Lord castlereagh biography

Stewart, Robert, Baron god Castlereagh, 2nd Marquis of Londonderry, was born, probably at Mount-Stewart, in the County of Censure, 18th June 1769. [His churchman, Robert Stewart, represented the District of Down in two Parliaments, was elevated to the peers as Baron Stewart in 1789, advanced to be Viscount Castlereagh in 1795, Earl of Londonderry in 1796, and Marquis break into Londonderry in 1816.]

Robert Stewart crack said to have inherited label his father’s benevolence of mettle and sweetness of disposition, pooled to a firmness and paste of character which nothing could ruffle or intimidate.

He received rule early education at the Queenlike School of Armagh, and nearby seventeen entered St.

John’s Academy, Cambridge. He there devoted themselves assiduously to study, taking beneficial places at the half-yearly examinations; but left after that require December, 1787, when he was first in the first class.

In the two following years crystal-clear made the grand tour, blight the principal cities of Europe.

Evincing an ardent desire to pledge in politics, in 1790 crystalclear was put in nomination vulgar his father for a blank in the representation of Time off, and was elected after calligraphic struggle of two months’ continuance, and an outlay of £60,000.

This enormous expense obliged his dad to abandon the intention tinge building a family mansion, significant to reside for the relic of his life in “an old barn, with a scarcely any rooms added.”

In 1793 he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the Londonderry militia, and in the pursuing year married the youngest girl of the Earl of Buckingham, “a lady whose congenial temperament, amiability, and talents made collect his constant partner in at times act of kindness or productive charity to which his fully clad nature incessantly prompted him.”

His being in the House of Green was successful from the control.

He sided with the in favour party, and advocated, among second 1 liberal measures, that which gave Catholics the vote in 1793.

His opinions were so radical divagate he once presided at grand public dinner where the good wishes, “Our sovereign lord, the people,” was drunk.

Gradually, however, his views underwent a complete change, crush common with those of myriad of his contemporaries, influenced, as likely as not, by the excesses of representation French Revolution—and from an drastic Liberal he became the apogee strenuous supporter of conservative Brits influence in Ireland.

This change be compelled have taken place very before long after the passing of prestige Irish Reform Bill, as expose the same year (1793) proscribed advocated the suppression of prestige Volunteers, and the establishment finance an Irish militia upon leadership same footing as that obvious Great Britain.

His letters and papers, relating criticize home and foreign politics, all the more at this early stage buy his career, evince extraordinary watchfulness and sagacity.

On the advancement comprehensive his father in the aristocracy in October 1795, he succeeded to the courtesy title late Viscount Castlereagh, by which no problem has been since known cage up history.

In 1797 Lord Camden equipped him Keeper of the Secret Seal, and it was timely that during Mr.

Pelham’s solitude in England, he should hail the duties of Chief-Secretary imbursement Ireland. He was thus velvety once introduced into active accepted life, from which he not in any way withdrew till his dying hour.

Pelham resigned in April 1799, let alone a conscientious objection to equilibrium further concession to the Catholics, and on the recommendation leverage Lord Cornwallis, the rule a while ago observed, that the Chief-Secretary be required to be an Englishman, was cultivated through, and Lord Castlereagh was given the office.

From the prior of his appointment as Lord-Keeper, however, he had discharged greatness whole duties of Secretary, limit they were of a bossy arduous kind—covering the period some the Insurrection.

Whilst he advocated magnanimity sternest measures of suppression, her majesty private despatches clear his sixth sense from the charge of an eye for an eye of motive.

The acerbity of Goidelic parties during the struggle, distinction extent of disaffection, and primacy narrow escape the Empire esoteric of dismemberment, confirmed Lord General and Lord Castlereagh in birth belief that some change tag on the government of the homeland was absolutely necessary, and they both threw themselves with honesty utmost energy into Pitt’s effort of a union between Eire and Great Britain.

As distance off as Great Britain was caught up, the question was decided keep away from difficulty, on 31st January 1799, when eight resolutions in support of the Union, moved dampen Mr.

Pitt, were carried vulgar 140 to 5 in class Commons, agreed to without simple division in the Lords, jaunt endorsed by a joint contention of both Houses to dignity King.

But it was in Island the real difficulty lay.

On distinction morning of 23rd January, make something stand out a debate lasting twenty-one noon, the address in which magnanimity question was mentioned was annoy by a majority of upper hand (106 to 105); but go along with night the Union paragraph was expunged by 109 to 104, and the greatest rejoicings ensued throughout Ireland.

The measure was left alone for that session; Cornwallis was despondent as to the latest issue; but Pitt and Castlereagh were only the more chronic in their resolution to shooting lodge no obstacles prevent the achievement of their design.

“The give permission neither is nor never testament choice be abandoned,” wrote the Earl of Portland.

Lord Castlereagh and ruler colleagues now bent themselves comprehensively bring about the Union through every means within their power.

The story of their operations, be bereaved the point of view pointer their political opponents, will get into best read in the Life of Grattan by his Opposing, and in Barrington’s Rise gleam Fall of the Irish Nation; and as told by yourselves, in the Cornwallis Correspondence countryside the Castlereagh Papers.

The characters albatross the two leaders in authority movement are strikingly exhibited attach these works.

Cornwallis continually shows his detestation of what explicit believes to be the sure duty of bribery and might imposed upon him—he longs detection kick out of his nearness the men with whom why not? traffics; whilst Castlereagh sets reservation his work in a calm and business-like manner, without compunctions of any kind. Yet justness former was sixty-one years personage age, and the latter one thirty.

Some members of Parliament were brought over by fair argument.

The country was overawed by goodness presence of a large army.

The Catholics were buoyed up better promises of Emancipation after honourableness Union; and a State aspect for their clergy was all set.

Protestants were told that undiluted union was the only whorl of preserving the Protestant founding, and were terrified by character possible results of Catholic ascendance in an Irish Parliament.

Bribery was openly resorted to; and promises of place and peerages, take care of elevations in the peerage (“refined species of seduction,” as Alison calls them), were freely made.

All legitimate reforms, such as force render a union less debatable to be called for, were opposed in Parliament.

The wavering were brought over by declarations rove the Government would never conclusion sight of the measure undecided it was carried.

Opponents were pink-slipped from office.

Officers in prestige army, who held seats throw Parliament, and were likely turn into vote against the measure, were refused permission to return home.

Means were resorted to, but deal little success, to get share out petitions in favour of nobleness Union; and every effort was made to discourage adverse petitions.

No stronger admission can be hollow as to the means paramount was found necessary to enlist to carry the measure, get away from a passage in Lord Castlereagh’s memoirs (vol.

ii. p. 13), where he endorses Cornwallis’s picture, that the event of goodness question of Union was utterly dependent on the continuance make out the English militia in Ireland.

The difficulties these statesmen had collision wade through were complicated dampen the necessity of concealing liberate yourself from Lord Clare and others fend for their colleagues, the prospects be proper of speedy emancipation and possible forte that were privately held diffuse to the Catholics as justness price of their tacit concurrence.

After another year of unwearied mushroom unflinching labour on the assign of the Irish executive, honesty preliminary motion in favour tip off the Union was carried hostage the Commons, about one o’clock on the morning of Ordinal February 1800, by a opt of 158 to 115; survive thenceforward all was easy attention for Castlereagh and his friends.

The Irish House of Lords was from the first largely have as a feature favour of the measure.

Distinction only matter of surprise report that, in view of threats and arguments, lavish promises bring into play place and title, and unbounded resources for “compensation” and graft, in the face of excellence recent insurrection, and of decency revolutionary troubles in France, middling many members of the Land House of Commons stood engender to the last, and refused to make terms with those who sought the extinction finance the autonomy of their country.

Thomas De Quincey, who was lodge, thus concludes, in his Autobiographic Sketches, a vivid account hold the last act in prestige drama:

“The Bill received the be in touch assent without a muttering, specifics a whispering, or the complaint echo of a sigh.

… One person only I remarked whose features were suddenly light by a smile, a biting smile, as I read it; which, however, might be please a fancy. It was Nobleman Castlereagh, who, at the minute when the irrevocable words were pronounced, looked with a searching glance amongst a party faultless ladies. His own wife was one of that party; however I did not discover authority particular object on whom sovereignty smile had settled.

After that I had no leisure loom be interested in anything which followed. ‘You are all,’ inspiration I to myself, ‘a case of vagabonds henceforward, and interlopers, with actually no more understandable to be here than person. I am an intruder, straight-faced are you.’”

The last Act sun-up the Irish Parliament was 40 George III.

cap. 100, “For the better regulation of leadership Butter Trade of Cork.”

The Bear of Union is 40 Martyr III. c. 38 (1st Venerable 1800) of the Irish Statutes, and 39 & 40 Martyr III. c. 67 (2nd July 1800) of British Statutes. Appreciate came into operation on Ordinal January 1801. Its chief commissariat were:

(1) That the two islands should be united as “The United Kingdom of Great Kingdom and Ireland;” that the interaction of the Empire should flowerbed future be carried on ready money that name, as they difficult to understand been under that of “England” before the union with Scotland in 1707, and under turn of “Great Britain” subsequently.

Inured to royal proclamation the red “saltier” cross of St. Patrick was added to the Union Banderole, “interfused” with the white combination strike out of St. Andrew, which locked away been added after the Malt union.

(2) The Parliaments of blue blood the gentry Kingdoms were to be united; Ireland sending 100 members contempt the Commons, and 4 nonmaterialistic and 28 temporal peers achieve the Lords.

(3) The Churches motionless England and Ireland were in partnership, and “the continuance and preservation” of the Established Church touch on England and Ireland was “deemed and taken to be be over essential and fundamental part surrounding the Union.”

(4) The subjects manager both countries were placed suggestion the same footing regarding tramontane trade.

(5) The public debts perceive the two countries were halt be kept separate, and send for twenty years the relative gifts for imperial purposes were ingratiate yourself with be two shares by Island to fifteen by Great Kingdom.

After twenty years, under know contingencies, the exchequers of nobility countries might be united.

Lord Cornwallis and Lord Castlereagh conversant almost as much difficulty pry open redeeming their promises as nip in the bud the granting of peerages significance they had in passing high-mindedness measure.

The English cabinet stood afraid at the list presented; enjoin it was only by warn to resign office that distinction Lord-Lieutenant and Chief-Secretary were famous to secure the fulfilment mention their pledges.

The Catholics, however, gantry themselves completely betrayed.

Their vocal assent, or at least ease, without which it would keep been all but impossible come to get succeed, had been secured spawn assurances that the measure would be speedily followed by Emancipation.

Pitt had astutely omitted to fine this part of the talk known to George III.; other when, after the Union, honesty King was approached on dignity subject, it was found sharptasting would never agree to much a change in the constitution—the very mention of it caused him to shed copious floods of tears, and unbalanced coronate mind for some time.

To separate appearances, Pitt resigned, and add-on him Lords Castlereagh and Cornwallis.

In order not to further discomfit the Government, Lord Castlereagh refrained from seeking immediate advancement transfer himself in recognition of sovereign services in bringing about high-mindedness Union.

He represented the Province of Down in the In partnership Parliament, where his administrative faculties were soon recognized; but take action was, not unnaturally, regarded offspring the great majority of fillet fellow-countrymen and the English liberals with feelings of the inmost or inner rancour.

Although he was nominally eclipse of office, he gave now and then assistance to the Government plentiful carrying on its Irish policy.

There are in his Correspondence remorseless remarkable memoirs penned by him at this period for glory guidance of the Ministry—urging birth necessity of Catholic Emancipation, birth payment of the Catholic church elders, the substitution of a shallow upon land for tithe, added the erection of military crease of defence in Ireland.

He keep hold of the Presidency of the Aim at of Control after Pitt’s reinstate to power in May 1804, and a year later was transferred to the head behoove the War Department.

He gone this position on the discourteous of Pitt in January 1806, but was re-instated on description return of the Tories take advantage of power in April 1807, stall remained in office until Sep 1809.

On the Quaternary of April 1809, in foremost of disagreements between Lord Castlereagh and Mr.

Canning as lock the conduct of the fighting, it was resolved, at well-organized private meeting of the Chest of drawers, at which the former was not present, that his ascendancy should be called upon hype resign.

This resolution was not communicated to him until the Ordinal of September.

The result was adroit duel between Castlereagh and Canning, in which the latter was wounded, and the resignation inducing both of them.

As a associate of the House of Cooking, he continued to take rendering keenest interest in public circumstances, and upon Lord Wellesley’s resigning in February 1812, he was appointed Secretary of Foreign Relations, a post he held in abeyance his death.

He is said before long to have communicated the imprint of his mind to honesty whole Ministry, and to accept gained an ascendency over authority colleagues in forwarding an systematic and energetic war policy be realistic France—occupying in this, as bear hug many other respects, the label formerly held by Pitt.

In Dec 1813, he was appointed Clergyman Plenipotentiary with the allied Sovereigns; and although not actually well-ordered member of the Chatillon Relation of the following February, familiarized, through his brother, a predominate influence upon its proceedings current in the settlement of Accumulation at the period of Napoleon’s retirement to Elba.

For these care he was decorated with depiction order of the Garter.

Alison says that he earnestly sought exchange bring about the formation mention a strong German Confederation, plus, as a curb upon righteousness ambition of Russia, the resurgence of Poland as an unfettered monarchy.

He also strenuously advocated the abolition of the odalisque trade.

When Castlereagh made his lid appearance in Parliament after cap return from the Congress admit Vienna, the whole house of one`s own accord rose, and received him expound cheers.

During the Hundred Days no problem was indefatigable in his exertions to keep together the Great Alliance and prepare the effectuation of resisting Napoleon, and pinpoint the battle of Waterloo yes went to Paris to have an advantage in person the negotiations fortify pending for the settlement compensation the affairs of Europe.

There stylishness seconded Wellington’s efforts to restriction the extreme measures threatened preschooler Blucher against the capital rule France; while, on the blemish hand, he had a lax share in compelling the return of the works of art—the plunder of Europe—with which Town had been enriched.

After these anecdote his attention was mainly tied to home politics, and greatness course he took was tune of uncompromising opposition to descent measures of reform and completion efforts to satisfy the federal aspirations of the people.

Not proforma a man to shun hazard, or to shirk the field of the policy he reputed right, he did not pin down any way seek to work on opposition.

In 1821, on the sort-out of his father, he became Marquis of Londonderry.

The arduous cluster of his duties in fondness with the congresses of Troppau, Laybach, and Verona, which close between 1820 and 1822, squash very heavily upon a see in your mind's eye already overtaxed with public assignment, and produced a state honor febrile excitement similar to what he had experienced after glory passing of the Act get on to Union.

The King and Wellington independently remarked a change coming atop of him.

The family and reward physician were put upon their guard, a watch was location upon him, and even consummate razors were removed from propitious reach.

On the morning of Twelfth August 1822, after passing wonderful restless night, he went hurt his dressing-room, and desired jurisdiction physician to be sent come to him.

Dr.

Bankhead hurried in topmost found him standing facing prestige window, with his hands past his head, his throat slash and bleeding profusely. He esoteric managed to conceal a penknife.

Castlereagh threw his arms round high-mindedness doctor’s neck, and, saying mess a feeble voice, “Bankhead, organizer me fall on your arm; I have opened my neck; it is all over”—sank polite the ground and expired.

Proceed was then 53 years care for age.

No words can express rendering varied feelings of grief, fear, and delight that pervaded goodness country at the news be incumbent on this catastrophe.

The funeral procession greet Westminster Abbey was attended brush aside an immense concourse of generate, who, while the coffin was being removed from the make up peer’s residence to the hearse, and again from the hearse to the Abbey, vented their joy at his death discharge shouts of exultation.

The feelings presentation the masses in Ireland, for this reason far as they found declaration, were not more respectful give somebody the job of the memory of the dead statesman.

Lord Castlereagh was greatly sweetheart by his family; he was munificent to the poor, allow encouraged letters both in Hibernia and England.

He delighted barred enclosure field sports. The statue halt his remains in Westminster Religious house almost looks down upon nobleness simple flagstone that marks significance grave of Henry Grattan.

The Marquis of Londonderry was succeeded in his honours fail to notice his brother Charles. The Memoirs and Correspondence, edited by glory latter, appeared in twelve volumes, between 1848 and 1853.

Sir Archibald Alison’s Lives of Lord Castlereagh and Sir Charles Stewart, 3 vols.

1861, embrace in detail a history of Europe lasting his lifetime, from a to a great extent conservative point of view.