One hundred years ago
THE position on Friday afternoon was this. Lord Salisbury has accepted office, and after a short and sharp struggle with Lord Randolph Churchill, has secured his co-operation by removing Sir Staf- ford Northcote to the Upper House, and making Sir Michael Hicks-Beach leader in the Lower. Lord Randolph himself takes the Secretaryship for In- dia, and his position in the Commons will be so strong, that the Ministry is virtually a Salisbury-Churchill one. Lord Randolph, however, permits Sir Stafford to remain in the Cabinet; and as the late leader has been badly tre- ated, he will receive an earldom and become First Lord of the Treasury, though not Premier, a division of offices for which there is a precedent in Chatham's time. There is, however, still a hitch. The removal of Sir Stafford Northcote has diminished Liberal confi- dence in Tory finance, and it is said that Lord Salisbury demands assurances from Mr Gladstone as to the acceptance of his Budget, which the latter declines to give. Threats are put forward that Lord Salisbury will in consequence de- cline to form a Ministry.
Spectator, 20 June 1885
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