Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston collection, 1817-1864
40 items
This collection is made up of 34 letters and 6 documents related to Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston. The collection includes 8 items regarding financial compensation for British army units and individuals; 9 letters from Palmerston to Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, and 1 letter from Benjamin Haydon to Palmerston about Talleyrand. The collection also includes 22 letters that Palmerston wrote to various acquaintances, including 1 to Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord about British political affairs.
The first 8 items pertain to financial compensation for the British Army. From October 4, 1817-April 9, 1827, Palmerston signed 6 partially printed documents from the War Office and its Department of Arrear Accompts, regarding pay warrants for services rendered from 1798-1809 and in 1825. Palmerston also wrote manuscript letters to "Lt. Odiardi" (July 11, 1822) and Major General Sir Frederick Robinson (February 27, 1825) in response to their inquiries about back pay and travel expenses, respectively. Robinson had traveled from Canada to Great Britain to participate in George Prevost's 1816 court martial, which was canceled after Prevost's death.
The next series of 10 letters (March 26, 1834-July 21, 1834) includes 9 brief letters in French, written by Palmerston to Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord. Palmerston often discussed his schedule and possible meetings, and once referred to the possibility of a treaty between warring Spanish factions during the First Carlist War (June 1, 1834). On June 13, 1834, painter Benjamin Haydon wrote Palmerston to request an audience with Talleyrand; Palmerston's subsequent letter to Talleyrand (June 14, 1834) concerns Haydon's recent painting of the Reform Parliament, for Lord Grey.
The final 22 items are personal letters written by Palmerston (September 17, 1835-October 12, 1864, and undated), of which 6 are in French. These include at least 3 letters to Christopher Hughes, an American diplomat, in which Palmerston discussed recent sessions of Parliament and expressed his desire for close relations between the United Kingdom and the United States; he also mentioned an attempt to reform election procedures for the House of Commons (November 22, 1837). In letters to other correspondents, Palmerston commented on British party politics, the Reform Act of 1832, the Spanish succession controversy, and treasury clerkships. He also wrote about the Mexican Navy and California's recently-declared independence (August 6, 1846) and suggested a reduction in formal church services in the parish of Romsey (October 12, 1864).