18 FEBRUARY 1882, Page 2

The Taunton election resulted on Thursday in the return of

a Tory, which leaves the representation as it was. Mr. Allsopp, the Conservative, polled 1,144 votes, against 917, given for the Liberal, Lord Kilcoursie,—majority, 227. The poll shows a certain loss of ground on the part of the Liberals, but that is very explicable without regard to politics. Taunton has always shown predilections for the spending of money on electors, and Sir Henry James's Corrupt Practices Bill has, no doubt, greatly irritated those electors who like to profit by their votes in purse, as well as in other ways. We should have attached no importance whatever to a victory, and we attach no importance- to the defeat.