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{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| image = William Dougal Christie.jpg
| caption = Christie by [[George Richmond (painter)|George Richmond]], {{circa| 1840}}
| alt =
| order = 
| ambassador_from = United Kingdom
| country = Brazil
|term_start = 1859
| term_end = 1863
| predecessor = [[Peter Campbell Scarlett]]
| successor = [[Sir Edward Thornton]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1816|01|05}}
| birth_place = [[Bombay]], [[Bombay Presidency]]<br> (now Mumbai, [[Maharashtra, India]])
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1874|07|27|1816|01|05}}
| death_place = [[Marylebone, London]], England
| alma_mater = [[Trinity College, Cambridge]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Mary Grant|1841}}
}}
'''William Dougal Christie''' (5 January 1816{{snd}}27 July 1874) was a British diplomat, politician and [[man of letters]].

==Life==
The son of Dougal Christie, M.D., an officer in the [[East India Company]]'s medical service, he was born at [[Mumbai|Bombay]] on 5 January 1816. He graduated at [[Trinity College, Cambridge]], in 1838,<ref>{{acad|CHRY832WD|Christie, William Dougal}}</ref> where he was one of the [[Cambridge Apostles]],<ref name=Lubenow>[[William C. Lubenow]], ''The Cambridge Apostles, 1820–1914: liberalism, imagination, and friendship in British intellectual and professional life'' (1998), p. 171; [https://books.google.com/books?id=Sy8Ym9N3tgUC&pg=PA171 Google Books].</ref> and was [[called to the bar]] in 1840.{{sfn|Garnett|1887}} At this time he was editor of a newspaper, the ''[[Kentish Mercury]]'', ''[[Gravesend Journal]]'', and ''[[Greenwich Gazette]]'', and employed the Chartist [[Thomas Cooper (Chartist)|Thomas Cooper]] to edit it.<ref>Stephen Roberts, ''The Chartist Prisoners: the radical lives of Thomas Cooper (1805–1892) and Arthur O'Neill (1819–1896)'' (2008), p. 52; [https://books.google.com/books?id=17jaSAzHw3gC&pg=PA52 Google Books].</ref> He was also introduced to [[Thomas Carlyle]], perhaps by [[Albany Fonblanque]], and assisted him in the plan for the [[London Library]].<ref>[[Frederic Harrison]], Mary Christie, ''Carlyle and the London Library. Account of its foundation: together with unpublished letters of Thomas Carlyle to W. D. Christie, C. B.'' (1907), p. 19; [https://archive.org/stream/cu31924029535089#page/n37/mode/2up archive.org].</ref>

In 1841, Christie was for a short time private secretary to [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto|Lord Minto]] at the admiralty, and from April 1842 to November 1847 represented [[Weymouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Weymouth]] as Member of Parliament. In 1843 he proposed a Bill for removing the religious tests in the old universities; it was quickly defeated. The London Library and the Circulation of French Fiction in the 1840s
<ref>J Atkinson - Information & Culture, 2013 -Martha McMackin Garland, ''Cambridge before Darwin: the ideal of a liberal education, 1800–1860'' (1980), p. 77; [https://books.google.com/books?id=jdA8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA77 Google Books].</ref> In 1844 he proposed a motion in order to allow presence of "strangers" (journalists) in the House of Commons and the recognition of the right of the journalists to publish reports on the Parliamentary debates. This motion was defeated.<ref>[https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1844-02-12/debates/cc63988e-981c-45c5-bcd2-0249a845b080/Strangers%E2%80%94PublicationOfTheDebates Hansard, 12 February 1844]</ref>

In May 1848 Christie was appointed consul-general in the [[Mosquito Territory]], and from 1851 to 1854 was secretary of legation, frequently acting as [[chargé d'affaires]], to the [[Swiss Confederation]].{{sfn|Garnett|1887}}

In 1854, Christie was made consul-general to the [[Argentina|Argentine Republic]], and in 1856 minister plenipotentiary. In 1858, he was despatched on a special mission to [[Paraguay]], and in 1859 became envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to [[Empire of Brazil]]. This post involved him in constant difficulties with the Brazilian government, partly arising from his efforts to enforce the treaties relating to the [[slave trade]], and partly from claims for compensation on the part of British subjects.{{sfn|Garnett|1887}} Christie's position wasn't helped by a quarrel at cards with [[James Watson Webb]], the American ambassador, at the Russian embassy.<ref name=Lubenow/>

The situation came to a head in 1863 when Christie sent an ultimatum for reparations for two minor incidents at the end of 1861 and beginning of 1862.<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Calmon|1975|p=678}};
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|pp=103–145}};
* {{harvnb|Lyra 1977, Vol 1|p=207}}.</ref> The Brazilian government refused to yield, and Christie issued orders for British warships to capture Brazilian merchant vessels as [[indemnity]].<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Calmon|1975|pp=678–681}};
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|p=104}}
* {{harvnb|Lyra 1977, Vol 1|p=208}}.</ref> While Christie had been instructed to accept a Brazilian offer of arbitration if it was made, he was later accused of not informing the Brazilian government of this until after military action had been taken; he had indicated he wanted to teach Brazil a "lesson".<ref>[http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1863/jul/16/brazil-paper-moved-for#column_892 HANSARD 16 July 1863 → Commons Sitting – BRAZIL.—PAPER MOVED FOR; 886]</ref> Brazil prepared itself for the imminent conflict.{{sfn|Calmon|1975|p=680}}{{sfn|Doratioto|2002|pp=98, 203}} The Brazilian government severed diplomatic ties with Britain in June<ref>See:
* {{harvnb|Calmon|1975|p=691}};
* {{harvnb|Carvalho|2007|p=105}};
* {{harvnb|Lyra 1977, Vol 1|p=211}}.</ref> and Christie retired from the service on a pension.{{sfn|Garnett|1887}} The House of Commons debated his conduct, with some MPs like [[William Vesey-FitzGerald|Seymour Vesey-FitzGerald]] criticising him for taking disproportionate action, to teach Brazil a "lesson".<ref>[http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1863/jul/16/brazil-paper-moved-for#column_892 HANSARD 16 July 1863 → Commons Sitting – BRAZIL.—PAPER MOVED FOR −887]</ref>

Christie returned to an old topic, campaigning against [[electoral corruption]]. He read a paper on the subject to the [[National Association for the Promotion of Social Science]] in February 1864. Later in the year [[F. D. Maurice]] praised it in ''[[Macmillan's Magazine]]''.<ref>George John Worth, ''Macmillan's Magazine, 1859–1907: no flippancy or abuse allowed'' (2003), p. 73; [https://books.google.com/books?id=CyOeenIn9ScC&pg=PA73 Google Books].</ref> He then made two unsuccessful attempts to re-enter parliament, at [[Cambridge (UK Parliament constituency)|Cambridge]] in 1865 and [[Greenock (UK Parliament constituency)|Greenock]] in 1868. After a serious illness, he died in Marylebone on 27 July 1874.{{sfn|Garnett|1887}}

==Works==
In 1839 he produced a work advocating the [[secret ballot]], republished with additions in 1872 as ''The Ballot, and Corruption and Expenditure at Elections''. In the Introductory Note on the ballot he sketched the earlier parliamentary history from his own perspective: [[George Grote]] had introduced a motion on it in 1833, and up to 1839 there had been increasing support, with [[Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay|Thomas Babington Macaulay]] arguing on its side. [[Henry George Ward]] took up the cause in 1842, when Grote no longer was an MP. [[James Mill]] and Fonblanque were supporters in print; [[William Empson (lawyer)|William Empson]] and [[John Allen (historian)|John Allen]] were encouraging about the initial essay of 1839. Only [[Sydney Smith]]'s witty barbs are mentioned on the other side of the argument.<ref>William Dougal Christie, ''The Ballot, and Corruption and Expenditure at Elections, essays'' (1872), pp. 4–5; [https://archive.org/stream/ballotandcorrup01chrigoog#page/n38/mode/2up archive.org].</ref>

Christie revisited his diplomatic career in ''Notes on Brazilian Questions'' (1865). In retirement he concentrated on the history and literature of the seventeenth century. He had in 1859 edited a volume of original documents illustrating the life of [[Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury]] up to 1660, and in 1871 he published a complete if partisan biography, largely based on the posthumous papers of Shaftesbury and [[John Locke]], and other manuscripts. He wrote a memoir of [[John Dryden]], prefixed to his edition published in the Globe series (1870). In 1874 Christie edited the correspondence of [[Sir Joseph Williamson]], Charles II's secretary of state, for the [[Camden Society]].{{sfn|Garnett|1887}}

Christie became involved in a personal controversy with [[Abraham Hayward]], who had attacked the memory of [[John Stuart Mill]]; it included a now-mysterious incident in the whist room of the [[Athenaeum Club, London|Athenaeum Club]] in May 1873.<ref>
[[Stefan Collini]], 'From Sectarian Radical to National Possession: John Stuart Mill in English Culture, 1873–1945', in G. W. Smith (editor), ''John Stuart Mill's Social and Political Thought: Critical Assessments'' (1998), p. 399 note 2; [https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4zWL4R7Te4C&pg=PA399 Google Books].</ref> Christie wrote to vindicate Mill, who had contacted him in 1867 over the secret ballot; the debate was cut short by his death.{{sfn|Garnett|1887}}<ref>Bruce L. Kinzer, Ann Provost Robson, John M. Robson, ''A Moralist in and out of Parliament: John Stuart Mill at Westminster, 1865–1868'' (1992), p. 108; [https://books.google.com/books?id=GIglOhlskaEC&pg=PA108 Google Books].</ref>

==Family==
He married Mary Grant, a neighbour and friend of [[Anthony Trollope]],<ref>N. John Hall, ''The Letters of Anthony Trollope'', Volume 1 (1983), p. 133 note 1; [https://books.google.com/books?id=CICaAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA133 Google Books].</ref> and the eldest daughter of Colonel (later Major-General) [[James Grant (Waterloo)|James Grant]], CB.<ref>Hall, p. 185; [https://books.google.com/books?id=CICaAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA185 Google Books].</ref> They had at least 3 sons and 3 daughters, including the novelist Mary Elizabeth Christie (1847–1906).<ref>[http://victorianresearch.org/atcl/show_author.php?aid=821 '' At the Circulating Library'', page on Mary Elizabeth Christie].</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{Cite DNB|wstitle=Christie, William Dougal |first=Richard |last=Garnett|volume=10}}

==External links==
*[http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n88-125097 WorldCat page]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christie, William Dougal}}
[[Category:1816 births]]
[[Category:1874 deaths]]
[[Category:British diplomats]]
[[Category:British biographers]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Politicians from Mumbai]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1841–1847]]

William Dougal Christie - Revision history

->Ira Leviton: Fixed a typo found with Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss.