1st Edition
Contemporary Thought on Nineteenth Century Conservatism
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.
Contemporary Thought on Nineteenth Century Conservatism
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
Volume 2
Edited by Richard Gaunt
Part 5. A Financial Minister, 1842-46
1.Robert Peel, Speech in the House of Commons, February 9th, 1842, on the Corn Laws (John Murray: London, 1842), 3-51.
2.Robert Peel, Speech on the financial condition of the country on March 11th, 1842; with the Schedules containing the new custom duties, and the tax upon property and income. Carefully revised (W.E.Painter: London, 1842), 3-24.
3.‘Sir Robert Peel’s Policy’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, 51 (April 1842), 537-552.
4.‘Review of Conservative Publications’, Quarterly Review, 70 (September 1842), 485-531.
5.Robert Peel, Speeches May 6th and 20th, 1844, on the Renewal of the Bank Charter, and the state of the law respecting Currency and Banking (John Murray: London, 1844), 54-80.
6.‘Ministerial Measures’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, 365/59 (March 1846), 373-384.
7.Robert Peel, Speech on the Repeal of the Corn Laws, May 15, 1846 (1846), 231-260.
8.‘The Late and the Present Ministry’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, 60 (August 1846), 249-260.
9.‘Close of Sir Robert Peel’s Administration’, Quarterly Review, 78 (August 1846), 535-580.
Part 6. Conservative Disunion, 1847-50
10.Robert Peel, Letter from Sir Robert Peel to the electors for the Borough of Tamworth, 4th edition (James Bain: London, 1847), 1-35.
11.Britannicus, Political Principles. An answer to the letter from Sir Robert Peel, Bart, to his constituents, 2nd edition (John Ollivier: London, 1847), 3-20.
12.‘Conservative Union’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, 64 (November 1848), 632-640.
13.‘The Conservative Party’, Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, 39/230 (February 1849), 224-236.
14. Anglicanus, The State of the Nation; or, an Inquiry into the effects of free trade principles upon British industry and taxation, in which the arguments of Sir Robert Peel in reply to Mr Disraeli are investigated and refuted (Hearne: London, 1849), 3-64.
15.Robert Peel, Speech in the House of Commons, June 28, 1850, on Mr Roebuck’s motion (1850), 3-24.
16.‘Sir Robert Peel’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 419, 68(September 1850), 354-372.
Volume III – Victorian Conservatism, 1850-1874
Edited by Angus Hawkins
1. Lord Stanley, The Speech of the Rt Hon Lord Stanley at Merchant Tailors’ Hall on Wednesday April 2, 1851 (London: John Ollivier, 1851), 3-16.
2. Edward William Cox, Conservative Principles and Conservative Policy: A Letter to the Electors of Tewkesbury (London: John Crockford, 1852), 3-16, 3-16
3. Arthur Brough, Plain Reasons for Voting for Conservative Candidates for Seats in Parliament (London: Houlston & Stoneman, 1852), 2-15.
4. A Conservative, An Era in the Life of a Living Statesman, by a Conservative (London: Ward and Lock, 1855), 1-42.
5. Lord Derby, The Speech Delivered at the Mansion House on the Evening of 1st May…by the Right Honourable The Earl of Derby, (London: Saunders, Otley and Co., 1861), 3-26.
6. Benjamin Disraeli, Mr Gladstone’s Finance from his Accession to Office in 1853 to his Budget of 1862 (London: Saunders, Otley and Co., 1862), iii-iv, 5-41.
7. C. B. Adderley, Letter to the Rt Hon Benjamin Disraeli MP on the Present Relations of England with the Colonies, new edition, (London: Parker, Son and Bourn, 1862), 1-58.
8. T. E. Kebbel, ‘Mr Disraeli, May 1860’, in Essays upon History and Politics. (London: Chapman and Hall, 1864), 326-362.
9. Sir John Skelton, Benjamin Disraeli, the Past and the Future: A Letter to John Bull Esq, by a Democratic Tory, (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1868), 3-35.
10. The Gladstone Administration: From the Year 1869 to the Close of the Session of 1872, (National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations, 1872), 5-30.
11. The Ministerial Crisis: Speeches of the Rt Hon W. E. Gladstone, MP, and the Rt Hon B. Disraeli, MP. (London, NUCCA, 1873), 3-19.
Part 1. Conservative Government, 1852-1868
12. Lord Derby, Ministerial Statement. The Speech of the Rt Hon the Earl of Derby, in the House of Lords, on Friday, the 27th February, 1852, (London: John Ollivier, 1852), 3-16.
13. David Coulton, ‘California versus Free Trade’, The Quarterly Review, March 1852, 492-502.
14. John Wilson Croker, ‘The Old and New Ministries’, The Quarterly Review, March 1852, pp. 567-592.
15. Lord Derby, ‘Ministerial Statement’, Hansard Debates, 1 March 1858, Third Series, 149, col. 22-44.
16. How Shall We Vote? Or an Enquiry Into the Principal Measures of Lord Derby’s Administration, and the Conduct of the Opposition Leaders During the Last Two Sessions of the Late Parliament, (London: W. H. Allen & Co., 1859), 3-32.
17. Lord Derby, ‘Ministerial Statement’, Hansard Debates, 9 July 1866, Third Series, 184, col., 726-744.
18. Benjamin Disraeli, The Chancellor of the Exchequer in Scotland: Two Speeches Delivered by Him in the City of Edinburgh, 29th and 30th October, 1867 (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1867), 1-44.
19. Lord Cranborne, ‘The Conservative Surrender’, The Quarterly Review, October 1867, pp. 533-565.
Volume IV – Victorian Conservatism, 1850-1874
Edited by Angus Hawkins
Part 2. Conservatism and the Church, 1852-1874
1. Benjamin Disraeli, ‘Church and the Queen’: Five Speeches Delivered by the Rt Hon B. Disraeli MP, 1860-1864. (London: G. J. Palmer, 1865), 1-79.
2. Gathorne Hardy, Speech of Mr Gathorne Hardy on the Irish Church Question, in the House of Commons, 31 March, 1868 (London, NUCCA, 1868), 3-16.
Part 3. Conservatism and Reform, 1852-1868
3. John Wilson Croker, ‘The Reform Bill’, The Quarterly Review, March 1854, 558-605.
4. Scheme for a Reform of Parliament by an Ex-MP and a Tory. (London: Thomas Hatchard, 1858), pp. 3-22.
5. Lord Robert Cecil, ‘The Theories of Parliamentary Reform’ in Oxford Essays (London: John W. Parker and Son, 1858), 52-79.
6. Benjamin Disraeli, Parliamentary Reform, Speech in the House of Commons, February 28, 1859. (London, 1859).
7. Spencer Horatio Walpole, ‘Parliamentary Reform, or the Three Bills and Mr Bright’s Schedules.’ The Quarterly Review, October 1859, pp. 541-562.
8. Spencer Horatio Walpole, ‘Reform Schemes.’ The Quarterly Review, January 1860, pp. 220-266.
9. Sir John Eardley-Wilmot, A Safe and Constitutional Plan of Parliamentary Reform: In Two Letters to a Member of the Conservative Party (London: William Ridgway, 1865), 1-32.
10. C. B. Adderley, Europe Incapable of American Democracy, An Outline Tracing of the Irreversible Course of Constitutional History, (London: Edward Stanford, 1867), 3-
Part 4. Conservatism in the Country, 1866-1874
11. William Busfeild Ferrand, The Speech of Mr Ferrand, President of the Bradford Working Man’s Conservative Association, at the Inaugural Banquet, on the 20th November, 1866, in St. George Hall (London, 1866), 2-12.
12. R. S. S., The Tory Reform Act. What Must We Do with It? Register! Register!! Register!!!, By a Member of the Council of the ‘National Union’ National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations, Publication No 4, (London, 1868), 3-19.
13. Practical Suggestions to the Loyal Working Men of Great Britain, on Points of Policy and Duty at the Present Crisis. By a Member of the Committee of the London and Westminster Working Men’s Constitutional Association. (London, 1868), 3-8.
14. The Political Future of the Working Classes, or, Who Are the Real Friends of the People, By a Member of the Committee of the London and Westminster Working Men’s Constitutional Association. (London, 1868), 3-7.
15. Shall We Give It Up? A Political Correspondence Dedicated to the Conservative Associations of the United Kingdom (London: Robert Hardwicke, 1871), 3-32.
16. The Principles and Objects of the National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations. (London, 1872), 5-15.
17. The Policy of the Conservative Party. The Speech of the Earl of Derby, at the Annual Meeting of the Liverpool Working Men’s Conservative Association, January 9th, 1872. NUCCA Publication No 11, (London, 1872), 3-14.
18. Benjamin Disraeli, Speech of the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, MP, at the Banquet of the National Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations at the Crystal Palace, on Monday June 24, 1872.(London: R. J. Mitchell and Sons, 1872), 3-
19. Benjamin Disraeli, The Inaugural Address and Speeches of the Rt Hon B. Disraeli, MP, at Glasgow, November 1873. (London: Longmans, Green and Co,, 1873). 2nd edition, 1-69.
Biography
Angus Hawkins is Professor of Modern British History at Oxford University and a Fellow of Keble College
Richard Gaunt is Associate Professor in the Department of History, University of Nottingham, UK
