Mr. Gladstone recently informed an Australian correspondent that the country
in all bye-elections had condemned the policy of the Government, whereupon Lord Claud Hamilton wrote to- him a public letter, informing him—of course, in Parliamentary and decorous forms—that he was misrepresenting facts. Mr. Adam, however, the Liberal Whip, and the first authority on such a subject in the kingdom, informed his constituents at Kin- ross on Monday that Mr. Gladstone was right. Since January, 1876—that is, since the complete development of " Imperialism "— there have been thirty-two elections in places which were con- tested in 1874, and which afford the only test, as uncontested elections may only indicate, and in counties constantly do only indicate, that no candidate is forthcoming with the necessary wealth. In the thirty-two elections, the Liberal party have gained ten seats, and lost one. In 1874, moreover, the voting- power in these elections was 103,249 Liberals, and 101,999 Tories ; while in the elections since 1876, the voting-power has been, Tories, 104,697, and Liberals, 116,139. lathe present year. 19 elections have resulted in a majority of 7,416 against the Government. This is of course but a small majority, but there is no hurry. The people have not yet been asked for the bill, and do not quite perceive whither the histrionic antics of the Govern- ment are leading them. When they do, we shall be rid, not indeed of Tories, but of this particular phase of Toryism, this acrobatic statesmanship, for one generation at least.
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