VILLIERS, vil'yerz, Charles Pelham, English statesman: b. London, 3 Jan. 1802; d. 16 Jan. 1898. He was graduated from Saint John's College, Cambridge, in 1824, was called to the bar of Lincoln's Inn in 1827, appointed secretary to the master of the rolls in 1830, the examiner of witnesses at the Court of Chancery in 1833. He was returned to Parliament for Wolverhampton in 1835 and until his death remained the representative of that constitu ency. From the first he strongly advocated the repeal of the corn-laws, and he was a supporter of free trade before Cobden and Bright entered Parliament and while Gladstone still favored the corn-laws. After the formation of the Anti Corn-Law League Villiers became the leader of the movement in Parliament and continued to press the agitation. The accession of Bright and Cobden to the ranks of Parliamentary free traders further strengthened the cause, and Villiers saw his purpose achieved when in 1846 Peel joined their ranks. In 1859 he became
a member of the Palmerston Cabinet and also president of the Poor-Law Board, which posts he resigned in 1866. During the American Civil War he ably seconded Palmerston in his sup port of the Northern States, and in later years was a determined advocate of the Union of Ireland and Great Britain. He introduced in Parliament the Union Chargeability Bill and secured its passage in 1865, supported the Penny Postage Act and throughout his entire career never deviated from the principles of reform to which he had pledged himself on his elec tion in 1835. A selection from his speeches was published in 'Free-Trade Speeches of Hon. Charles Pelham Villiers, M.P.) (2 vols. 1883.).