CHAPTER IX

1885

THE FALL OF THE GOVERNMENT

1885-1785: a comparison--Increasing weakness and perplexities of the Ministry--Lord Randolph returns--His authority over the Conservative party--Penjdeh and the Vote of Credit--Correspondence with Lord Salisbury--Lord Randolph’s attacks upon Mr. Gladstone and Lord Granville--The Crimes Act--A mortal blow--Strange constitutional situation--Relations with the Irish party--Defeat of the Government--A threefold crisis--Formation of Lord Salisbury’s First Administration--Lord Randolph refuses to join--The _Interregnum_--Lord Randolph’s own account of these transactions--Appeals of various kinds--At the Inns of Court--A Parliamentary incident--Sir Stafford retires--Euthanasia of the Fourth party--_Moriturus te saluto_.....375