Whig_government,_1855–1858
Lord Palmerston, of the Whigs, first formed a government by popular demand in 1855, after the resignation of the Aberdeen Coalition. Initially, the government was a continuation of the previous coalition administration but lost three Peelites (William Ewart Gladstone, Sir James Graham and Sidney Herbert) within a few weeks. However, other Peelites like The Duke of Argyll and The Viscount Canning remained in office. Palmerston was heavily criticised by Parliament in 1857 over the conduct of the Second Opium War and called a dissolution, but the nation voiced its support in the resulting general election and he returned with a Whig majority.[1]
First Palmerston ministry | |
|---|---|
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| 1855–1858 | |
Palmerston (1857) | |
| Date formed | 6 February 1855 (1855-02-06) |
| Date dissolved | 19 February 1858 (1858-02-19) |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | Viscount Palmerston |
| Total no. of members | 110 appointments |
| Member party | Whig Party |
| Status in legislature | |
| Opposition party | Conservative Party |
| Opposition leaders | |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 1857 general election |
| Legislature term(s) | |
| Predecessor | Aberdeen ministry |
| Successor | Second Derby–Disraeli ministry |
In 1858, the Government resigned when defeated (on a measure for removing conspiracies to murder abroad from the class of misdemeanour to that of felony, which was introduced in consequence of Felice Orsini's attempt on the life of Napoleon III the emperor of the French) and was succeeded by another short-lived Conservative government under Disraeli and Lord Derby.[1]
February 1855 – February 1858
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| * | 6 February 1855 (1855-02-06) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | |
| Lord Chancellor | 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | |
| 8 February 1855 (1855-02-08) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | ||
| Lord Privy Seal | 4 January 1853 (1853-01-04) | 7 December 1855 (1855-12-07) | |
| 7 December 1855 (1855-12-07) | 3 February 1858 (1858-02-03) | ||
| 3 February 1858 (1858-02-03) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | ||
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | 8 February 1855 (1855-02-08) | 26 February 1858 (1858-02-26) | |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | 21 February 1853 (1853-02-21) | 26 February 1858 (1858-02-26) | |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | 8 February 1855 (1855-02-08) | 21 February 1855 (1855-02-21) | |
| 23 February 1855 (1855-02-23) | 21 July 1855 (1855-07-21) | ||
| 21 July 1855 (1855-07-21) | 22 October 1855 (1855-10-22) | ||
| 21 November 1855 (1855-11-21) | 21 October 1858 (1858-10-21) | ||
| Secretary of State for War | 8 February 1855 (1855-02-08) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | 30 December 1852 (1852-12-30) | 13 March 1855 (1855-03-13) | |
| 13 March 1855 (1855-03-13) | 8 March 1858 (1858-03-08) | ||
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | 30 December 1852 (1852-12-30) | 5 March 1855 (1855-03-05) | |
| 5 March 1855 (1855-03-05) | 26 February 1858 (1858-02-26) | ||
| President of the Board of Control | 30 December 1852 (1852-12-30) | 3 May 1855 (1855-05-03) | |
| 3 May 1855 (1855-05-03) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | ||
| President of the Board of Trade | 27 November 1855 (1855-11-27) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | 31 March 1855 (1855-03-31) | 7 December 1855 (1855-12-07) | |
| 7 December 1855 (1855-12-07) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | ||
| First Commissioner of Works | 5 January 1853 (1853-01-05) | 21 July 1855 (1855-07-21) | |
| Postmaster General | 5 January 1853 (1853-01-05) | 1855 (1855) | |
| 30 November 1855 (1855-11-30) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) | ||
| Minister without portfolio | 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28) | 21 February 1858 (1858-02-21) |
Changes
- Later in February 1855 – Sir George Cornewall Lewis succeeds Gladstone as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Lord John Russell succeeds Herbert as Colonial Secretary. Sir Charles Wood succeeds Sir James Graham as First Lord of the Admiralty. R.V. Smith succeeds Wood as President of the Board of Control
- July 1855 – Sir William Molesworth succeeds Russell as Colonial Secretary. Molesworth's successor as First Commissioner of Public Works is not in the Cabinet.
- November 1855 – Henry Labouchere succeeds Molesworth as Colonial Secretary
- December 1855 – The Duke of Argyll succeeds Lord Canning as Postmaster-General. Lord Harrowby succeeds Argyll as Lord Privy Seal. Harrowby's successor as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is not in the Cabinet
- 1857 – M.T. Baines, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, enters the Cabinet.
- February 1858 – Lord Clanricarde succeeds Harrowby as Lord Privy Seal.
Members of the Cabinet are indicated by bold face.
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2020) |
- Chisholm 1911, p. 648.
- Cook, Chris; Keith, Brendan (1975). British Historical Facts: 1830–1900. Springer. ISBN 978-1-349-01348-7.
Attribution:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Palmerston, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 648.
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| Preceded by | Government of the United Kingdom 1855–1858 |
Succeeded by |