Correspondence.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 375, 28 May 1861, Page 2

Correspondence.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS A NURSERY FOR CHARTISM. ' To the Editor of the Colonist. Sir, —The following extracts are taken-from one of the lesson-books in daily use in the Government Schools of this Province. It is commended to the attention of the Editor of the Examiner, who is, or ought to be, Inspector of Schools. Yours, &c, CONSERVATIVE.

Universal Suffrage —By which it is demanded that all men of proper age, who are of sound mind, and have not forfeited "their civil rights by breaking the laws, shallhave afvoice in the election of their representatives. It is thought that honest and healthy men have a claim to this, because as they are called upon to contribute towards the expenses of government, so they ought to have some control over the expenditure of. the sums thus contributed.

Vote by Ballot.—-Which signifies voting in such a manner that none but the voter knows to whom his vote is given. This is accomplished in various ways, and has been practised for ages for some purposes. The chief advantages aimed at is the extinction of bribery and intimidation by the wealthy towards the poor. ' :■ ■ ■ •'• '"'■'; Annual P.Arliaments.—These would by their frequency render bribery almost impossible, and many men of nO great wealth, but of splendid political talents, would have a chance of being returned to Parliament who are now excluded. Hence the necessity of two further provisions, namely : — Kemuneration of Members.—So that if a man be too poor to support himself without work! he may, if elected, be able to discharge his parliamentary duties; and—

The Abolition of thb Property Qualification, as settled by the Reform Bill, which requires every town member to have a clear personal income of £300 a-year, and every county member £600 a-year.