Mr. Gladstone’s meditations—The Home Rule disclosures—Lord Randolph’s Irish policy—Hopes of a Coalition—Lord Randolph’s programme—Lord Salisbury’s reply—Resignation of Lord Carnarvon—Procedure discussions—Rumour and report—Mr. Gladstone’s offer—The Queen’s Speech—Lord Salisbury and Coercion—Divisions in the Cabinet—Meeting of Parliament—The policy of the 26th of January—Mr. Jesse Collings’ Amendment—Defeat of the Conservative Government—Their record

Mr. Gladstone’s Home Rule Administration—The reality of the struggle—Mr. Chamberlain’s position—Lord Randolph and Home Rule—Ulster, 1886—‘The Union party’—Waiting for the Bill—Mr. Chamberlain resigns—Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Randolph—The great debate—Mr. Chamberlain’s speech—The Whig peers—The Land Bill—The dissentient Liberals—Mr. Chamberlain and Birmingham—The Foreign Office meeting—A critical interlude—‘Never! Never!’—The Home Rule Division—Parliament dissolved

The General Election—‘An old man in a hurry’—Birmingham—Triumph of the Unionist party—Formation of Lord Salisbury’s second Administration—The lead in the House of Commons—Chancellor of the Exchequer—The short session—Lord Randolph as leader—Conduct of public business—Correspondence with Lord Hartington—End of the session—Golden opinions—Foreign affairs—A grave divergence—Eastern policy—The Dartford programme—‘Mr. Spencer’s journey’—Bradford—‘The Grand Young Man’

At the Treasury—Lord Randolph as an official—Secret Service money—The Metropolitan coal and wine dues—Preparation of the Budget—Democratic finance—The death duties—The inhabited house tax—New stamp duties—Horses, cartridges and theatre tickets—The Sinking Fund—Large reductions of taxation—A fivepenny income tax—The means for Local Government—The Budget in the Cabinet—A silence

Lord Randolph Churchill’s resignation announced—Consideration of rival forces and principles in the Conservative party—The conflict in the Cabinet—Various differences—Retrenchment—The Army Estimates—The Prime Minister’s choice—Windsor Castle—Letter of Resignation—Lord Salisbury’s reply—Publication of the news—General reflections thereon

A private member—Mr. Chamberlain’s letters—Outcry against Lord Randolph Churchill—Lord Salisbury and Lord Hartington—Failure of a coalition—Protracted Cabinet crisis—A New Year’s Day letter—Explanation to the Queen—Mr. Jennings—Mr. Goschen—Death of Lord Iddesleigh—The Government reconstituted—Final correspondence with Lord Salisbury—The two courses—Meeting of Parliament—Lord Randolph’s statement—Algiers and Italy—Public results of Lord Randolph’s resignation—Displeasure of the Conservative party

Difficulties of an ex-Minister—Lord Randolph’s course—Mr. Goschen’s Budget—The Army and Navy Committee—Economy and efficiency—Departmental mismanagement—Wolverhampton speech—The Hartington Commission—Effect of Lord Randolph’s agitation—Lord Randolph abandons Fair Trade

Ireland still—The Liberal Unionists—Coercion—Lord Randolph Churchill and Mr. Chamberlain—Dream of a central party—Difficulties of co-operation—A severance—Correspondence with Lord Hartington—Weakness of the Government—Irish educational schemes—Lord Randolph in Russia—His conversation with the Czar

Irish Local Government—A disregarded pledge—Suakin—Vacancy at Birmingham—Mr. Chamberlain’s attitude—Mr. Jennings’ account—Lord Randolph withdraws—Disappointment of Birmingham Conservatives—Mr. Balfour’s intervention—Correspondence with Mr. Chamberlain—Royal grants—Speeches in the Midlands—‘Mr. Podsnap’—Hostility of the Conservative party

The Pigott letter—Action of the Government—Lord Randolph’s warning—The forgery exposed—Report of the Special Commission—Mr. Jennings’ amendment—Lord Randolph’s speech—Mr. Chamberlain replies—Mr. Jennings offended—Wrath of the Conservative party—Estrangement from Mr. Jennings—Tendency of Lord Randolph Churchill’s later views—Ministerial discredit—Lord Randolph on the turf—At home and abroad—Barren years—Loyalty to the Conservative party—Expedition to Mashonaland—Lion-hunting—Mr. Balfour becomes Leader of the House of Commons

A new situation—General Election of 1892—Lord Randolph unopposed—Friendly dispositions of Conservative leaders—Lord Randolph rejoins their councils—Speech on the Home Rule Bill—Fatal symptoms—His last success—Correspondence with FitzGibbon—Riot in the House of Commons—Increasing infirmities—A desperate campaign—Kissingen—Meeting with Bismarck—Preparations for a long journey—The end

Two Election Addresses, 1886 and 1892

Parliamentary Procedure: The Closure

Political Letters of Lord Randolph Churchill: Freedom of Contract; Temperance; Home Rule

VIII. Mr. Jennings’ Account of his Quarrel with Lord Randolph Churchill: Lord Justice Fitzgibbon’s Note thereupon

Lord Randolph Churchill’s Memorandum on Army and Navy Administration

INDEX