Across:
8 State (CANADA) on the border with New Hampshire and New York (CANADA),
9 Rugby players (props = PROP-S-) grasping nothing (-O-) on a (-A-) large (-L) (PROPOSAL) pitch? (pitch/tender = PROPOSAL),
10 Had enough (FULL) of awful loathsome characters inside (‘awFUL Loathsome’ characters inside = FULL).
11 State in which one has no voice? (LARYNGITIS) In a manner of speaking, it’s an impediment to free speech! (LARYNGITIS),
12 Clip (k + k) of two reserves – one after another (reserve = book x 2) (‘book’ and ‘book’ without ‘k and ‘k’ = BOO-BOO) – making a mistake (BOO-BOO),
14 They no longer have a significance (HAS-BEENS) to banshees (banshees) running wild (= anagram indicator) (banshees = HAS-BEENS),
15 Ends up where one started (COMES FULL CIRCLE) in society (-S) after (= position indicator) approach (COME-) from 10 across (‘full’ = FULL) and 26 across (‘circle’ = CIRCLE) (COMES FULL CIRCLE),
18 Peeping toms pop out (‘peeping toms’ pop out/without ‘pop’ = eeingtms = MEETINGS) for the encounters (MEETINGS),
20 Maid from Middle East (‘maid’ from ‘Middle East’ = dleest = ELDEST) is the first to arrive (ELDEST),
22 Actor’s portrayal (part = PAR-T) includes menial (menial) work (= anagram indicator) (menial = -LIAMEN-) (PARLIAMENT) in the house (The House = PARLIAMENT),
24 The Castle (FORT) limits, for the most part (limits ‘FOr the most paRT’ = FORT),
25 Sorts men (sorts men) out (= anagram indicator) (sorts men = MONSTERS) from the fiends (MONSTERS),
26 Extraordinary (= anagram indicator) cleric (cleric = CIRCLE) from Ring (CIRCLE).
Down:
1 An old tenor (Enrico CARUSO) of faith leaving South Africa ('faith' leaving 'South Africa' = sourca = CARUSO),
2 One of those in The House (HALL), presumably the corridor of power, for example (corridor = HALL),
3 Sinful (BAD-) heartless (a) place (lay) (‘lay’ without ‘a’ = -LY-) is abandoned (abandoned/ postponed/ off = -OFF) (BADLY-OFF) in a poor state (BADLY-OFF),
4 Cross Swords (SPAR) with those characters from drinks party (those characters from ‘drinkS PARty’ = SPAR),
5 Making contact with distributor (POINTS) for new (= anagram indicator) piston (piston = POINTS),
6 Bullied (DOMINEERED) by party (DO-) wits (mind = -MIN-D) consuming lots of drugs (E+E = -EE-) and a fair amount of (half of) grass (reed) (half of ‘REed’ = -RE-) (DOMINEERED),
7 Sensible (RATIONAL) quota (RATION-) for a (-A-) Liberal (-L) (RATIONAL),
13 As a result of running late (BREATHLESS), take a moment (take a BREATH-) and not more (-LESS) (BREATHLESS),
14 Noise from hailstones (‘noise’ from ‘hailstones’ = halts = HALTS) comes to an end (HALTS),
16 Tour manager (tour OPERATOR) with Carmen (Georges Bizet’s Carmen = OPERA-) is upset (= reverse indicator) going to rack and ruin (rot = -TOR) (OPERATOR),
17 Heard (= homophone indicator) queues (‘queues’ = ‘cues’ = CUE S-) for local credit (-TICK) (CUE STICK) – the type handled by one picking pockets? (CUE STICK handled by snooker player),
19 Northern (N-) person who could be picky (-EATER) (NEATER) is more into The Order (NEATER),
21 Small (S-) type of bridge (-T-OLL bridge) over river (-R-) (STROLL) is perfect for those going a short distance (STROLL),
23 Kid’s stuff (EASY) in the borders of Easter Daisy (borders of ‘EAster daiSY’ = EASY),
24 Promethean gift (FIRE) to Alexander I fomenting Rising (= reverse indicator) in part (‘alexandER I Fomenting’ = erif = FIRE).