George Cornewall Lewis

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George Cornewall Lewis (1806–1863) was a British statesman and writer best known for keeping Britain neutral during the American Civil War in 1862.

Early life and education
Lewis was born in London, the son of Thomas Frankland Lewis. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, where he excelled in classics. He studied law at the Middle Temple and was called to the bar in 1831, but health reasons led him to leave the legal profession. He helped start The Philological Museum and its successor, The Classical Museum.

Public service and writing
He began his public career on commissions studying social and church issues in Ireland and Malta. In 1833 he worked on a commission about poor Irish conditions, and in 1834 he helped examine church property in Ireland. He also contributed to the London Review. In Malta (around 1836–38) he helped frame a new code of laws and supported moves toward responsible government for the island. After a setback from the Andover workhouse scandal in 1845, the Poor Law Commission was closed in 1847.

Parliament and government roles
Lewis was elected MP for Herefordshire and later for Radnorshire’s Radnor Boroughs. He served as Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1850) and edited the Edinburgh Review (1850–55). In 1855 he became the second Baronet and was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Palmerston, helping finance the Crimean War. He then served as Home Secretary (1859–1861) and as Secretary of State for War (1861–1863).

Neutrality in the Civil War
In 1862, he opposed British mediation in the American Civil War and argued for keeping Britain neutral. His stance helped prevent Britain from joining the conflict.

Later life and legacy
Lewis fell ill and died in 1863 at Harpton Court. A marble bust by Henry Weekes stands in Westminster Abbey, and there are monuments to him in New Radnor and Hereford.

Family and writings
In 1844 he married Lady Maria Theresa Villiers; they had no children. He was a prolific writer on politics, law, and language. Notable works include Remarks on the Use and Abuse of some Political Terms (1832), Local Disturbances in Ireland (1836), and The Government of Dependencies (1841). He also translated and edited various classical works and contributed to scholarly journals.