II.

Gladstone's Political Development

Gladstone was first elected to Parliament in 1832 with the Tory Party, which became the Conservative Party in that year. Throughout the 1830s the young Gladstone opposed almost all reform; his first speech was a defense of slavery in the West Indies, and he was a staunch defender of the Church of England. In 1843 he became president of the Board of Trade in the Conservative cabinet of Sir Robert Peel. Gladstone supported Peel's movement toward free trade, but in 1846, when Peel rescinded the Corn Laws, which had taxed imported grain, the Conservative Party was shattered, and Peel's government collapsed. Between 1846 and 1859 Gladstone, a Peelite, was politically isolated, although he held some cabinet posts. During this time his views changed from conservative to liberal. He accepted the need for religious freedom, including the admission of Jews into Parliament. He also supported the cause of Italian nationalism and unity, which made him a moral force throughout Europe. In 1859 he joined the Liberals and served as chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Palmerston. His consequent acceptance of the democratic principle made him a champion of the lower classes. In 1866 Gladstone proposed amending the Reform Acts to further enfranchise the working class by using certain monetary amounts paid to landlords as qualifiers, allowing people without land the right to vote. However, the proposal failed, and the government was forced to resign. Gladstone's great rival, Benjamin Disraeli, presented a stronger amendment to the Reform Acts that decreased financial qualifications and extended the vote to householders, including many urban workers. Disraeli's bill passed in 1867.