The contest for Salford to fill up the seat vacated
by the death of Mr. Cawley will probably be a sharp one. The Liberal candi- date chosen is Mr. Kay, Q.C., who is ill, and cannot canvass for himself, though Sir William Jenner has written his opinion that if elected he will be able soon to take his seat, and do justice to his constituents. Mr. Walker is the Conservative candidate, and it is said that he has refined to support Mr. Butt's proposed inquiry into the Home-rule question and the amnesty of the political pri- soners, while Mr. Kay has consented to do so, which will, unfortu- nately, we fear, get him the Home-rule vote. Not that there is any particular harm in either concession, but that it is quite certain that neither concession will serve the purpose of the Irish Home-rulers who give him their support when once the question has got beyond the preliminary stage, and has entered that of the ultimate issue, —and then the temptation of those who have gone so far to go farther, for the sake of obtaining the continued support of the Home-rulers, will be very great. In 1874, Mr. Kay (the highest Liberal) received 6,327 votes, while Mr. Cawley (the highest Conservative) obtained 7,003, so that unless the proportions be changed, a transfer of some 390 votes from the Tory to the Liberal side, or of about 5 per cent. of the constituency, would give the Liberals the seat.
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