OUTBIDDING THE LIBERALS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."1
Sts.,—In view of the apocryphal stories that are told of Liberal promises to the county voters, your readers may be interested in knowing how high a Conservative candidate was willing to bid for the support of the Bedfordshire electors. In North Bedford- shire, a few days before the election, bills were issued asking the cottagers to vote for Mr. Barttelot if they wished to secure the following blessings :—" All taxes off food ; a cheap, big loaf; taxes on rich men's luxuries ; taxes off poor men's land and houses ; taxes on rich men's incomes ; no compulsory attendance at school after the age of ten ; relief to the sick, old, and infirm at their own cottages ; no workhouse; allotments at the same rent as farmer's rent." The candidate was opposed to com- pulsory vaccination (the anti-vaccinators are strong in one part of the division); was in favour of manhood suffrage; would support compulsory cultivation of all capable land ; declared that he had a great hatred of perpetual pensions ; and was very indig- nant at so much being paid to ancient officers in the Army, who did little for their money, while so little was paid to private soldiers.
He received the full support of the Conservatives in the division. But the cottagers wisely considered that the Tories should be judged by deeds, and not by words ; so the Liberal candidate, Mr. Magniac, was returned by a handsome majority-
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