CANNING, George, English orator and statesman: b. London, 11 April 1770; d. Chis wick, 8 Aug. 1827. His father offended his family by marrying a lady of beauty and ac complishments, but without fortune, and died in 1771, leaving her destitute. She however lived to see the success of her son, from whom she ever received the tenderest marks of filial love. Canning, who had inherited a small estate in Ireland, was educated at Eton. In 1787 he was entered at Oxford. His vacations were passed with Sheridan, by whom he was intro duced to Burke, Fox and other distinguished Whigs. But although Sheridan had already an nounced him in Parliament as the future orna ment of his party, Canning entered into terms i with Pitt, by whom he was brought into Parlia ment in 1793. During the first session he re mained silent. In 1796 he was under-secretary for foreign affairs. In 1797 he projected, with some friends, the of which Gif ford was appointed editor. Canning contri buted many poetical and other articles to this periodical, the happiest of his efforts in this direction being the 'Needy Knife-grinder.' In 1798 he supported Wilberforce's motion for the abolition of the slave-trade. In 1800 Canning increased his fortune and influence by a mar riage with Joanna, daughter of General Scott, a lady of ample fortune. The adminis tration being dissolved in 1801, Canning became a member of the opposition until the restoration of Pitt in 1804. In 1807 he was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the Portland adminis tration. A political misunderstanding with Lord Castlereagh led to a duel between that minister and Canning, in which the latter was slightly wounded. This dispute occasioned the dissolution of the ministry. In 1810 he opposed the reference of the Roman Catholic claims to the committee of the whole House, on the ground that no security or engagement had been offered by the Roman Catholics. Some of his most brilliant speeches were on this subject. The adoption of the measure being a matter of policy, the state of opinion, the condition of affairs, and the securities with which it should be accompanied, were with him elements of the question. He proposed securities in 1813, which, with the bill, were rejected. He supported in 1812 and 1813 the same motion which he had opposed in 1810. To Canning was principally owing the first blow which shook the throne of Napoleon: the British policy in Spain was directed and animated by him. In 1812 he was elected member. for Liverpool, from which he was also returned in 1814, 1818, 1820. In 1814 he was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to Portugal, and remained abroad about two years. In 1819 he declared his decided hostil ity to parliamentary reform in whatever shape. On the occasion of the proceedings relative to Queen Caroline, the discarded wife of George IV, he declared that "'toward the object of that investigation he felt an unaltered regard and affection)); and soon after resigned the presi dency of the board of control and went abroad.
Having been nominated governor-general of India, he was on the point of embarking when the death of the Marquis of Londonderry called him to the Cabinet as Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 16 Sept. 1822. One of his earliest acts in this situation was to check the French in fluence in Spain, the French having sent an army into that country to put down the revo lutionary party. By way of withdrawing the Spanish-American colonies from French influ ence he decided to recognize their independ ence; thus, as he afterward phrased it, °calling the New World into existence to redress the balance of the He continued to support the propositions in favor of the Roman Cath olics, and in 1825 communicated to foreign ministers the determination of the government to appoint charges d'affaires to Colombia, Mex ico and Buenos Aires. In consequence of the attempts made by Spain to assist the malcon tents of Portugal,. it was immediately deter mined by the ministry to support the regency in that country, and troops were sent to Lis bon in January 1827. On 12 April 1827 his ap pointment as Prime Minister was announced. His administration was terminated by his death, but not until it had been crowned by the Treaty of London (6 July), for the settlement of the affairs of Greece. As an orator Canning was showy and graceful, with a brilliant wit and caustic satire, though neither formed on a very masculine taste. During his career the leading domestic subjects on which the British Parlia ment was called upon to legislate were the fol lowing: the liberty of the press, the emancipa tion of the Roman Catholics, the test and cor poration acts, the corn-laws and reform in Parliament Those of a foreign nature were, among others, the various overtures of peace between Britain and France, the settlement of Europe on the overthrow of Napoleon, the treatment of Italy by the Austrians, the Span ish revolution and recognition of the South American republics. On all these questions, with one or two exceptions, he supported the high Tory side. The chief exceptions were the emancipation of the Roman Catholics and the recognition of the South American repub lics. He was also desirous of reforming the corn-laws. His speeches, edited by Thierry, were published in six volumes in 1830. Con sult Stapleton, Life of Canning> (1831) ; Stapleton, (Canning and His Times' (1835) ; Temperley's (Life of Canning> (1905) ; Bagot, (George Canning and His Friends' (1909) ; Marriott, Canning and His Times> (1905) • Lord Dalling, Characters> (1867). _