The Ministry have gained two important elections—the elec- tions for
Bristol and East Kent. At Bristol, Mr. S. Morley, the well known Radical, and a member of the Liberation Society, has been defeated by Mr. Miles after a very hot contest, in which Mr. Miles,—son, we believe, of the old Conservative candidate of bygone Protectionist days,—polled 5,173 votes, and Mr. S. Morley 4,977—the former winning by 196 votes. Mr. S. Morley was clearly an unfortunate candidate for the Radi- eala to put forward during this Irish Church contest. He is a vehement anti-State Church man, and precisely what is alleged against Mr. Gladstone's resolutions is that they endanger the English no less than the Irish Church. Mr. Morley's candidature cannot but have given strength to this impression, and lost the party many Liberal votes. In East Kent, the Liberal, Mr. Tuf ton, polled, according to an unofficial account, 3,109 votes against the Conservative, Mr. Pemberton's, 3,606,—so that the Conservative was returned by an increased majority. In 1865 the majority was only 276. These elections will give Mr. Disraeli a plausible ground for asserting that the country is not so united on the question of the Irish Church as we Liberals are apt to suppose. In Cockermouth, also, the Conservative candidate was elected by a majority of 26 ; but that is a small matter.
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