A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Northumberland in 1868 because Atkinson Tighe had been appointed Postmaster-General in the second Martin ministry.
[1] Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested.
Alexander Black was a former Crown Lands Commissioner, the brother of John Black, the former Secretary for Lands.
He campaigned against an unpopular government.
[2] This was the first occasion on which he stood for parliament.