As the day for the election
drew near it was understood that there would be no other
candidate. The Conservative side was the popular side among the
tradesmen of Silverbridge. Silverbridge had been proud to be
honoured by the services of the heir of the House of Omnium, even
while that heir had been a Liberal,--had regarded it as so much a
matter of course that the borough should be at his disposal that
no question as to politics had ever arisen while he retained the
seat. And had the Duke chosen to continue to send them Liberals,
one after another, when he went into the House of Lords, there
would have been no question as to the fitness of the man, or men
so sent. Silverbridge had been supposed to be a Liberal as a
matter of course;--because the Pallisers were Liberals. But when
the matter was remitted to themselves;--when the Duke declared that
he would not interfere any more, for it was thus that the borough
had obtained its freedom;--then the borough began to feel
conservative predilections. 'If his Grace really does mean us to
do just what we please ourselves which is a thing we never thought
of asking from his Grace, then we find, having turned the matter
over among ourselves, that we are upon the whole Conservative.
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