Nevertheless after some reflection on his relations with the party, he bounced back with calls for the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland and won the General Election with a majority in excess of on this same issue. However, its achievements should not be considered as the outcome of any pre-planned programme for government and although its first task was to implement the campaign pledge to disestablish the Irish Church it was not intent on liberalising religion in the way that Gladstone had liberalised trade in the s and s.
The accompanying disendowment of church funds provided substantial sums for the relief of Irish poverty. The government was also responsible for significant reforms of government. In the aftermath of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War, both the army and the civil service were opened to promotion by merit rather than by influence.
Edward Cardwell abolished the purchase of military commissions and reorganised the War Office, subordinating the commander in chief to the Minister of War. Outside the Foreign Office, civil service posts were open to entrance by examination. The introduction of the secret ballot, in , consolidated the second Reform Act by reducing the influence of large landowners over the voting of their tenants and deterred the use of bribery in elections. In the debates on the second reform act, Robert Lowe sardonically argued that it will be absolutely necessary that you should prevail on our future masters to learn their lessons.
At the end of the governing bodies of Britains best known public schools were reformed and in it was the turn of the grammar schools. Gladstone found himself increasingly at odds with his cabinet and, in , he resigned. He died of cancer on 19 May and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Search term:. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled.
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This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving. He followed Peel in resigning in , and spent the following 6 years in Opposition. Even while serving as Prime Minister in later years, he would walk the streets, trying to convince prostitutes to change their ways. He spent a large amount of his own money on this work. This caused some confusion, as he was known to favour the policy himself.
When the Tory party broke apart in , Gladstone followed Peel in becoming a Liberal-Conservative, now believing strongly in free trade. He was Chancellor again under Palmerston between and , though their relationship was an uncomfortable one, and yet again under Russell from to His policies were intended to improve individual liberty while loosening political and economic restraints. He successfully passed an act to disestablish the Church of Ireland and an Irish Land Act to tackle unfair landlords, but was defeated on an Irish University Bill proposing a new university in Dublin open to Catholics and Protestants.
But in a heavy defeat at the general election led to his arch-rival Disraeli becoming Prime Minister. Gladstone retired as leader of the Liberal Party, but remained an intimidating opponent, attacking the government fiercely over their weak response to Turkish brutality in the Balkans, known as the Eastern Crisis.
For 2 years he combined the offices of Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Yet trouble overseas created problems. Gladstone declined an earldom offered by Queen Victoria, preferring to remain in office. In February , aged 76, he became Prime Minister for the third time. Working in alliance with the Irish Nationalists, he immediately introduced an Irish Home Rule Bill, proposing a parliament for Ireland. It was defeated, and he lost the General Election held in July
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