James Stephen (undersecretary)
Encyclopedia
Sir James Stephen was the British under-secretary of state for the colonies from 1836 to 1847. He was instrumental in implementing the slavery abolition act.
during his infancy caused a permanent weakness of eyesight. He was under various schoolmasters, including John Prior Estlin
and the Rev. Henry Jowett of Little Dunham, Norfolk
. In 1806 he entered Trinity Hall, Cambridge
, where he learnt as little as if he had passed the time "at the Clarendon Hotel in Bond Street." He took the LL.B. degree in 1812, having been called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
on 11 Nov. 1811. His father, who was just leaving the bar, transferred
some practice to his son, who also began to make a digest of colonial laws. Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
, who was in sympathy with the "Clapham Sect
," allowed him to inspect official records for the digest, and in 1813 appointed him counsel to the Colonial Office
. His duty was to report upon all acts of the colonial legislatures. The work increased, but he was also allowed to practise privately, and in a few years was making £3,000 a year, and in a fair way to the honours of the profession.
daughter of John Venn, rector of Clapham,
one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society. In 1822 Stephen had a severe
illness caused by overwork. As he was now a
father, he decided in 1825 to accept the offer
of the post of permanent counsel to the colonial
office and to the board of trade
, abandoning
his private practice. In 1834 he was
appointed assistant under-secretary of state
for the colonies, and in 1836 under-secretary,
giving up his position in the board of
trade. The duties became exceedingly
onerous, and he devoted himself to them
unstintedly. For many years he never left
London for a month, and, though afterwards
forced to make longer absences, he took a
clerk into the country and did business as
regularly as in town. He had a very high
reputation for his wide knowledge of constitutional
law, and was a rapid and decided
administrator. His energy gave him great
influence with his superiors, and his colleague,
Sir Henry Taylor, says that for many
years he "literally ruled the colonial empire."
The impression of his influence gained him
the nicknames of "King Stephen" and "Mr.
Over-secretary Stephen;" and he was frequently
made the scapegoat for real and supposed
errors of the colonial office. He had
accepted his position partly with a hope of
influencing the slavery question. His success
in this endeavour raised, according to Taylor,
the "first outcry" against him. When abolition
became inevitable, he was called upon
to prepare the Slavery Abolition Act passed in 1833. Unless
it could be drawn at once the abolition
might be postponed for a year. He therefore
on this occasion (and on one other only)
broke the Sabbath; and between the noons
of Saturday and Monday dictated an elaborate
bill of sixty-six sections. At this time
he would often dictate as much as ten pages
of the Edinburgh Review
before breakfast.
This effort, however, cost him a severe nervous
illness. In later years he was especially
concerned in the establishment of responsible
government in Canada; and his views are
said to have been more liberal than those of
the government. He was highly esteemed by
his official superiors, but incurred unpopularity
in other quarters. A hard worker, he
tried to exact hard work from others. He
covered a sensitive nature by a formality
which kept others at a distance. He was as
shy, says Taylor, "as a wild duck," but often
showed it oddly by talking so continuously
as to leave no opening for an answer. In
private, as Taylor testifies, his conversation
was equally abundant and singularly rich
and forcible. Though living in London for
many years, he went little into society. The
delicacy of his youngest son induced him in
1840 to take a house at Brighton for his
family, to which he could make only weekly
visits. From 1842 to 1846 he lived at Windsor,
in order to send his sons to Eton
. The
daily journeys to his office made an additional
strain. In 1846 he was summoned
to Dresden
by the illness of his eldest son,
who died before his parents could reach him.
The shock had serious effects upon his health;
and a bad attack in 1847 induced him to resign
his office. He was made a K.C.B. and
a privy councillor.
a writer by a series of articles in the Edinburgh Review, the first of which (upon
William Wilberforce
) appeared in April 1838. They
were written in the intervals of his official
work, generally in the early morning. He
carefully disavowed any pretence to profound
research. The articles had, however, shown
considerable historical knowledge as well as
literary power. He had partly recovered
strength, and was anxious for employment.
In June 1849 he was appointed Regius Professor of Modern History
at Cambridge,
vacant by the death of William Smyth
(1765–1849) He delivered a course
of lectures upon the history of France during
the summers of 1850 and 1851, which
were published in 1852, and were warmly
praised by De Tocqueville and other competent
persons. Another severe illness in the
summer of 1850 had forced him to spend a
winter abroad; and these lectures were the
last work to which he could apply his full
power. From 1855 to 1857 he held a professorship
at the East India College, Haileybury,
which had been sentenced to extinction.
He continued to lecture at Cambridge,
but the history school then held a very low
position; and residence was superfluous.
on 14 September 1859. He was buried at Kensal Green. Sir James Stephen's widow died in 1875. They had five children:
powers in work of which it is impossible that
any estimate should be formed. He was a
most conscientious and energetic official, but
the credit or discredit of the policy which he
carried out belongs to those whom he advised.
In domestic life he impressed all who
knew him by his loftiness of principle. He
was a man of the strongest family affections.
He sacrificed his own comforts for the benefit
of his children, and set before them a constant
example of absolute devotion to duty.
He began life as a strong evangelical, and
never avowedly changed; but his experience
of the world, his sympathy with other forms
of belief, and his interest in the great churchmen
of the Middle Ages led to his holding
the inherited doctrine in a latitudinarian
sense. He was accused of heresy, when appointed
professor at Cambridge, for an Epilogue
to his Essays, in which he suggested
doubts as to the eternity of hell-fire. The
Essays are the work by which he is best
known, and show a literary faculty to which
he could never give full play. The autobiography
of Sir Henry Taylor gives an interesting
account of his personal character.
Taylor, James Spedding
, Mr. Aubrey de Vere
,
and Nassau Senior were his most intimate
friends; but he led a recluse and rather
ascetic life, and seldom went into society,
A bust by Marochetti is in the National
Portrait Gallery.
Early life
He was born at Lambeth on 3 Jan. 1789, the third son of James Stephen. An attack of smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
during his infancy caused a permanent weakness of eyesight. He was under various schoolmasters, including John Prior Estlin
John Prior Estlin
John Prior Estlin was an English Unitarian minister, noted as a teacher and for his connections in literary circles.-Life:He was born at Hinckley, Leicestershire, 9 April 1747, was the son of Thomas Estlin, hosier, by his wife, née Prior. His education was undertaken by his mother's brother, the...
and the Rev. Henry Jowett of Little Dunham, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. In 1806 he entered Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
, where he learnt as little as if he had passed the time "at the Clarendon Hotel in Bond Street." He took the LL.B. degree in 1812, having been called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
on 11 Nov. 1811. His father, who was just leaving the bar, transferred
some practice to his son, who also began to make a digest of colonial laws. Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst KG PC was a British politician.-Background and education:Lord Bathurst was the elder son of Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst, by his wife Tryphena, daughter of Thomas Scawen...
, who was in sympathy with the "Clapham Sect
Clapham Sect
The Clapham Sect or Clapham Saints were a group of influential like-minded Church of England social reformers based in Clapham, London at the beginning of the 19th century...
," allowed him to inspect official records for the digest, and in 1813 appointed him counsel to the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
. His duty was to report upon all acts of the colonial legislatures. The work increased, but he was also allowed to practise privately, and in a few years was making £3,000 a year, and in a fair way to the honours of the profession.
Colonial office career
On 22 Dec. 1814 he married Jane Catherine,daughter of John Venn, rector of Clapham,
one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society. In 1822 Stephen had a severe
illness caused by overwork. As he was now a
father, he decided in 1825 to accept the offer
of the post of permanent counsel to the colonial
office and to the board of trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
, abandoning
his private practice. In 1834 he was
appointed assistant under-secretary of state
for the colonies, and in 1836 under-secretary,
giving up his position in the board of
trade. The duties became exceedingly
onerous, and he devoted himself to them
unstintedly. For many years he never left
London for a month, and, though afterwards
forced to make longer absences, he took a
clerk into the country and did business as
regularly as in town. He had a very high
reputation for his wide knowledge of constitutional
law, and was a rapid and decided
administrator. His energy gave him great
influence with his superiors, and his colleague,
Sir Henry Taylor, says that for many
years he "literally ruled the colonial empire."
The impression of his influence gained him
the nicknames of "King Stephen" and "Mr.
Over-secretary Stephen;" and he was frequently
made the scapegoat for real and supposed
errors of the colonial office. He had
accepted his position partly with a hope of
influencing the slavery question. His success
in this endeavour raised, according to Taylor,
the "first outcry" against him. When abolition
became inevitable, he was called upon
to prepare the Slavery Abolition Act passed in 1833. Unless
it could be drawn at once the abolition
might be postponed for a year. He therefore
on this occasion (and on one other only)
broke the Sabbath; and between the noons
of Saturday and Monday dictated an elaborate
bill of sixty-six sections. At this time
he would often dictate as much as ten pages
of the Edinburgh Review
Edinburgh Review
The Edinburgh Review, founded in 1802, was one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century. It ceased publication in 1929. The magazine took its Latin motto judex damnatur ubi nocens absolvitur from Publilius Syrus.In 1984, the Scottish cultural magazine New Edinburgh Review,...
before breakfast.
This effort, however, cost him a severe nervous
illness. In later years he was especially
concerned in the establishment of responsible
government in Canada; and his views are
said to have been more liberal than those of
the government. He was highly esteemed by
his official superiors, but incurred unpopularity
in other quarters. A hard worker, he
tried to exact hard work from others. He
covered a sensitive nature by a formality
which kept others at a distance. He was as
shy, says Taylor, "as a wild duck," but often
showed it oddly by talking so continuously
as to leave no opening for an answer. In
private, as Taylor testifies, his conversation
was equally abundant and singularly rich
and forcible. Though living in London for
many years, he went little into society. The
delicacy of his youngest son induced him in
1840 to take a house at Brighton for his
family, to which he could make only weekly
visits. From 1842 to 1846 he lived at Windsor,
in order to send his sons to Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. The
daily journeys to his office made an additional
strain. In 1846 he was summoned
to Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
by the illness of his eldest son,
who died before his parents could reach him.
The shock had serious effects upon his health;
and a bad attack in 1847 induced him to resign
his office. He was made a K.C.B. and
a privy councillor.
Teaching and Writing
Stephen had meanwhile become known asa writer by a series of articles in the Edinburgh Review, the first of which (upon
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
) appeared in April 1838. They
were written in the intervals of his official
work, generally in the early morning. He
carefully disavowed any pretence to profound
research. The articles had, however, shown
considerable historical knowledge as well as
literary power. He had partly recovered
strength, and was anxious for employment.
In June 1849 he was appointed Regius Professor of Modern History
Regius Professor of Modern History (Cambridge)
Regius Professor of Modern History is one of the senior professorships in history at Cambridge University. It was founded in 1724 by George I. The appointment is by Royal Warrant on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of the day...
at Cambridge,
vacant by the death of William Smyth
William Smyth
William Smyth was Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1493 to 1496 and then Bishop of Lincoln until his death. He held political offices, the most important being Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches. He became very wealthy and was a benefactor of a number of institutions...
(1765–1849) He delivered a course
of lectures upon the history of France during
the summers of 1850 and 1851, which
were published in 1852, and were warmly
praised by De Tocqueville and other competent
persons. Another severe illness in the
summer of 1850 had forced him to spend a
winter abroad; and these lectures were the
last work to which he could apply his full
power. From 1855 to 1857 he held a professorship
at the East India College, Haileybury,
which had been sentenced to extinction.
He continued to lecture at Cambridge,
but the history school then held a very low
position; and residence was superfluous.
Retirement and death
He passed the last years of his life chiefly in London. In 1859 his health showed serious symptoms, and he was ordered to Bad Homburg. Becoming worse, he started homewards, but died at KoblenzKoblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
on 14 September 1859. He was buried at Kensal Green. Sir James Stephen's widow died in 1875. They had five children:
- Herbert Venn Stephen (1822–1846)
- Frances Wilberforce Stephen (1824–1825)
- Sir James Fitzjames StephenJames Fitzjames StephenSir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1st Baronet was an English lawyer, judge and writer. He was created 1st Baronet Stephen by Queen Victoria.-Early life:...
- Sir Leslie StephenLeslie StephenSir Leslie Stephen, KCB was an English author, critic and mountaineer, and the father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell.-Life:...
- Caroline Emelia Stephen (1834-1909)
Assessment
Stephen spent his best years and highestpowers in work of which it is impossible that
any estimate should be formed. He was a
most conscientious and energetic official, but
the credit or discredit of the policy which he
carried out belongs to those whom he advised.
In domestic life he impressed all who
knew him by his loftiness of principle. He
was a man of the strongest family affections.
He sacrificed his own comforts for the benefit
of his children, and set before them a constant
example of absolute devotion to duty.
He began life as a strong evangelical, and
never avowedly changed; but his experience
of the world, his sympathy with other forms
of belief, and his interest in the great churchmen
of the Middle Ages led to his holding
the inherited doctrine in a latitudinarian
Latitudinarian
Latitudinarian was initially a pejorative term applied to a group of 17th-century English theologians who believed in conforming to official Church of England practices but who felt that matters of doctrine, liturgical practice, and ecclesiastical organization were of relatively little importance...
sense. He was accused of heresy, when appointed
professor at Cambridge, for an Epilogue
to his Essays, in which he suggested
doubts as to the eternity of hell-fire. The
Essays are the work by which he is best
known, and show a literary faculty to which
he could never give full play. The autobiography
of Sir Henry Taylor gives an interesting
account of his personal character.
Taylor, James Spedding
James Spedding
James Spedding was an English author, chiefly known as the editor of the works of Francis Bacon.-Life:He was born in Cumberland, the younger son of a country squire, and was educated at Bury St Edmunds and Trinity College, Cambridge; where he took a second class in the classical tripos, and was...
, Mr. Aubrey de Vere
Aubrey De Vere
Aubrey De Vere may refer to:* Aubrey de Vere I * Aubrey de Vere II , master chamberlain of England* Aubrey de Vere III , first earl of Oxford* Aubrey de Vere IV , second earl of Oxford...
,
and Nassau Senior were his most intimate
friends; but he led a recluse and rather
ascetic life, and seldom went into society,
A bust by Marochetti is in the National
Portrait Gallery.
Works
- Essays in Ecclesiastical Biography, 1849; 5th edit. 1867 (with life, by his son, J. F. Stephen).
- Lectures on the History of France, 1852