and that Lord
Castlereagh, secretary for the colonies and war, was in his opinion
unfit for his post, and must be removed to another office. The duke, a
sickly and vacillating man, said nothing to Castlereagh, and took no
steps, and Canning did not enlighten his colleague. When he found that
no measures were being taken to make a change of office, Canning
resigned on the 7th of September. Castlereagh then learnt the truth, and
after resigning sent Canning a challenge on the 19th of September. In
the duel on Putney Heath which followed Canning was wounded in the
thigh. His apologists have endeavoured to defend him against the charge
of double dealing, but there can be no question that Castlereagh had
just ground to be angry. Public opinion was strong against Canning, and
in the House of Commons he was looked upon with distrust. For twelve
years he remained out of office or in inferior places. His ability made
it impossible that he should be obscure. In 1810 he was a member of the
Bullion Committee, and his speeches on the report showed his mastery of
the subject. It was no doubt his reputation for economic knowledge which
chiefly recommended him to the electors of Liverpool in 1812. He had
been elected for Tralee in 1803, for Newtown (Hants) in 1806 and for
Harwich in 1807. But in parliament he had lost all influence, and is
described as wandering about neglected and avoided. In 1812 he committed
the serious mistake of accepting a well-paid ornamental mission to
Lisbon, which he was about to visit for the health of his eldest son. He
remained abroad for eighteen months. In 1816 he submitted to enter
office as president of the Board of Control in Lord Liverpool's cabinet,
in which Castlereagh, to whom he had now become reconciled, was
secretary of state for foreign affairs. In 1820 he resigned his post in
order to avoid taking any part in the proceedings against Queen
Caroline, the wife of George IV.

Canning's return to great office and influence dates from the suicide of
Castlereagh in 1822. He had accepted the governor-generalship of India,
which would have implied his retirement from public life at home, and
refused to remain unless he was promised "the whole inheritance" of
Castlereagh,--the foreign office and the leadership of the House of
Commons. His terms were accepted, and he took office in September 1822.
He held the office from that date till April 1827, when he became prime
minister in succession to Lord Live