BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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chairmanship of Gorst. 57
The Primrose League banquet was presided over by the Earl of
Egremont in the absence of Abergavenny and Churchill, the latter citing
his strenuous campaign-like efforts in Birmingham as the cause of his
absence.
The meeting eulogized the memory of Disraeli, staunchly
defended the Conservative party and the House of Lords while attacking
what was seen as the weak and vacillating foreign policy of Gladstone's
administration.
The Primrose League's great object as defined by one
of the participants, Colonel Burnaby, was "not to make an appeal to
government; it was to denounce them to the British nation."58
The Grand Habitation, postponed until mid-July to allow
sufficient time for preparation, was chaired by Randolph Churchill.
Delegates from thirty-six Habitations attended.
All existing members
of the Council were reelected with the exception of Ashmead Bartlett,
the least receptive individual on the Council as far as Churchill was
concerned.
Twelve Knights were also elected to complete the twenty-six
member Council.59
While most of the reelected individuals were
57
NUA 2/1/1.
58
"National Union First Annual Conference," 12 November 1867;
The Times, 21 April 1884, p. 7.
59 The relected members to the Council based on subsequent
Minute Book records of attendance would appear to be Lord Randolph
Churchill, M.P.; Sir H.D. Wolff, M.P.; Sir Alfred Slade, Bt.; J.E.
Gorst, Q.C., M.P.; Sir Henry Hoare, Bt.; Sir Algernon Borthwick;
Colonel Burnaby; F.D. Dixon Hartland, M.P.; F. Seager Hunt; William
Hardman; Wainwright; A.A. Hopkinson; Bateson; and Stone.
The twelve representatives chosen by the Grand Council
delegates based on a list of names circulated at the first annual
meeting were Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Bt., M.P.; W.T. Mariott, Esq.,
Q.C., M.P.; Robert Bourke, M.P.; Colonel King Harman, M.P.; Lord John
Manners, M.P.; Lord Elcho, M.P.; J. Sclater Booth, M.P.; Lord Charles
Beresford; Earl of Hopetoun; Captain Fellowes, M.P.; Sir Samuel Wilson;
Maurice Mocatta, Esq. Minutes of the Grand Council of the Primrose