We should fear Hull and Bath were both gone. Hull
is lost with the refusal of Mr. Clay-Ker-Seymer to stand, and with the appearance of a candidate, Mr. Pease, who, after a column of abuse of Mr. Gladstone, says he is, on the whole, on the publicans' side, will oppose any disintegration of the Empire, will insist on religious education, will advocate the abolition of the Income-tax, and will go in for a policy of rest. It does not matter two straws that he is absurdly wrong ; that Mr. Gladstone deserves none of his abuse ; that the Liberals have given up interfering with drink ; that we are not disintegrating the Empire, but defending it in arms ; that the Government risks all to preserve religious education ; that the Income-tax is more in danger from Liberals than Tories, and more from those who do not pay it than from those who do. Hull is pretty equally divided, and the sway will be towards the local man who, having no policy and no grievance, talks of rest. If the new idea of dissolving in November is true, we shall be beaten hip and thigh over two-thirds of England.
