Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 93, No. 570, April, 1863Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 93, No. 570, April, 1863
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
We know better; and we know likewise that not the Tories only, but the
most consistent and stanchest of the Whigs never trusted Canning. Sir
James Graham, on the other hand, ranged himself among the Canningites,
and soon became the friend and favourite pupil of Huskisson. He sat on
the ministerial side of the Speaker’s chair while Canning led the House,
and he retained his place during the administration which succeeded on
Canning’s demise. But Lord Goderich’s reign was short; and on the
assumption of office by the Duke of Wellington, Sir James withdrew with
his Whig allies to the Opposition benches. His opposition, however,
appears to have been a good deal modified by the esteem in which he held
Mr Huskisson. The Corn Bill which that gentleman introduced, still being
a minister, Sir James Graham supported, though it was framed on a
principle at variance with that which he had advocated in his pamphlet;
and many years elapsed ere he could bring himself to contemplate without
alarm the disturbance of the compromise into which, as he believed,
contending parties had entered by its adoption.
In 1827 a vacancy occurred in the representation of Cumberland, and Sir
James was easily persuaded to resign his seat for Carlisle and to set up
for the county. His return was not opposed, and he entered the House
after a brief absence as a county member. Though still ineffective in
debate, the House began to consider him a man of promise. He was an
excellent member of committees, assiduous in his attendance, and
remarkably skilful in sifting evidence. He spoke likewise with effect in
moving for an inquiry into the fitness of limiting the circulation of
Scotch notes to Scotland itself; and his speech, though overladen, as
most of his speeches were, with quotations, was referred to by almost
all who followed him, whether advocating or opposing the view which he
took of the matter. But his great start was taken, when the Duke, by
passing his Catholic Relief Bill, gave the first decided shock to the
Tory party. Sir James of course approved the measure, of which, as well
as of the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, he had always been
the consistent supporter. And he did more. He took an opportunity of
commending Sir Robert Peel, in his absence, for the sacrifice to duty
which he had made of his seat for the University of Oxford, and paved
the way thereby for the close intimacy which in due time arose between
him and that great though not always straightforward or very consistent
statesman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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