11Feb1874, Pollingday

BRADFORD, Wednesday, February 11th, 1874.
—Pollingday. We should be delightfully confident, if it were not for the general rout of the Liberal party which is taking place all over the country, the causes of which are not every easy to determine. Probably many causes combine. Uncle W.'se government has been economical, with the grand result of national unbounded prosperity; but various "interests" have suffered in their pockets, and are furious against him; the Licensed Victuallers and publicans are all up in arms; and there is a universal sense of weariness and wish for letting things alone. And I believe the Secularists, and their tools the Irreconcileable Dissenters, have thoroughly frightened the country, which has plenty of strong attachment to the Church Establishment and Religious Education; and this must have a deal to do with the reaction. The Liberation and Birmingham League return very few representatives, and the party is paying the price of its wretched disorder and splits, and suffering for its innumerable hobby-riders and crotchet-mongers, who, like dogs on a racecourse, prance wildly about the field and get under the feet of the great champions of the great cause—breaking their own stupid backs in the process, and spoiling the race. Frank, Cavendish, Willy, Mr. Leveson are in, but Uncle W. himself is but a miserable 2nd at Greenwich and Eddy is beaten with Sir J. Shuttleworth in N.E. Lancashire. He turned up to dinner here last night.