The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-18 00:00:00

BROADFORD (SKYE) DISTRICT.)
Glenmorriston
Chisholm..

49

There has not yet been time for returns of the second day's
polling from Skye and Fort William; but few voters were left
to poll, and there can be no doubt that Chisholm, the Conser-
vative candidate, will carry that election. The majority will
be about 30.

We anticipated this result from the commencement of the
struggle. Very early in the contest, a proprietor in this
neighbourhood, who had previously supported the liberal
interest, gave in his adhesion to Chisholm, on the ground
of his being a relation. Most of his tenants, we believe,
went with him, and about twelve votes were lost to one
party and gained to the other. Another influential pro-
prietor, residing in Lochaber, who had uniformly supported
Mr. Charles Grant, announced his intention of joining the
Conservative cause in future, as his support of Mr. Grant
proceeded, he said, not from any community of political
principle, but from feelings of private friendship and gra-
titude. When it is considered that the liberal majority
four months ago was only seven, it will be readily seen
how difficult it would be to overcome these defections,
especially before the heats and animosities generated by the
late contest had been allowed time to cool. No man
could be a greater favourite with the tenantry of this county
than Glenmorriston, while Chisholm has mixed but little
amongst them. The former, however, was identified with Mr.
Charles Grant's party, and Chisholm was adopted by the late
Macleod's ; and thus the old contest was renewed under dif-
ferent names, while Glenmorriston laboured under the disad-
vantage caused by the two secessions we have alluded to, and
the effect such a circumstance was calculated to have upon the
ranks of the timid and wavering. The Irish Church question
also turned several voters, chiefly in the eastern district. Had
there been time on the part of Glenmorriston to have followed
up his canvass personally throughout the whole county, afford-
ing such explanations as were necessary to remove misrepre-
sentation and vindicate the independent position in which he
stood, the result would probably have been different. It is a
remarkable fact, that the character of electioneering contests
here has been little if it all changed by the operation of the
Reform Act. They are still mainly decided by a small
number of !proprietors of large estates, whose tenants—
scattered over the wide and rugged surface of this great
county—seem generally to attach no importance to the elec-
tive franchise, or seldom think of voting differently from their
landlord or patron. It was believed on this occasion the Ca-
tholic tenantry would have gone wholly with Glenmorriston,
but we have heard of few instances of accession to the liberal
cause at this time from their ranks. Attention must be paid
to the formation of votes, as opportunities occur, and to the
Courts of Registration ; and, above all, the condition of the
poorer tenants, both physical and mental, must be improved,
before the tenantry as a body, can have a free voice in the elec-
tion for Inverness-shire. It gives us pleasure to add, that the
contest has not, so far as we can learn, been disgraced by any
outrage or disorder.
We find that Glenmorriston's friends are confident as to
being able to set aside the Grantown votes. In the event of
a Committee of the House of Commons deciding that, accord-
ing to the Reform Act, these votes should have been given in
Morayshire, and not in Inverness-shire, Glenmorriston will
still be the sitting Member.