The Unionists sustained a severe defeat in East Bristol on
Friday week. They never had a chance of carrying the seat, the Gladstonian majority in 1886 having been 1,736; but this was increased on the 9th inst. to 2,875, even if we do not reckon the 602 votes given to a Labour candidate as Glad- stonian votes,—which they probably were. Something of the majority may be due to Sir J. D. Weston's personal popu- larity, or a dislike for Mr. J. Inskip's strong Conservatism ; but most of it must be ascribed to Mr. Gladstone's charm for the larger number of electors. They may not, and in Bristol, we should fancy, do not love the Irish; but they love him. We must remember, however, that in 1886 there were a great number of abstentions. In 1885, Mr. Handel Cossham's majority over the Conservative was 2,264. But even that was largely exceeded on Friday week.
Previous page
