TOPICS OF HE DAY.

THE BALLOT DIVISION.

THERE are now data for calculating, with an approach to accuracy, the whole numerical strength for the Ballot which the present Rouse of Commons contains ; every Liberal, however closely con- nected with the Government, even though a Cabinet Minister, having been at liberty to support Mr. GROTE'S motion. The majority, including Tellers, was 333

It consisted of Tories 285

Official Whigs 12

[Lord John Russell, Lord Howiek, Lord Palmerston, Mr. Spring Rice, Mr. F. T. Baring, Mr. W. Cowper, Whigs not in ollice 38 [Mr. Alston, Mr. E. Heneage, Lord Andover, Mr. P. Howard, Mr. Benett, Sir C. Lemon, Mr. E. Boller, Lord A. Lennox, Mr. Byng, Mr. Mildmity, Mr. C. Cavendish, Mr. Moreton,

Mr. G. II. Cavendish, Sir R. Phillips,

Mr. Cayley, Sir It. Price,

Mr. Childers, Sir. Showy'

Sir W. Clayton, Mr. G. R. Smith, Sir C. Cootc, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Fazakerley, Sir G. Staunton, Sir Robert Ferguson, Dr. Stock, Mr. J. W. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Townley, Mr. F. French, Mr. E. Turner, Lord R. Grosvenor, Mr. G. Wilbraham, Mr. Handley, Mr. Wilshere, Mr. Ilarlimil, Mr. T. E. Winnington, Mr. G. J. Henthcote, Mr. Wrightson.] — 335

Thus it appears that the Whigs could only carry 38 Members over to the Tories ; who mustered in sufficient numbers to defeat Mr. GROTE even though every professing Liberal in the House had supported hint. For in that case, the numbers would have stood thus—

For the Ballot 267 Against it 285

The minority, including Tellers, was 217 ; and included the following 18 official gentlemen—

Mr. Poulett Thompson, Mr. .T. Parker, Colonel Anson, Dir. R. Steuart, Mr. Bernal, Mr. E. J. Stanley, Mr. G. S. Byng, Sir Henry Purnell, Sir .T. Campbell, Mr. Pigot, Sir. R. Gordon, Sir E. Tronbridge, Sir G. Grey, Sir 'Hussey "Vivian,

Mr. Fox Amle, Mr. Rich;

Mr. More °Terra% Lord A. Paget.

Mr. Sr etymrr and Sir Ilcssmr VivrAN voted last year with Mr. Gaon. Mr. BYNG has come over from the enemy.

To ascertain the full strength which might be brought to support the Ballot, it is necessary to examine the list of absent Liberals— for it is idle to expect converts from those who joined with RUSSELL, PEEL, and the Tories, in defeating Mr. GitoTE on Tuesday. At any rate, on looking over the list of professing Liberals quoted above, we cannot put our finger OH one likely to follow Mr. DENISoN'S eXaMple. Some Of theta may be reasonably open to eonveNiun ; but as ihr as we know, they have made "no sign." Turn we then to the absentees professing Liberalism.

Sir It. Howard, Mr. Hurst, Mr. Labouehere, Lord J. G. Lennox, Mr. Loch, Mr. Maher, Sir. J. Martin, Mr. T. Martin, Lord :Slelgund, Lord Milton, Lord Morpeth, Mr. Morris Sir R. Nagle, Mr. C. O'Brien, Mr. Smith O'Brien, Sir. Pease, 31r. G. It. Phillips, Mr. Pinney, 31r. C. Ponsonbv, Mr. J. Power, Mr. C. Protheruo, r. Prvse, Mr. Ittitherford, Mr. J. A. Smith, Mr. Strangways, Mr. J. 11. Talbot, Captain Wemyss,

Mr. 11. R. Westenra, Mr. J. C. Westeura,

Colonel White, Mr. Wilkins, Captain Wilmington, Mr. G. W. Wood. Sir It. Rohl:, Mr. C. Wood, Mr. Vernon Smith, Sir R. ])onkin, Lord Seymour, Lord Surly.) Lord Acheson, Sir C. Adam, Mr. Ainsworth, Sir. Bannerman, Mr. C. Berkeley, Sir. G. C. Berkeley, Mr. Blackeit, Lord Brabazon, Mr. Bri.scoe, Mr. 11 eh a rst, Mr. W. F. Campbell, Lord Cloments, Sir .1. Cohmhoun, Sit Crawley, Sir S. Crompton, Mr. Curry, Lord Dalmenv, Mr. DA lord Duncan, Sir R. L. Dundas, Sir J. Elwardes, Mr. Ellice, Mr. Etwall, Mr. W. B. Evans, Lord Filmdom Mr. Fit zsimon, Sir. Goring, Mr. J. Grattan, Mr. Greenaway, Sir C. Grey, Sir R. Heron, Lord M. Hill, Sir J. Hobhouse, Mr. Hoskins,

Of these 68 Members, it is fair to reckon the following gentle- men as Ballot supporters, because they voted with Mr. GROTE ither on the division of 7th March 1837, or that of the 15th February 1838; and some Tuesday—

Mr. Ainsworth, Mr. Broeklehurst, Mr. Crawley, Lord Duncan, Mr. Ellice. Sir. Etwall, Mr.Fitzsimon, Sir It. Heron, Lord Si. Hill, Mr. Maher, Mr. J. Martin,

Add 22 to 217, and you have the total number-239—on which it is safe to calculate for the Ballot in the MELBOURNE House of Commons. Possibly, some absentees who have never yet sup- ported it may be induced to join the Reformers hereafter on this question. We should hope that Lord MORPETH, Mr. LABOUCHERE, and Mr. BANNERMAN, would come over to the Ballot camp; but any reason beyond their general reputation for Liberalism, we cannot give fbr expecting from them such a change of opinion. The reserved strength of the Tories, in absentees, is as follows—

Mr. W. Attwood, Mr. Kerr, Sir. 131ackhurne, Sir Edward Kerrison, Mr. Broadwood, Dir. Kirk, Mr. Burr, Mr. Lucas, Sir 11. Campbell, Mr. Maxwell, Dlr. Cripps, Mr. Sioneypenny, Mr. Dottm, General O'Neill, Lord Douro, Mr. G. Palmer, Sir W. Follett, Mr. Perceval, Mr. Lane Fox, Dlr. Praed, Mr. Gibson, Sir G. Rose, Colonel Grant, Sir 11. St. Paul, Lord Granby, Alderman Thompson, Lord Ilamilton, Mr. G. It. Trevor, Mr. W. Iloward, Mr. R. Wilbraham, Mr. W. Jones, Sir W. Wynn.

This list contains 32 names ; and, with the exception perhaps o. Mr. GIBSON, they would all, it' present, oppose the Ballot. The number who actually voted against it being 335, it follows that the final Anti-Ballot number, in the Mlit.uouRNE Parliament, would be 366 ; lbr it, 239 ; majority, 127. Some Members, not officials, appear to have voted on Tuesday for the first time with Mr. GROTE, for no other apparent reason than that Ministers made the Ballot an "open question." Among these may Macnamara, be—

Mr. G. R. Abercromby, Major Lord Euston, Mr. .31"Paggart,

Lord D. G. Hallyburton, Lord Shelburne,

Mr. Ilayter, Sir H. Verney. Mr. Lynch,

There is a general impression that Mr. W. J. DENISON has been a convert of the present session ; but we find his name in the minority on the 15th of February 1838. It is worthy of remark, that the representatives of the great Whig families, with few excep- tions, were either absent or voting with the Tories on Tuesday. Among them were RUSSELLS, CAVENDISIIES, SPENCERS, HOWARDS, GROSVENORS, GREYS, COWPERS, SEYMOURS, LENNOX.ES.

* The list of " pairs " published in the newspapers is lief to be relied upon as regards the Ballot division especially ; for in many instances the pairing ex- tends to the remainder of the session, and includes ail questions.

of them "paired off*" for the motion of

Lord Melgund, Sir R. Nagle, Mr. Pease,

Mr. Power, Mr. Protheroe, Mr. J. A. Smith, Mr. J. H. Talbot, Mr. C. Walker, Captain Wemyss, Mr. J. C. Westenra, Colonel White.