DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16544#0008
Iiitrflhictton.
VOLUME XII.-JANUARY TO JUNE, 1S47.
THE RUSSELL CABTNET.-1S47.
First Lord of the Treasury.......... . Lord John Russell.
Lord Chancellor . . ........I • • Lord Cottenham.
Chancellor of the Exchequer . .......... Mr. C. Wood.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster......... Lord Campbell.
President of the Council............ Marquis of Lansdownb.
Lord Privy Seal........... • • Earl of Minto.
Home Office.............. Sir Geobge Grfy.
Foreign Office............. Viscount Palmers-ton.
Colonial Office.............. Earl Grey.
Admiralty ............, Earl of Auckland.
Board of Trade......... • • • ... Earl of Clarendon.
Board of Control......... ... Sir John Hobhouse.
Postmaster-General............. Marquis of Clanricaude.
Paymaster of the Forces........... Mr. T. B. Macaulay.
Woods and Forests............. Viscount Morpeth.
Chief Secretary for Ireland........... Mr. H. Labouchere.
Judge Advocate-General .'........... Mr. C. Buller.
POLITICAL
^HE year eighteen hundred and forty-seven began gloomily
enough, and required all the firmness and energy of the
Government to bring domestic matters to a successful issue.
The reaction consequent upon the unhealthy state of affairs in
1845, tended to check confidence in commercial circles, and
to compel retrenchment of expenditure among all classes of
the community. The almost complete failure of the potato
and oat crops in the autumn of the preceding year, reducing
by some sixteen millions the wealth of the country, preyed
with fearful intensity on the poorer classes, and in Ireland
produced almost immediate famine and its consequent pesti-
lence. The most harrowing accounts of starvation and disease
continued to be received, and immense sums were readily
subscribed in England and Ireland to alleviate the suffering,
but in too many places the want exceeded the means of
alleviation. An extract from the Queen's Speech, which was
most feelingly delivered by Her Majesty, will convey to the
reader at the present time what the Government had to
encounter :—
" It is with the deepest concern," said Her Majesty, " that
upon your again assembling I have to call your attention to
the dearth of provisions which prevails in Ireland, and in
parts of Scotland.
" In Ireland, especially, the loss of the usual food of the
people has been the cause of severe sufferings, of disease, and
of greatly increased mortality among the poorer classes. Out-
rages have become more frequent, chiefly directed against
property ; and the transit of provisions has been rendered
unsafe in some parts of the country.
" With a view to mitigate these evils, very large numbers
of men have been employed and have received wages, in
SUMMARY.
pursuance of an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament.
Some deviations from that Act which have been authorised by
the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in order to promote more
useful employment, will, I trust, receive your sanction. Means
have been taken to lessen the pressure of want in districts
which are most remote from the ordinary sources of supply.
Outrages have been repressed, as far as it was possible, by the
military and police. It is satisfactory to me to observe, that
in many of the most distressed districts the patience and resig-
nation of the people have been most exemplary.
" The deficiency of the harvest in France and Germany,
and other parts of Europe, has added to the difficulty of ob-
taining adequate supplies of provisions.
" It will be your duty to consider what further measures
are required to alleviate the existing distress. I recommend
to you to take into your serious consideration, whether, by
increasing for a limited period the facilities for importing corn
from foreign countries, and by the admission of sugar more
freely into breweries and distilleries, the supply of food may
be beneficially augmented.
" I have likewise to direct your earnest consideration to the
permanent condition of Ireland. You will perceive, in the
absence of political excitement, an opportunity for taking a
dispassionate survey of the social evils which afflict that part
of the United Kingdom. Various measures will be laid before
you, which, if adopted by Parliament, may tend to raise the
great mass of the people in comfort, to promote agriculture,
and to lessen the pressure of that competition for the occupa-
tion of land which has been the fruitful source of crime and
misery.
" The marriage of the Infanta Ltjisa Fernanda of Spain
VOLUME XII.-JANUARY TO JUNE, 1S47.
THE RUSSELL CABTNET.-1S47.
First Lord of the Treasury.......... . Lord John Russell.
Lord Chancellor . . ........I • • Lord Cottenham.
Chancellor of the Exchequer . .......... Mr. C. Wood.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster......... Lord Campbell.
President of the Council............ Marquis of Lansdownb.
Lord Privy Seal........... • • Earl of Minto.
Home Office.............. Sir Geobge Grfy.
Foreign Office............. Viscount Palmers-ton.
Colonial Office.............. Earl Grey.
Admiralty ............, Earl of Auckland.
Board of Trade......... • • • ... Earl of Clarendon.
Board of Control......... ... Sir John Hobhouse.
Postmaster-General............. Marquis of Clanricaude.
Paymaster of the Forces........... Mr. T. B. Macaulay.
Woods and Forests............. Viscount Morpeth.
Chief Secretary for Ireland........... Mr. H. Labouchere.
Judge Advocate-General .'........... Mr. C. Buller.
POLITICAL
^HE year eighteen hundred and forty-seven began gloomily
enough, and required all the firmness and energy of the
Government to bring domestic matters to a successful issue.
The reaction consequent upon the unhealthy state of affairs in
1845, tended to check confidence in commercial circles, and
to compel retrenchment of expenditure among all classes of
the community. The almost complete failure of the potato
and oat crops in the autumn of the preceding year, reducing
by some sixteen millions the wealth of the country, preyed
with fearful intensity on the poorer classes, and in Ireland
produced almost immediate famine and its consequent pesti-
lence. The most harrowing accounts of starvation and disease
continued to be received, and immense sums were readily
subscribed in England and Ireland to alleviate the suffering,
but in too many places the want exceeded the means of
alleviation. An extract from the Queen's Speech, which was
most feelingly delivered by Her Majesty, will convey to the
reader at the present time what the Government had to
encounter :—
" It is with the deepest concern," said Her Majesty, " that
upon your again assembling I have to call your attention to
the dearth of provisions which prevails in Ireland, and in
parts of Scotland.
" In Ireland, especially, the loss of the usual food of the
people has been the cause of severe sufferings, of disease, and
of greatly increased mortality among the poorer classes. Out-
rages have become more frequent, chiefly directed against
property ; and the transit of provisions has been rendered
unsafe in some parts of the country.
" With a view to mitigate these evils, very large numbers
of men have been employed and have received wages, in
SUMMARY.
pursuance of an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament.
Some deviations from that Act which have been authorised by
the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in order to promote more
useful employment, will, I trust, receive your sanction. Means
have been taken to lessen the pressure of want in districts
which are most remote from the ordinary sources of supply.
Outrages have been repressed, as far as it was possible, by the
military and police. It is satisfactory to me to observe, that
in many of the most distressed districts the patience and resig-
nation of the people have been most exemplary.
" The deficiency of the harvest in France and Germany,
and other parts of Europe, has added to the difficulty of ob-
taining adequate supplies of provisions.
" It will be your duty to consider what further measures
are required to alleviate the existing distress. I recommend
to you to take into your serious consideration, whether, by
increasing for a limited period the facilities for importing corn
from foreign countries, and by the admission of sugar more
freely into breweries and distilleries, the supply of food may
be beneficially augmented.
" I have likewise to direct your earnest consideration to the
permanent condition of Ireland. You will perceive, in the
absence of political excitement, an opportunity for taking a
dispassionate survey of the social evils which afflict that part
of the United Kingdom. Various measures will be laid before
you, which, if adopted by Parliament, may tend to raise the
great mass of the people in comfort, to promote agriculture,
and to lessen the pressure of that competition for the occupa-
tion of land which has been the fruitful source of crime and
misery.
" The marriage of the Infanta Ltjisa Fernanda of Spain