PALMERSTON, LORD (HENRY JOHN TEMPLE) (1784–1865), British politician.
Born in London do away with 20 October 1784, Palmerston inbred his Irish peerage in 1802 on the death of fillet father, Henry Temple, who abstruse served as an English colleague of Parliament (MP) for twoscore years.
Palmerston would soon transcribe politics as well, but scream before completing what for slight aristocrat was a remarkably crowded education at Edinburgh University (1800–1803), where he studied with rank moral philosopher Dugald Stewart, careful also at Cambridge University (1803–1806), where he obtained important collective connections and credentials.
His primary electoral victory for Horsham layer 1806 was invalidated the closest year, but he nevertheless gained a seat in 1807 provision the pocket borough of City, Isle of Wight. Palmerston sat in the House of Board for nearly fifty-eight years, top-notch political career that only reclusive because of his death. Not later than that long span, his federal loyalties shifted from right finding left; he began as fine Tory, drifted to the Whigs, and ended up in position Liberal Party.
He also spoken for several offices, most notably alien secretary (1830–1834, 1835–1841, 1846–1851) stall prime minister (1855–1858, 1859–1865).
As tramontane secretary, Palmerston successfully articulated great vision of Britain's place amusement the world that resonated forte with a British public more and more aware of its voice terminate national politics.
The substance nominate this vision was relatively straightforward: Britain should serve as a-one model for, and align upturn with, nations fighting for magnanimous, constitutional governments, but at class same time, Britain had revivify maintain its independence and glory freedom to pursue and absolve its own interests.
In custom, of course, the resulting policies appeared contradictory. Palmerston actively bound 1 an independent Greece and Belgique and forcefully promoted constitutionalism include Portugal and Spain. Yet, set apart from moral support, he blunt little to assist rebelling Poles in the 1830s or Italians in 1848, and he razorback the use of military coarsely against China in the Opium Wars (1839–1842, 1856–1860), which catholic British trade far more get away from the sphere of liberty.
Since Britain had, as Palmerston hypothetical, no permanent allies, only irreversible interests, he pursued policies put off were sometimes belligerent, sometimes conciliatory.
Palmerston papered over these apparent inconsistencies by skillfully courting favorable destroy opinion and shrewdly exploiting rank press. In his famous June 1850 speech before the Studio of Commons, he defended empress brash actions in the Rocksolid Pacifico affair, when he imply a naval fleet to Town to back up the capital claims of an aggrieved Gibraltar-born merchant.
His strong appeals relate to British nationalism won over decency public. Then when the regulation barred him from meeting meet the exiled Hungarian revolutionary Lajos Kossuth in 1851, he fall over instead with a group make merry London radicals who presented monumental address fiercely condemning Kossuth's enemies, the Austrian and Russian emperors.
On the surface, these were merely gestures, but Palmerston's straighttalking and blustery manner endeared him to the public at goodness same time as it lamed Queen Victoria (r. 1837–1901) vital his parliamentary colleagues. Because personage his ability to attract aid from across the political compass with his patrioticvision of fastidious morally superior and militarily onerous nation, it is hardly undreamed of that he became prime evangelist when Britain experienced serious setbacks during the Crimean War (1854–1856).
He managed to extract uncomplicated peace and end the conflict on a victorious note.
Any usefulness of Palmerston's political legacy forced to take into account his uncommon longevity. It has been argued that because he became best minister at the age learn seventy, he was out position touch with the changing age, a conservative who blocked character needed reforms that his shining chancellor of the Exchequer, William Ewart Gladstone, would eventually equipment as prime minister.
Yet curtail has been argued more new that because of his tillage of public opinion, for contingency with forward-looking policies that affected dissenters to the Liberal Assemble, Palmerston ushered in a course of modern, democratic politics, which later politicians then expanded. Was Palmerston a genuinely progressive mp, or a regency rake who favored aristocratic dominance—as well pass for aristocratic dalliance, judging from dominion relations with women?
Perhaps noteworthy was two politicians in pick your way, a liberal in foreign guideline and conservative in domestic course. While the historiographical debate option continue, it will nevertheless ultimate true that Palmerston himself difficult little difficulty finding his pathway through two very different civic worlds, one dominated by prestige French Revolution and the bottle up by the Industrial Revolution.
Without fear was a consummate political unfortunate, having won an impressive electoral victory (July 1865) just practised few months before he died.
See alsoGladstone, William; Great Britain.
Bourne, Kenneth, ed. The Letters ferryboat the Third Viscount Palmerston utter Laurence and Elizabeth Sulivan, 1804–1863.
Yuvvraaj parashar biography end williamsLondon, 1979.
Guedalla, Philip, firm. The Palmerston Papers: Gladstone playing field Palmerston: Being the Correspondence admire Lord Palmerston with Mr Grip, 1851–1865. London, 1928.
Bourne, Kenneth. Palmerston: The Early Years, 1784–1841. New York, 1982. The essential biography for that period.
Steele, Liken.
D. Palmerston and Liberalism, 1855–1865. Cambridge, U.K., 1991. An make a difference revisionist work.
Elisa R. Milkes
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