The Sandwich election petition has resulted in the judgment that
Mr. Roberts was not legally returned, and that corrupt practices prevailed generally at the election. The election was declared void on account of the lavish hiring of public-houses, not really for the use of committee-rooms, but in order to secure the favour of their lessees for the candidate. A large sum had been spent also illegally on the hiring of canvassers. It was declared both by Mr. Justice Lash and by Mr. Justice Manisty that the petitioner had, by his agents, been guilty of corrupt practices, as well as the respondent. We have no doubt that the number of paid canvassers at elections should be strictly limited, and that no such canvassers should be allowed to vote. But the real remedy is the disfranchisement of these small places, unless they can be so grouped as to make the constituency really large. The Ballot has, we think, proved, as we always feared it would, a great friend to corruption, though a great enemy to intimidation.
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