Mr. H. Berkeley and Lord Palmerston had their usual good-
natured duel about the ballot on Monday night, Lord Palmerston as usual coming off victorious both in argument and in votes. Mr. Berkeley took his place at the table on the Opposition side of the House amid much laughter, which gave occasion to Lord Palmer- ston to say in his reply that he hoped the debate would not make Mr. Berkeley feel so comfortable in his present position as to induce him to make it perm'anent. " Nothing can be more honourable to any man than steadily adhering to the cause or party which he has adopted, and the more the cause or party is going down in public opinion the more honourable is his devotion." The result showed that the ballot certainly is going down in public opinion, 212 voting against and only 123 for it ; and we suppose Lord Palmerston also meant to admit the fall of the Liberal cause in public opinion, and to appeal to Mr. Berkeley's gallantry not to desert it. We are not sure that it would materially feel his loss. Mr. Berkeley is one of those easy-going men, Liberals by formula, who believe in the ballot because it might diminish slightly the intimidation practised on poor electors, though at the expense of all true political influence, and yet advocate vehemently the cause of those States which are now fighting for freedom to oppress and intimidate a whole race in every act of their lives.
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