On his return to England, he was made master general of the ordnance, with a seat in the Cabi net. ITe represented England in the Congress of Verona (1822). where lie advocated the policy of non-interference in Spanish affairs. In 1826 he went to Russia to negotiate a treaty provid ing for the partial independence of Greece. He was an extreme Tory. contendin,g for the politi cal influence of wealth and the supremacy of the landed aristocracy. He distrusted and disliked popular movements and was inclined to regard them as the result of artificial and lous agitation. lie advocated the supremaey of the English settlers in Ireland, deprecated polit ical concessions to the Irish people, and opposed Catholic emancipation and the reform of Parlia ment. Ile was a member of the Cabinet until the retirement of Lord Liverpool, February, 1827, but lie refused to serve during the short Pre miership of Canning. After the brief administra tion of Goderich. Wellington was Prime Minister from January, 1828, to November, 1830. Ilis previous military career unfitted him in many ways for the office, and there was much dissension in the Ministry. In 1829 Wellington forced th Parliament the Catholic Emancipation ct, baying become convinced that it was the only way to 'avert a war with the Irish nation. In 1830 he declined to consider proposals for the reform of Parliamentary representation, and his _Ministry was outvoted in the House of Commons. Wellington incurred intense unpopularity by his • stubborn resistance to the Reform Bill in 1831 32. His house was mobbed and he was hooted
in the streets. In the end lie persuaded the Lords to give way in order to avert the creation of new peers. In 1S34 lie was elected chancellor of the University of Oxford. From December, 1834, to April. 1835, he was Secretary of Mate for Foreign Affairs under Peel. Ile took a less active part in subsequent political events.. yet the prestige of his 11:11110 was so great and his advice so prized that he was made a member of Peel's second Cabinet without a portfolio ( 1811 40). In 1842 he was 11:1111C11 commander-in-chief for life, a post which he had previously occupied for short periods. From 1543 to 1840 he was president of the Privy Council. In his last years lie regained his popularity. and was the idol of the Englkh nation. He (HA Septenther 11, 1552, and was buried in Saint Paul's Cathedral.
Consult. Wellinylwt's Despatches, 1779-I$15, ed. by Colonel Our w ()oil (London, 183139). Colonel Durwood has also edited Spree/Fes in Parliament (ib., 185-1). There is a very exten sive biographical literature. Consult the Lires by Oleig (London, 1855-60) ; Brialmont ( Paris and ltrussels, 1856-57) ; itaudey (Edinburgh, 1860) ; Itrowne (London, 1888), made up of ex tracts from the records; Hooper (London and New York, 1889) Sir Herbert :Maxwell (Lon don and Boston, 1899). Consult also Lord Rob erts, misc. of Wellington. (London and New York, 1595). See WAR.