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The Coalitions of 1827 and the Crisis of Whig Leadership

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

E. A. Wasson
E. A. Wasson
Affiliation:
The Rivers School, Weston, Massachusetts
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Extract

On 17 February 1827 Lord Liverpool suffered a paralytic stroke. His physical disintegration was followed by the break-up of the alliance which he had built and presided over for fifteen years. He had been a living guarantee that catholic emancipation and parliamentary reform could not be passed, which secured the support of the king and the country gentlemen. At the same time, he had guarded the backs of his liberal foreign and finance ministers against the threat of conservative attack, and thus enabled the government to adapt its policies in those departments to the pressures of the post-war world.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , September 1977 , pp. 587 - 606
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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References

1 Aspinall, A., ‘The coalition ministries of 1827’, Eng. Hist. Review, XLII (1927), 557–8.Google Scholar For an account of the negotiations see Aspinall, A., ed., The formation of Canning's ministry, Camden, 3rd series, LIX (London, 1937).Google Scholar

2 Milton (1786–1857), M.P. for Yorkshire, succeeded his father as fifth Earl Fitzwilliam in 1833; Tavistock (1788–1861), M.P. for Bedfordshire, succeeded as seventh duke of Bedford in 1839; Nugent (1789–1850) was a brother of the first duke of Buckingham and inherited an Irish peerage in 1812 but sat in the commons for Aylesbury; Folkestone (1779–1869), M.P. for Salisbury, succeeded as third earl of Radnor in 1828; Ebrington (1783–1861), M.P. for Tavistock, succeeded as second Earl Fortescue in 1841; Duncannon (1781–1847), M.P. for Co. Kilkenny, succeeded as fourth earl of Bessborough in 1844; Lyttelton (1782–1837)?, was out of parliament and succeeded his brother as third Lord Lyttelton in 1828; Russell (1792–1878), M.P. for Bandon, was Tavistock's brother and was created Earl Russell in 1861; and Althorp (1782–1845), M.P. for Northamptonshire, succeeded as third Earl Spencer in 1834.

3 SirWilson, Robert, Canning's administration: narrative of formation 1837, ed. Randolph, Herbert (London, 1872), p. 17.Google Scholar Grey to Holland, 14 Apr. 1827, and same to Fitzwilliam, 18 Apr. 1827, Grey MSS, Department of Paleography and Diplomatic, University of Durham.

4 Brougham, H., The life and times of Henry, Lord Brougham (Edinburgh, 1871), II, 451–4.Google ScholarRussell, Lord G. W., Letters to Lord G. William Russell… 1817–1845, privately printed (London, 1915–1917), I, 54, 62, 69.Google Scholar Althorp MSS, Tavistock to Althorp, 25 Apr. 1827 (used by kind permission of the Rt Hon. the Earl Spencer, Althorp, Northampton).

5 SirLe Marchant, D., Memoir of John Charles, Viscount Althorp (London, 1876), pp. 208–9.Google Scholar British Library, Add. MSS 36463, fo. 307: Tavistock to J. C. Hobhouse, 10 Mar. 1827, also printed in Aspinall, , Formation, p. 38.Google Scholar

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7 , C., Wynn, Lady Williams, Correspondence, 7795–7832, ed. Leighton, R. (London, 1920), p. 202.Google ScholarR. I., and Wilberforce, S., The life of William Wilberforce (London, 1837), IV, 369.Google ScholarBagot, J., ed., George Canning and his friends (London, 1909), II, 44.Google Scholar Some did vote against Canning, however, including Duncannon, Ebrington, Nugent, Lyttelton, and other of their friends. Parl. Deb. xxxvi, cols. 234–5, 6 May 1817. SirHeron, R., Notes (Grantham, 1852), p. 84.Google Scholar Tavistock abstained, which, Ward observed, ‘was really all one could expect from the chief of the House of Russell on such an occasion’. Earl of Dudley, , Letters to the bishop of Llandaff (London, 1840), p. 167.Google Scholar

8 E.g. Parl. Deb. XVI, col. 1092, 17 May 1810.

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11 For Devonshire's role see the diary of the sixth duke, Feb.-Apr. 1827, kept at Chatsworth, and Moore, T., Memoirs, journal, and correspondence, ed. Russell, Lord J. (London, 1853), V, 164.Google ScholarWynn, Williams, Correspondence, p. 364.Google Scholar

12 Northampton Mercury, 18 Mar. (10 Mar.) 1820.Google Scholar

13 Fitzwilliam MSS, Althorp to Milton, 3 Feb. 1823.

14 Ibid.

15 Milton to Brougham, 2 Feb. 1823, University College Library, London, Brougham MSS. Parl. Deb. VIII, cols. 1019–20, 16 Apr. 1823, Althorp.

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19 Parl. Deb. I, cols. 1066, 1069–70, and 1072, 1820; IV, cols. 721, 1821; X, cols. 156, 1824; XI, cols. 654–64 and 692–3, 1824. SirParnell, H., On financial reform (London, 1830), pp. 258–61,Google Scholar embodies the combination of whig and classical economic views developed by Parnell in the 1820s.

20 Parl. Deb. X, cols. 119–22 and 885–93, 1824; XI, cols. 654–64 and 688–93, 1824. Milton MSS diary, 11 May 1824, in the possession of the Earl Fitzwilliam, Milton, Peterborough. Althorp MSS, Althorp to R. Bennett, 10 May 1824.

21 Althorp MSS, Althorp to Bennett, 21 May 1824.

22 E.g. Chatsworth MSS Diary, 9 Feb. 1822.

23 Parl. Deb. XI, col. 692, 11 May 1824.

24 Ibid. VIII, col. 1004, 15 Apr. 1823.

25 Althorp MSS, Althorp to Brougham, 14 Dec. 1824.

26 Add. MSS51571, fo. 201, Ebrington to Holland, 16 Jan. 1825. Fortescue MSS, Ebrington to [John Guthrie], 12 Oct. 1828 and Guthrie to Ebrington, 23 Oct. 1828 (kept at die Devonshire Record Office).

27 Althorp MSS, Richard Bennett correspondence, 1820s.

28 Ibid., Lavinia Countess Spencer to Lord Spencer, 30 Nov. 1825. Fitzwilliam MSS X1611, Althorp to Milton, 22 Jan. 1826. Parl. Deb. XIV, col. 426, 16 Feb. 1826. Althorp introduced die question partly in order to keep it out of Hume's hands, for the latter would have inevitably taken it up and frightened away die moderates. Add. MSS 36461, fo. 385, Tavistock to Hobhouse, 6 Jan. [1826].

29 Brougham, , Life, II, 473–4.Google Scholar

30 Parl. Deb. IX, cols. 221–2, 12 May 1823, Milton.

31 Parker, C. S., Sir Robert Peel (London, 1891), I, 215.Google Scholar

32 Althorp MSS, Althorp to Grey, 26 Aug. 1832. Fortescue MSS, Althorp to Ebrington, 14 Dec. 1831.

33 Parl. Deb. XI, cols. 654–64, 11 May 1824.

34 Chatsworth MSS, Lansdowne to Devonshire, 25 Apr. 1827. Aspinall, , ‘The coalition’, p. 207.Google ScholarMachin, , The catholic question, p. 102.Google ScholarMitchell, A., The whigs in opposition 1815–1830 (Oxford, 1967), pp. 196–7.Google Scholar

35 Greville, C., The Greville memoirs 1814–1860, ed. Strachey, L. and Fulford, R. (London. 1938), I, 178, 17 June 1827.Google Scholar

36 Milton MSS, diary, 9 May 1825; Parl. Deb. XIII, cols. 475–6.

37 Parl. Deb. XIII, cols. 566, 12 May 1825.

38 Brock, M., The Great Reform Act (London, 1973), p. 15.Google ScholarMitchell, A., ‘The whigs and parliamentary reform’, Historical Studies, Australia and N.Z., XII (1965), 38.Google ScholarCannon, J., Parliamentary reform 1640–1833 (Cambridge, 1973), pp. 184–7.Google Scholar

39 Northampton Mercury, 22 Oct. (17 Oct.) 1825.

40 Fitzwilliam MSS X1610, Russell to Milton, 13 Jan. 1826.

41 Ibid. Add. MSS 36462, fo. 297, Ebrington to Hobhouse, Thurs., postmarked 23 June [1826]; fo. 311, Tavistock to Hobhouse [July 1826]. Fitzwilliam MSS X1610, Tavistock to Milton, [Dec. ? 1826].

42 Northampton Mercury, 1 July 1826.

43 Althorp MSS, Althorp to Spencer, 21 June 1826. Add. MSS 36462, fo. 294, Ebrington to Hobhouse, [June 1826].

44 Northampton Mercury, 19 Jan. 1826. Althorp MSS, Lavinia Countess Spencer to Spencer, 1 Nov. 1825.

45 Fitzwilliam MSS X1610, no. 114, 2971/16/7. Russell was later provided with a seat by Devonshire. Fitzwilliam to Milton, 18 Nov. 1826.

46 Fitzwilliam MSS, letter book 731, Milton to L. Reynolds, 23 Jan. 1826. Add. MSS 51677, fo. 50, Russell to Holland, 23 June [1826]. Althorp MSS, Althorp to Spencer, 15 June 1826. Northampton Mercury, 17 June 1826.

47 Fitzwilliam MSS, Milton to Fitzwilliam, 1 Dec. 1825; Althorp to Milton, 6 Dec. 1825 and 1 Jan. 1826. Althorp MSS, Milton to Althorp, 27 Dec. 1825. Wentworth Woodhouse MSS E237, Althorp to Milton, 4 June 1826 (kept at the Central Library, Sheffield).

48 Parl. Deb. XV, cols. 1410–11, 26 May 1826; XVI, cols. 99–102,22 Nov. 1826 and 676,654–7, 673–4, 26 Feb. 1827.

49 Ibid. XVI, cols. 1187–90 and 1197–8, 15 Mar. 1827; XVII, cols. 675–7, 8 May, 983–4, 25 May, and 1060, 28 May 1827.

50 Althorp MSS, Althorp to Brougham, 18 Apr. 1827.

51 Aspinall, , Formation, p. 158, Canning memorandum for Lansdowne, 23 Apr. 1827.Google Scholar

52 Ibid. pp. 190–1, Lansdowne to Canning, 27 Apr. 1827.

53 Add. MSS 51675, Tavistock to Holland, 13 Apr. [i827]. Althorp MSS, Tavistock to Althorp, 25 Apr. 1827. Le Marchant, , Althorp, p. 216.Google Scholar

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55 Althorp MSS, Tavistock to Althorp, 25 Apr. 1827, also printed in Aspinall, ‘The coalition’, pp. 222–3.

56 Grey MSS, Grey to Lord John Russell, 13 Sept. 1827.

57 Aspinall, , Formation, pp. 212–13, Bedford to Holland, 5 May 1827.Google Scholar

58 Althorp MSS, Althorp to Brougham, 17 Mar. 1843.

59 Le Marchant, , Althorp, pp. 215–16, Bedford recollection.Google Scholar

60 Althorp MSS, Althorp to Brougham, 26 Mar. 1827.

61 Broughton, Lord, Recollections of a long life, ed. Dorchester, Lady (London, 1909), III, 169.Google Scholar This comment was prompted by the attacks made by Althorp and Tavistock on the grant to the duke and duchess of Clarence, delivered at a moment when currying to royal favour would have been opportune. Parl. Deb. XVI, cols. 521–2, and 540–15 16 Feb.; 565, 19 Feb. 1827. Grey MSS, Howick to Grey, 22 Feb. 1827.

62 They almost rescinded their good intentions upon die appointment of Sir John Copley (Lyndhurst) as lord chancellor. Lyttelton divided opponents of catholic emancipation into classes: ‘1 Rogues and Hypocrites/2 Boobies/3 Bigots by Education/4 Ignoramusses’. He ranked Copley as a dangerous member of the first group. Hatherton MSS, Lyttelton to E. J. Littleton, 23 Jan. 1826. Brougham defended the appointment with extremely twisted logic, but even Holland was upset. Aspinall, , Formation, pp. 95–6, 99, 116–17. Althorp MSS, Tavistock to Althorp, 25 Apr. 1827.Google Scholar

63 Chatsworth MSS, Tavistock to Devonshire, 13 May 1827.

64 Fitzwilliam MSS, letter book 731, Milton to Scarlett, 25 Apr. 1827.

65 Heron, , Notes, p. 168.Google Scholar Milton MSS, diary, 2 May 1827. Broughton, , Recollections, II, 150–1 and III, 188.Google Scholar Add. MSS 36463, fo. 361, Tavistock to Hobhouse, 24 Apr. 1827. SirBaring, F., Journals, and correspondence 1808 to 1852, ed. earl of Northbrook, privately printed (Winchester, 1905), I, 52.Google Scholar

66 Parl. Deb. XVII, cols. 543–4, 3 May, Russell; 583, Althorp; 585–6, Nugent, 7 May 1827. Milton MSS, diary, 7 May 1827. Morning Chronicle, 8 May, Tavistock, 12 May, Ebrington, 24 May 1827. Aspinall, , Formation, p. 221.Google Scholar

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68 Bagot, , George Canning, II, 398, G. Tierney, Jr to Bagot, 8 May 1827.Google Scholar

69 Morning Chronicle, 14 May 1827. Fitzwilliam MSS, letter book 731, Milton to Rev. W. Jackson, 19 May 1827.

70 Milton MSS, diary, 11 May 1827.

71 Gotch MSSGK 1210, Althorp to J. C. Gotch, 1 June 1827 (kept at the Northamptonshire Record Office). Greville, , Memoirs, I, 178, 17 June 1827. Add. MSS 51724, Spencer to Holland, 19 July 1827.Google Scholar

72 Parl. Deb. XVII, col. 1119, 1 June 1827.

73 Aspinall, , Formation, pp. 259–62, Milton to Lansdowne, 13 July 1827. Fitzwilliam MSS, Lansdowne to Milton, 21 July 1827.Google Scholar

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75 Aspinall, ‘The coalition’, p. 533. Other anti-catholic appointments were also made: Machin, , The catholic question, p. 107.Google Scholar

76 Add. MSS 51724, Althorp to Holland, 21 Aug. and 9 Sept. 1827. Akhorp MSS, Althorp to Spencer, 28 Aug. (also printed in Le Marchant, , Althorp, p. 225)Google Scholar and 9 Sept. 1827. Tavistock to Spencer, 15 Aug. 1827. Aside from his politics, there was also reason to believe that Herries was not of unimpeachable integrity. Aspinall, , ‘The coalition’, p. 538,Google Scholar and Hilton, A. J. B., ‘The economic policy of the tory governments, 1815–30’, unpublished D.Phil, thesis, Oxford University, 1973, pp. 266–7.Google Scholar

77 Add. MSS 38080, Russell to T. Moore, 16 Aug. 1827; Russell, R., Early correspondence of Lord John Russell 1805–40 (London, 1913), I, 258.Google ScholarCockburn, Lord, Letters chiefly connected with the affairs of Scotland…to Thomas Francis Kennedy (London, 1874), pp. 78–9, Althorp to Kennedy 12 Aug. 1827.Google Scholar

78 Althorp MSS, Lavinia Countess Spencer to Althorp, 18 Sept. 1827.

79 Fitzwilliam MSS, Grey to Fitzwilliam, 30 Aug. 1827. Parker, Peel, II, 22, Goulburn to Peel, 3 Sept. 1827.

80 Tierney MSS, Tierney to Lansdowne, 6 Sept. 1827 (kept at the Hampshire Record Office). Aspinall, A., ed., The correspondence of Charles Arbuthnot (London, 1941), Camden LXV, 93.Google Scholar

81 Grey MSS, Russell to Grey, 8 Sept. 1827. Russell MSS, P.R.O. 30/22/1A, Grey to Russell, 4 Oct. 1827.

82 Tierney MSS, Tierney to Russell, 22 Sept. 1827, copy; Russell to Tierney, 8 Oct. 1827. Olphin, H. K., George Tierney (London, 1934), p. 240.Google Scholar

83 Tierney MSS, Tierney to Russell, 7 Oct. 1827. Unfortunately, no copy of the six propositions survives.

84 Ibid., Russell to Tierney, 5 and 9 Oct. 1827.

85 Althorp MSS, Lavinia Countess Spencer to Spencer, 3 Nov. 1827. Burghersh, Lord, Correspondence, 1808–1840, ed. Weigall, R. (London, 1912), p. 262.Google ScholarBamford, F. and the duke of Wellington, eds., The journal of Mrs. Abruthnot, 1820–1833 (London, 1950), II, 146.Google ScholarMoore, , Memoirs, V, 231–2.Google Scholar

86 Althorp MSS, Holland to Spencer, recd. 19 Aug. 1827. Russell, Lord W., Letters, II, 104,Google Scholar Tavistock to W. Russell, 14 Sept. 1827. Althorp MSS, Lavinia Countess Spencer to Althorp, 18 Sept. 1827, and Althorp to Spencer, 24 Nov. 1827.

87 Parl. Deb. XVII, cols. 589–91, 7 May 1827.

88 Add. MSS 38753, fo. 214, Huskisson to Herries, 30 Nov. 1827, copy; cf. Herries, J., Memoir of the public life of…John Charles Herries (London, 1880), II, 17.Google Scholar

89 Aspinall, ‘The coalition’, p. 551. Tierney disobeyed Huskisson's orders to cease negotiations with Althorp after Herries had been assured the talks would stop. See Tierney MSS, Tierney to Althorp, 3 Dec. 1827, copy; Althorp to Tierney, 15 Dec. 1827, copy in Althorp MSS and also Lavinia Countess Spencer to Spencer, 14 Dec. 1827. Even Tavistock, who had no love for the chancellor, felt Herries had been ill-treated. Add. MSS 36464, fo. 167, Tavistock to Hobhouse, 5 Jan. 1828.

90 Add. MSS 51675, Tavistock to Holland, 10 Jan. 1828.

91 Ibid. Tavistock quoting Althorp.

92 Althorp MSS, Tavistock to Spencer, 15 Aug. 1827. Add. MSS 51677, fo. 51, Lord John Russell to Holland, 16 Aug. 1827.

93 The first instance of the term Watchmen that has come to my attention is to be found in a letter by Tom Moore to John Russell: ‘I feel a litde curious to know exactly the colour of your politics just now, as from the rumour I hear of your brother “watchmen ”, Althorp, Milton, &c., I begin sometimes to apprehend that you, too, may be among the fallers-off. ‘Russell, R., Early correspondence, I, 268, 31 Oct. 1827.Google Scholar

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95 Bromley-Davenport MSS, Althorp to Edward Davenport, 11 Nov. 1827 (kept at the John Rylands Library, Manchester). Russell MSS, P.R.O. 30/22/1A, Althorp to Russell, 2 Oct. 1827. Add. MSS 36464, fo. 95, Tavistock to Hobhouse, 23 Nov. 1827.

96 Add. MSS 36464, fo. 166, Tavistock to Hobhouse, 5 Jan. 1828.

97 Add. MSS 51724, Althorp to Holland, 9 Sept. 1827.

98 Fitzwilliam MSS, Althorp to Milton, 20 Jan. 1828.

99 Russell, R., Early correspondence, I, 271–2,Google Scholar 13 Jan. 1828. Broughton, , Recollections, III, 233–4. Add. MSS 36464, fo. 182, Tavistock to Hobhouse, 15 Jan. 1828.Google Scholar

100 Fitzwilliam MSS, R. Price to Milton, 4 Oct. and 8 Dec. 1827.

101 For his pathetic state see: Tierney MSS, Tierney to G. Tierney Jr., 21 Jan. 1828; Althorp MSS, Milton to Althorp, 30 Jan. 1830.

102 Add. MSS 36464, fo. 182, Tavistock to Hobhouse, 15 Jan. 1828. 51675, Tavistock to Holland, 15 Jan. 1828. Russell, Lord W., Letters, II, 104.Google Scholar

103 During the reform crisis, Lansdowne's threats of resignation were ineffective and were welcomed by Althorp. Althorp MSS, Althorp to Brougham, 3 Jan. 1832.

104 Brougham, , Recollections, II, 233–4.Google Scholar Add. MSS 51675, Tavistock to Holland, 10 Jan. 1828. Althorp MSS, Tavistock to Spencer, 15 Aug. 1827. Bamford, and Wellington, , Mrs Arbuthnot, II, 267,Google Scholar 16 Apr. 1829. Gore, J., ed., Creevey's life and times (London, 1934), p. 319. Creevey to Miss Ord, 3 June 1830.Google Scholar

105 Add. MSS 51675, Tavistock to Holland, 17 Jan. 1828.

106 Russell MSS, P.R.O. 30/22/1A, Althorp to Russell, 2 Oct. 1827.

107 Earl of Lytton, , The Life of Edward Bulwer first Lord Lytton (London, 1913), I, 418. I am extremely grateful to the late Dr G. Kitson Clark of Trinity College, Cambridge, and to Dr David Spring of the Johns Hopkins University for their constructive criticism of this paper.Google Scholar