The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-02-10 00:00:00

Poroet Count 4 Expreos.

TUESDAY, FIBEULAY 10. 1874._

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

The Queen will, according to the most recent
arrangements, leave Osborne for Windsor about
the 17th inst. It is officially announced that
Her Majesty will hold drawing-rooms at Buck-
ingham Palace on Thuraday, Feb. 26; Wednet-
day, March 25 ; and on a day yet to be fixed at
the end of April or beginning of May. Her
Majesty will also hold a court at Birmingham
Palace on Friday, March 13.
The result of the general election has been a
total defeat for the Liberal pasty, and the Premier
must now do what Mr. Disraeli did after the
election of 1867—resign office and make way
for his successor. Undoubtedly Mr. Disraeli
must be our next Prime Minister. There are
rumours of a Coalition Ministry, but this is not
very probable. Mr. Disraeli once said "England
does not love coalitions," and we believe he was
right. But there will be no occasion for a
coalition. It is generally thought that the net
result, about Valentine's day will be that the
Conservatives will have a majority of thirty. It
is said, on good authority, that Mr. Disraeli has
stated that if he had but a majority of three he
would try and carry on the Government. A
for Got 1, he will do so with thirty.
The only political change effected by the eleo-
Hone in Dorset is the return of a Liberal for
Poole in the place of • Liberal-Conservative.
Mr. Waring, the well-known railway contractor,
who formerly represented that seaport town, in
again chosen, and ousts Mr. A. E. Guest. Offence
had been given to the Poole fishermen by the
late member, and they collectively supported
Mr. Waring's candidature. The three old county
members were re-elected on Thursday in Ballot
Act privacy, and the few who expected political
speeches from the newly-chosen representatives
were disappointed. At Dorchester the seat so
long held by Colonel Napier Sturt, is now filled
by Mr. W. E. Brymer, of lisington,who defeated
the Liberal candidate by a majority of 120. We
do not regard this as by any means indicating
weakness in the Liberal party, but rather as a
stimulus to unity and exertion. Considering
that Mr. Brymer came forward as • neighbouring
gentleman, supported by all the proprietary and
legal influence of the borough, with • fair name,
and a capacity and promise of doing great things
for Dorchester, and carried on his canvass with
unwearied persistence, while the Liberal candi-
date was • stranger, with few influential friends,
no political organization at his back, and too
high-minded to canvass personally, we cannot but
think that at the next election, by timely associ-
ated effort on the part of its upholders, the
principles of Liberalism will achieve an emphatic
success. On this occasion, but for the desertion
of natural allies, or the renegadetem of professed
adherents of Liberalism, the Conservative majo-
rity would have been very much smaller. It is,
however, to be noted, that the election of Mr.
Brymer merely leaves the tepresentation as It
was before—Conservative. Weymouth placed
Mr. Edwards at the top of the poll by the
enormous majority of 440 over the elected
Conservative, or only 12 less than the total of
votes recorded for the defeated candidate,
To the intense personal popularity of Mr.
Edwards as much as to his political faith we
ascribe this victory, while the rejection of Mr.
Bamboo, who, elected • Liberal-Conservative,
graduated into an unqualified Conservative, and
then, cherishing the fatal fancy that the con-
stituency had retrograded with the same facility
and celerity as himself, sought to wrest the entire
representation for his party, is • caustic warning
to enthsizatic dreamers, and preaches anew the
old truth "Let him that thinketh he 'tended),
take heed lest he fall." Had Mr. Hambro
followed the dictates of prudence, he would
have left Weymouth to Sir Frederic Johnstone
as its natural Conservative representative, and
have offered himself, as he might have done, in
the county town. The Conservatives of Dor-
chester would have had in him an attentive
member and • respectable politician, and he
might have been sure of election. At Bridport
the old and well-tried Liberal member, Mr. T.
A. Mitchell, was re-elected without opposition,
and has been staying in the borough to visit his
constituents in their homes, and ascertain their

wishes and convictions. ghafteshury, as was
expected, has re-elected Mr. Bennet-Stanford,
but on this occasion his majority over Mr.
Denby Seymour (20) is 40 less than he had last
September, so that if the same declension prevails
for a few months, it is evident that a Liberal will
again be returned for that borough. Wareham
I. inexplicable. The Did Tory member, Mr.
Drax, who showed his regard for the interests
of his constituents by attending the House of
Commons only twice in as many years, was
again chosen by the astounding majority of 192
over the Liberal candidate, Mr. Montague
Guest. Of the patriarchal character of Mr.
Dries position let the following address to his
faithful retainers at Here Regis indicate :
" Here lam again. Here's the !Fold hen come
once more to gather her chickens under her
wings ;" and the answering cry "&h we
ain't a se'd 'e so lung that were all a-dying 'wi
the gapes !" All the territorial influence of the
Isle of Purbeck was exerted in favour of Mr.
Drax, fer though they disliked the man they
feared the success of a rival. '1 he Independent
cendidate, Dr. Emmen', who certainly had the
beat of the argument, had the fewest votes. The
result of Wareham election should make us shy
of electoral districts, which Wareham borough
really is ; for, it is evident, that until education
has enlarged the knowledge and stimulated the
aspirations of the unenfranchised in counties,
they aro but ill-fitted to take an intelligent part
in the election ot Members of Parliament.
Dorset at this election has not followed the
general reaction in favour of Conservatism, but,
on the contrary, gives one more supporter of the
cause that especially favours liberty and freedom
alike commercially, socially, and religiously.