Mr. Ald. Waithmansaid, he rose to present the Petition of that extensive ward, Farringdon Without, which contained nearly one-sixth of the population of London. It was numerously signed, and prayed generally for Reform, and in particular for the Vote by Ballot—a principle which he himself felt especially necessary to protect men from the necessity of voting against their principles and their conscience, from what he had himself witnessed, in his own case, within the last few days—on an occasion when the power and influence of the East-India Company, and other great bodies, had been exerted to carry an object which never could have been accomplished had the election in question been made by ballot.
§ Mr. Hunt,as a member of that Ward, was desirous to second the motion of the hon. Alderman. He expressed himself extremely delighted to find that his worthy friend was, at length, a convert to the system of ballot, though he was sorry that he had. so dearly bought his experience 140 through the medium of a defeat, in the disappointment resulting from which he sincerely sympathised with his hon. and worthy friend. He was, moreover, delighted to find that, already, the ballot was so generally in fashion—["No, no, no," from all quarters of the House.] Yes; he would maintain it was; and so much so, that he had little doubt that in London, in Westminster, in the Borough, and in Middlesex, the principle of the ballot would find advocates in ninety-nine out of a hundred. Aye, and if the question were put and polled for by ballot, he was convinced the noes would find it so.