On Tuesday, in reply to a question from Mr. Hibbert
as to whether the Government intended before the next Dissolu- tion to fill up the vacancies caused by the disfranchisement of Beverley, Bridgewater, Cashel, and Sligo, Sir Stafford North- cote replied that the Government thought it right that these vacan- cies should be supplied before the time came for a dissolution of Parliament, but that" there was no immediate hurry,"—a reply, of course, met with cheers and laughter, as if it were intended. to indicate that a dissolution in the autumn was rather impro- bable than otherwise. And, no doubt, if a dissolution be put off till the spring, this Parliament will not have lasted. longer than Lord Palmerston's last Parliament, which met in July, 1859, and was not dissolved till August, 1865. Doubtless, too, there. is this motive for delay in the present case, that another season for making " faggot-votes would greatly help the Tories in the counties. On the other hand, every month tells against the Go- vernment. If there be no great love for the Government in the beginning of the year, "yet," as Slender says, "Heaven may decrease it on better acquaintance,"—and not only may, but does. Faggot-votes are all very well ; but increased familiarity with this Government breaks up into their very elements more political unions than any expenditure of party funds can replace.
