ABSTRACT

Childers was moved from the War Office to take this weighty office from Gladstone; and two new members were brought into the Cabinet—Lord Earl of Derby, who went to the Colonial Office, and Charles Dilke, who took over the Local Government Board from Dodson. Lord Earl of Derby has been harshly treated by the historians—the man who raised indolence and sloth to the level of an art. Lecky wrote of his political philosophy: 'Lord Derby, when a Conservative always represented the Liberal, and when a Liberal the Conservative, wing of his party'. A Times leader captured him best in a single phrase: Lord Derby was a 'cold water engine'. Robinson never wrote stronger words than these; and yet it was his negative last suggestion which Lord Derby began to play with. Gladstone thus faced the coming debate with few qualms; particularly as The Times and the Pall Mall Gazette had both come out with very strong calls for inactivity.