Britain England Prime Minister WILLIAM GLADSTONE ~ Old 1871 Art Print Engraving

Description: WILLIAM GLADSTONE A HIGH QUALITY STEEL ENGRAVING BOOKPLATE FROM THE 1860's!! PERFECT FOR FRAMING AS AN ART PRINT FOR YOUR DEN !! VERY ANTIQUE & OLD WORLD LOOKING. ITEM(s) OVER 135 YEARS OLD!! British Prime Minister William Gladstone was a leader of the Liberal party, served four terms during the reign of Queen Victoria. He was the rival of Conservative Benjamin Disraeli, to whom he once lost, then regained, the post of prime minister. 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 (Tory) cabinet of Sir Robert Peel. Gladstone supported Peel's movement toward free trade, but when Peel rescinded (1846) the Corn Laws, which had taxed imported grain, the Tory party was shattered, and Peel's government collapsed.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. 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 Whigs (or Liberals) as chancellor of the Exchequer (1859-66) under Lord Palmerston. His consequent acceptance of the democratic principle made him a champion of the lower classes. In 1866 he proposed successful amendments to the Reform Act, which was passed in 1867, and which extended the vote to about 1 million urban workers. In his first and greatest ministry (1868-74) Gladstone sought to free the individual from obsolete restrictions. Entrance to the civil service was based on competition, the purchase of army commissions was ended, and the secret ballot was introduced. In addition, a system of state-supported elementary education guaranteed all children the right to schooling. Replaced by his great Conservative rival Benjamin Disraeli in 1874, Gladstone strongly condemned Disraeli's aggressive foreign and imperial policies. He appealed to the morality of the British voters during the famous Midlothian campaign and was returned to power in 1880. Gladstone's most important reform during his second term (1880-85) was the Reform Act of 1884, which extended the vote to many rural voters. He also eliminated corruption in elections and secured for married women greater control over their property. Increasingly, however, he was forced to devote much of his time to troublesome imperial and Irish questions. His Land Act of 1881 attempted to end Irish unrest by giving Irish tenant farmers greater rights to the land they farmed, but by 1885 he accepted the necessity for Irish home rule. Gladstone's third (1886) and fourth (1892-94) ministries were dominated by his home rule crusade. His first home rule bill of 1886 split the Liberal party, when many Liberals refused to support any reduction in British power over Ireland. In 1893 a second home rule bill passed the House of Commons, but it was rejected by the House of Lords. Gladstone, who as early as 1868 had stated that his "mission" was to "pacify Ireland," wanted to continue to fight for home rule, but his cabinet refused. He therefore resigned as prime minister in 1894 and retired. He died of cancer at Hawarden on May 19, 1898, at the age of 88. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. Gladstone's importance rests in part on his reforms, which attempted to free the individual from all unnecessary restrictions-a fundamental 19th-century liberal belief. More than any other statesman of his age, he was able to mobilize the idealism of the British public. He succeeded in part because of his strong religious convictions. A daily reader of the Bible and the author of numerous books on religion, he believed that through politics religion could be reflected and made practical. His personal life supported his public life. Gladstone was a devoted husband to his wife, Catherine Glynne, whom he married in 1839; they had eight children. His family and his home at Hawarden, where he spent six months each year, were sources of rest and inspiration. SIZE: Image size is 5 1/2" x 7 1/2", overall page size is 7" x 10". CONDITION: Excellent Condition. Reverse side of print is blank. SHIPPING: Buyers to pay shipping/handling, domestic orders receives priority mail, international orders receive regular mail. We pack properly to protect your item! An engraving is an intaglio process of printing, with the design to be produced is cut below the surface of the plate (made of copper, steel or wood), and the incised lines are filled with ink that is then transferred to paper. The portraits on our currency are good examples of engraved images. A Photogravure is an intaglio process in which the plate is produced photographically. The item(s) being sold is an image on paper made from the original master and IS NOT a block of wood or steel. THIS IS AN ACTUAL PRINT FROM THE 1860's ! NOT A REPRODUCTION!

Price: 5.59 USD

Location: New Providence, New Jersey

End Time: 2025-01-17T21:56:44.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7.95 USD