Chapter 8: Canning, Goderich and Wellington

Question 1

When did George Canning become Prime Minister?

Answer 1

Upon Liverpool’s resignation in April 1827.

Question 2

Why did half the Cabinet, including Wellington and Peel refuse to serve under Canning?

Answer 2

He was regarded as too advanced in his ideas, too flamboyant and some doubted whether he could be trusted. He also supported Catholic Emancipation which was an issue to many- but not Peel.

Question 3

What was the Whig opinion of Canning?

Answer 3

They saw him as a ‘natural ally’- he was liberal minded and flexible.

Question 4

What was George IV’s opinion of Canning?

Answer 4

He accepted Canning as he could command the Commons and was popular in the country.

Question 5

What little did Canning achieve as Prime Minister?

Answer 5

Catholic Emancipation, upon the insistence of George IV remained an ‘open’ question and Canning’s attempt at reforming the Corn Laws was prevented by Wellington.

Question 6

Who replaced Canning in August 1827 when he died?

Answer 6

Goderich.

Question 7

What was the general opinion of Goderich?

Answer 7

He was impotent in his role and showed few qualities of leadership. George IV was reluctant to accept him

Question 8

When did Goderich resign?

Answer 8

Four months after he became Prime Minister. December 1827.

Question 9

When did Wellington become Prime Minister?

Answer 9

1828

Question 10

What was one of Wellington’s flaws that soon became apparent?

Answer 10

He was not as adept at holding together his cabinet as Liverpool had been.

Question 11

Who was, once again, appinted as Home Secretary and leader of the Commons?

Answer 11

Peel in 1828

Question 12

Why were the Ultra Tories at ill with Wellington?

Answer 12

Wellington excluded Lord Eldon, the previous Lord Chancellor.

Question 13

What was the result of Wellington’s clumsy leadership?

Answer 13

He lost the confidence of several groups in Parliament and had no steady majority in the Commons. E.g he accepted the resignation of Huskisson, one of his strongest ministers, causing several other resignations and he oftn showed a lack of judgement in his decisions.

Question 14

How long was Liverpool in government for without a break?

Answer 14

Almost fifteen years, causing unfamiliar anxieties for the Tory party.

Question 15

What of Liverpool’s expertise was missed?

Answer 15

His expertise in holding together his precocious Cabinet, full of diverse and strong personalities. Without Liverpool’s skillful leadership, divisions appeared among the Tory hierarchy and the party began to disintegrate.

Question 16

What was the pro-Corn Law faction?

Answer 16

Agriculturalists who were concerned Huskisson’s proposal of a siding scale would not offer them the protection for their home-grown produce they saw as their right.

Question 17

Who were the first group of Tories?

Answer 17

Huskisson among them. They recognised the importance of industrial growth and the need to encourage its expansion through free trade measures.

Question 18

Who were the traditional Tories?

Answer 18

They considered economic and administrative reform, but would not consider anything that disturbed the integrity of the constitution or the preservation of Church and state, such as Catholic Emancipation and parliamentary reform.

Question 19

Who were the Ultra Tories?

Answer 19

An extreme verision of Traditional Tories, intolerant of any measure that would disturb their patrimony, and were prepared to vote themselves out of office to uphld their rigid anti-reform principles.

Question 20

What tactical voting did the Ultra Tories try regarding the Test and Corporations Acts in 1828?

Answer 20

They voted for them as they realised they were swimming against the tide, but believed that once repealed, the Protestant Dissenters would turn against the Catholics in sufficient numbers and dissuade the Government from pursuing emancipation. However, by this stage emancipation was unstoppable.

Question 21

When was the emancipation act passed and what effect did this have on the Tory party?

Answer 21

1829. This divided the Tory party further. It also led to the final break yp of Pitt’s coalution.

Question 22

When did George IV die?

Answer 22

1830. William IV was next on the throne, prompting a general election.

Question 23

What were the results of the 1830 general election?

Answer 23

Favoured the Whigs and the Canningite Tories, but left Wellington in offie.

Question 24

What options did Wellington have after the 1830 general election?

Answer 24

He had already cut adrift Huskissn and the liberal minded Tories with his refusal to contemplate parliamentary reform in 1828 but there are suggestions he was to invite him bck into Cabinet but he died.

Question 25

What did Wellington’s government look like after the 1830 general election?

Answer 25

Weak and indecisive as outbrekas of violence spread across England in response to a bleak harvest and an economic recession.

Question 26

What was the position of reform within England after the 1830 election?

Answer 26

Renewed interest in Parliamentary reform, supported by the Whigs.

Question 27

What mistake did Wellington make in November 1830?

Answer 27

England had a renewed nterest in Parliamentary reform and Wellington made a major reactionary speech against reform, he praised the existing system as near-perfect and this lost him support. His supporters believed he should have produced a moderate reform, instead of playing into the hands of the opposition, whose chance of inroducing a more radical parliamentary reform had been enhanced.

Question 28

When did Wellington resign?

Answer 28

1830. Over a defeat on a minor issue. The Whigs returned to power, for the irst time in 50 years, under Lord Grey.