Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon (24 June, 1831 - 29 June, 1890), was an English politician and a leading member of the Conservative Party.

Herbert became the Earl of Carnarvon on the death of his father in 1849. After taking his degree at Oxford, he began to play a prominent role in the House of Lords. In 1858, he was under secretary for the colonies, and in 1866 secretary of state. In 1867 he introduced the British North America Act, which conferred self-government on Canada. Later that year, he resigned over Benjamin Disraeli's Reform Bill, along with Lord Cranborne.

Resuming office in 1874, he endeavoured to confer self-government on South Africa as he had on Canada, but the times were not ripe. In 1878 he resigned in opposition to Lord Beaconsfield's policy on the Eastern Question; but on his party's return to power in 1885 he became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. His short period of office, memorable for a conflict on a question of personal veracity between himself and Charles Stewart Parnell as to his negotiations with the latter in respect of Home Rule, was terminated by another premature resignation. He never returned to office.

As a statesman his career was marred by extreme sensitiveness; but he was beloved as a man of worth and admired as a man of culture. He was high steward of Oxford University, and president of the Society of Antiquaries.

References

• Roberts, Andrew. Salisbury: Victorian Titan. London: Orion Books, 2000 [c1999].

Preceded by: Edward Cardwell	Secretary of State for the Colonies 1866–1867	Succeeded by: The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
Preceded by: The Earl of Kimberley	Secretary of State for the Colonies 1874–1878	Succeeded by: Sir Michael Hicks-Beach
Preceded by: The Earl Spencer	Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1885–1886	Succeeded by: The Earl of Aberdeen

Preceded by: Henry Herbert

Earl of Carnarvon

Succeeded by: George Herbert

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.