Conservatives resisted all change or withheld support from all
measures of amelioration.

[Footnote 213: The name Conservative was employed
by Canning as early as 1824. Its use was already
becoming common when, in January, 1835, Peel, in
his manifesto to the electors of Tamworth,
undertook an exposition of the principles of what
he declared should be known henceforth as the
Conservative--not the Tory--party.]

*155. From Peel to Palmerston.*--The second stage of the period under
survey was that comprised by the Conservative ministry of Sir Robert
Peel, 1841-1846, established in consequence of the decisive defeat of
the Whigs at the elections of 1841. The memorable achievement of the
Peel government was the repeal of the Corn Laws and the casting off of
substantially the whole of the protective system; but the tariff
policy of the premier divided the Conservative party into the
protectionists or old Conservatives, led by Disraeli and Lord Derby,
and the free trade or liberal Conservatives, led by Aberdeen and (p. 148)
Gladstone, and the breach enabled the Liberals, under Lord John
Russell, to recover office in 1847. A third stage of the period, i.e.,
1847 to 1859, was one of ministerial instability. Disputes between
Russell and Palmerston, the foreign minister, undermined the Liberal
position, and in 1852 the Conservatives, under the leadership of
Derby, returned to power. In 1853, however, the free trade
Conservatives joined the Liberals, overthrew Derby, and placed in
office a coalition ministry under Aberdeen. This government maintained
itself until 1855, when, by reason of discontent aroused by his
management of England's part in the Crimean War, Aberdeen resigned and
was succeeded by Palmerston, at the head of another Liberal ministry.
Foreign difficulties drove Palmerston from office early in 1858, and
the establishment of a second Derby ministry marked a brief return of
the Conservatives to control. Defeated, however, on a resolution
censuring the Government for the inadequacy of the reform bill
introduced by it in 1859, and also for the failure of Lord Derby to
prevent the war between France and Austria, the ministry resigned, in
April, 1859, and Lord Palmerston returned to power, with Gladstone and
Lord John Russell as colleagues. Gladstone's acceptance of office
under Palmers