Note 7 — Chapter XVI · THE ILLNESS OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.

According to Addison, the House of Commons as far back as 1708 began to discuss the Ballot. After 1832 it became a popular cry with the Radicals, and in the first Session of the Reformed Parliament Mr. Grote brought in a Ballot Bill which was rejected by a majority of 211 to 106. Year after year Mr. Grote was beaten in his attempt to carry his measure. To him succeeded Mr. Henry Berkeley, who every year brought forward a resolution in favour of secret voting, and in 1851 even carried it by a majority of 37 against the opposition of Lord John Russell and the Whig Government. The odious corruption and scandalous scenes of violence which were associated with open voting at elections gradually made Lord John and Mr. Gladstone converts to Mr. Berkeley’s views. In 1868 the revelations of Lord Hartington’s Committee as to the manner of conducting elections convinced the country that the Ballot must be adopted. In 1869 another Committee on Electoral Practices reported in favour of it.