THE MINISTERIAL STATEMENT OF THE LAST REGISTRATION.

IN dealing, three weeks ago, with a paper in Fraser Magazine, on " The Registration of 1639," we maintained that sufficient evi- dence bad not been adduced for the assertion either that "the Ministerialists had been unusually active, or that their efforts had. been so unsuccessful as the writer represented." From his own data we attempted to demonstrate this conclusion. The Morning Chronicle, however, goes further, and affirms, " that in profit and loss on the entire registration of 1839, the Reformers have gained."

We have no means of deciding between the conflicting state-

ments; but we must observe, that a snore unsatisfactory mode of dealing with an opponent's case cannot be imagined than that which the Morning Chronicle adopts in such passages as the follow- ing— " Does Fraser mean to tell the country, and hope for credulity, that the Tories have gained, since the last election, in Oxford, Canterbury, Durham, Blackburn, Taunton, Lyme, Bradford, Eveshani Southampton, Yarmouth, Preston, Chichester, Bolton, Tewkesbury, or PoAsmouth? If he does, we boldly contradict hint, and tell the public, as the fact is, that in every one of these places the strength of the Liberal party has increased, and that no hope of an additional Tory exists in any of them.'

The " public" are not favoured with a " fact" or a figure in sup- port of this assertion—which is " boldly" made. But had there been facts or figures to prop it, we apprehend they would not have been withheld ; for the writer in the Chronicle has in several in- stances produced returns at variance with those given by Fraser.

Again, the writer says-

" We at once, and from accurate data, deny the Tory gain upon

A nglesea, West Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire, East Gloucestershire, Bert fintishire, West Norfolk, West Somerset, North Devon.

We claim, and can iprove, a Liberal gain upon each of these eight counties— and a gain which s important too, as these eight counties return only five Liberal and twelve Tory Members. As to Middlesex, we deny the truth of the Tory account of numbers gained : we admit that upon objections the To- ries had the majority of 40, and not of 396; but the result of the revision will show a loss to them.

"We clahn and can prove "—why don't you prove, then ? Fra• ser's • flumes may have been wrong, but from published data he 9

drew hss results. We thought his inferences vastly too large ; but he did not conceal his grounds, and claim credit for a solid super- structure upon an unseen foundation. •

To the Morning Chronicle's figures, when figures are given, the same remark applies as to those in Fraser's Magazine : they show tOdifference too small to jostify confidence in the result of the next election: Thus- ., lii tlis following, boroughs we have a gain whirls the Tories, though they mar deny, cannot disprove :

• Ashburton 12 Harwich Bornstaple 9 Hertford. 3 Chlistc:mych. It; Knared,oron.:;11 11 llastinL:s "5 Eselkw

Ss:mete:ears- 13 IN inchester 19" Now the aggregate or registered votes in these places is., in round numbers, 4,503 ; \S tile the Liberal gains claimed aliment to only 127. 'Manifestly, theretbre, the advantage, be it real, is insignifi- cant, and not worth disputing about.

As a set-off against the list of 1il-tee3 which

ens likely to be wrested from the Whigs, the Ireesisor sect!, mentions the following " which may, and there is every rea- Kist Norrolk

1 or 2 Aylesbury 1

N% est :\ 111.101g.

1

Bth

Rnlinin It

:North Devon

Sontls Derbyshire

Bri,!BOn ..',011th Essex

Bury St. Edmund's ...

Newrlistic-untler-

Ciro:aeon

[Nue 1

1

Theli.d,roke

1 Cricklade

Sletford 1 rome

live 1

toseithaln

Sitorkshurv 1

soenwich

Smith 91ziella 1

Stafford 1 I.

Stockport 1

kit•TOJI

Stoke.on-Treitt 1 Hereford.

'Prom 1 llersford

'Wallingford 1

OT 2

elnim 1 Eiblerminster It Wells It

1.yn-

'We slotik

1 Lonvzoer

Weymouth 1

Maldon

.. 2

Woodstock 1 Marylebone

On scrutinizing this list with reference to the numbers polled at the last election, and in the absence of any reliable data of changes effected by the registration since 1337, we find excee:lindy little reason to anticipate the success which the Mornie; Uhronicle holds oat. Possibly in Norfolk something might he done ; and in Bath Mr. ROEBUCK has a fair chime or election. It would be hazardous to prophesy the result of a contest in Marylebone, but in all the other places mentioned we fear the odds are against the Liberals ; and not only or principally on account of the state of the registration, but for reasons mentioned by the writer in the Closet/de himself—" the oserleet qf le 11,formers, and the supine-

and illiberality of the Whig aristocracy."

We do not pretend to have entered into all the details of the Cneoniete's very long and elaborate, though most unsatisfactory paper. Enough, however, has been eshibited to show the nature of' the evidence on which his case rests. 'The article concludes with a slap at the Tories— II ukrt Peol, we guess, is tot deceive,: : he must b.; sick at heart by the outbre.lks f Tory Eoulticion, and di3gosted by the elatila 1)1.4)0:ales deceived mulL 1311-5, Fat..L.r and the correspondents of the Stan- dar/ do not imnpoe upon Sir Robert Peel."

What Sir Roomer PEEL or the Tories expected in 1835, we know not ; but their hopes must have been indeed extravagant if Time result of the election in that year disappointed them. They doubled their numbers in the House of Commons. How were the expectations of Whigs in 1837 answered S Their majority was reduced to some 15 or 20 votes, and now ir ranges from 2 to 10.

son to believe will, be wrested front the Tories."