New-York tribune., 1880-01-16
/. GREAT LIBERAL VICTORY.

MR. wADDY SUCCESSFUL IL sIEFtIELD-G. A.
sALAs LIVELY AND APPRrCIAIIvE LETTERS
FROM NEW -YORK-RKADY SALE OF DICKENs5
LETTERS.
rFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE rRBUNRl
LONDON Dec. 23.-It is really great Liberal
victory, the election Of Mr.. Waddy in Sheffield.
Naturally the Tory papers do their best to bettie
H. but they are in fact, utterly surprised and grev-
ously disappointed by the result. l teleeraphed
You on Saturday how low Liberal hopes had sunk.
had seen three four men nearest the central
sources Of information. and every one OF
them agreed in considering the battle lost. The
news could not be worse said onc There s simply no
hone for Waddy said another; and so on. And L
knew that Mr.. Adam. the Liberal whip, had come
back TO town in despair, and gone to Devonshre
House and told Lord Harrington that the game was
ND. | knew also that, though funds were lacking
for the ordinary expenses of the election the LIB
eral holder had refused to advance any more
money. on the ground that 1t would he money
thrown away That is more than enough TO show
that the victory was a surprise as complete as 10
was gratifying to the Liberals themselves. And
the Tories were just as confident as the Liberals
were despailing. In such circumstances IT ~ idlo
to say that a success does not mean great deal.
The journal which from habit is still called the
leading journal says that the Tory candidate had
no special advantages on his side. | wonder what
ore sDecial advantages If Mr.. Wortley had none.
He had IN addition to the full Tory vote oil the
Roebuck influence; all Mr. Mark Firths great local
strength, all the Catholics; all the Iichbornites.
always a strong party in Sheffield and now reused
10 fresh energy by the recent action of the Attorney
General looking to Orton's release all or nearly
all he Jews; all the publicans land the majority
of the >iuners all the great personal influence or
the Duke of Norfolk, heretofore Libcral all Lord
Wharncfc's influence, also great; all the Irish
vote which the priests could control; all the jim
goes and help from nearly all the purely local
issues which in this contest were unusually numer-
ols and stringent.
NV catalogue is not complete, but IT Will serve to
show how ingenious II paper The Times Is. and
what some Of the special advantages were OF which
that paper has forgotten TO take notc Add that the
election has been fought the old register and that
If is conceded by the Tories that the new register
shows a Liberal gaia OF several thousand votes.
Add also that considerable numbers of workingmen
were prevented from voting by the defective polling
arraugements Add. finally. that the Tory money
snnpIies were as abundant those of the Liberals
were deficient.
Mr. Wadd,'s majority os 47S, obtained against all
these adverse influences. is great majority. HIS
election is practically gain OF two votes on
division in the House of Commons, for Mr.. Rocbuck
has Coue into the Government lobby on every I'M
poYant division these three years past, and hs p0-
ntical testament was made IN favor of Lord Bea-
consheld. lie was just as staunch II friend of the
Turks in all ther troubles as he was Of the rebels
dur1nc onr war His name has been Used 10 con-
,. with IN Sheffield. and very nearly cOniJrcd the
Liberals out OF their triumph. All h,s committee
bec.mc mem Der, of Mr. W0rloy committee All his
nersouaI friends and political followers went the
same road. Aud Mr. Roebuck a man of such
force of character, with 50 mach sway over tho
nin.,s of those who had come in contact with HIM.
tina, this single influence probably tod more against
Liberalism than aRy other. The very newUess Of
his death appealed t. the sentiments of thosc who
liked and admired him. 1t seemed almost a betrayal
OF old friendship to vote for candidate whom he
would have opposed. His decompOsing body cor
rupted the political loyalty OF his borough.
Nor was Mr. Wadly very stroug candidate, nor
vet very popular IN sheffield. lie is successful
b.ri;stcr and has made some mark in Parliament.
and he did a bold thrsg m resigning his seat for
gar,,staple 20 contest Sheffield. He Is a Noncon-
formi,t a Liberal who may be counted am0ng the
advanced men of his party, yet not radical on the
ouestiops where Sheffield is most radical; and
wanting perhaps in the sympathetic qualities which
count for 50 mach in popular struggle. Lex IL Da
,at down to his honor that he refused and rejected
| utierly every proposition to support Home Ruis
in any form or shape. Neither brides nor
MANAGES shook his constancy on this point. In tho
| end tine Home Rule leaders had 10 accept MIN rs
| los. obnoxious than Mr.. Wortley, but they made
nm thar minds so late that suspect Catholic pr,Jn
| dces had more influence against him than the
| ,or1y support of Messrs. Nnnigan and Mccarthy
could exert In his favor. On all foreign questions