THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13. 1881. THE SYDENHAM SEAT.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2349, 13 October 1881, Page 3

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13. 1881. THE SYDENHAM SEAT.

The district of Sydenham has always claimed to be somewhat before other districts. The inhabitants there are supposed to drink less beer than most people, and generally to behave themselves in an unexceptionable manner. Indeed, the province generally is somewhat proud of the " model borough." And in electioneering matters the constituency of Sydenham may also claim to be ahead of others—at least as regards the item of time. For the candidates for the seat have been very forward in opening the campaign, and Sydenham may claim the distinction of having been already distinctly spoken to by two of the threo suitors who have sought its favour. In a second respect, too, the constituency has cause to plume itself—namely, in the varied character of the gentlemen who seek to represent it. We will not allude to Mr. Andrew, because it would be manifestly unfair to say anything about him until he has declared his views, but it may be premised by his antecedents that he will take up a platform considerably distinct from either of the other two gentlemen. But looking at Mr. Treadwell and Mr. Clarke as candidates from a panoramic point of view, the charming divergence between their ideas is such as to lend considerable attractions to the bird's-eye view. In the way of diversion, Mr Treadwell is always a host in himself, and certainly on Tuesday evening he was not one whit below par, although the stage business ■was exactly the same as that which he usually employs. For the benefit of those who have not followed Mr. Treadwell's career, it may be well to explain his modus operandi. Acting on the principle that with most of mankind the saying omne ignotum pro magnifieo holds good, Mr. Treadwell, when about to assume the war path, commences actively digging into all the old volumes ho can lay his hands on. He thus comes to the front armed with a stock of information which his audience are sure not to possess, and consequently he feels by so much their superior. Whether the scraps of knowledge so carefully culled, fit into each other, or have the slightest bearing on the questions under consideration, matters not one jot. Mr. Treadwell feels that his grasp of the spheres is something very considerable, and his audience, we are bound to say, are generally amused. On Tuesday, the archaic flavoring used by Mr. Treadwell to impress his audience was connected with mortmain, and its operations under the Magna Carta, of all which he dealt with at some length. That mortmain has nothing whatever to do with the questions to be considered by constituencies at the present juncture matters not one jot. Mr. Treadwell took up at once strong ground as one possessed of special knowledge, and then from this ■vantage ground proceeded to criticise colonial finance generally, to graciously explain the constitution of the Stock Exchange, to praise Annual Parliaments, to declare that the Press was a rotten institution, and to suggest that the Lord Privy Seal should be impeached. In broad contrast to the fiery confusion of Mr. Treadwell's speech, stand the somewhat prosaic utterances of Mr. Charles Clark. This gentleman did not go back to the Great Charter as a starting point, nor did he touch on a single provision of that constitutional compact. Perhaps it is a pity that he did not, for much interesting matter might have been gone into. He might have treated, for instance, of the regulations contained in the Charter with respect to assizes of novel disseisin, of mort d'ancestor and of darrein presentment and other cheerful subjects, and have strongly impressed his friends. But Mr. Clark merely went back to the year 1856, and described what he had done in the way of serving the public since that date. He did not lay claim to any eminent services, but he at least showed that he bad acted to the best of his ability in guarding the interests of the general public. We do not propose to go at length into Mr. Clark's speech, more particularly as it contains no carefully elaborated views. To his general ideas there can be no very great objection, although he seems to underrate the success of the property tax, and holds peculiar views on the subject of the Government of this island. With regard to this latter point, Mr Clark may, on closer inspection, alter his opinion and come to the conclusion that tbe present system of Government is faulty, not in principle, but in detail, and that -what is wanted is not a multiplying of Boards, but a simplifying of the functions of the bodies now in existence. Mr. Clark's platform with regard to protection and free trade appears to be at present hardly worked out, but a closer acquaintance with the.affairs of the State may, if he be elected, give him decided views in the right direction. His speech, taken as a whole, is a sensible one, and should not lessen his chances with his constituency. He talks at least common sense, and has no particular wish to impeach the Lord Privy Seal.