William Coningham, Lord Palmerston and Prince Albert: Letters by William Coningham, Esq., together with the ‘Suppressed Pamphlet’ entitled ‘Palmerston: What has he done?’ By ‘One of the People’ (London, Effingham Wilson, 1854)

doi:10.4324/9781003192251-12

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William Coningham, Lord Palmerston and Prince Albert: Letters by William Coningham, Esq., together with the ‘Suppressed Pamphlet’ entitled ‘Palmerston: What has he done?’ By ‘One of the People’ (London, Effingham Wilson, 1854)

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ABSTRACT

William Coningham (1815–84) was an independent gentleman and politician. He went to Cambridge University in 1832, but did not graduate. Between 1834 and 1836 he served in the army. He attempted unsuccessfully to be elected for Brighton in 1847 and Westminster in 1852, before being finally selected for Brighton in 1857. He retired in 1864. During his politically active time he was felt to be a general supporter of Palmerston, but in some respects at least, Coningham was the more liberal of the two men. In particular, he favoured both the introduction of the secret ballot and the further extension of the franchise. His views on clerical matters, though, were much more conservative.