DEVONSHIRE, Spencer Compton Cav endish, 8TH DUKE OF, English statesman: b. 23 July 1833; d. Cannes, France, 24 March 1908. He succeeded to the ducal title in 1891, having previously become well known by his courtesy title of the Marquis of Hartington. First re turned to the House of Commons in 1857, he was appointed Under-Secretary for War in 1863, and Secretary of State for War in 1866. In the course of the American Civil War, he visited the United States, and had interviews with both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln, the latter of whom predicted his rise to eminence. He was Postmaster-General under Gladstone 1868-70, and Chief Secretary for Ireland 1870-74. After Mr. Gladstone's retirement from the Lib eral leadership in 1875, he acted as chief of the opposition, again giving place to his old leader after the Liberal triumph of 1880. He was Secretary for India 1880-82, and became Secretary of State for War 1882-85. After 1886 he was an active and influential leader of the Liberal Unionists, and under a Unionist minis try was Lord President of the Council 1895-1903, retiring when the Tariff Reform issue was raised by Chamberlain, and devoting himself thenceforth to a defense of free trade policy.
He was chancellor of Cambridge University, 1892-1908. Devonshire held a unique place in British public life. He was not brilliant or witty; he was no orator; he was perfectly in different to applause; his was proverbial; but his high sense of duty, his transparent candor and sincerity, his plain, practical common sense, and the singular im partiality with which he approached public ques tions, drew to him that great body of moderate opinion which is so powerful in England. Thrice he refused the premiership; he had no ambitions for himself ; and his opposition to both Home Rule and Tariff Reform did much to harden public opinion against these measures.