MOLESWORTH, Sir WILLI:\ ( S I 0-55). An English statesman, known as the originator of "colonial self-government." 11 ..e was born in London. May 23, 1510, and was descended from an old Cornish family of large possessions. He early showed promise of distinction, although his university ea reer at Cambridge was cut short by his sending a challenge to his tutor to fight a duel. He continued his education at the Uni versity of Edinburgh, and subsequently :11 a German university. Ile succeeded to the family baronetcy in 1523. After making the usual tour of Europe, he returned home, and threw himself in 1531 into the movement for Parliamentary reform. Next year. although only just. of age, he was elected member of Parliament for East, Cornwall. Ile at for Leeds from 1837 to 1841. 110 was the friend of Itentham and James Mill, and was regarded as the Parliamentary repre sentative of the radicals." In 1839 he commenced and earried to completion, at a cost of six thousand pounds, it reprint of the entire miscellaneous and voluminous writings of Hobbes, which were placed in most of the English university and provincial libraries. The publica tion did him great disservice in public life, his opponents endeavoring to identify him with the freethinking opinions of Hobbes in religion as well as with the philosopher's conclusions in favor of despotic government. In 1845 he was elected to Parliament for 1.1toithwark, whirl' he continued to represent until his death. Ile was the first to call attention to the abuses connected with the transportation of criminals, and as chairman of a Parliamentary committee brought to light the horrors of the convict system. lie
pointed out the maladministration of the colonial office, the true principles of colonial self-government, prepared drafts of constititt ions for remote dependencies, and made investigations as to the true and natural relations between the Imperial Ifovernment and its colonial empire. Maleswtoth's views, although at first unweleome to the legislature, were adopted by successive administrations, and became part of the eolonial policy of “reat Britain. In January. 1833. he accepted the ()Mee of first commissioner of public works in the Administration of the Earl of Aber deen, and in 1335 the post of Secretary of state for the Colonies in that of Viscount Palmerston. Before he could give proof of his administrative capacity he died. October 22. 1355. lie estab lished the Lout/rat neriew, a new quarterly. in 1835, and afterwards purchased the Westminster Beriele, the organ of the "philosophical radicals." The two quarterlies being then merged into one. under the title of the 1?011f1011 and Westminster. Molesworth contributed to it many articles on politics and political economy. The enduring influence of his views was attested by the fact that his speech on the ahandonment of the Orange River Territory in 1854 was advanced by the Boer Oovernment in 1878 as the chief argu ment for the British withdrawal from the Trans vaal.