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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3014, 22 February 1881, Page 2

A " Christian Demochat," writing to a London paper, is of opinion that English people imperfectly feel the disgrace that should attach itself ;o the bribery disclosures brought light berore missirmers. Bribery is a bw, mean, dastardly business of buying and selling votes. It seems to be a vice of th*» English, especially of ihe religious (?) English boroughs. It is a mean vice, it ie the sacrifice of manliness, of citizenship, of dignity, for a paltry bribe. The moral condition of such borougha must be low indeed where sovereigns and beer can buy that which men worthy of the name hold very sacred and very dear. Every genuine Liberal should stamp such conduct with his abhorrence. If the people are to have their rights, then they should look on all such practices as treason. There are no enemies of public rights like those w-io abuse them and sell them for a price *o contemptible. The man who offers a bribe should be detested as a traitor to liberty and denounced. It is plain that if this system is to grow, power will pass from the people to the rich. There are already far too few seats in Parliament which young men of high character and real culture can win ■vsithont in metiMr wealth as an indispensable condition. Bribery makes wealth all powerful, and the only way to put it down is to make it a loathsome detestable offence. No law will do ifc. Until the people feel in their hearts the danger and disgrace of it, till the man who give 9 a bribe and the coward who takes a bribe are marie to feel that they are dispieed b> their fellows and pbunned as unworthy and tainted men, bribery will never be put down. It does say little for the moral tone of these English boroughs tbat such practices should be so common. The present Government mean to extend popular rights. County reform as well as county franchise are in the Liberal programme. But Mr Gladstone will be unable to plead with success for the rights of the people if these corrupt and base practices are not instantly repudiated by the people. After all, no wisdom, no justice, uo statesmanship will avail to elevate the people, unless they themselves have the manliness, the principle, and J courage to execute good laws and sustain the Government with a healthy and strong public sentiment, a sentiment which will honor men who are faithful and pure, and make the vile feel that they are dispised.