The Tories are extremely pleased with the result of the
con- test for Wakefield, vacated by the death of Mr. Mackie. Mr. Mackie in 1880 received 2,194 votes, and Mr. Sanderson, his Conservative opponent, only 1,796; whereas on Thursday Mr. Green, Conservative, had 1,918 votes, and Mr. Lee, the Liberal, only 1,661. That, say the Tories, proves that opinion has changed ; and, of course, it may be so. If they count the figures, however, they will see that 411 persons who voted in 1880 did not vote on Thursday,—a number greatly exceeding Mr. Green's majority. The truth is that a bye-election to a seat tenable only for six weeks called out no Democratic feeling, while the Tories were excited and hopeful from the change of Ministry. The Times attributes the result to the Irish vote ; but that is not accurate, though the result is significant in one way. The Tory electors of Wakefield condone the alliance of their leaders with Mr. Parnell.
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