DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16542#0005
Intohtctioit.
-*-
VOLUME X.-JANUARY TO JUNE, 1846.
THE PEEL CABINET.—1846.
First Lord of the Treasury . . . . . . . . ... Sir R. Peel.
Lord Chancellor............. Lord Lyndhurst.
Chancellor of the Exchequer........... Right Hon. H. Goulburn.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ...... ... Lord Granville.
President of the Council ............ Lord Wharncliffe.
Privy Seal.............. Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberbt.
Home Secretary............. Sir James Graham.
Foreign Secretary ....... . . . . . Earl of Aberdeen.
Colonial Secretaries.............j Lw^SlABLET.
( Mr. Gladstone.
Commander in Chief........... Duke of Wellington.
First Lord of the Admiralty........... Earl of Haddington.
First Commissioner of Land Revenue......... Earl of Lincoln.
President of the Board of Control.......... Earl of Ripon.
Secretary at War.......'...... Right Hon. Sidney Herbert.
Paymaster-General ........ Sir E. Knatchbull.
POLITICAL
rpHE resignation of Sib. Robert Peel at the close of 1845,
-L and the consequent dismemberment of his party at a
time when it appeared to be most consolidated and powerful,
occasioned general surprise, as to the causes which had
produeed such a result, and speculation as to the probable
policy of the future. The anticipated failure of the potato
crop in Ireland, from a new and mysterious disease, occasioned
great alarm in all quarters, and it was subsequently known
that the dissolution of the Ministry had taken place owing to
the divided opinion of the Cabinet on the course to be pur-
sued in order to meet the calamity. Lord John R-ussell
was empowered by Her Majesty to form a new Ministry, but
after several days of negotiation with members of his own
party, the non-adhesion of Lord Grey made it impossible for
Lord John to accept the office of Prime Minister. Sir
Robert Peel therefore resumed office, and with the full
concurrence of one member only of his former Ministry (Lord
Stanley) prepared to advocate a most liberal change in the
Corn Laws, almost equal to the demands of the League. On
the meeting of Parliament, Sir Robert Peel explained the
reasons for his previous resignation, and as he has been much
censured and praised for the course he then pursued, we
recal his own words :—
" There were two periods [in which the dissolution of the Cabinet and its
reconstruction were mooted]; one reaching from the 1st to the 6th of Novem-
ber, the other from the 25th of November to the 6th of December : and, in
justice to those who dissented from my opinions, i must say, that on any
advice i gave no information derived from letters received since the 6th of
December which has or could have any bearing. Now, many Cabinets were
held between the 31st of October and the 6th of December. On the 1st of
November, there was no agitation, no petitions had been presented ; but it
appeared to me that these reports from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—the
example of foreign countries—the example of Belgium, whose merchants had
cleared the market at Liverpool of rice, almost in a day—justified the Govern-
ment in taking measures before it was too late, either by opening the ports
&y an Order in Council, or by calling Parliament together in a fortnight, to
SUMMAKY.
obviate the impending evil. That was the advice I gave on the 1st of Novem-
ber. There would have been an advantage in the plan of taking the respon-
sibility of issuing an Order in Council, and trusting to obtain an indemnity
from Parliament afterwards ; and I was prepared to take that responsibility :
I did not insist on that course, but stated that I was prepared to call Parlia-
ment together immediately, and advise Parliament, that for a limited period
the restrictions on importation should be suspended. I did not anticipate
that this would compel a reconsideration of the tariff ; but I considered that
the effect of calling Parliament together during the period of the suspension
of the duties would compel the reconsideration of this question. My advice
at that period was not taken. Only three of my colleagues concurred with
me; and we separated on the 6th of November, I reserving to myself the
power of calling the Cabinet together, with the hope of convincing them,
that if my alarm was confirmed by subsequent events, my advice ought to
be taken af a later perifld. So far as I was concerned, that was the time for
me to have tendered my resignation. I can truly say, that if I did not do
so, it was upon public considerations that I acted. I felt that it was my
duty to adhere to my post when there was a possibility of my advice being
acceded to. I felt it was a positive duty not to evade the difficulty. I might
have said, that overruled by the great majority of my colleagues, I could
not take the responsibility of continuing in office : but I determined not to
abandon my post. I determined to remain, that if there was a probability
of an adjustment of this question I might bear my part: I determined,
therefore, to remain. The Cabinet re-assembled on the 25th of November.
The evidence I received in the interval did not in the slightest degree
diminish my apprehensions. We had during the interval, with the unani-
mous consent of the Cabinet, taken extraordinary measures for acquiring
certain information. We had issued a Commission for that purpose, and had
taken precautions to prevent the spread of fever. On the 25th of November
it became necessary to consider what instructions should be issued to that
Commission. Those instructions were determined on. I stated at that time
that it appeared to me that the issuing of those instructions was inconsistent
with a determination to maintain the present Corn Laws; and that I could
not consent to the issuing of those instructions to the Commission, without
' reserving on my own part the power to propose to Parliament some measure
I of immediate relief. The instructions were issued; and again I brought
1 under the consideration of the Cabinet what I had pressed on them on the
' 1st of November—namoly, the suspension of the restrictions upon importa-
tion, either by means of Orders in Council or by calling Parliament together.
But at that period my own position, I admit, was entirely changed. The
lapse of time, the increase of agitation, and other circumstances, had occurred
i materially affecting my own position. I had been overruled in the Cabinet.
1 The noble lord (Russell) had in the interval written his letter ; and, giving
! him credit for the best intentions, 1 must say it was a letter which, after
what had occurred in the Cabinet, did most materially affect my position.
After that letter I should have appeared to be adopting the proposition of
| the noble lord. On the 22nd of November his letter appeared, and that act
-*-
VOLUME X.-JANUARY TO JUNE, 1846.
THE PEEL CABINET.—1846.
First Lord of the Treasury . . . . . . . . ... Sir R. Peel.
Lord Chancellor............. Lord Lyndhurst.
Chancellor of the Exchequer........... Right Hon. H. Goulburn.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ...... ... Lord Granville.
President of the Council ............ Lord Wharncliffe.
Privy Seal.............. Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberbt.
Home Secretary............. Sir James Graham.
Foreign Secretary ....... . . . . . Earl of Aberdeen.
Colonial Secretaries.............j Lw^SlABLET.
( Mr. Gladstone.
Commander in Chief........... Duke of Wellington.
First Lord of the Admiralty........... Earl of Haddington.
First Commissioner of Land Revenue......... Earl of Lincoln.
President of the Board of Control.......... Earl of Ripon.
Secretary at War.......'...... Right Hon. Sidney Herbert.
Paymaster-General ........ Sir E. Knatchbull.
POLITICAL
rpHE resignation of Sib. Robert Peel at the close of 1845,
-L and the consequent dismemberment of his party at a
time when it appeared to be most consolidated and powerful,
occasioned general surprise, as to the causes which had
produeed such a result, and speculation as to the probable
policy of the future. The anticipated failure of the potato
crop in Ireland, from a new and mysterious disease, occasioned
great alarm in all quarters, and it was subsequently known
that the dissolution of the Ministry had taken place owing to
the divided opinion of the Cabinet on the course to be pur-
sued in order to meet the calamity. Lord John R-ussell
was empowered by Her Majesty to form a new Ministry, but
after several days of negotiation with members of his own
party, the non-adhesion of Lord Grey made it impossible for
Lord John to accept the office of Prime Minister. Sir
Robert Peel therefore resumed office, and with the full
concurrence of one member only of his former Ministry (Lord
Stanley) prepared to advocate a most liberal change in the
Corn Laws, almost equal to the demands of the League. On
the meeting of Parliament, Sir Robert Peel explained the
reasons for his previous resignation, and as he has been much
censured and praised for the course he then pursued, we
recal his own words :—
" There were two periods [in which the dissolution of the Cabinet and its
reconstruction were mooted]; one reaching from the 1st to the 6th of Novem-
ber, the other from the 25th of November to the 6th of December : and, in
justice to those who dissented from my opinions, i must say, that on any
advice i gave no information derived from letters received since the 6th of
December which has or could have any bearing. Now, many Cabinets were
held between the 31st of October and the 6th of December. On the 1st of
November, there was no agitation, no petitions had been presented ; but it
appeared to me that these reports from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—the
example of foreign countries—the example of Belgium, whose merchants had
cleared the market at Liverpool of rice, almost in a day—justified the Govern-
ment in taking measures before it was too late, either by opening the ports
&y an Order in Council, or by calling Parliament together in a fortnight, to
SUMMAKY.
obviate the impending evil. That was the advice I gave on the 1st of Novem-
ber. There would have been an advantage in the plan of taking the respon-
sibility of issuing an Order in Council, and trusting to obtain an indemnity
from Parliament afterwards ; and I was prepared to take that responsibility :
I did not insist on that course, but stated that I was prepared to call Parlia-
ment together immediately, and advise Parliament, that for a limited period
the restrictions on importation should be suspended. I did not anticipate
that this would compel a reconsideration of the tariff ; but I considered that
the effect of calling Parliament together during the period of the suspension
of the duties would compel the reconsideration of this question. My advice
at that period was not taken. Only three of my colleagues concurred with
me; and we separated on the 6th of November, I reserving to myself the
power of calling the Cabinet together, with the hope of convincing them,
that if my alarm was confirmed by subsequent events, my advice ought to
be taken af a later perifld. So far as I was concerned, that was the time for
me to have tendered my resignation. I can truly say, that if I did not do
so, it was upon public considerations that I acted. I felt that it was my
duty to adhere to my post when there was a possibility of my advice being
acceded to. I felt it was a positive duty not to evade the difficulty. I might
have said, that overruled by the great majority of my colleagues, I could
not take the responsibility of continuing in office : but I determined not to
abandon my post. I determined to remain, that if there was a probability
of an adjustment of this question I might bear my part: I determined,
therefore, to remain. The Cabinet re-assembled on the 25th of November.
The evidence I received in the interval did not in the slightest degree
diminish my apprehensions. We had during the interval, with the unani-
mous consent of the Cabinet, taken extraordinary measures for acquiring
certain information. We had issued a Commission for that purpose, and had
taken precautions to prevent the spread of fever. On the 25th of November
it became necessary to consider what instructions should be issued to that
Commission. Those instructions were determined on. I stated at that time
that it appeared to me that the issuing of those instructions was inconsistent
with a determination to maintain the present Corn Laws; and that I could
not consent to the issuing of those instructions to the Commission, without
' reserving on my own part the power to propose to Parliament some measure
I of immediate relief. The instructions were issued; and again I brought
1 under the consideration of the Cabinet what I had pressed on them on the
' 1st of November—namoly, the suspension of the restrictions upon importa-
tion, either by means of Orders in Council or by calling Parliament together.
But at that period my own position, I admit, was entirely changed. The
lapse of time, the increase of agitation, and other circumstances, had occurred
i materially affecting my own position. I had been overruled in the Cabinet.
1 The noble lord (Russell) had in the interval written his letter ; and, giving
! him credit for the best intentions, 1 must say it was a letter which, after
what had occurred in the Cabinet, did most materially affect my position.
After that letter I should have appeared to be adopting the proposition of
| the noble lord. On the 22nd of November his letter appeared, and that act