SPENCER, CHARLES, Earl, English minister and statesman, son of the second earl, was b, iu 1782. The founder of the family of the Spencers was the hon. John Spencer, youngest son of the third earl of Sunderland, by Anne, daughter and co-heiress of the great duke of Marlborough, and who inherited much property from his grand mother, Sarah, duchess of Marlborough. His only sou was made earl Spencer in 1765.— The second earl was first lord admiralty under Mr. Pitt's administration-1794 to 1801—the period of the great naval victories of Camperdown, cape St. Vincent, and the Nile. He retired when Mr. Addington because premier, and became distinguished as a munificent collector of rare books. He was also first president of the Roxburghe club for reprinting rate and curious tracts.—The third earl, the subject of this notice—better known under the courtesy title of lord Althorp—was educated at Harrow school, and afterward at Trinity college, Cambridge. He entered parliament in 1804 as member for Oakhampton. In 1806 his father took office as secretary of state for the home depart ment in the Wenville-Pox ministry, and Spencer became ajunior lord of the treasury. ale was returned for Northamptonshire, which he represented from 1806 until the period of the reform bill. In the reformed parliament he sat for the southern division of the county. He went out with the whigs in 1S07, and during the long interval of their exclusion from office, steadily opposed the measures of the tory government. On the dissolution of the Wellington cabinet in Nov., 1830, he was appointed chancellor of the exchequer and leader of the house of commons in the celebrated reform ministry of earl Grey. The reform bill was introduced by lord J. Russell (q.v.), but the task of carrying the bill mainly devolved upon Spencer. In 1833 lie brought in and carried the minis terial bill for reforming the Irish church. In this memorable working session, the •curious statistician discovered that Spencer, who had, from his post of ministerial leader, naturally been the most frequent speaker, had addressed the house 1026 times, his speeches occupying 387 columns in the then Mirror of Parliament. In 1834 he intro
duced and obtained the assent of the legislature to the poor-law amendment act. When the Irish coercion bill was under consideration in the cabinet, Spencer had opposed the clauses public meetings, vet had given way rather than break up the min istry; but, when the, truth was elicited in debate by Mr. O'Connell, Spencer resigned. He was considered and described by earl Grey as his "right-hand man," and without his assistance the earl felt himself unable to carry on the government. The adtninistra• tion of viscount Melbourne succeeded (July, 18341, in which Spencer consented to resume his office. In November he was called by the death of his father to the house of peers, which had the effect of bringing the Melbourne (q.v.) administration to an end. When the attempt of sir R. Peel to carry on the government failed, Spencer declined to take office again. He devoted his time to agricultural pursuits, became president of the Smithfield Cattle club, and suggested the formation of the royal agricultural society, of which he was elected president in 1838. He died at his seat. Wiseton hall, Notts, Oct. 1, 1845, without issue, and was succeeded by his brother. During his political career. his simplicity of character and integrity of purpose obtained for him the appellation of "honest lord Althorp." lie was very little of an orator, hut he Intd a clear and prat tical intellect, and his influence over the reformed house of commons was supreme Lord lit:mg:ham dedicated to him his work on _Natural Theology; and his Dinlogues on Instinct are also supposed to be carried on with Spencer, to whose cultivation of phil osophy in the midst of his political and agricultural pursuits, the author bears friendly testimony. See Memoir by sir Denis he Marchant, Bart. (London, 1876).