The Stafford election went in favour of the Conservatives by
a majority of nearly 300, Mr. Salt, the Conservative, polling 1,482 votes, and Mr. Howell, the working-man's candidate and the Liberal, polling only 1,185,—majority, 297. We are not at all surprised at the result. Mr. Salt is exceedingly popular in Stafford, and it is not very easy at any time to carry a borough with a working-man's candidate, however unexceptionable, the Philistinism of the electorate operating steadily against him. We have lost a seat at Stafford, and we did not win one last week at Tiverton, though we so much increased the Liberal majority there ; but, as regards our Parliamentary strength, we only kept our ground. Nevertheless, the defeat in the one case may be fairly set off against the greatly increased majority in the other, as gauges of popular feeling.
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