1st Edition
Contemporary Thought on Nineteenth Century Conservatism 1830-1850
The Conservative party remains the longest-established major political party in modern British history. This collection makes available 19th century documents illuminating aspects of Conservatism through a critical period in the party’s history, from 1830 to 1874. It throws light on Conservative ideas, changing policies, party organisation and popular partisan support, showing how Conservatism evolved and responded to domestic and global change. It explores how certain clusters of ideas and beliefs comprised a Conservative view of political action and purposes, often reinforcing the importance of historic institutions such as the Anglican Church, the monarchy and the constitution. It also looks at the ways in which a broadening electorate required the marshalling of Conservative supporters through greater party organisation, and how the Conservative party became the embodiment and expression of durable popular political sentiment. The collection examines how the Conservative party became a body seeking to deliver progress combined with stability.
The documents brought together in this collection give direct voice to how Conservatives of the period perceived and extolled their aspirations, aims, and the values of Conservatism. Introductory essays highlight the main themes and nature of Conservatism in a dynamic age of change and how the Conservative axiom, in an imperfect world of successful adaptation, being essential to effective preservation informed and defined the Conservative party, the views of its leaders, the beliefs of its supporters, and the political outlook they espoused. This first volume covers the period 1830-1850.
Volume I: 1830-1850
Edited by Richard A. Gaunt
Part 1. The Conservative Party, 1830-1834
1.‘Our "Confession of Faith"’, Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, 1, 1 (February 1830), 1-7.
2.John Walsh, ‘The Present Balance of Parties in the State, and the Results of the Reform Bill’, Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, 27, 5 (April 1832), 294-316.
3.‘Duties of the Conservative Party’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, 32 (July 1832), 139-43.
4.‘The State and Prospects of Toryism, January 1834’, Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, 49, 9 (January 1834), 1-25.
Part 2. Tamworth Conservatism, 1834-35
5.‘Sir Robert Peel’s Address to the Electors of the Borough of Tamworth’, Quarterly Review, 53 (February 1835), 261-287.
6.Opposition without Faction, Sir Robert Peel’s Address examined. By a Conservative Whig (J. Ridgway & Sons: London, 1835), 5-31.
7.The Editor of ‘The Globe’, Sir Robert Peel and his last Tamworth oration shortly considered (A and C Black: Edinburgh, 1835), 2-12.
Part 3. Governing in Opposition, 1835-41
8.‘Conservative Associations’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, 327, 38 (July 1835), 1-16.
9.William Paul, A History of the Origin and Progress of the Operative Conservative Societies (1838), 5-32.
10. James Cleland, Description of the Banquet given in Honour of the Right Hon Sir Robert Peel on his Election as Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow, etc [with plates] (J Smith & Son: Glasgow, 1837), 8-19.
11.Robert Peel, Address to the Electors of the Borough of Tamworth, on the close of the poll, July 25, 1837 (J. Thompson: Tamworth, 1837), 3-9.
12.Robert Peel, Tamworth Election Dinner. Speech of Sir Robert Peel at Tamworth, August 7, 1837, including the O’Connell and Ruthven correspondence on the Kildare County Election (W. E. Painter: London, 1837), 3-15.
13.The Peel Banquet. Speeches of Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, and Sir J Graham, at Merchant Tailors’ Hall, May 12, 1838. With details of proceedings at the banquet held on that day in honour of Sir Robert Peel etc (Robert Tyas: London, 1838), 2-15.
14.Robert Peel, Speech of Sir Robert Peel delivered in the House of Commons, May 13, 1839, on resigning the attempt to form a Ministry (James Fraser: London, 1839), 3-16.
15.Robert Peel, Speech in the House of Commons [Jan 31st 1840] on Sir J. Yarde Buller’s Motion on want of confidence in the Government (John Murray: London, 1840), 3-61.
16.Robert Peel, The Corn Laws: Sir Robert Peel’s Speech on Mr Villiers’ motion in the House of Commons, 1840 (J. Ollivier: London, 1840), 1-16.
Part 4. The Year of Victory, 1841
17. Robert Peel, Speech in the House of Commons on May 18, 1841, on the Ministerial Financial Budget (John Murray: London, 1841), 3-39.
18.Robert Peel, Want of Confidence in Ministers. Sir Robert Peel’s speech in the House of Commons, Thursday, May 27, 1841 (W. E. Painter: London, 1841), 1-15.
19.Robert Peel, No Confidence in ministers…Sir Robert Peel’s reply in the House of Commons, Friday, June 4, 1841, 4th edition (J. Ollivier: London, 1841), 1-14.
20.Robert Peel, Speech of Sir Robert Peel at the dinner given by him to his Constituents at Tamworth, July 28th, 1841 (John Murray: London, 1841), 1-16.
21.‘Sir Robert Peel’s Position on Next Resuming Power’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, 50 (September 1841), 393-409
Biography
Richard Gaunt is Associate Professor in the Department of History, University of Nottingham, UK
