Letter from William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne to Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire

Lord Selborne writes concerning Chamberlain opening his Tariff Reform Campaign. He writes that he believes in Free Trade as a policy and is prepared for a "sufficient object" to modifications to the current policy. He also writes that whilst he is not "disposed to fly off at a tangent" from Chamberlain and Balfour's proposals, he would need to satisfy himself that the modifications can be achieved by the means proposed. He writes of his fears as to what such a policy will have on both the Liberal Unionist and Conservative parties. He further writes that should SCC and Ritchie leave the party, then the Liberal Unionist party would be practically destroyed. He also writes concerning Germany, Canada and the unity of the British Empire. He finally writes that the "circumstances" of British Empire are very different to what they were 50 years ago. Sent from: [London]. Letter is marked "Private".

Arranged in accordance with ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description, Second Edition, Ottawa 2000 and The Devonshire Collection Cataloguing Guidelines.

Copyright held by Chatsworth House Trust.