, and allowing extras. Are such tamperings with health and life-we will not say humane—but legal ? Clea.ly not where it is necessary to be continuahy putting them on extra dkt," tbe prescribed scale is con-I fesseJly too low. The keeper agrees that the prisoners are not /Ac same men q/c?'?ar? that ihey were ?e/??'f." The extra diet evidently comes too late. The Inspector found in the Devizes Rouse of Correction cases of illness throughout the year," and concludes that the diet was probably the chief source of the evil—the diet bread and water.. At his suggestion a pint of warm gruel was allowed to every prisoner at supper, and the beneficial effect was at once apparent from the surgeon's report. To approve this chauge is perhaps to sanction undue indul- 3* uce to convicts ? Only let us see of what it is composed rtrn .rnbering at tbe same time the surgeon's statement, that tiic prisoners are decidedly more free from illness in cons: r,uet.ee of its adoption." It is made from on ounce of oatmeal to one pint of water (IVel!-boilect, 11 j¡;ch is no unimportant point), and it is flavoured uith ginger and pepper alternately. The prisoners may use as much salt with it as they nlease. It is 'grateful and comtcuting to and costs only tmee farthings per head daily." Nearer home we are not better off. In the surgeon's quarterly report of the Westminster Bridewell (the date is Jll;, 1340) we find it stated that men. after they have bcru in prison from three to four months, constantly at the wheel, have bccome "weak and thin, and when they have undergone punishment, andhad "repeated stoppages of food," they have been very much attenuated. Out of cweuty-eight, fifteen had either extra diet frequently, or been inmates of the infirmary-more than oue half. The boys, also, who had been repeatedly in prison, had enlarged scrofulous glands.. "1 have n'so exracted from my monthly sick report the number of cases of diarrhcei and debility for the last six mouths, and 1 tied tlitin to lie—el ihe former, Hit 01 the lalter, Ey a mere change of food he conceived that the illness of the prisoners would decrease, and there would be "much less cmaciation." A strong word to figure in a surgical report. In Bedford County House of Correction the prevalent disease is petichia, or land scurvey a disorder which, though it is now exceedingly rare in this country, is always | to be found in this prison." It is a disorder very destruc- J tive to health, and the constitution which is affected by it is greatly broken down. The surgeon attributed it to the I strict discipline cf the prison, the scantiness of the diet, and the defective ventilation of the cells. The "strictness, f)ft!!fQ?c?Iine"may be inferred from the facts, first that the prisoners on the tread-wheel are exposed to sum mer's beat and wieter's cold and, secondly, that there are no rest-betc.l cs provided for them when off the wheel; they are compelled to walk round in a circle in the yards "adjoining the tread-wheel, during the interval a!fowu! for rest." The scantiness of diet prevails most at the com- mencement of the term of imprisonment, and the subsc- quent addition fails to restore health." From the subject of diet. we turn to the disclosures relative to solitary confinement—a point to which the utmost watchfulness should always be directed. It is apparent that the wise and necessary provisions of the law for the limitation of the punishment, and the due division of it into e rluraùle terms, are not invariably observed; and that magisterial will, or gaoler law, sometimes supersedes t)e iDtentiou of the Legislature. In the dnrk cell for the refractory (in Ipswich gaol) the inspector found a prisoner lying upon the floor-his fare was bread and water, and he had been there several days his offence was breaking windows in the union workhouse. He had made a noise in the night," and it was ordered that he be kept in a dark cell, solitary, during the whole term of his stay. The keeper had no written order" for I coanuirg him iu the dark so long. The chapter of acci- dents that governed the fate cf the inmates here may be interred from the eases of seven youths in solitary confine- mert, who had been commituJ fur refractory conduct in the workhouse. 1.1.—Has been here seven \V(\C::F. and 1£01 spntenced to four months v/solifary imprloJllrnt (i20 days and nights). Hg only 5e:n lLe keeper twice t'iie eiiaplain and surgeon have neve:" b.;n to bin; CHn read Hod write; has nù boolis takes exercise IUR fcn jr.rt¡te9 or a q!1arter o au hour jn the n10rn:np. when Id down Lo wash he bas on" pound aud a ijuarter of bread ami a quart of gTud daily. *'v G" aged 10.— Has beeu here seven weeks; been neither visited by chaplain nor surgeon is slltelJced to two months' imprisonment; cn read, but has no hooks. •' T. N., at;ed 17.—Can rend: hus a book, which was given him by one of the other prisoners, through the ventilation holes of the cell v. nen he was sleeping below has beeu ill and seen the doctor twice, seen the governor twice, but not in his cell, 0, G" aged 17.—Can read but r a no books; has neither been vijtert l>y chaplain nor surgeon ses the governor auout once a week. W. G., aped If».—Can read but has no books; has never seen the chaplain during the seven weeks he has been here the sur- geon has seen him twice when sick. E, S" aged Iii. Can read, hat has no book; has never been visited by the chaplum or surgeon has seen the keener twice. T. D. aged IS.—Cannot read; has neither been visited by chaplain 01 surgeon has seen Lhe governor occasionally." Their fare was bread and water at first, but gruel was alterwards allowed. The chaplain had received from the keeper h's order not to visit them—they were to see nobody the surgeon had merely heard that they were placed on the lower diet. For the cri-ne of refractory con- duct in a workhouse, one of these lads is condemned to pass one hundred and ticenti/ dayx in solitude—in a stone rcora, iron-barred, in the winter time; allowed to take I exercise in a court yard for a quarter cfan hour only the rest of the day, twenty-three hours and three-quarters, being spent in his ccld cell, without K-ork, without books, without occupation of any kind The law allows but three mouths of solitary confinement, not in one term, in a whole year; here, for refractory conduct in a workhouse, a sentence Of four months, in one term,is passed. What a boon would<J6kum- picking have been Would the indulgence of work, of any kind, have taught the miserable lad to be more refractory when released ? The probable result of such a merciless sentence must be iasanity. Suicide had been effectually guarded against. The gaoler knows what prisoners in that cell will do. It should not be soon forgotten, that u the course of last year 1"0 less than eight human beings were scat deranged from the Penitentiary to the Hauwell Lunatic Asylum. But grant that derangement be not in every instance th? consequence of such au incarceration vs puutence in any one instance to be expected? We rather concur in the conclusion to which the case of the Ipswich pauper leads—"despair and revenge enter into his soul, Swing has a good disciple, the committing magistrate an ui forgiving incendiary, and the Chartists a desperate convert." The condition of the cells frequently renders it necessary to interfere with the due executioa of the sentence passed by a court of justice. The inspector who visited Spring- field county gaol at nipht.some hours after locking-up time, found the atmosphere intolerable, notwithstanding the cleanlinci.s of the eelis and bedding. This was occasioned by the narrowness of the cells and the defective ventilation, The governor admitted their unfitness for the continued close confinement of prisoners. The surgeon declared that whosoever remained io them for a month must "suffer serious injury in point of health," and that the sentence of the court must be mitigated or remitted." The chaplain found the places so offensive that "at times he was unable to go into them," and his medical adviser had told him that the coating of his stomach had been seriously injured by the foul atmosphere he was under the necessity of inhaling. Yet the inspector, who pronounces the cells to be utterly unfit for close confinement, states the custom to be— V. hen the sentence does not exceed fourteen dnvs, the prisouer is on no occasion pcrmittpri to leave his ecll during the whole ot that term. If the sentence exceed fourteen days, the lirst. wpck is passed in the strict seclusion just described; and for the remainder of the term the prisoner is pcrmitteri to takp rX/7' iS° for a sllOrt time each day in the pasSilge adjoining his reports prove that the provision of the 2d and 3d Viet, did not come too early—"That no cell shall be used for the separate confinement of any prisoner which is not of such a size, and lighted, warmed, and ventilated, and fitted up in such a manner as may be required by a due regard to health, and furnished with the means of enabling the prisoner to communicate at any time with an officer of the prison." In Westminster Bridewell, often cited as one of the best in England, where the cleanliness rivals that, of the smartest man-of-war, and the discipline is exact, not rigorous," the cells are eight feet long by six wide, and nine and a half high, dimensions utterly incom- patible with health in separate confinement. In Yarmouth, says the report the deus are secured by strong wooden bars some of them are f ur feet six inches long, two feet eight v. ide, five feet eight high—shorter antlllllITOWer than coif.: s Other dens there are, eight feet two inches long— and in these from seven to ten persons have been placed at a time. I really thought." observed the keeper, they would have been suffocated." At Carlisle, the lock-ups are ten feet by seven feet three. Nineteen persons have been thrust into one of these cells at a time. The report from Louth runs— "The ceils usod lar olitary confinement are be'ow ground, damp, dark, al!d until for the reception of any hnm1l beiup. These wretched places are nine feet by six, and seven feet by six (tet ten bisjh. They are in sIIch a situation as to prevent any prionr trom bting heard iiy the officer. If a mall or woman were to be taken ill. I know how they arc to make then.- suves heard," says the turnkej." At Louth, as at Faikingham and other places, the debtors seem to have hten treated as criminals. We say have been; for after the presentation of these reports, it is impossible to conceive that the enormities they expose are still continued. In few, perhaps, are they abolished, though in mauy they may 'be abated. We copy an affecting passage relative to the treatment of prisoners in Su alTham gaol, that throws a strong light upon the whole system of prison discipline, as it existed at the period of ti,e •, ery tcccat reports—withiu two years. "A eons.miptive priscr-ei' is committed he is clad on his coming to the prison-pate in a ihnuei wafetcout; this is takeu frwii him; ad he is ii;veri:e'! wite a prison which gives no lianne!: he be^a most earnest!) to have it buck again, but this the prison regulations forbid and tLe gaoler i too couscielltions a man to inlririge ihein ir.ik.t.fi. il would be as much as his place is n'urtii. and, iu ali probability, had lie acted from his own souse an(! fr,)11 liis own discretion, hi: bad been di.3-f11issed:. The miserable niiii dil's soon aft,r not of course, through being deprived of such » superfluity, tiut of consumption; how sadly mrjravated his sntfr!rin,{:5 were, and how much accelerated Isis death. is neither known nor cared for. What is known and l');.) much eared l'or is, the uuifuiuiity of the prison discipline. In damp, cold ceils, unaiied, unwarmed, t1:tll1el waistcoats are not allowed and if feloniously brought in 01: the body of the offender; thev must be taken olf: 'they are contrary to the No comment upon this monstrous cruelty is necessary beyond the opinion of the surgeon, that from the exposure to cold and the sudden checks to perspiration, he is satisfied that injury has been done in some cases." He adds, that a poor man, "since dead of consumption, complained most heavily of the loss of it. This depti- vation, in many cases, must be equivalent to stopping the supply of food altogether, or refusing medicine during illness. A person accustomed to such a protection, and deprived of it upon being shut into a cold cell, is, though sentenced to undergo but one month's imprisonment, in reality sentenced to death. We add a passage from the Worcester report, which includes an instance of singular uncharitableness. Many complaints are commou here, owing to exposure upon the wheel. Rupture is very common, many come in with it. The surgeon thinks lie has furnished fourteen or fifteen trusses during the last quarter. The county takes away the truss before the prisoners leave, except from those who are to be transported. The surgeon has frequently seen rheumatic attacks brought on by sleeping in damp beds." Among the practices that deserve strong reprobation is that of administering the punishment of flogging imme- diately previous to the discharge of a prisoner. During his confinement he may have seen the folly of his conduct, his conscience has become tender, and a resolution to amend is the prevailing thought in his mind. Then comes the horror of the lash, smarting under which, he is to be cast out upon the world, penniless, and homeless. The chaplain oi the Devizes gaol touches feelingly upon this point. As the hour of liberation and flogging drew nigh, he has kuown the prisoner to become sickly and dejected, and every endeavour to recal him to his former attention to religious duties has been fruitless. He appears to feel that the chastisement is unjust and with a fore- knowledge of the consequences of the punishment on coming out into the world, he steels his heart for the occasion, and goes forth from the prison a hardened sinner. Examiner. —1

OBJECTIONS TO COMPLETE SUFFRAGE.-IG- NORANCE OF THE LABOURING CLASSES. [There has recently appeared in the Nonconformist a series of argumentative and conclusive articles on the Suffrage—the right duty and necessity of its extension, that it may be coeval and coequal with taxation." In the last number of our cotemporary, we find the following able article disposing of objections to complete suxrage.] We ha.e put in, on behalf of our unrepresented country- men, a claim to be invested with the franchise-we have proved that claim to have its basis in equity-we have defined its natural limits-we have pointed out the res- ponsibility incurred by the middle classes in withholding it —and we have hinted at some of the valuable moral results which may be anticipated from a prompt and practical recognition of it. This is our case. We might strengthen it with reasons drawn from other and widely different sources—but we have done enough to establish our posi- tion. We proceed, therefore, to hear and dispose of objections-in many instances honestly entertaiud in some, mildly and modestly urged-iii almost all, however, caught up hastily. imperfectly considered, and rooted rather in prejudice than in judgment. The first, in order as in importance, may be thus em- bodied in language. Affairs of state, involving the welfare of society at large, bearing upon innumerable interests, and affecting more or less the destinies of surrounding empires and of succeeding generations, require in these having control over them a high order of intelligence. Education must precede an extension of political power. The la- bouring classes are steeped in the most debasing ignorance. They would become tools in the hands of designing men- and great principles of policy, instead of being settled by culm discussion, by reason and argument, would be decided by numbers and by clamour. The objection implies a great deal that is not true— exaggerates facts which have some colour of troth-and leaves out of sight several considerations quite pertinent to the matter, which, being allowed their due influence, .completely neutralise the whole argument. When the ignorance of the labouring classes is urged as a sufficient plea for withholding from them the franchise, it is tacitly assumed that, under the present restricted sys- tem, affairs of state are mainly settled by the intelligence of our constituencies, are discussed with fairness, and decided upon according to their merits. Now the very reverse of all this is matter of notoriety. The middle-class constituency has done anything but prove its peculiar and exclusive fitness for political power. Is the last general election, we ask, to be regarded as an expression of their intelligence ? Are we to look to that as affording an illus- tration of the decision of nntiona) affaifs by argument and reason ? Are tnants-at-will invariably swayed by the simple merits of the question ? Do our tradesmen take into serious consideration the destinies of unborn myriads ? Are not nine votes out of every tea recorded as the result of influences which have no more connexion with the right and wrong of the matter they go to decide, than exists between Iceland and Tirnbuctoo ? Intelligence Take, now, the House of Commons and analyse the product of this intelligence. What had the legislative competency of these men to do with their elrction ? Aristocratic connec- tions, family influence, long and well-lined purses—who would dream of pitting intelligence against competitors so formidable as these ? One only question we would ask- would complete suffrage, as we have defined it, thrust into one assembly of equal numbers, an amount of stolid igno- rance, in reference to state policy, greater than that to which we, the middle classes, have committed the interests of Ibis mighty empire ? And when the accomplished se ators selected by the educated middle classes are assembled in council, where are we to find the proofs of their superiority to clamour and prejudice? They discuss matters, it is true—but does dis- cussion on an average influence one vote throughout a session? Party considerations decide everything. Poli- tical principles are only the bones over which they fight for mastery. What are the real merits of a question to the well-trained gangs, who flock at the sound of the division bell to vote upon matters of incalculable importance, from the discussion of which they have absented themselves? No No! The objection is not fairly stated. It is put as though the suffrage would decide the question of clamour versus intelligence. But the truh is, our present consti- tuencics give us little besides ignorance and party feel-' ing—complete suffrage could not give us worse. So much of the objection as must be admitted to be founded in truth is greatly exaggerated. That there i.s room for improvement, iu regard to the education of the labouring classes, none will pretend to dispute. We shall not insist upon their cultivated intelligence—although amongst our artisans, our manufacturing poor, there is a greatly larger amount of it than we of the middle class are apt to imagine. Taking the public meetings of operatives as a fait sample of the men, and, we say, that in point of shrewdness of reasoning, and power (vre will not say, polish) of expression, they will bear comparison with most that passes current among ourselves. But upon this v;e lay no stress. In all that concerns the mechanism of in- telligence—reading, writing, and arithmetic, there is un- doubtedly a sad deficiency among the labouring classes. But the real question is, or should be, what is the average competency of these men to form a correct judgment upon the soundness of great political principles, due in formation having been laid before them. That they may be usable to comprehend all the remoter bearings of particular lines I of policy is very probable—but then, as much may be said of the vast bulk of the middle classes. But empannel twelve of our unrepresented population, selected at ran- dom, in a jury, and argue before them the substantial merits of any great political question, can any man doubt that their verdict would be quite as likely to be just, as if the decision had been committed to a jury of ten pound householders ? The matter, however, need not be treated as one of mere speculation. Look back upon the past ten years. The masses even under the most disadvantageous circumstances, have evinced their sentiments upon the lending topics of politics which during that time have agitated the nation. Have they sided with ignoiauce or with intelligence? with justice or with injustice ? with selfishness or with genero- sity ? Reformers are the last persons who ought to plead the ignol ance of the industrious classes as a bar to their political elevation—for these classes have invariably given their voice for reformers, until the principles of reform were merged in party encounter. We aver without fear of contradiction, that popular opinion has during the whole of the reform era been invariably right,—has invariably coincided with reason—invariably sympathised with equity —and, ever, in those matters wherein they dififer with the middle classes, we should like to be-ioformcd on which side the strongest arguments may be found, and on which the most unreasoning prejudice? That their sentiments have been violently expressed we admit and we deplore- but let us remember that we allow them no legitimate mode of giving effect to the opinions they entertain. Lastly, the objection leaves a vast deal of truth cut of sight. It does not bring into view, as it ought, that we of the middle class practically regard it as destitute of force. We are constantly overriding our own objection. We do believe, whatever we may alledgeto the contrary, that the industrious classes arc competent to take rational views of leading political matters. Whenever we wish to carry a question, we address ourselves to them. We argue, we appeal, we illustrate, we supply information, without any notion that they are incapable of discerning truth. We organise them into societies. We make demonstrations of their unanimity. We encourage them to display their mind, with a view to influence the mind of the senate. All this proves that we do not regard them as incompetent to deal with national affairs. Now, since we practically af)- peal to their suffrage, it is too late to urge, when they claim to be allowed to embody it in a vote, that they are not sufficiently intelligent. We admit their intelligence when we address ourselves to the task of laying before them requisite information, when we ask their verdict; and, having obtained it, plead that verdict as an argument in our own favour. If the labouring classes are not suf- ficiently intelligent to vote, neither are they to be formed into associations, neither are they to sign petitious-and when we use them in these latter cases, we cut the throat of our own objection in reference to the suffrage. Nor ought it to he forgotten, that whenever the people of the country shall have power to decide upon the policy of the country, all parties will be interested in supplying them with information. Were they as ignorant as some people would fain persuade us they are, they would not be lung allowed to remain so. Men of different political views would rival each other in their efforts to enlighten and sway the popular mind. Reading would become universal. Conversation would take a far hitrher range than hitherto among the poor. Boys would grow up, influenced by the expectation of acting hereafter their part in national affair*. Political ignorance would soon become an anomaly—a re- proach—and our population instead of being the worst, would in less than two generations become the best edu- cated in Europe.