The Russell administration, 1846 1852

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THE RUSSELL AWmISTRATION, 1846-1852.

F. A. Dreyer.

!

Deolaration.

(iii)

Certif10at •

I certify that .A. Dreyer has

t

10

t

rms

t

Research Qualifioations.

(v

)

Table o~ Contents.

Introduction Chapter I

The Cabinet orisis of Deoember 1845 -- The Cheshmn Place negotiations -- Inmedi..o.te or gradual

repeal

--

Lord Grey and. immediate repeal -- Lord. Grey and Palmerston -- Lord Grey and Sir Robert Peel -- Peel's oorn

bill--Beaoborough, Ponsonby, Pnlmerston QIld a fixed-duty

amendment -- Irish coercion -- The Whig po era and coeroion -- Concert with

the

Protectionists.

Chapter I I

Formation of the Rusoell Gavermnent -- Reconciliation bot\-leen Ruaaell o.nd It>rd Grey - Cobden and the Cabinet --Overtures to the Peeli tes -- The Governor-Generalship of India - Composition of the Commons -- The sugar bill of

1846 -- The

Whigs

end

the Proteotionists --

The

\1.higs

and

the Peelites.

Chapter III

Results of 1847 election -- Rupture between Whigs and. Radica.1a -- Failure of 1848 budget -- Resignation of

ntinok

--

Peel1te and

Protectionist oombination

on sugar bill of 1848 -- Confliots 'Wi thin the Cabinet --Clarendon and Ireland -- Polmerston end

foreign

policy.

Page

1

10

58

99

Chapter IV

141

[image:6.520.13.509.13.654.2]

Table of Contents con.

Chapter V

Significance of' session of 1850 -- Agricultural relief ani Consenrative reconstruction -- Oolonial Ref'onn and Oonservative reconstruction --

Lord Grey

and the elites - The Don Pacifico crisis -- Til Court -- The Pee 11 tea and the Protectionists.

Chapter VI

Death of el - Franc-llise Reform -- The Budget of 1851 -Pnpa1 aggression - Defections of Irish Rodice1a -- Looke-King motion and Cebinet Cris:i.s of 1851-- Lost months of the Govert'1I!lellt -- OVertures to the Peeli

tea

--FaJ.merston' s resignation - Defeat end Resignation of the Whigs.

Conclusion Appendix I

Lord Grey

and

the Protectionists

1851 Appendix

n

Conversation between Russell

am

'ewcastle

December 1851

Bibliography

III

Page 171

203

250

260

ZlO

(vii)

Abbreviations

Add.

G •••••••••••••••••

Additional

Mnnuscripts.

Brit.

l!useUJ:l...

Dr! tish LIuseum.

E.H.R •••••••••••••••••••• EngliSh Historical Reviej!.

Greville... L. streohey end R. Fulford, ~Greville Memoirs.

s. Clar •••••••••••••••••

Clarendonl~oripts. P.R.O •••••••••••••••••.••

PUblic

Record

Office.

Trans. R.

lIist.

Soc... Transactions of'

the Royal

Historical

Society.

Victoria,

:u,tters...

A.C.

Benson

and

Viscount Esher,

The

letters

INTRODUCTION

The

history

of party politics dur:Lng the per-lod of

wro

J olm Russell' first ministry has been rel tively neglected. The sociol,

t e

economio,

and

the diplomatio develo nts

that took place

be

en

1846 w.d 1852 he.ve been disoussed at length by students of t

ni teenth oentury, but until very recently thoir interest in political and arlia."OOntary history e:ned to end. in 1846 i7i th the repeal or the Com the disruption of

t

Conservative party. This no .lect i , perhaps, reasonable naturnl. In co:!1par-ls n th 1 's

Government, Rus ell' seems S~ t ooom>nplace d trivial. In tor: s of dr the latter represents on antiolimax: saell' s i'unotion, 1 t ae8tlS I

u.s

merely to ti~ up an seoure the o.c1uevementa of his

predecessor. The yeQ1"8 be een 184-6 and 1052, h .ever, are not dull: t ey o.re dominated. by the t t of Chortism, by the Irish r , and by the revolutions on the continent. But t eae very same events

overa.lmd the more proooic and hurndruIn

succession

of deb tes,

1lUU"'.oet.J:Vres, and compranises in Porlia:nent. \l ether or not the period CO.lllllonds intere t for its awn s e, it is of co idereblo import co in the evolution of the Liberal

arty.

The Russell Cabinet

ropreDonto

the

last purely ibig administration in the nineteenth century. During these years the fot1lld4t1on 1 9 lo.1d for the u.nion of the g d

Peelite parties in the erdecn ooalition of 1852; and t the omo t e the loaders ip of the liberal forces in Pal'lirunent b ,an to

-2-oonto..inod in three articles, nll 0'£ • ohare pJ.blished in the last ten yem-s. The first,· 01 end tho rty

ystem

,

1850-501t

, by Prof

soor

Ii. Gash de B in part with

the

relationship bet\'Jeen Peel tmd the igs of'ter the corn-law crioia of 1846. The second, by

~r. C.ll. stuart deals primerily with tho oollapse of the RusGell Go",re nt and .6 fo tion of the No rdeen coali tion. The third, by Professor J.B. Co

cher io on

the subjeot

of

f{)el BIld

the

eliten be

en

1846 an:1 1850. 1 While toose artioles reflect 0. growing

intereot

in

th period o.n1 proV'ide

an

i.~ortant

oontribution

to

our

e, they are not by themselvco oui'fioient for a canplete

are

mtten

to s

All

three are

baaed It:lrgcly on eli te sourcea d

extent from e.

Feelite point

or

viev..

Profesoor

Gash Frere sor ConAOber are pr:l.ma.rily concerned with e1 ther • el

or

the elites and

r.

Stuart t

the

immediate oiIcumst ceo oh led. to !=eeli te-clan; natcd coo.1i t1on. There 1s, t ere fore , s·

justif1cation for re-examining

the

subjeot by

tlw light

of '8 sources from the ota.na.point of the Whig party.

IdentifYing the

\Thig

party at the

t'

of

tho Russell Government is diN'icul t and %'haP!)'

ssible exercise.

It had

no

00

end Be te existence in t Be

of' a.

twentieth-century

porty

.

In

so far B the Li ral mavemnt in Pbrliament had become bODed on t e 1

.Gaoh, -Peel and the Fnrty System, 1850-50". rnnn. R. Hiot. Soo •• 5th

series"

I.

C.H. Stuart, "The mat10n of' the Coalition Cebinet of 1852". L-,s. R. Hut. Soc. 5th Daries, IV.

form Cl ... b in th 1850's, [ber lip of the latter implied membership

of

the

fo

r.

But

Ie all Whigs ere Liberals, ell Liberals were

not necessarlly . go. !any membero of the RefoI'm Club ro.ngi.ng from

Irish Repealers to Radioal fonners o.otcd independently in Porli nt. They frequently opp sed the nominolly TIllig gmrerrG.ents of' the 1850' s and 1840's

ana.

sometimes acted in OOI:lbinatiun With t Conservatives

to

drive the (ihi s o t of o:rf'ioe. ',ilhe eform Club at this do. ,,0

served os a basis

tor .

lig-. adictll co-opor tion ill the oonstituencies.

The two iea 0); c.ctions t'requontly cO".!tbined for the pl.1l.'pOse of fighting eleotions, but this o.ll1anoe of the hustings wao not 0.1 'lD'3's

reflectodin

I i

nt.

A glanoo

nt acme

contemporary " de like

~G Parliament yn:embers of Pnrliruoont 110

ore described as either

_---

erate Liberals, Liboruls or

_--

_--

_-

Radicals

_-

.

ere nre 0. feW 0 ore ntioned. as either supporters of fuig

principles or followers of

a.

partioular hig govenment, but the who is deolared to be a.!ill!.s., pure

aim le, is

a

rarity. In strictest

us e

the

title seemo to aaaume that its bearer is related to one of the

t

lib m.l

r

lies of e country like the Greys, tho Hollands

end the saelia, and that he has regularly ooted. :'lith

t

e representa.tives

or

t ese femi1ics in Parlimoont. This definition, however, would

exel such n os PtU.merston a:nd. Clenrico..rde on the grounds of party

regulnri ty and such men bell

and

rough

on

the gr und&

of di e. It 70Uld restriot t mernberslip or t e Porty to

-40-probably '00 precice and. pedantic to be of uoe. The grodations ich oep ted 0.' u.g

rI

n. ac1icnl Refo.rmer oro oubtle and elusive J end

it is

d.ifficu1 t to discover po.

t

e1 tlwr on

tho

basis of poll tienl prinoiples

or

on the b is of' party oooc1 tion 1'"0 e. and fast division can be To. describe the lliigs aa right ling cud the Radicals a9

t.

e left o£ tbe L1be::'ol p

ty

rSi.'!Iplifi s

mat

is in fact c. c lie ted end esocnticl.ly 0 ual r 1 tionahip. On th... ~ 1 1e J howcver, a may be I d as a modcro.te or cono~rJ ti ... · Liboral '" ho 01 ther follO\/S r bolo.ngs to. the liberal arl.lltoora.cy.

or all pr ctical oses

the

ori ~ f

t

e nd-~teentb contur,y Whig party do.te back to the last decade of the previo.UG century, more ecifio ly to t bet\ een Charles Jm:na ox and. t Dul-e of Portland. in 1794. lile ox and his odl'lCrents did nvt posseso

orrg

exolu:Jive p rty in

t

ter:n ~ on a. porty label, thlo group repreoents the Deed :fran iJhich the modern Whigs developed; and fran the xi

tes

it

is

po sible t traoe a ccrt • continuity of' porsonnel and o~ doctrine Ie 118

to.

the . hi of the 1840' s. By the 1840' So, of eouroe 1 both the

on

te tradition and the on te party had bee uch diluted. ollabomtion \11 the Grenville an' Canningi te Tories on the one hand and

m.

th orious 9.300 ntD of radical

other brondoncd. tl e c.sic end 0 .• fiea t e pr:1.nci les of the ox!

te

J t

to

e oircur.lSt lOaD required,

fore

the

formation of t

Canning

Govetn'lJCnt

in 1827, tl hig

party represented rpet~ opposition in

Porli

nt. lith the

cxcopt10n of the short-lived 0 alition of' 1806 in , 'eh they took pert,

t

y

held aloof from 0

rice.

Indeed, in

view

of their constant

ai tion to the oou ,t IUd their eccentrI0, if ecnewho.t spasmodic

interest,

in C

tholic

emDllciJ tion and

f'rencbi

e

reform,

they h

virtually deb d tl emzcIves from

pat·tioipat1ng

in o.t13 Gave

nt.

It

not

until the end of the 1820 t 8 that oiroumstances

restored

th

to the forefront of politics. 1627 th deeth of Lord Liverpool

prec1pit ted a split

thi tho

Tory party

bo 1

on tho one Mnd _d Canr." on

t

10 other. The bulk

ot

the

gs, led

b T Tierney I canbu

a.

with

t

e Cannin,gi tea ond

nosiated

in the 1'0 tion of the Canning end Goderich ooalitions. This

combination t countene.ncod by lord Grey tmd .ter.·

ted

with

the

resignation of Goderlch in 1828. The Car..ningi tea allied

themselves

th ellington

the

drifted back into OPposition. ith

the

turn

r

the Tories to office, however, the

impedimenta

'

1ell

had

hampered

the . ga for 8r thirty

years •

re removed one by

one.

e

alli oe of oonservative

in

erest

ch

had

maintaine

Liverpool

in

par. r beg .. to disinte

te.

Four

e.ft r the Cove

nt

fo:rmea the Canningite era re igned. llie Buooossiv di utes over

the Com Lmvs and. the currency problem, end he final oriai of atholio

-G-org r l in 1850 and the 3Uocession of his brother tezminated the

long-standing feud between the le ders of the 'I g party end the court.

And finally th

the

out-break of the reform

it

tion in the same

year and with the evident neoess1 ty of extending the franohise J the

fa

tion of

e.

reform

governnent

under

Whig

ausp1ceo beoune

,

not only

po sible but imper tive.

T e refa overnnent iab took office under Lord Grey in 1850

in fact coal! tion. A1 though the i a represented the

preponderout element thin tho Cabinet, they ere joined by Polmerllton,

G t

cr.d.

Goderloh, all

three of

hom

ere

f

.;;nner

fo110\ era of 'Catming

and b

the

Duke of Richmond, one of the leers

0 th u1

tra-

-

rotestont

Tor-les. In a i

te

of tho mixed and DO. t COn:leI'V tlve oboraoter of

lord

G

yl S

administration

its policy

was marked

by

a strong rdionl

bi a. The provisions )f the Governnent' e refom bill tar exceeded

~tbing that been before considered in or moder te-liberel

c reI ,and ito ass e through Ptlrlimnent os cured only by

course to gener electi n in 18~j. and by thrc tenin to ,mnp the

House of Lords with \'7hig

oreations.

J.: e diasolut'l n of 1a.~2 under

the new fr

ioe returned

the

s

to power . th ole J if

undiecipltned, or.!.

ty

in

t.

C

t

the

c 01 tion of the new

House Cove it ole

uence

or

the

liberal

sell, m end Durham

over

the direoti n of In 1855 a sure for the

finally in the srune year Russoll cozmd. tted his colleagues

to

the policy

of expropri ting part of' the end nts of the Irish church and

loying for secular pUrpOses.

It

asthia last event whioh

marked the hi - of reforming Wbiggism. The Duke of Richmond

arxl Lord Goderioh

(tl

en Lord Ripon) o.coompa.nied. 1:-y Stanley and Graham,

both OOIlSerY' tive 1111ga, resigned the Cabinet in nnd

e.

month

later ere folla.ed by Lord. Grey. Atter en unsuocessfUl. attempt on

the port of Lord elboume to reoonstruot t.'1e iniatry, the Whigs

resigned in ovember, making wll3 for the Peel G ennent of lS55.

Al though the latter' administration JD.S of brief duration and tniled

to remain in power in spite of dis olution in 1855, it marks a turning

point in the f rtunes of' the Whig party. At the beginning of the

deoode the discipline of the Tory party hod collapsed, ,,1hereas the

ige, the CaIU"d.ngites, and the Red1cnle represented oomparatively

homogeneous ond un! ted oombination. Four years of g gove ent,

ho\'ftnrer 1

per.

ttod Feel to reconstruct and nt-organize the Tories

to

0.

de e 'fVhere he oould a.ttempt

to

take offioe in 1855. 1'bis transfo tion

was faoUi tated to a large extent by the fear of ig radicali much

the Goverrment '8 various polioie had inspired in conaelY tive circles.

Atter tho brook-up 0 Lord Grey's Goverl'llllCnt in 18M, Peel slOt; ly and

tiently erlended his authOrity and influence over conservative interests

in Pax-li nt aId in t country, while gs ani their tlllie wel'e

conf'it1enOG.

JUt ough the c1issolutio 1 of 1835 did not result in majority

for el' 0 eI"IX'XJnt, i t dr tically reduoed

the

nu::riber of Liberals

who had been re in 1852. In the end Russell aceeded in

def ating Peel and. the Whigs returned to ott-Ice only by me of

f . ~

close alliance

wi

O·

Connell end the ish

Radic

10.

Ibourne

himself' had little desire to corry on th dical end reforming

polioies of the previO'llS ':'big dminis tion. It s doubtful, in

foot, ther the GoV'ern:oont possessod suffioient support in tho

C

.

s to eng e

1n cuv serious

dispute .

i th the House of

Lord..o.

In

the course

of the

next six years

i t become more and.

more

evident 'hat

the GoverD'l!ent's su.xvival de nded more n the forbearonce of> Peel than

on the iJI.berent strength of its supporters. ~elbo' f£dlcd to

Y"A'r,\Ai"r the bree.oh which the resignation of Stanley ond Graham. in IBM

hed opened wi thin the vtfr3 core of the Whig

party.

In 1859, lIovdok,

the son 0 Lord Grey resigned from the Governnent. ore importnnt,

perhaps, 8 the grow1n divergence between tho I 83 am their Rad.ical

supporters. The emergence of the f'ree-tr e o.gitOotion in England end

the epe maY'eJOOnt L"l Ireland not only divorced the V!hi from the

Irish

am.

1100 cale in liament, but deprived th

ot

Cl'\Y claim

o.s popular

party.

In 1841 lbourno ond Russell

a.tt

ted. to

erenees vi th the 1'rce-troile Radic 1 on t e b ia

f on eight-shilling duty on rted com. The fixed-duty propos ,

agricul tural interests. When Feel come into offioe as ll. resul t of

the Conservativ~ victory in the eleotion of 1841, the igs, distinct

f'ro the Liberals} hed been reduced to a smo.ll and impotent fo.otion.

Stanley ani Grober.!. threw in their lot with 01 and the latter se d

to

possess

und:laputed

supremacy

aver the Consexvativo party.

sell

and !elbourne on

the

other

hand

oould

n~ longer

pretend

to net a.a the

leaders of a \mi ted Liberal party. :F\3el t s eendanoy for the xt

four years depended primarily on the 0 rt of the agrloulturalisto.

AJ. though his freedom of aotion 'Was to a. large extent oiroumsoribed by

this fact, his evident rllli.ngness

to

extend the prinoiple of

f'ree-trnde to tS'fery oom.:.odi ty but corn encouraged ma.I:\Y Liberals, rl'lllging

fro k>rd JIaI ok to Cobden, to place their oonfidence in Peel rather

than Runsell. And it was not until the outbrook of the Irish famine

in

1845

that Russell end the Whigs faund tholDSelves in a position to

-10-The period betwe n the oabinet crisis of Dec er 1845 and the resignation of

Sir

Robert Peel in June 1846 forms an indispensable

background to the stud.y of t Russell Goverrment. The events of' these sevon montho brought the Whigs into office and lnid the

fmmdations for their Govertl!!l8nt during the next aix yeo.rs. The

il' rtnnce of the rupture wi thin he Conservative party and of the emergence of t 0

incle

ndent tlnd. irreconcilable Conservative tQDt~ons

requires little

elaboration.

This

develo

nt permitted the gs

to

toke 0 ce . tout t!1'ter ocmnanding a dependable majority eit'lSr in the

House of Lords or the House of' COCliOOIl8. Long before Peel resigned, it

was evident that the Whigs re t only party wi tb ouff'icient cohesion to f I'm

a

stry and that

neither the

Protectionists,

the F'eeli tea,

the Radicals, nor the Irish epealers alone could take office thout

bring:lng doml upon themselves

an

irresistible opposition. A detailed e.x.oz:lination of the period, h wever, reveals serious nknesses wi. thin

the \1Jh:1g party. Their conduot during the cabinet orisis of' Deoember

1845 and during the debates on the oom and. ooercion bills in the spring of 1846 fore dan the problema ond difficulties that were to daninate

the history of the Russell Gove:t"l'lDent.

its

•

ers to

s.ceapt his

asuro

~or t

e

a1 of the Com ,

:rns.

Lord John R s ll, ho had in the Edinburgh t r alre dy announcod hi oomers_on to fre t de J

·t d

to

take office

th tIe

W1derotandiJ

that

Peel m:ruld

sist

:in pass1ng the

al

aoure

ough ~liom nt. In sp.:to of thi offer oell did

not

accept office diately, bu

Dpent fro

the 12 h

to

the 18th

ot

cembor

conf'erring 11. his frlends. On the 18th he inf'or.:ned. the Queen of his oooio1.on to 0 a

watry

and proceeded to the di tribution of plaoes in the Cabinet. On tbe

next

d.tJ¥

he resigned his

cootnission

on the gro1Jnda that !.Ord Grey hed refused to join him if

become '0 ign Seo terJ. Russell pIe d t

t it

raton

os

to

him to proceed, in the oircumStonoos, .: thout the complete upport of hiB 1

lUu\V

cant

orary

observers believed that soell

forced to abandon his

att t

not

beoause 0 t ... o c1efection of Lord Grey but ·onuse of the oppositio of s supporters to the

repaal

of tho

Corn Lawo,

and thought

that

he

returned

the

"poisoned chalice"

to

Peel

to avoid tasting it himself'.

lI.e.:revy

repeats this in xpretation and. augge ts that Russell, Palmerston &nd Grey urge:') trivial and unnecessary difficulties. in order to avoid the responaibUity of repealing the Com

.2

.ost

of the evidence, however,

contradicts this end pointe

to

other oause of

failure.

sell

oonfined his

consultations

to the principal leaders of the

'hig porty, 0 oat

d

ing the 01'i is at hio Lor.don

house

in CheGhcm

Ple..oe. Tho

largest

of these

meetulgS

.

att nded by ir

Goor

~ Grey,

ir ~~""" .. i G oring, Dobington

Ellice, John C ~obh e, Lords Cotto , rpoth,:B

raton,

Grey,

~dmme, Cl.r;u. • .:... ...

vn,

Lord

sell'

to,

di

not corm

up

to London for

the meetings, but both

eorrespond.e

Tlith RuoDElll

ana

orf

red adv'ice on vario ot of the got; tions.4 All thooe

p ople ,_ th th xoept:ton of the Duke of arord,

sell's brot r,

Darvcd. in lord I lbOUl'% '8 Cabinet;

wrU.

Grey, onte 'le and. ~=,.'tl icc had resigned their officeo b foro its dissolutio in 1841.

dford, although b subseqaently pressed to join Russell t D Cabinet

5

of

"846-1852,

never hold politiool offie. His role se

to

have

b en that

or

a oonfidential rulvi r

7

L 0

is true of

F.. CImini

Ellie.

Ire

not bel d to

a ,

~ lorthbrook, ering, 22~24.

4 I

to to

sell ond seboX'OUgh to Ruo 11, - ttcra for Doc er 1845, P.R.O.

ro/2W

4 •

5 Greville 'trOto to Clarendon; "'l'he Duke of Mord seems

to have

ma.de

up

his mind DOt to oome into the Oabin

t,

& on tho le I think he is right moze US f'ul aut of 1 t - he is a sort of

out-door

er

now".

eemb

r

1, 1847,

• Clar

.

dop. 0

52

1

.

e

lla=ltW8ll. Olarendon, I, ~20.

7 Lord Grey believed that Ellice ... the only person with T1h rd

J 1m se d to consult respeoting his appointment .. Grey to Ellice,

Deoember 29, 1845, Prior's

tehen,

rey

III, 120/5

.

Charles

ood

te to Gre : "If h 1i i good for anything it is a.a a. tmS of

ccmnunioo.tion be n

din

rent parties an ar of dif'ficu1tias".

Gov

nne

n

t

~ 1855

and

did not join

o

11 in 1846,

nor doca bis

nerne appear (U!1ong thos propooe f r th Cebi.."let in Deoe:mber. Lord

lo Mby,

wh

o an

in !tn.ly t tho t

of

tho

crioi ,

'70s th only

or of lbou.rno's Oabinet, s 1 cctive in 1i polit.:.oo, wh)

a

n

o

t consul ted

by .

e.scll.

fore the publication of the EdinbUI"6h- tter, cst of the e men

were . blicly . ,ii ttedto the po11oy of fixed duty on 1m:oorted com.

IL)ro llorpeth

subscribed to

th

Anti

·

·Com

-

cgus

at the

same

time

as

Ruo ell announced. hie OOllV'eroion to free

t:-c.de.

o.;everal. \ eel-:8 eorlier

rei Grey told ssell that t 1e time for fixed duty WQ.S "quite gone

by~9

In

t e

spri:lg

of 1840

mmi'Jer of

hig

peers

ntt ted

to re-impose the

f'ized dUty

upon the

party.

This

reo.ction

,

T1hioh

was

1

ely

to.ctical

in ito inspiration, gives

weight

to t..'le suspioion that "oe11 t s friends

era not p:!:'epal.-ed to 1'0 al the Corn! s

December.

j t the

accounts

of he C eshem Place confOlOCnc ... S do not support this. o one

me>

as

p

rese

n

t seems

to

hnVe apposed

l'QPCol on

principle

or er>prchonded any

resistnnoe to

repeal

wi t.'Un the ranks of the ig party. Russell ~

I

f stated

_,

in

Parliament

,

"

•

•

•

the

remarks rmich ha.ve

_-

boen

e

out

of' doors UOOD m:t intlbUity

t

o

brlng

tho

a

m

!

consults

into an

e nt on the sUbjeot of

the

Corn s rere

utterly

un1'oundedw•10

lthough he

spoken to

none of his frlebds

before

writing the Edi!lburgb

8 lToraanby

to

seU,

January

1, 1.846, P

.

R

.

O. 30/22/5.

9 Lord Grey

to

sell, av

r

8, 1845, P.R.O. ro/22/4.

-14-Letter,

it

eems to havo boen received fairly well. On Dec r 2nd

Ellice wrote

to

wrd

Grey:

"I hav

of course seen

cl1

at.

had

diae

on

th Lord John - Hi P tnoS8 boldI sa have hnd

t

ir usUlll re ults -They he.v decided avering friends ••• The Duke of .eMord after

ighty co118idor tion approves. Ii! d . had longer

mi givings - doubtless - ~t will folIOVi' the stream when he s es

no

h

of a

f"...md duty".

dcys later dford ot to 01 ndon

that

,

"Of all bis GRusoel1's] lat co11eague3 only

tvJO

BY di appl'OVCd". 11) Th De were

e former had

to atop'

plb1i <unl TlU t e ~I.lW

a

laot-minute

attempt

tter

,

15 but he ppeara

to have

d

to

Russe.i.l t

a point of

view by

December

12 h.14

I rly in the next seosion 1 tol the House of Lords t at J " • • • the

ontil

eboli -tiOD f i l l

interference

\'Ji th the

oom

trade

•••

N

o.cC'?Ilpeni by e re .:wal of agrioul;ural burdel".8, It

o.a

the only

procti Ie o-!lI'8e open

[to]

their adoption .15

11 Ellice

to

Lord Grey, Deoen:ber 2, 1845, Prior's Kitchen, Grey 1II,84/8. 12 &'0 to 01 Blon, r " 7 1 eien, .Cler.dep. 0 5:'S9. 15 at' rd

to

to Clare (lon, on I oveob r ,1850:

It~ o.s here

(in

1845)

when John arrived, after dinner, iburg told

e

nt

to ooe him

too ..

he had st ted his opinions on the Oom W in a letter we shd aee in

.... ~mnf\'I"Icrs -- I rape t d t

".8

to L. . so I thi. >. did he in

the

ervening--1'he

next

morning

L.

0

to

room

to

ask if I cd

not

ail

upon

to

stop

tie

p l ·c tio

o

r

the

letter".

nodleian, • Olar. Ireland 7 o.

14 Russell te

to

La re on ' r 11, 1845 and told. him that

it

1M not neoesear.1 to oane up to London imned.io.tely p " • • • for unlesD

dcwme Co nt I ! t ". ior'e tehan,

Grey III, 119/1. Since Russell proceeded th the negotiations, LJIiI"_Uvirmeoonnot haVe press d his ini t1sJ. obj otions to the Edinburgh r..,tter. Lord lbourne orrote to Russell on Deoember 13, 1845, ttl

much rejoiced

that

~

e

downe th y

un.

P.R.O.

50/22/4.

In oonversation

wi th Lord vamp bell an Russell's letter Falmel: ton had

:poken of .. 'John's

temerity

in

writing

and publishing thie letter

thout tho sDllCtion of his

porty'

,

laining

that

it ould

strengthen

~ 1 and

rnvont

the

Wh1,-,o

f return:i.ng t e

r.

16

Palmerston'

0

protest

'(;0 Russell

does not

am

r

am

ng

th latter' a

papers.

t IDrd Beeuvalo, Plllmerston' 8 brother-in-left, wrote that

h regretted F'a.lrMrston h.a

not

stood "upon

his

first letter to

Lord

17

John"

ana.

w...sisted

uoon the fixed

duty

.

auvale

implies,

Palmerston did not persist

in

his

ini

t1al

objeotions

to

the Edinburgh

IA)tter,

ana

on

December 18th voted

th the majority of

the

meeting

f)1" taking

offloe

e..rx1

proposing

total

and

imDed:iate

repeal.

Charles

Greville predioted that Pnlmerston oould not resist the temotation

of' office!

• •••

c.s

Pelm!trston' e objeotion 8 r.:>unded on tho QD tion toot

i t

I}he

..'

urgh Letter] l10Uld strengthen Peel, now

til

t Peel is out of office.., end the doors

ot

the F.O. arc open to him, he will no doubt be reoonoiled to 1 t j for I don' t ~1ne he oares about com, fixed duty It sliding scoles, or e!:\Y"thing else except so far

as

they mav

bear

upon

his

return to

that ohod&

oi'

his bliss" .19

If' the higs enterte.ined eny lingering hopes of a fixe

duty

~ter the

Edinburgh Letter, these hopes were dashed by

feel'a

re ignat10n and

abandoment of proteotion. Lord. Cl.a.'rendon wrote to his brother-in-law,

George Cornmmll Lewis:

16 Hardoastle, C!!!!I&el..l, II,

19~.

17 A1rlle, LeiJ.y

Palmero~!h

II, 100.

-16-1t As to the fixed duty

Sot

wd be too much to

803

that cr£

the embr,ro Oabinet '/ere fnvouroble to it, for they all agreed

that it ao useless to discuss it even as Feel pledged

against

it,

wah a tter of regret to serne as

it

took q

a DOUrO of revenue independent of protection". 19

Uarw

of thone who ere present at

the

Oheshem Place oonferono s ~

have been driven to

a.co

t repeal, reluctantly and against their

reonal. preferences, but

the Mcessi

ty of obolishing the Com La;

accepted by everyone. The

Sosaue

that clomintlted the oonf'erenc s

was not whether the Corn Laws should be retoined,but how they should

be repeal d.

In the course of their negoti tion the Whi consi red two plens

of repeal. At first they proposed

to

su.npend the Com for

duration of' the famine and then intro nee

a.

bill which would have

gradunlly dimi.niahed end. :f1nally abolished e.1l the dutien on i.."'lpOrted

corn. This ;rlcm as dropped on December 16 in favour of total. and.

:immediate repeal. The

first

proposal is generally known and its

details have been printed, but i

t8

signiticooce

has never been properly

appreciD.ted. Thursf'ield in his artiole on the Greville .1emoirs in

the

English I storioal iew refers to the orig1ne.l propoBDl oimp13

as"8. tter of history" 20 and oites it to illust :t

inadequate grasp of tho

urgency

of tho eoonanio orisis. egardles

of its intrinsio rits, the o1rcumattmoes which lea Russell to

o.d.opt

19 Clarendon

to

Lewis, Dccezriber

2~J

1845, Bodleian, .Clar. dep_ 0 552.

20

---"Notes on

the Grffllillo emoirsll • R.H.R. I, 12S.

This

artiole

s

publiohed 8nOJl3DIOUSly. It

is attribUtea to

J.R. Thursfield. in

on Inter to . nndon t' e so! e. of gr' ual reI oJ. e closer study.

~ or i t in

in C 2:1e 0 WO 0 dlfficul t i s of' re 0.1, th.t

t

1e

problema tha' oonf'ronted the " .' (~o , "3 o...;ot cle.-..u'ly 1::.r lied.

1'ih 1 ~us ell CJI.I1.Jvs..)d tl· Eili.nb

io

ill ikely

on a definit al, c..rld less likely t "lnt 11·

fores :v f--eel'.... resigr '"i n ard t.l0

03.1:ry his '!n ree IOnUo:~ior1S into c fect. Le-lcrtl alcon, in t 10 c.::mrse

of the letter, Rusaell hinted in a vague and ind:i.reot f'o.ohion at 0.

poosiul

e

BettI r..cnt of t16 quen ion.

ltimpoOl.tion of'

ruw

duty t prenont, yi thout a pravisi n

r

r

its

extine . ion . t lin ort pet1.odtt

• Thio \ oulCi. onl· rolol\~ Ita contaot

al:r:-eD..iW sufficiently f'rui tf'ul of Ol ' ~ocl.

y una

diucontent·. In th

1 inal par ro.ph he ureed the coun'X"Y to ogi to. e for ropcal, concl nr; :

"Let the ,,' . stry pr0.l..A> e ouch revision or the ta:ces nn in

their opinion may render the public burdens more juot and more

equal; let 1 add any other Pl."'OV sio \"hicl CCJl

t·

on or.d eve

sorupulous fOI e· .c e ' e s i : ; ; but let the re.ncwC'.J. of the

I striotions on tlO artioles of' food and clothing une by

the 0 of the ople be requi Ci, US useful to c 11 t e Ltre t

interesto o..:rl indiopensoble to the pro as of the ti ntf. 21

On

f"lrst

reading the

letter

Sidney

lIerbert, 01' s Secrotnr'lJ at War,

•

elieved t}1..nt . ssell had. "ernbr<...:.ced fully the dooe s of the 'U:l ffi1e

W PI' ared for imJediate abolition", but on closer exominati n

clocided that he hod c:>n '~lated ! only ul til: te aholi tion Vii thin a

short period bal no d by 0. re-adjustment of 1000.1 burdons [1 co.l rates

21

,71deh

-1

8-11 elL

n

on :ricul

turoJ

,,22

On ce~ e' 10th ~el een O1~tlini~

co o· del'co . c f . dion::>luJ.;ion 0 _s el~ nt

o"'c~,l in p 0. ~:i. ila.r

r:J.co..ct:re

through I i 1 W!'ote:

"If the opin:i.r:m of s colle ;uoa had b J!1 in ceo... eo 7i t 1 ;lio O'ml, he 'Jiili :rul.ly prepared to t -e the 1"enponoibill ty or

su .... _ encion 0. Q of the co .. ooq. c· ,c o!: su,J" cl".sion, "

c~rehe ive ravia of

the 1

0 i~Gin8 restrictions on 1'0

d

i h vi 1 to th_ir rr"il: . nution T ulti: llte r '/ 1 •••

flSir Rob

rt

Peel is prepared to DUpport in 0. private

cc.:pACi ty be L"1 -encral C'A>nformi ty ,ii th t 1000 ;bleb he odviood 8.3 0. niater.

"It "\.":)u1d be ~-fu0eomi'1r. in Sir R bert to Il'lC!';e ru ref ~ no to t .o details or 0 ch azure.

• • • • • . . . . .. .. . . .... . .. .. . . . to . .. . . • • • • • • • It • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Tho pri!loiple on \7hlch Sir Robel-t ~eel 'Prep to roC"r.::n " t 0 rocoroi ,~ti,:>n or t""o 10:.n ffcct::.~. the i

Y)1"1-of

t.

e . n artioleD of f od J in enoral cc rJance 1'1 th tl

t

referred

t

i!

t.

,0 _.,J .cltldin,:· 'Dcrn.. T[ p.'-l 11' - I'd J.)11. uosell' 0 letter to the Jilector:J of the C_ ty of Londo ,.

ir P. bert ". 0 at) t' .c ... TTY vh r m; 13 of tho ~ trlctiono

on the ~soion of ouch articles ,lith relief to tho land fr rn such C.lc~gc 0.0.... e

".3 in

t

le tcrm.o f 1.0

o

_

pulouo

f ~e 'co

:eot

.

r(J\r oiono 1d evcn

ItS; r Robort Pc 1 _ rt r=.e~O fOUl".dcd on

t

.

at ~cn rnl

lr-ln"'ipl ancl 'Ii. _1 oxercise ar.y influence he ':Jl{)3 posoe::m 0

p te thnt success".~5

i thout Feel' 9 0 fer of IJU.

port

it is unlikely th t Doell ~ould h~e

even cOIl3idered

t

dn:~ office to re 1 the Corn La (1. At tho ti."OO

he cotl'!l3.lld.ed no nnre thnn one- ' . 1"d of the ·OUDe 01 wrds

250 votes in the 1 ouoo f C .ons. 25

22

Stanmore, . crbort, I, 52. "'9

"V ~ctorla, Iettc .... s, TI, O:J-65.

24 Clarendon' 0 eruoro.nd. ,Dece ber 1845, P. 'Ii. O. 50/22/4.

25 ... _,e1 'd _, " lne

_.q

_"

I

Rua

oJ •

d obout

cle th t we CaIL'lOt

mn

tho b ttle \'r1 th our 0\'11'1 unaosietod strength. If 7e ,lin tall,':' t must be by t.he elp of fecI, zrohcm, ond thcir

• ,,~" 26

.

rJ.

> .IZ • If . 0011 h . .cco3)ted 0:' ':'ce ru~

t

tc..'ID

ved t rell nl

\1itilo t

s, underst

nd.:l - th the Comelv..,tlveo, 10

":'luI C ! ly hc.vc i . ito ~ t!':.o ticfcr~t or his GcTJcrnn:mt and the rejection

0'" hi ~ 00CDUTC. :crora ho hn.d. ~een 011 ... r..'lemJrond- , . told the

'u .... en th t he \"laO It a leader only of rninJrl

t:

r

:

t

lUS not in c.

condi tion to fo '" a .1inis try" . 'Z1 '1he memo LJ. tered his pros _ eto.

ince Albert !I'

te

to el t In t HU3Bo11 00 IT o:fr :'\ of his minority

in

t:

e 1101.1 v yo' T.lemOrondurn 1ioh

just c

in

28 !O'.7CVer, . f c1if::'icul ties uere, in

his mvn words, "eert my dirnini cd by t.'lio comnun:i.o tion" , 29 Poel d indicated certoin C <.1i ti nG of support: he rostricted his off" r

to oduo.l peal, and by lie tion ezcluded tho ~ t

La

e,

di te

Sinoe Pocl' s oondi ti no 0 rreapondcd closely lith the tel~ of

the Edinburgh Letter,

it

':s unlikely that Ruose11 felt oo'IY peroonal

objections to thei .• and his friends, n oontr , regarded

the me:oo:ratidllm Il.9 0. suit Ie nsio for fioti tiona \7ith the

CO TJ ti es, and on Doce . r 12th soall

Sir J 0!lV!,$ Graham

"to

nncertoin nora in detail n Peel t 0 intentions. 50

26

_{l.rcvelya."1, .!D.cc.u1~, I:, iGS.}

'"Zl Gooch

~~e~.!,

I, 105. 28

Parker, ~, III, 241-42.

2D

Gooch, ~~, I, 105.

r

-"

Peel, ! (J.lever, refuoed to divulge the dotnils or his plan, ond on the

15th Ru::mell receiv d a. 1 ttcr fT'.J Sir

J"~

s "r fn to thin e ect 51

Grall '0 letter 'v f.I ccived wi tl. connio.cr 1e m: n lcion. l!o.caul \"n:"Ote, II • • • we all feel that this i'" too vQ.bu_, ~,c IJ:J3 still be

left in tl.e lurch". 52 On t 10 i!lf.or. tion of odfo Qnd nilon, Groville \ll"Ote in 1 in '1:oir :

lotte •

15t!

B' c

oI

l

tol . eon t,.at "t. e thc~ d

t i t,

DU cit it to Peel. If fuel rcfucod to p_cdge h:l:: cell' to ou .)port it ,

51

52

..

.

of

...ceo .ill tho ~ -n to invite

s fxlcnd.::; -, repc.rcd to form

pr01"ec+- n. . n lor let VOl' to el of

tllC ...,1 . , 'that those mbero Sir Robert hould decl

0:1 1, P ccmbo~ 3, 1815, P.R.C. 50/22/4.

that the no o.pable or ,,\7ill to carryon the Gov lent I • • •

, i th an enormouo ' n r" ty in bot.1-t g uses t. S oould give

t.e 0 y chanco of succe::10 to the ~~ ovo:. ':l!!leLt' • to' 4

IOOct:1.r!g :

"Lold Jo.m

tiw::! '1::as bjec"ion :~o,.. ... of

3tror'-e1y::';; .p":vour of gro.ducl. cil ~i tion. I odd

f ::.0 ... 01·

e

[to

t'l-lO O-Lr: cuI i; ,

otsJ

but lUlU no

o give ' [ i f

it

':1Ol11d help] to Ge~tlo tl.e quonti : • tiltlr ... ere .Lvl' ti. '.55

n

pruposed to re'" ~ a d'Lt-' of' e.:..t;: . t t .. "" til ' l(;8 'l.:.en 'he aver Ie

pI The duty

'I C to oe lo-.. e

a

to fi'il' o·ti.ll:.. '~a 1 _un tLe o.V'cro,ges rooo nbove for y-oight ld to or..e l;j Ll:ing

,

k~

r ..

'~

!l!J

..>Od t.:.oOl:e fifty-four • . 6

1 sooll . phis ')1· .. 1 th rerercnce '0 'eel t G t:lCL10rondum and

3:cing diU. no . :i.'OVO of' t l 0 He told

-;oy 1'0 .. ~. Guro ':.d. . :out a coINUlo::"

c

35

=er, ~, III, 245-46.

:brthbrool:, .::;D==u' 219-20.

ill£.

220.

Cv~ci iato

olic1.ing

duty

.

',po

.""

--

oy ail pting it

r lCi.llturist and

57

_:.oru

-22-provi c baois of' co-a ro.tion be reen th . ' 0

o.na

ConnerV' ti e .... ,

it ooon

proved

unnceept 1

to

tIe

extra

e

frcc-'rnders

of

the

fOI

er

porty.

Lord

Grey had t publicly repudiated the fixed duty before

-...he crioio, but during the ocs",ion 0 > 1845 he had a.cted iT co Gart with

t\ro

influential Radico.ls, 01 arles )Uller o.nd

njomin

Un:

co.

the () . Dis he entered into corrmunic tion \ ' l i t h ' chard Cobdan, the

leo.J.or

of

the ti-Oorn-~ Lengue • 58 It seema tho. t he even believed

t t Arthur 1

we',,::

an one of his adrn:lrers, d told Lady Grey that

tour ro not very unlike' 59 On the lot of

December

Charles ler enco~,;ed G·rey t take a londing pnrt in e expected

or-lais end azoured him of cupport. ller >TrOte:

t'I truot you will take your full shro"e oJ aooert those clo.ims to

the confide e of your c unt en which reryboc1¥ seems to adci t

more readily th yourself' ••• De nd upcm it, if you . 11 on1.y

Ie d, follo\"rers rill not be \!antingtl.1W

When Lord Grey arrived in ndon on th 15th, Hussell 1 old on .1

meeting and outlined to him in oompany

m

th Sir -aorg Gro;, and .~&

£11:106 the plan he prop ed to submit to his f'riendo on the following

&y. Daell in his ancw.-n of tl e oriois si.rnply records t 1

t

lord

Grey

d more hMty then ~ 0 neccs e:ry If • 41

58

PtU..mercton to RUGaell, Dec mber 20, 1845:

"As to B 'Ii~ n.nd his ul

tr

reo Tra.de dootrines, you are of course 0: ,ore the.

t

in the be nning of the Ion t Gosnion he no inopired by others, or fo ed himself little pI of Getting up

business on his o· In account . s I d o r of a omall party, eh leo

'}ul.ler :.1 ; s b ing hio

too

Gene14tUS of D·vision". P. l.O. 50/",2/4.

Grey Diaries Dece:Wor 18, 1 ..:5, Prior' 0 Y.i tollen Grey III C 5/12. 50

Lord Grey to dy Grey, ebruory 10, 1845, Prior' 0 :i tohen, Grey III,

~ ~5.

Charles Duller to Lord "}rey, co er 1~ 1845, Prior's Kitchen Grey

41 III,

In foot, ro refuoee. to ho.vo o.rwthing to '10 Ii th

gru

Qu

al

nnure and. L-mio ted on

m.lc'·

to repeal. In hie diary he otatos'

It :1. n Ld. Johl. told. ...

vnw.t

'1 d been settled

o.s

to I" 0 . TJpooin; the 1 end.n of pl ,ho 0.1':;0 infonred me t .a.t he ooturo of the plcn m1 be ? 0 n tl e ports fo coY.re r:1Ontho . n order to meot t1.e

neceooit of the COtmtry ..: then to re-establish for a t . some uodi io oyotc..:! f protection....

r

o:~ d ua.nE:r-.?hat tlormly

extreIOO surprise o.nd. dioappoin ent at finding Buch a pIon in contc;nplat t n I pointed 0; 0 . lie of t c o~"'i ooject ' .~ to it .;.; anid the t for one 1 c r.cvor ogrce to ouch 0. plnn ~o that if' it teB only t;oll d 0 connidcr the heado of ouch oohcme thero wd be no use in ntten ing tho :'eotin,: of tl 0 next cloy

-ut John o~d th t to t 0 odin 0 ropool of the vlho1e C:uty neither Lonodowno nor Pnlrncrston or otl ors of Ids f . oola ";d ascont . thnt he \'/['0 not r..ir.oclf' propared for it". 42

Chorles Gl~villcto account of U~e int~-i co:ntc.i.nn further

in:;. oroat':' on:

" ••• ;; J DO reed wi tL '{ rlel.:' s

[Grey

t 3J v.i.olent vicv a

(ror le v 0 II

r

r extr.., we aures, moodinte Tel.Jeo.1, no c neation, tro..."1pling on d:!1 roo.l"ioo) that li. oaid pettiohly

tID e i t · auld be eless for rn 0 ttond your meeting t nClITot ' •

Ellice i."lterf'ered ond soid, 'Oh,

nonocnn0

,

you

hn.d better come' end : did. J Ilm\Y oai.d he as cry eon""'.:! ' lice '_00 prey ' led upon him to oome, as he S ould have much preferred t

d.n.c

him at his "lOrd". 45

l}reville to o.oomnt of' e Tgtr:lOnt roc ire explo:nntion.

not, of course, l"Csent at t1 0 moeti.nc, or t of the thoro held ~

t

C. eahcm Pl.'tOc. Clmondon and l;)

.

l

ever,

l-;:ept him In!'' • el,

hio . otory of the crioio corres.. nds subotonti lly to the lottero

d dio.rico of those ' 0 o.ctuo.lly attended the con!' rcnees. ! G coount of the .i.ntervi bet\, cn roy and ':\100el1 m ontered into the

42 45

rey Diaries, Dec ,!ber 15, 184.-6, Prlor ' s ' tohen, Grey C 5/12.

·.,

-4..1'

-_~:hr:- on Dccc-nbcr 16th, .0 dey tuon t'l1 Doell cleparted fru Peel' a

.

am

ru.lopte coorplcte .... 1d inzneclia.tc :::-ec tr de; and the

\7Ordi~ of the :1tI"'l "1 eo not c. 'cluJe t:1C : soi ill

ty

1o.t ::.1 .... 0011

ex reseed lis cret t 1at _'~llico hod pro-IT i1ed u. Lord G. Y to attend

the eeting,

o~

t _

16th

inateo.

f'

t'1e

15th.

entry

in 3- y'D eli that ~':1oel1 hi .self . J. te ~o .rey <.)l'! the mornine

of tL

1 th

y to

Ge

c

lim

p

rlv

tcl~

befo

v

t e

be

inni~rr

0

tho the !'leetin; or the 16th ~uoncll conce d Grey' 0

a.c

.o.nd.a anel 1. '10 no :-cference to the ori).l.Uent 01' the ... ",ravious cloy.

Thero!") l1l Ii :cly tho.t Russell U!l P '"' ared on t 113 15th to go

on ~. thO'.lt G " 11 to propane a mensure to Poel ym.ich Grey could not

OUDpcrt. ~ri t:-rl.n menty- our hours :;!unooll cll8IlGcJ

his min e.s !)U . i tted to Trey's propoooJ..

It rust be l"eo:Elb red that on the 15th Russell still hopvd for nome

ru:

lll'l£e:ncnt 'l"Ti th Peel. _he pI of repeoJ. that he

intended

to

oub • t to hiD f'rienda on e next day 16.13 to be oent to Poel for hiD

opinion. It is reo..oonable to GU.-ne that

an

long Ruosell hoped

that Peel would ccrnpletely identify himself with the \ lig menoure, 10

:fel t he could ignore

rey'

3 radical objections to gr duaJ. , t: d

even ill.

nne

'Ii th Ll.

s

suppurt

.

Cuqplete

and

immediate

repeal

c

inoonaiatent

'\n

h the tenns of Feel' G .drat mornndum to tho Queen,

and even if' ~el TIel'C prep -cd to ncce t i t , hiI:loelf', hG could hardly be ex "ted 0 cc.n:-y 1 r his party wi til him in SUpporti~ the me <

44

On tho morning of th 16th Russell receive e. letter fr m tho lUeen

hi 1 trnnof'o d h:~s poeltlon. ~. '0 letter cont . ~d encloaure

i'r Poel

t'.) .

01 h co .. ul) e bis c lCllb'UCD Clll:1 aacured

pl' ared to true- office to lrullnt n i>r taotion.

He ref'uo d, cr, ver) 0 receive n:l pIe 0 11iul3elt' to ,\;11' ttrllL of'

any ::l.OUl'2: PI' pos d by soell read eol I s refus 1

to in friendG 0!1 ~ then decl red his intention 01' ,ropolllr::"" canplete Ol".d ,j dio.te re_ _o.l. :':n oxpl !O.tio. _{f' t} Ull '·uu. j c1 e he told hiD

r

:-iends:

'I • • •

t

ut

t.

notion f having

it

r

er

'1ua1 rope

j

originated in

the interx1ed o.tt . t at c ert \~i. _ Peel --

t

hat

thi :7US noo

ir:t )Oosible .

t

hat

upon 0 whole i t 3e • d ~ttO 1'; if he .... , a to f' a Govt. ut all .:. t .. 'lUst :"0 in order to n:. . ooe t'lC in: :.cc1io.te rcnec..l of' t e C .;- • r.o" •

i\..u

The meeting, " deh i1 ol.!d.cd _ al.: :. aton 0 . .'1J wncclO\ , Cldopted the nC\"1

propostU " thout IillVl opp i tion. SdO .... n:lC I .t l' isted that the

-removal of agrJ.cul tural burdens

"

t.:>

the extent of' a million or ... UI:l of

t t cnitud.e" should b oode an integro.1 part of the repeal nGUX'C •

On the 19th. l£)rd 'roy Pt:U..a3raton, Clorcndon, Auckland, Bnr-lrlth ond F.ll1oe o.ereed tor 0 controveroy

to

pro-:i.de i'or· 13dio.te rellef

the 0 of 00,000, nnd to propose additional rolief to the 1:il!lit of" Ilion pound.'l aD OOO~_ the state of the r0verrue 0 thio poooible. Lons me

dF

ay 1 Ne been peroo .. nlly di p()seu to favour

r'C,t'ca.l, but 1i""0 .. ~ ssell, ~ y oubmitteu. to Grey'o tCl"'mS. 45

Porker, Peel, III, 49.

~(j

Lord G ; to Lady Grey, Dec

4

7

~"'"',

... u,

Ruosell,

r,

94-95.

- er 16, 1&15, Prior' s Kitchen, 1001 •

ray III,

-2G-cco~ to . nco .Alber , regrctt d tl t el had not

at cd his c nditio 01 s.otancc· reply to Ru~soll's

overtures

and

"(jtren...~th

enod

he coder te party in

t

0 _ 'l c biuet". 48 t at.

long 0.1l Feel ro ed to enter into full nnd 0 n concert 1; th tIl .fl11go, cours of action \ ich rould havo o.li nated Grey .... a divided tho free ro.d.ero could ot 1 ave been followed with so:fety.

nus

ell hinted at t:lis in hi letter of rooignation of D e e r 20th:

It • • • Sir Robert Peel could not, of co '00, lyon tho support of

his political friendn 'lould . e proposed . ODuro be in their oyeo dO .. ll.:;erouo or othel: 1"1.ge.

"In thio uncertainty of o:Jtain:ing e. ron.jo_'lty in the II Juse of Coor..;ons it Tl00 aboolutely necessary that all thODe 1O:oro prominent in the li tical arty to \111100 Lord J. Husnell io

tto.ched ollOUld give

t

eir zeo.1oua aid nnl a.ot in conce_ t \"1i th the ~w Adrniniotre.tion".49

It ~ be inferred tho.t the unc rtointy of Conn IV tive support

magnified

G

rey's

influence in

the

mleshao lace negotiationo

and

enabled him to modify Ruoooll' 0 origL,a.l plan. Fo.1rnc ro ton , Lord

LonodeJ\1De, probably Runoe 11, himnelf, uld have preferred

to

repeal the Corn oro a.duoJ.ly and save thomoolvco f'ron the utation

of s ndering totally to tho Anti-Corn- League. Certninly it

rould :ve been in the intereat f tho Whi s, us a p lrty, to conciliate

01 and as

mo..rw

of

l's supporters no

poosible by

pro

o

ing

a

derate ' easure. AIl 101\.1 aD thoy o' ected Poel to give f'ul1 end

unrcoerved oupport to their aeon , their inte stD OD poli ticiano ooinoided th t _eir preforenooc ao londlordo and ar-lat era.to. en

48

Parker,

!'£..1.,

III, 255.

49

s 11's

ovorv~'eo

tu

F

o-l

failed to produce

L10rc 0 cific

guarentees

or- defini '0 ho 0 collohor -Cion,

it

io.J likely ha.t th iihi!jo took fr.l

ht

adopted tho n:o:re rn 1 oal me"· ure , icl ,."Culd \rent a

split in thai!"' p'

.ty

and micht, v.tth luck, roceiv enough support fro!Q the onoervativco t.;, pano hr;)U Pt.rllcment. ~h

....

te'Vor

,ight

these oonnic1erotions co....-r".t3d in tho negotio.tio.r:,n, the shif't i'rom gradual to

d.i te xepeal io of

inte

cst insofar nn i t ohOl:m that Lord Grey

ft cto!' of' no negligible fOI ce in: ~s 11' z calou1o.ti r..n.

Gsell

did not suddenly discover hia ioportano on December 10th ,men he

decided up his commi SiO~l but l' ad . ll: eoily iven tangible

proof of th value he place on Gl-ey'S co-O".f)eration in the pl' p oed

On the 18th "" full maeting Id and the me.jority voted in

fa.vour of taking offioe.

ro

OM seomed to be very confident of l?eo1' s

asournn s, 00'& the IlOjorit"Y 10 voted in f lVOur of taking offioe f It that he had gone

too

far to le d an apposition ogai:rmt their measure. Clarendon \7l"Ote to • C • Lewis:

It • • • nll agreed tl . t if t question turned upon the omrunt of oupport

spec' fico11y p

mood,

the • . rtald..ng rru~t

b

declined, bu' the

or-lty voted in favour of ttemptir.g [., Govt. , be .... ne the thought Peel' 3 position 'f prev nt him ploying o.ny tricl -- there 'lO.S

confidence in his ail but none ill hi... "" c s ••• "50

When Russ 11 proce d.ca

to

distribute plnces in tho new Cobinat on tho 19th, I.eI'd Grey info d h1m c. t he yJOUld not toke office i f Lord

Pulm.eroton return~d to the Foreign Off'lce. tfll03 &: before, Grey a oms 50

-

...

8-cnu. Sir

- LN1 "rey .:"0 in hIs ".ory :

" ••• ~ nlk d (Lab ucherc, ' .~_ y, .. oauley V! my 0lf) a l' ttl

about arrongcments . p icularly about PoJ. rston the notion of' rop1n..::lnJ "I.a; in 1113 .... '.0. ever-yo dy diolil:eo J.. lOUg a.G \1.) the

mole odiuo of Llllking the object'n "'d1~I aee be left to me

--:r

co: 10¥ 15e oted a Uo f c:v'oiUi r

t

'l"

0 tl '" t ho o' ~ L iTe

t

Colonial ffice Ii tIl the Ie d in the liia •••• "51

Russell had. lready oo'l.U'l.dod. Palmel'oton about t ::ll.g the Colonial Of'rice

ber ~'o Inrd Grey rained his objoction. Palrneroton had TO oed, 11 rev r, '''0 t ~e

a.r:w

_, 0 her off 1 Dell . s conf'ronted , 1 th: tl e neceosi ty of' choosing betueen Po..ll!lel'oton und -zNY, and the loos of' either iould hnv no. teri ly o.kened hio c~nt. Sir orgo

re lu tar expl . to hi... co in, IeI'd Grey that:

mer tho.:: oirculuotancos i11 ~ 11 eh Lord Jom f, s pI ced he (lould not :nrc diap ru::.ed either

mt

1 you or rlth nlmoroton _! th t t e

re a1 of either t;) join him uld, avOl'!. if ho d 2eon diopooed

to ti0 on, h&.ve recossorlly led to ot"lor oecoosionnll • .)2

By adop,- (T C")l lete a im ate repeal, :uncell hn.d d.:iJ!d.nished his

Chru1CeS of receiving Conoslvative oupport I in order t preaoIVo the

uni ty of hi party. The omlooion of Lord Grey frem '10 Cabinet would

°ravi1le \ te to HOnry Reave

on tre RuDuell oi d, It • •• if he

[J.ora.

G

rey]

no

not

in Oi"f'ic he \7ould:ln:f libly !Db :TaSS t tG Go'.;o~nt by his vi lcmce and urging

ext moo.ouroa, and Runeoll solved to thraN it up.

conf'lr. d in thin by all tho

era

~ " h. 13 p~....~r u~

•

•

•

•

,,55

asell's

con ct uring the eris 0 oon c oeo~:dvely timid, and ~ . s

uspicion 0 Feel's good ith mny hnve been unjustified, but there io

51 roy Diaries ,December 10, 10t'..5, orlo

tehen

,

Grey III, C5/12.

52

53 Gear Grey to Lord JrcY:1 J

Jo. on, ~t~,~ o{ _C,:1Or1<:1

, uno 1 hail si:snlf'io hi. sense of' G ey' 0

n...'"ld i t i3 clift:.--! t to avo::.d the concll.<t3io.. t:.L hi

. ~rc: El 1"'01

reo.c'.:ms

£1 ? cobs 001 to

t

10 fon ".

lon

1" 0.

.'hie

Goverm.l(mt \"JQO r.ot the pro "ectionist s ... ' thiclJ of 1, rd Lanod :le ~ston, but tl .t'.:a.dioa.l COl".neo ions of lor

G-rcy

.

efore ,sscll tl re '1 up his com :ioaion, he 0 t Ellice to trJ

to ~"reo:n lroy' 9 objections to Palmernton. Subs que:ltly otl ru..'!lelotO. w.d ley CCUBod Ulice of uplicity; of incltL l'CY t o:rrpose Po.l :lerston t s return to the "'oreign Offi e; of not informing

Pus 00 II of

Gre:r

t s 0 ~cct". 1r..o ; Ol'l<i :rir~ 1 , of do.J.J .. n thlng to

dero.te reyts 10'.,0 on th.;;

l'1t~

.. 54 Si.."lOO lfJv5 Ellie ... h().'" opponed

po.:c. • r3!;:m t E c:>r.duct of forei .1. o.ff'r irs and he; o..d c ... "' ai.ncd of

b c.:;-lnniv0 of t! 0 CloJ·~Sl.S. ' 55 'l.'ho only rcC01'Cl

of

.nc.t

pc "'oed bett .or: lic~ and. Grey on the 10 h io con &.ined in the

lo.tter' c dia.ry. to abandon

his ob' ~ct or-o, but 1e aid '1£4""'.0 him th

t

lG~cll

5

55

err· nt if h . -::t1e. r.t..')t join

i

t.

';rey

wrote:

A:rt"r T Jot h Ellice CU!1la to me ~ as':ed 'Ii ~let!ler my dec nion -- I :3 ··d yes to ch he ons'd then t e 'I ole thing

I!lUst be given u '.)ut I d'1

'

t

toll ou au era il'ong'.

wrd 'rey to Ellice, .vcoc:nbcr 20, lM-5, ?rior's Kitch n,Groy III,

Pal.!i e 0 ton to RUGsell, J o.nu

ry

5, 1(3..1-6, P. R.

o

.

158f

~

2/4.

T:. ·'oc'; s' n : h:;!"rc 00_ to io "\ ... Doinf'ul one b t l nrn ntttisf'ied.

i t is my duty to adhere to i til • ..,6

After Ellice left, Grey regretted he had not been allo'\"led more time to

reconsider his deoision. He mshed he had proposed to Russell to put

the question of Balmerston's returning to the Foreign Office before the

Cabinet, on the understanding that both of them '7ould be bound. by j.ts

• d.g t 57

JU emen .. Ellice ~ told Grey of the consequences of his deoision.

!evertheless, it cannot be denied th t Ellice's attempt at media.tion

does seem perfunctory. He WElS certainly the most unaui table man to

send to Grey to present the cnse for Palmerston - to overcame, in fact.

0. sentiment which he shared himself.. However, there is no reason to

charge Ellice \1i th daubl -deq.ling. He did not 'wi thhold Grey's

objections fror. Russell. On the 15th, af'ter on inteIViet '\ i th Grey,

58 he vo.rned Russell about possible difficulties \11 th the Foreign Office.

Fina.lly, whatever Ellice did sey or did not

say,

there io no reaaon to

believe that Grey ~ !.S guided by his advice in any respect. On the

contrary, Grey entertained the dee st suspicions of Ellice's judgment.

When he arrived in London on the 15th, he wrote to his wife: ttl ,,'ent to

J .. R. 's and unluckily fotmd Ellice there ... I cd not stay long n.s he

[Rusoell] had letters

to

write

&

wanted to be left -- he kept Ellice

the worst nilvio r he cd ha.ve".

L

ven

on tlle lo~ost noscssment of Grey's

56 .1

Grey Diarioo, ce!!ibcr 19, 1845, Prior's Kitchen, Grey TIl , ctV12.

&

.1

Grey Diaries, Decc !ber 10, 184.-5, Priorts Kitchen, Grey I n , C!~/12.

prudence, it is ui .ely tlutt he

s influonced

by .O! he

cell's

TOrot

rd l'~Y i ~.o'1ti ed lU..mneli' 'iiof;. t.o ol:'cy of the

r ~ooible

t 'It 1e .30 J..

e beon intr :ui

t

o

eorl 0_ Con .... ~ 'V' tive

-Li. ro.1 c.oaJ..i t i :1. rey o.."1C. : • n ·hu:r.·lc~ 'ood, hod

d he po3: .. .ibili u11i

ide

to

i ~ ,. a:t. t_ a.o ti ve to both of the • ',0 d f'ir3t

at· ~.., or _-eel

t

ok office

.' 1~1:

tJ • •• I

Iii t r that

59

i.o Grey to

60

.., d Lor J.rey not to nttc.o.<: e1 too violently

rey, Dcco..i:>cr

15, 1045, or' 0 .::1 tchcn Grey III

_v'J/ •

-

52-but to praise his libernl intenticl13 and to ref'roi.n f'r0!n ic1entif'ying

'm with hio xtre supper "ters. _I e pr, _{ced Gt·oy} to oXOJ! )erato tho

0

1

differences between Peel .nd "his ultro i'ciends".

tUl:'nod to the s .. . :C policy;

fl1 thin· , ::>1 '-uizhtod go.me a.t lreoont. The liboral

_ arty ... " ... r "T <..~ ii' uc c.r to Govern i t

t all to aupno;rt. fr:Jm the l1b ro.1 Torien n, must G2 oonduct ouroe:vo;J

.:..t:

QUe l ray as to l"Cccivo th.['; sup )Crt ••. "

00 '0 to. ico SCC::::lS to 1 ave influenced Gl'C r. ccsoion of

1&:'::4 he latter o:Jonly dioogrced 'rl th iC .. :'Ixn; u'ton n covel'a.:.. occasions

0.71 f'ol'fncd 0. otl"Ong avers1.OU to servin.6 ~e.in .~ h him in (l Whig

Govc:.:nnent. .... roy 'I..roto to h ... o

e

:

'I 1 ave told hiD [~ood] that .t?a.lme 'otOl •. ::>t octed _

rm

the rule which he Yr.i.ohcd to prese "he to . by ivins ''JOY \"lhon hodid not

~I'CC :i... allY iniono I het: c

t

.0'.1 ~{j i t r.ccesoOlY to e in

t~10 !. f C. lie • de ::10 ocru;>le i:1 O1lli'"cr:L -.

em

t'16 vote of tha. .. :... .;) . apier vr uting OCl.J.L.ct ~ on t!lC o:"1JOrt

c1J.ty

n coals ••• : ~1f!V oddc:'J f'or 's priv. ve :L'li'~ . "1'ltion t~1 t .

r

'0 ohod to

tw:"n Peol out ... to keep togother a part.-y copcble of t ting up the

Govt.

I rxl.:Jl t1 In': i t of l".:. .... :ro conocquonco mor Dhewi~~ toot \IC ao

not , 'ut the c se i ;l dii'f' : 'cnt t· le. 1 thln1~ that 01' 0

) out uti. 1", 0 ' a.t!Ili _{af'ort e } ,mo C ' 1 l r f ctly determined}

r

c....:run

0 belong to '" govt. bit 1i1:0 'lC lo..at certn.inly

to on~ in \ ch P. Ch0ult::1 be P. "ecfy --- (10 not 100 ~ in public

l"'01,ur~ '0 ffire u"t J exorc':'oi.n.e a tto:;,ful influence

i ll

.er:

t

.

.& the c:>untl'" r by eotabllliul1,S ell 001",1' for acting

honestly & indcpefl{l.e~ tly; much good I Or.l convinced be thus clone - If I ever ohd r" urn to office' IJ wd. he.rdly be othc :lise t

ill consequence of a f~r,-> t :"reo.':i!Jg up of o:r..ist::. port:eo u: their

r " , - O I ' 2 ' el rl'~ in n way:.

65

1e :cnber c ':'810 prese to<.t G y (I_.Ct IOod yrlth th opportunity of

br-lngin thio o;}(.li tio 1 ir.to existence, nd ..:I"C' SCeI!m to have eonnid.ered

61

.ood to Lord f'!. _ y. T remer 5, 1841, ' iort s :'{i tel n, G-rey III, 102/2 "

G", '00 to Lord

rey,

J:nu 12, 18-1<", Prior'o

:itc~

en, Groy 11":,102/2.

G5 Lord Grey to

.:.nay

Grey, April 9, 184-1-, Prior f s (i tohen J Grey III,

negoti

tiona.

on the Corn

Grcy

told

H

33011 on Dece or

0, 1845, It :l

of

di3~01utio~ f t t 5 question

every ... ah and I om f ,,0 soo .m

t ti'l t'ere is u prospect o~ its b i~ able to

e

fIt. 1:oco::. er lCth. he .J.: '" to .~sell o.:'oin

ed lli::" i112:

t.

e

fo:roer "ihirr eI"Il!!}ent boclc ir. to office:

" • • • • ho 0 you ::.11 all 1 to cxprc:;s .. \I convict':on th t ,. ou ought nbovc oll th:ings to guard o.ga:i.nst givi~ to t publ i.o

im_ reno' on t Ie..' your

c.dm:i.t1.ist

r

tion io 0. •. :"t'o revival, rl th c.a littl o.lteratLn « ):>Oosi010,

or

tlc luot mi[~ ;~ove cnt.

t g'

e

nt had, justly

or un0uotly,

totnl~ loot the

coni'ider.ce of tho p blie rd had. beco 90 un or tha.t oven

the l'ccollection of i t io on of thc ohief diITic-.11t":'es r1 th

ihich Y' u .1, 1 :ve

to

deal I t . 65

It 10 unli -ely that Grey had resolved not to join RuaDell in pure hig ornment UTider a:rrI eire' to.nceo.

O

n

the 16th~

o£tor

immediate

peal been dopted, he Irote to hi '\: ife, "It 10 ko more li-e

bein

~

in 0 ficelt, 06 At the Sl'..r:D

time,

h

~/ever,

he connidered joining Peel c.s f "lble al tcrnot::'ve, if Ruso 11 ref'uecd to meet his to

In converao.tlor.

ro.

tJ Sid.n€ly Herbert on the 17th, he c mDl' d oi'

return to t e oreien OCfice d at te lis preferenco f Jr

coo.1ition bet",een the two p les, a.dding, " ••• I t I

ott

d

nlonc

there: nobody 1 c.n mailed for i t but e; but at o:Ii3 r tc I \"tiuh ,.e

07

eould kc p

wro.

",roo n . ".." e

o£tor

P.-..looell

64 0000,

b

ssell, I, 86-87. 05 ____ " ·otco on tho 'reville 66

_wrd

Grey

to

d\V

~rey, Dec

G7

Stannoro, 1Ierbm, I, 58.

iro".

~. I, 124.

or 16,

1

845,

Prior'~

up ric