The report circulated that Mr. Gladstone's Committee for the University
of Oxford had determined on separating his fortunes from those of Sir W. Heathcote, is as erroneous as it is injurious to his chances of success. What did happen was, that the voting- papers, which the University uses for the first time, have not been printed, as was expected, with both Mr. Gladstone's and Sir W. Ileathcote's names on them, because a suggestion was made that if any voter did not wish to vote for both, and erased Sir W. Heathcote's name, the erasure might invalidate the voting-paper. Accordingly the voting-papers are printed without either name, but with a request to the voters to vote for both Mr. Gladstone and Sir W. Heathcote. The mere fact that Mr. Gladstone's Committee had " imagined " a traitorous wish towards Sir W. Heathcote, and provided against its results, has been falsely in- terpreted into an overt act of treason to him. For our own part, we trust a great many may be found to plump for Mr. Gladstone, though we are glad his Committee have not needlessly diminished his chances by cutting the tie which unites him to a worthy but narrow-minded politician.
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