The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-29

death Of Sir Robert Peel, had justly been
regarded a. tho chief Of the Peeites, or
Liberal Conservatives, who, although few
In numbers, constituted the most expert
encsd administrators and expert debaters
In the House Of Gommonsi II was a highly
critical period for political parties. During
1851 tho last whik Government, that, namely,
presided over by Lord John Russell. had
evidently beer tottering TO its fall. The old
Wings had fallen into deorepitude and were
especially helpless In finance. The Proteo-
ionlsts, headed by Lord Derby and Dis
raeli, were much in the same position, and
were losing ground rapidly az O party. 30
long as they professed any hope Of restor-
ing a disoredited fsoal system. During the
year named Lord John actually resigned,
but, as no Government could be formed.
he came back with his whole crew. He was
quite alive to the necessity OF gaining
strength through the recruitment Of Peel
ties, and soon after he returned to power
he addressed to the young Duke OF Argyll,
known to have been a devoted follower OF
Biz Robert Peel. q kind and complimentary
letter, explaining that, though the Office
he wished to place at his disposal was not
a Cabinet one yet In that particular case
II would be practically ut the door Of the
Cabinet The Duke says that, personally,
he felt a. II this was almost O ridiculous
proposal. being equivalent to an invitation
from the captain Of a sinking ship to Join
his crew. or course, however, he treated It
serio,sly, and. In q very diplomatic letter,
replied that he felt grateful for Lord Johns
kind appreciation, but pointed out that
parties wero then In q state OF transition,
and, as 1t was impossible at that moment
to foresee what future divisions and oom-
binatlons might arise. he did not foel able to
act alone In anticipating results under such
very peculiar conditions.
1t Ii well known that Lord Russell's dis
missal Of Lord Palmerston from the Foreign
0fice for the position taken by him toward
Louis Napoleon at the time Of the coup
d'ftdt Of December .. 1851, proved fatal to
the Nhig Cabinet. Palmerston lost no time
In wreaking vengeance. Early in 1852, on a
question about the militia, he moved a vote
adverse to the Governments proposal,
and, as the Tories were now eager to come
into Office, they supported him, and at
last the Wing Government fell, never to
rise again. Il have had my tit-for-tat with
John Russell" was Palmerston's own de-
ooitppioh VI hho CohohCt 4ho SuOCh, "a
course, cent for Lord Derby as the leader
Of the largest Of the parties that had COM
posed the fortuitous majority, but the Tory
Cabinet formed by him had only a short
lease Of life, although Disraeli lightened
the ship by throwing overboar | tn dogma
Of protection, thus leaving the poor dupes
whom he had long rallied by pompous and
ambiguous phrases discounted and crest
fallen. The Derby Government would have
been ovsrthrown before 1t was had the
Wings and Peelites been able to agree upon
the terms on which a coalition should be
formed. The least s~urmountable obstacle
was Ford John Russell, who could not cas-
lily be persuaded to withdraw his claim to
leadership, to which he thought himself
entitled by his great services to the Liberal
party.
When finally. In December, 1852, Lord
Derby was beaten and resigned, the Queen
showed her sense Of the necessity Of a
reorganization of parties by sending, not
for some one man. but for two men namely,
Lord Lansdowne, al representing the
Wings, and Lord Aberdeen, as representing
the Liberal-C Conservatives. Lord Lans-
downe being unwell, the Queen then sent
for Lord Aberdeen alone, into whose hands
she committed the task Of forming q mixed
Government. TYrs anthor Of this auto
biography tells us that when he saw the
announcement he thought It possible, per-
haps' probable, that Lord Aberdeen would
make to him such an offer az Lord John Rus
sell had previously made, but although he
hadnot then any adequate conception Of the
immense difficulties which the prospective
Premier had to encounter, he knew that a
whole crowd OF men from both sections
would consider themselves aggrieved II
they were not included, while the inclusion
OF them all was q physical impossibility.
II was consequently an agreeable surprise
when, on December Is, 1852, he received
from Lord Aberdeen a letter proposing to
him to take the Office Of Lord Privy Seal
with a seat in the Cabinet. or course, the
Offer wa gratefully accepted, all the more
because the post suggested had absolutely
no administrative duties, and called, there
fore, for no administrative experience. On
the other hand. it had great traditions. 1t
had been held by Chatham, and by Others
Of less, but still great. distinction. Carrying
q seat in the Cabinet, it conferred a voice
In all the deliberations and decisions Of the
Government on whatever questions came
before it, whether legislative or executive.
1t wal obvious that in such an Office q
man might be idle, il disposed to be 30.
but he might also be intensely occupied.
Lord Aberdeen's letter had indicated that
he expected the young Duke to help him in
debate, and to do this with any usefulness
or credit would demand close attention to
every subject on which the new Govern
ment might be attacked by the most for
midable speaker then in Parliament-Lord
Derby.
vi.
Writing in 1898, when he was the sole
survivor Of all his colleagues Of forty six
years be- q. the Duke took real pleasure,
he says, In recording the fact that the great
effort made by Lord Aberdeen, an effort in
which no other man could have 81 coeeded,
to recon ole Wings and Liberal Conserva-
tives In the Administration, was a COM
plete and absolute success. With the
sole exception OF Lord Palmerston, who,
It had been supposed, was tethered safely
within the peaceful pastures Of the Home
once, the two elements worked together
In perfect harmony. Occasional diff eren oes