MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1237, 21 February 1878, Page 2

MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.

To the Editor of the tilobe.

Sir, —As you have taken up this question, and have promised a ifurther discussion of it, I offer to the public, through you, the following strong reasons against Sir George Grey and Mr Gladstone as they stand reported this week. Sir George reports Mr Gladstone in four points : 1. Every mau has ‘‘a right ” to take part. 2. Every man pays to the revenue. 3. Every man’s labor goes to make wealth. 4. The bulk of mankind are poor, and therefore well advised.

The answers given by Mr Lowe are poor, as a specimen of close analysis they are contemptible , but true analysis gives the following : —Mr Gladstone breaks the first rule of logic by giving the logos before the premises ; that is, he states the result that he wishes before he has proved his case ; so, to destroy bis untruths, we must turn his argument in inverse order, thus—4. The bulk of mankind are poor and ignorant, therefore unable to judge well whom they should trust. 3. Every man’s labor does not go to make wealth; on the contrary, bummers, loafers, drunkards, gossips, criminals, are such a nuisance that they diminish the wealth of working men. 2. Every mau does not pay to the revenue; some (I fear a great many) subtract in court, charity, police and law costs, a very enormous sum from the revenue ; that is, they cause expenditure by Government to crush their devilment. 1. So now the 'logos oomes out—(1). Because the totally poor are ignorant and ill advised (witness strikes). (2). Because only working men by labor make any wealth at all, while the lazy and idle eat up wealth. (3). Because only useful persons pay to the revenue, while, the useless vagabonds are a nuisance and source of expenditure.

Therefore—Result—No man has “a right" to take part in governing the country, till he has. established that “right” by proof. What proof do you want ? In New Zealand we require a rent of two shillings a week in the country ; or four shillings a week in the towns. Proof ought to be de manded that the said rent is paid, because there are many bummers, who go from house to house, and place to place, paying no rent at all. One of these bummers I could name. This man is a talkative drunkard; he left house after house, paying no rent; there is a judgment for rent against him in Court now, but with political bummers judgments are no good, until the law is passed that any judgment shall be a distringas on wages, and shall be lodged or served on the master, so that the rent may be stopped out of the wages. A poor fellow in distress takes a pair of boots, gets caught, goes to gaol; a bummer robs scores of pounds by not paying rent, snaps his fingers at Mr Mellish (on the sly), gets a vote, and supports Sir George Grey—not for the good that is in Sir George, but because he gives franchise to the bumnrr.

By all means discuss manhood suffrage. Yours, &c., J, W. TREADWELL.