Next to the Edinburgh elections, the most startling incident has
been, perhaps, Mr. Sexton's election for West Belfast by a majority of 103 over Mr. J. H. Haslett, the Conservative, the poll showing for Mr. Sexton 3,832, and for Mr. Haslett 3,729. In November, Mr. Haslett obtained 3,778 votes, and Mr. Sexton
only 3,743. The total poll had increased by 40 votes, but Mr Sexton's poll had increased by 89. In South Hackney, Sir Charles Russell's (the Attorney-General's) poll was much less than in November, while his opponent's had increased, so that he only got in by 100 votes, on a total poll of 5,500. And in the Wellington Division of Somerset, Sir Thomas Acland, one of the most popular as well as powerful country gentlemen in the Kingdom, was rejected by 897 votes in favour of the Conserva- tive, Mr. Elton, on a poll exceeding considerably 7,000 votes, —Sir Thomas Acland having expressed so hesitating an opinion for Mr. Gladstone, that his constituents evidently interpreted his inner mind as only half-reconciled to the new and very risky creed.
