18 SEPTEMBER 1830, Page 3

Conmern. Or MIDDLESEX. — This election goes on with equal if not

increasing spirit. The popular candidate fell fearfully behind during the first days of the struggle ; but on Monday he rallied, and he leas since, with a trifling exception, been gaining on his opponent. Of coarse, both parties, and the friends of both parties, are sanguine of success. Mr. Wakley has the advantage in speech-making ; he speaks better, and he is heard ; Mr. Baker has less eloquence, and a much less indulgent audience. The crowd and bustle on Clerkenwell Green is not at all inferior to that which was exhibited in the Borough High Street during the late poll for member of Parliament ; and the music, pla.. cards, banners, and bellowing, and the hackney-coaches innumerous, are perfect types of those which were sported by Mr. Harris and his fellow candidates. As a general rule, we think that the selec- tion of a medical man for a Coroner is goody; although it does not exactly follow from this that Mr. Wakley ought to be preferred to Mr. Baker ; for in all such cases, there are a host of particularities that render an abstract rule of little value. There is one reason, however, which would weigh very much with us in the present case. Mr. Baker holds a number of offices already—four or five, we believe. Now we know nothing that is more intolerable than this grasping after a multitude of situations, the duties of which are not unfrequently compatible, and the emoluments of which, if properly distributed, might suffice for half a dozen of respectable families, instead of pampering one in pride and luxury. For this reason—because of all monopolies, the monopoly of office has the fewest redeeming features—we should cer- tainly vote against Mr, Baker ; and we would act in the same way and

on the same grounds towards Mr. Wakley, were he a pluralist, if he had the skill of an Abernethy. N At four o'clock yesterday, the state of the poll was as follows :- Baker . . . . 2,978

' i Wakley . . 11 2,732

7 '

Gross majority for Mr. Baker 246