Conservative Government 1866–68

The Conservative government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that began in 1866, and ended in 1868, consisted of the two ministries: the Third Derby Ministry, and then the First Disraeli Ministry.

History

Lord Derby became Prime Minister for the third time after the fall of Lord Russell's Liberal government in 1866. His Chancellor of the Exchequer, Benjamin Disraeli, was instrumental in passing the Second Reform Act in 1867.

After the parliamentary session which produced the Second Reform Bill, Disraeli's eventual assumption of the leadership of the Conservative Party was all but assured. While he was still opposed by elements of the party's right wing (most notably the Marquess of Salisbury, himself a future Prime Minister), his role in securing the passage of the bill, in particular his showing against William Ewart Gladstone, had won him the adulation of a wide base of the parliamentary party. The only unknown was the health of the Earl of Derby, still very much Prime Minister, Conservative leader, and Disraeli's colleague.

Derby's health, however, had been in decline for some time, and he finally resigned in February and advised Queen Victoria to send for Disraeli. Thus on 27 February 1868 Benjamin Disraeli became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He reportedly said of the event later, "I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole." However, the Conservatives were still a minority in the House of Commons, and the enaction of the Reform Bill required the calling of new election. Disraeli's term as Prime Minister would therefore be fairly short, unless the Conservatives managed to win the general election.

Although all the cabinet posts were at his disposal, Disraeli made only a few changes: he replaced Lord Chelmsford as Lord Chancellor with Lord Cairns, and brought in George Ward Hunt as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Disraeli and Chelmsford had never got on, and in Disraeli's view, Cairns was a far stronger minister. He also chose the Earl of Malmesbury to succeed Derby as Leader in the House of Lords.

The Irish Church

The principal issue of the 1868 parliamentary session was the Irish Question, manifested this time in the debate over the Anglican Church of Ireland.

Fate

The Conservatives were defeated by the Liberals in the general election of 1868, and the new Liberal leader William Ewart Gladstone formed his first government.

Cabinets

The Earl of Derby's Cabinet, June 1866 – February 1868

The Derby Cabinet of 1867 as painted by Henry Gales.
OFFICENAMETERM
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Lords
The Earl of DerbyJune 1866 – February 1868
Lord ChancellorThe Lord ChelmsfordJune 1866 – February 1868
Lord President of the CouncilThe Duke of Buckingham and ChandosJune 1866 – March 1867
 The Duke of MarlboroughMarch 1867 – February 1868
Lord Privy SealThe Earl of MalmesburyJune 1866 – February 1868
Home SecretarySpencer H. WalpoleJune 1866 – May 1867
 Gathorne HardyMay 1867 – February 1868
Foreign SecretaryLord StanleyJune 1866 – February 1868
Secretary of State for the ColoniesThe Earl of CarnarvonJune 1866 – March 1867
 The Duke of Buckingham and ChandosMarch 1867 – February 1868
Secretary of State for WarGeneral Jonathan PeelJune 1866 – March 1867
 Sir John Pakington, BtMarch 1867 – February 1868
First Lord of the AdmiraltySir John Pakington, BtJune 1866 – March 1867
 Henry Thomas Lowry-CorryMarch 1867 – February 1868
Secretary of State for IndiaViscount CranborneJune 1866 – March 1867
 Sir Stafford Northcote, BtMarch 1867 – February 1868
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Leader of the House of Commons
Benjamin DisraeliJune 1866 – February 1868
President of the Board of TradeSir Stafford Northcote, BtJune 1866 – March 1867
 The Duke of Richmond and LennoxMarch 1867 – February 1868
President of the Poor Law BoardGathorne HardyJune 1866 – May 1867
 incumbent not in the cabinet
First Commissioner of WorksThe Lord John MannersJune 1866 – February 1868
Chief Secretary for IrelandLord NaasJune 1866 – February 1868
Minister without PortfolioSpencer H. WalpoleMay 1867 – February 1868

Notes

Changes

Benjamin Disraeli's Cabinet, February 1868 – December 1868

OFFICENAMETERM
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Commons
Benjamin DisraeliFebruary–December 1868
Lord ChancellorThe Lord CairnsFebruary–December 1868
Lord President of the CouncilThe Duke of MarlboroughFebruary–December 1868
Lord Privy Seal
Leader of the House of Lords
The Earl of MalmesburyFebruary–December 1868
Home SecretaryGathorne HardyFebruary–December 1868
Foreign SecretaryLord StanleyFebruary–December 1868
Secretary of State for the ColoniesThe Duke of BuckinghamFebruary–December 1868
Secretary of State for WarSir John Pakington, BtFebruary–December 1868
Secretary of State for IndiaSir Stafford Northcote, BtFebruary–December 1868
Chancellor of the ExchequerGeorge Ward HuntFebruary–December 1868
First Lord of the AdmiraltyHenry Thomas Lowry-CorryFebruary–December 1868
President of the Board of TradeThe Duke of RichmondFebruary–December 1868
First Commissioner of WorksThe Lord John MannersFebruary–December 1868
Chief Secretary for IrelandThe Earl of MayoFebruary–September 1868
  successor not in the cabinet

Changes

List of Ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.

OfficeNameDateNotes
Prime Minister
and First Lord of the Treasury
The Earl of Derby28 June 1866 – 25 February 1868also Leader of the House of Lords
Benjamin Disraeli27 February 1868 – 1 December 1868also Leader of the House of Commons
Chancellor of the ExchequerBenjamin Disraeli6 July 1866also Leader of the House of Commons
George Ward Hunt29 February 1868
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryThomas Edward Taylor14 July 1866 
Gerard Noel11 November 1868
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryGeorge Ward Hunt14 July 1866 
George Sclater-Booth4 March 1868
Junior Lords of the TreasuryGerard Noel12 July 1866 – 2 November 1868 
Sir Graham Graham-Montgomery, Bt12 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
Henry Whitmore12 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
Lord Claud Hamilton2 November 1868 – 1 December 1868
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Chelmsford6 July 1866 
The Lord Cairns29 February 1868
Lord President of the CouncilThe Duke of Buckingham and Chandos6 July 1866 
The Duke of Marlborough8 March 1867
Lord Privy SealThe Earl of Malmesbury6 July 1866also Leader of the House of Lords 27 February 1868 – 1 December 1868
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSpencer Horatio Walpole6 July 1866 
Gathorne Hardy17 May 1867
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentThe Earl Belmore10 July 1866 
Sir James Fergusson, Bt1 August 1867
Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bt10 August 1868
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsLord Stanley6 July 1866 
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsEdward Christopher Egerton6 July 1866 
Secretary of State for WarJonathan Peel6 July 1866 
Sir John Pakington, Bt8 March 1867
Under-Secretary of State for WarThe Earl of Longford7 July 1866 
Surveyor-General of the Ordnancevacant 
Secretary of State for the ColoniesThe Earl of Carnarvon6 July 1866 
The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos8 March 1867
Under-Secretary of State for the ColoniesCharles Adderley6 July 1866 
Secretary of State for IndiaViscount Cranborne6 July 1866 
Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt8 March 1867
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaSir James Fergusson, Bt6 July 1866 
The Lord Clinton31 July 1867
First Lord of the AdmiraltySir John Pakington, Bt12 July 1866 
Henry Lowry-Corry8 March 1867
First Secretary of the AdmiraltyLord Henry Lennox16 July 1866 
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyCharles du Cane12 July 1866 
Frederick Stanley29 August 1868
Chief Secretary for IrelandLord Naas10 July 1866Became Earl of Mayo in 1867 
John Wilson-Patten29 September 1868
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Marquess of Abercorn13 July 1866 
President of the Poor Law BoardGathorne Hardy12 July 1866 
The Earl of Devon21 May 1867
Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law BoardRalph Anstruther Earle12 July 1866 
George Sclater-Booth1 March 1867
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Bt28 February 1868
Minister without PortfolioSpencer Horatio Walpole17 May 1867 – 1 December 1868 
President of the Board of TradeSir Stafford Northcote, Bt6 July 1866 
The Duke of Richmond8 March 1867
Vice-President of the Board of TradeStephen Cave10 July 1866office abolished 12 August 1867 and replaced with a Parliamentary Secretaryship
First Commissioner of WorksLord John Manners6 July 1866 
Vice-President of the Committee on EducationHenry Lowry-Corry12 July 1866 
Lord Robert Montagu19 March 1867
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Earl of Devon10 July 1866 
John Wilson-Patten26 June 1867
Thomas Edward Taylor7 November 1868
Paymaster-GeneralStephen Cave10 July 1866 
Postmaster-GeneralThe Duke of Montrose19 July 1866 
Attorney GeneralSir Hugh Cairns10 July 1866 
Sir John Rolt29 October 1866
Sir John Burgess Karslake18 July 1867
Solicitor GeneralSir William Bovill10 July 1866 
Sir John Burgess Karslake29 November 1866
Sir Charles Hasper Selwyn18 July 1867
Sir William Brett10 February 1868
Sir Richard Baggallay16 September 1868
Judge Advocate GeneralJohn Mowbray12 July 1866 
Lord AdvocateGeorge Patton12 July 1866 
Edward Strathearn Gordon28 February 1867
Solicitor General for ScotlandEdward Strathearn Gordon12 July 1866 
John Millar6 March 1867
Attorney General for IrelandJohn Edward Walsh25 July 1866 
Michael Morris1 November 1866
Hedges Eyre Chatterton1867
Robert Richard Warren1867
John Thomas Ball1868
Solicitor General for IrelandMichael Morris3 August 1866 
Hedges Eyre Chatterton8 November 1866
Robert Richard Warren1867
Michael Harrison1867
John Thomas Ball1868
Henry Ormsby1868
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Duke of Marlborough10 July 1866 
The Earl of Tankerville19 March 1867
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Earl of Bradford10 July 1866 
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdLord Claud Hamilton10 July 1866 
Treasurer of the HouseholdLord Burghley10 July 1866 
Percy Egerton Herbert27 February 1867
Comptroller of the HouseholdViscount Royston10 July 1866 
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsThe Earl of Tankerville10 July 1866 
The Marquess of Exeter20 March 1867
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Earl Cadogan10 July 1866 
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Lord Colville of Culross10 July 1866 
Chief Equerry and Clerk MarshalLord Alfred Paget1 July 1859continued in office; no longer a political appointment after 1866
Mistress of the RobesThe Duchess of Wellington25 April 1861continued in office
Lords in WaitingThe Viscount Strathallan13 July 1866 – 1 December 1868 
The Viscount Hawarden13 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
The Lord Bagot13 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
The Lord Polwarth13 July 1866 – 16 August 1867
The Lord Crofton13 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
The Lord Skelmersdale13 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
The Lord Raglan13 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
The Earl of Haddington7 September 1867 – 1 December 1868

References

Preceded by
Second Russell ministry
Government of the United Kingdom
1866–1868
Succeeded by
First Gladstone Ministry
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