Mr. Caine, who had apparently worked himself up into the
expectation of a triumphant return, unless the sanguine anticipations attributed to him were imagined by the reporters, accepted the decision of the electors with an almost saintly humility. He wrote to congratulate Mr. Duncan on his elec- tion, to wish him a most successful career in Parliament, and to congratulate the country on having defeated "the repre- sentative of the liquor interest." "I accept the defeatfrankly," said Mr. Caine, "and whatever I can do in the future to reconcile the discordant elements of the Liberal Party in Barrow shall be done loyally and frankly." In other words, in spite of the bitterness with which he had reproached Mr. Gladstone for not supporting him, and had inveighed against Sir Wilfrid Lawson for betraying him as David betrayed Uriah for his own selfish and guilty purposes, Mr. Caine will act in future as the ally of the Gladstonians in Barrow,—and counts on being soon forgiven. It is easy to forgive those who have played into our hands, and this is what Mr. Caine has done for the Gladstonians. If Mr. Caine had not stood, it seems pretty certain that the Unionist would have been returned. Mr. Caine therefore feels that he cannot do better than to kiss the rod with which he has been smitten, and to promise his former constituents that he will find no fault with them for sending Mr. Duncan to Parliament in place of him. "He beat me with a stick," said Mr. Pecksniff, "which I have every reason to believe has knobs on it; but I am not angry." In a like temper writes Mr. Caine.
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