At Hastings and Whitby the Liberal candidates came in by
respectable majorities. At Whitby there seems to have been a good deal of violent party feeling displayed on the official declara- tion of Mr. W. H. Gladstone's success ; and very different accounts are, as might be expected, given by the Liberal and Conservative reporters of the scene. The Tory hatred of Mr. Gladstone seems to be all but insane; and a good deal of it is transferred' to his son. No other Prime Minister's son would, in all probability, have been opposed on such an occasion at all. Mr. W. H. Gladstone's speeches at Whitby have contained nothing very memorable ; but his tone on the Irish land law was confident and cheerful—that of a man who feels sure that success is within reach, if not certain. A more difficult problem has seldom been presented to the country, but all the omens are at present far more favourable than they were this time last year with regard to the Church measure. Of course they may dis- appoint us, but no one who looks at the progress opinion has made in three months can be leas hopeful than even Mr. W. H. Gladstone.
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