“A Pretty Coil about a Chancellor, or, the modern Laocoon from the 1865 “Fun”

A Pretty Coil about a Chancellor, or, the modern Laocoon

Engraving

Fun (8 July 1865): 75

Lord Palmerston served as Prime Minister from 12 June 1859 to 11 October 1865, and Gladstone was Chancellor of the Exchequer during this period, so he is the most likely target here of a cartoon that employs one of the most famous pieces of classical sculpture. The Laocöon, which illustrates an episode from the Iliad, represents the death of a Trojan priest and his sons because he hurled a spear at the Trojan Horse. [Continued below]

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The wonders of the internet permit us to find the parliamentary discussion to which the cartoon alludes. Googling “Leeds inquiry 1865” produced the following speech by a Mr. Longfield about matters concerning the Prime Minister and the Leeds bankruptcy court:

A Member of Her Majesty's Government, holding the very highest station which can be held under the Crown, has within three months given occasion for two separate inquiries into the purity and propriety of his conduct. The general outline of those inquiries is sufficiently indicated by stating that they bear a considerable resemblance to each other. Having in the course of his judicial functions ascertained that certain offences had been committed, the noble and learned Lord took advantage of those offences to force out of offices which they held the persons by whom it was alleged that those offences were committed, and the proceedings thus instituted on the part of the Crown he made profitable to himself by appointing members of his own family to the vacant offices. One of these investigations took place in the House of Lords, and was connected with a gentleman named Edmunds. That inquiry has a considerable bearing upon the inquiry which has just been concluded by this House; for scarcely had that inquiry terminated when another unfortunate circumstance was adverted to in this House. A gentleman named Wilde was forced to resign his appointment at Leeds, and his appointment was at once promised to the Chancellor's son, although, from circumstances which afterwards occurred, that appointment was not actually made.
[http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1865/jun/27/observations]

Last modified 22 February 2016