The election for the Brentford Division of Middlesex resulted, as
was pretty certain, in the defeat of Mr. Haysman, the Home- rule candidate, by a large majority. But the majority, instead of having increased, as we anticipated, since the last election, has dwindled, owing to the indifference of the electors,—an indiffer- ence which was naturally greater on the Conservative side than on the Liberal. The Conservatives had in Mr. Coope lost their popular candidate. But besides this, the Conservatives knew that they need not exert themselves to be sure of victory, while the only chance of the Home-rulers was a great effort. The result was, for the Conservative, Mr. Bigwood, 2,572 ; for Mr. Haysman, 1,316; majority for the Conservative, 1,256. At the last election the majority for the Conservative was 1,634, so that it had decreased by 378 votes. The total poll, however, had decreased from 4,452 to 3,888, or by 564 votes, while the Home- rule vote had increased by 93 votes. It is clear, therefore, that the Home-rulers took a little more pains, and the Conservatives and Unionists a good deal less, than they took last July.
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