20 DECEMBER 1879, Page 2

The Donegal election was a great victory for the Liberalt

being not merely the gain of an Irish seat, but the gain a .air an Irish seat for a Liberal who has not pledged himself to 1-j.f. the Home-rulers. Mr. Lea, the Liberal, polled 2,313 votes against only 1,630 given for Mr. M'Corkell, the Conservative. )F At the last election, in August, 1876, Mr. Wilson, the Conser- vative, polled 1,975 votes, against only 1,876 for Mr. Lea, so that Mr. Lea has not only polled 437 more votes than he himself polled on that occasion, but 338 more than his opponent polled. That such a poll should have been achieved by a Liberal un- pledged to Home-rule,—even in Ulster,—is a good omen for Irish politics.