PALMERSTON, HENRY .Ions TEMPLE, third Viscount (1784-18(i5). A vele 1,ra ted English statesman. He was horn in Hampshire, (k-tober 20. 1784. a of an old and historic family. Receiving his early education at home under an Italian refugee and at Harrow, Pahnerston studied later in the Uni versity of Edinburgh, under Dugald Stewart, in whose family he lived. and at Saint John's col lege, ('ambridge, where he received his master's degree in 1806. Ile succeeded his father in the Irish peerage in 1802. IliS C1110111t abilities were early recognized; the Tory Party in the university him in 1806 as their candidate to SlleePed Pitt. Twice unsuccessful, he entered Parliament for Newtown, wide') seat he held till 1811. when he was chosen at Cambridge and represented his alma wrier for twenty losing his only when he entered the Grey 'Alinistry and supported the Reform Bill. After a term for Bletehingley. and 0111-. for South Hampshire, he found a seat at Tiverton, in 1835. which he held till his death. In 1809 he accepted the oilier of Secretary at War in the Duke of Portland's Administration. This (ace he held during the governments of Pereeval. Liver pied, Canning, Goderich, and Wellington—a period extending front 1809 to 1828. There was ample scope at the War Office for Palmerston's administrative talents and activity. The mili tary system swarmed with abuses. and the labor thrown upon the Secretary at War during the Peninsular campaign was prodigious. Palmer ston early attached himself to the Canning sec tion of the Liverpool Allministration, and ac cepted a seat in the Cabinet of Canning. 11 is connection with the Tory Party ceased in 1828, when Wellington insisted on accepting Iluskisson's resignation, which was followed by Palmerston's retirement. The Duke's Govern ment was swept away in the reform flood of 1830, and Earl Grey, who became Prime Min ister, offered the seals of the Foreign Offiee to Palmerston. The European horizon was sit dis turbed at this crisis that war seemed inevitable, but Palmerston brought about friendly relathms with the new King of France, Louis-Philippe, and the two countries thus acting in reasonable harmony, the independence of Belgium was ef fected, and constitutional government s were established in Spain under Queen Isabella, and in Portugal under Queen Maria. In addition to the above questions Palmerston had to deal with Eastern problems. lie supported Turkey against Russian aggression. Later (1840) he united with Russia against France to curb the rising power of ,Ilehemet Ali, apparently fearing that French influence in Egypt might endanger England's communication with India. The Opium War of 1g40-42 resulted in the opening of live Chinese ports to trade. In 1S41 the Quintuple Treaty to suppress the African slave trade was negotiated. but failed. tieing opposed by Lewis Cass, United States Minister to France, on account of the right of visitation clause. A strong foreign policy gave Palmerston during these years greater reputation abroad than in England. At home he favored free trade, labor laws, shorter hours, and factory acts.
In 1841 Palmerston went out of office with the Whigs on the question of corn duties; but on their return in 1846 he resumed the seal* of the Foreign Office. His second foreign adminis
tration furnished various subjects of hostile party criticism. A vote of censure on the foreign policy of the Government was carried in 1850 in the Ilouse of Lords on the motion of Lord Stad lev (afterwards Earl of Derby), A counter resolution, approving the foreign policy of the Government. was thereupon moved in the House of Commons. The debate lasted four nights. In 1N-et-tuber. 1851, however, Palmerston was dis missed from the Russell Cabinet. He had in an unofficial oral way expressed his approbation of the coup (Mat of Louis Napoleon. without consult ing either the Premier or the Queen; and. as explanations were refused, her Majesty exer cised her right of dismissing her Minister. A few weeks late'r Palmerston avenged himself by bringing about the fall of the Russell Administra tion on a comparatively trifling question regard ing the militia. lie refused an offer from the Earl of Derby to join the Go•ernment which that statesman was commissioned to form, hut accepted the post of Home Secretary in the coalition Administration of the Earl of Aber deen in 1S52. The fall of this Government, on ac count of the mismanagement in the Crimean War, placed Palmerston in the position of Prime Minis ter, to which he was unanimously called by the voice of the nation (February, 1855). He vigor ously prosecuted the Russian war until Sebasto pol was taken and peace was made. His Govern ment was defeated in March, 1857. on Cobden's motion condemnatory of the Chinese war. Par liament was dissolved, and Palmerston met the House of Commons with a large majority. But his Administration fell in February, 1858, on ac count of the Conspiracy Bill, intended to pro tect foreign rulers against the machinations of plotting refugees. A short Conservative admin istration followed; but in June. 1859. Palmerston was again called to the post of First Lord of the Treasury and Premier, which he continued to fill up to his death. His sympathies were always with oppressed nationalities, so he favored Italian unity, and opposed the war of Prussia and Austria against Denmark in 1864. It was his ambition to be considered the minister of a nation rather than the minister of a political party; and his opponents were constrained fo admit that he held office with more general ac ceptance than any English minister since the time of Chatham. As an orator, he was usually homely and unpretending, but always sensible and practical. He was a dexterous tactician, and a ready, witty, and often brilliant debater. Ile was popular as a minister, because he was thoroughly English in his ends and aims. He died without issue October 18, 1865. Lord Dol ling (Sir Henry Rulwer) prepared the Life of Palmerston to 1847, in three volumes; this work was completed by Sir Evel•n Ashley in two addi tional volumes (London, 1870-76). Consult also: Ashley, Life and Correspondence of Henry John Temple. Viscount Palmerston (London, 1878) ; Sanders, Life of Visrount Palmerston (ib., 1SSS); Lo•n. Biography of Lord Palmerston (New York, 1891) ; Francis, Opinions and Policy of Viscount Palmerston (London, 1352).