clined to accept these warnings, and looked upon it as some kind
of political dodge got up by the other side.

I resolved to win by playing the game, and made up my mind to go to
the poll on the political questions which were agitating the public
mind, as I was informed, by a simple honest candidature, thinking that
in political as in every other warfare honesty is the best policy. On
that noble maxim I entered into the contest, believing in Barnstaple,
and feeling confident I should represent it in Parliament.

To indulge in bribery of any sort would, I knew, be fatal to my own
interests even if I had not been actuated by any higher motive. I
placed myself, therefore, in the hands of my friend and principal
agent, Mr. Kingston, as well as the other agents of the party.

We did not long, however, remain true to ourselves. There was a hitch
somewhere which soon developed into a split; and it was certain some
of us must go to the wall. I could not, however, understand the reason
of it; we professed the same politics, the same "cause," the same
battle-cry, the same enemies. But, whatever it was, we were so much
divided that my chances of heading the poll were diminishing.

I had been cheered to the echo night after night and all day long, so
that there was enough shouting to make a Prime Minister; my horses had
time after time been taken from my carriage, and cheering voters drew
me along. These unmistakable signs of popular devotion to my interests
had been most encouraging; and as they shouted themselves hoarse for
me, I talked myself hoarse for them. We had a mutual hoarseness for
each other. Everything looked like success; everything _sounded_ like
success; and night after night out came drum and clarionet to do their
duty manfully in drumming me to my hotel.

It had been a remarkable success; everybody said so. Most of them
declared solemnly they had never seen anything like it. They
pronounced it a record popularity. I thought it was because the good
people had selected me as their candidate on independent and purity of
election principles. This explanation gave them great joy, and they
cheered with extra enthusiasm for their own virtue. Judge, then,
my surprise a short while after, when, notwithstanding the firm
principles upon which we had proceeded, and by which my popularity
was secured, I began to perceive that _money was the only thing they
wanted_! Their uncorruptible nature yielded, alas! to the lowering