Colonel Wauchope's reply was at once modest, vigorous, and humorous, but our space will not permit us to give it in its entirety. In his most light-hearted bantering manner he referred to the consternation of their Liberal opponents on hearing that Mr. Gladstone had only been returned by a majority of 690. 'They said it must be a blunder; there must be something wrong; a "one" dropped out from before the "six"; it was absurd; the figure will be at least 1690.' 'Ah, but they looked, and they better looked, but there was no number "one" before the "six." The fact was this, my friends, that Mr. Gladstone's majority was down 4000, and so the news had to travel to Dalmeny, where, I fancy, it was not received with great cordiality!' After complimenting the committee for the manner in which they had all exerted themselves, and a graceful acknowledgment to the ladies who had also assisted, he concluded by thanking his supporters for the great kindness he had experienced, and the great honour they had done him, and sat down amid a perfect storm of applause, the large audience once more rising to their feet, cheering to the echo.
One of the other speakers—Mr. Martin, manager of the works at New Craighall—mentioned that the miners of Niddrie, who had supported the Colonel with loyal devotion, were going to work on till they had returned him as member for Midlothian. And as an evidence of their admiration, on the 17th December they also in their own humble way honoured him with a banquet. It was given in the schoolroom of the village, and about a hundred and fifty warm sympathisers were present, presided over by Mr. Martin. It was in every way a demonstration creditable to the gratitude of the men for many acts of kindness shown to them in the past, and a manifestation of their personal esteem, which the Colonel was not slow to recognise and appreciate.
Wauchope and Gladstone
A noteworthy feature of this contest between Colonel Wauchope and Mr. Gladstone was the entire absence of personal animosity. Both candidates treated each other, as they were entitled to do, with the utmost respect. This is not always so in the heat of political warfare. But Wauchope had the good sense to avoid any reference to his opponent, and for long Mr. Gladstone did not condescend to reply to any strictures upon his policy. When Wauchope had decided to become a candidate for Midlothian, he went to Sir Robert Biddulph, afterwards Governor of Gibraltar, and told him he would have to canvass regularly until the next general election. Sir Robert's advice was wise:—'I told him,' said he, 'that he should never make any personal attack on Gladstone, nor ever mention his name in his public speeches. I said, "Gladstone is so strong a man, and so powerful a speaker, that he can tear you to pieces. You should not, therefore, give him the least opening for attacking you, but just act as if no such man existed." Some time after,' continues Sir Robert, 'he reminded me of that advice, and said he had scrupulously acted upon it, so much so that Mr. Gladstone had never attacked him, and had even spoken of him as a worthy and estimable man!'
Notwithstanding his military duties, of which he was far from being forgetful, amid all the political excitement of 1892, Colonel Wauchope, encouraged by the enthusiasm of his friends, and still determined to uphold what he considered Constitutional principles, though, at the same time, conscious of his own deficiencies, continued his candidature for some time in view of the possibility of another election soon. Writing from Limerick Barracks on 28th July 1892 to a friend in Dalkeith who had sent him some complimentary verses on the recent election, he says:—'Many thanks for your kind letter. It is such that repay me for any little trouble I may have taken in the good old cause. No one feels more than I do how unfit I am in many ways for the position of candidate. For instance, during next month we are to be at field manoeuvres, and I am tied by the leg during that time. But Midlothian deals very tenderly with all my wants—very much, I take it, that I am one of themselves.'
It was his strong opinion that the Liberal policy of the time was to prove disastrous to the best interests of his country which made him so keen an opponent of Mr. Gladstone. Against that great statesman he had not the slightest personal feeling. Speaking to a friend afterwards who was congratulating him upon his having so nearly been returned to Parliament, he said, 'I never expected to win the seat, but I wanted to hash their batteries!' Before long it became apparent, however, that it would be a needless waste of energy to continue the struggle; and, besides this, other duties supervened, and Colonel Wauchope saw fit to withdraw altogether from politics for a season.