country, that the only probable means of extricating it from the difficulties it labours under should not be concealed. In the meanwhile, there appears good reason to think our rivals abroad are not tremendous. The confusion in every department is beyond credibility, and much time and better abilities will be necessary, before they can give any disturbance to Europe. I am, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble servant, THOMAS WALPOLE. MR. PITT TO LADY CHATHAM. Bath, Sunday night, November 24, 1765. WHAT Comfort, my dearest life, to be able to send you, with my own hand, better tidings of my gout! I have been taken up to-day, and I write, sitting in my great chair by my friends, like an alderman of Bath. My importance in my own eyes does not stop here; for they have this morning beheld by my bed-side the Duke of Bedford, sitting like any brother alderman, just descended from the curule chair of mayoralty, talking very placidly (and, to be serious, very politely) of houses in the Circus, pleasant airings, Somersetshire prospects, &c.; fitting discourse for such emeriti, as we are. How can I thank you for your kind solicitudes, and for the joy and comfort of your letter, which tells me that you and the dear children are well! I am out of pain; but, not to talk myself into pain again, I will bid good night. Tenderest blessings from papa to all the pretty, affectionate inquirers. Your ever loving husband, W. PITT. MR. PITT TO LADY CHATHAM. Bath, Thursday night, [November 28, 1765.] To convey by a sure hand to my dearest life a full and true account of the state of our person, I dispatch the slow but safe William; who will, I trust, bring me back on Saturday night as good a report at least of Burton Pynsent as he carries of the health of Bath. I have been airing in the coach to-day, for the second time, nearly three hours, and came home untired; wanting nothing but dinner, and the sight of my love and of my children. can stand with the help of crutches, and hope soon to discard one of them. Who knows, in time, what may become of his companion? My left hand holds a fork at dinner with some gentilesse, and my right holds, as you see, a pen, — inferior to that of few writing-masters, excepting always those two famous scribes, Hester and John. I Thus stands the gout, in the present moment: it is indeed a changeable world, and the morrow oft disappoints the prospect of the eve; but as Milton says, who says divinely in all, "Where equal scales do arbitrate the event, My mind inclines to hope rather than fear." I am full of the beauties of our scenes around here. Your ever loving husband, W. PITT. JOHN CALCRAFT, ESQ. TO MR. PITT. DEAR SIR, Rochester, November 30, 1765. THIS is the first quiet moment I have been able to embrace, since the return of Lord Shelburne's express, which found me canvassing this city. (') Before his lordship's letter reached me, a crisis arose, that made determination necessary; in consequence, I had embarked, or your opinion should have been in this, as it will be in every instance, to me a law; but, once engaged, you would, I am sure, be the last man to advise desertion of friends, who most handsomely invited, and have since so honourably supported me, as to give the fairest prospect of success. Sir Charles Saunders, Admirai Keppel, and Sir (1) A vacancy for Rochester had occurred, by the death of Lord Parker. The result of the election was unfavourable to Mr. Calcraft; but he was returned for that city, in May, 1768. William Meredith have been sitting three days in this city, as a board, to do any Admiralty favour that could procure a vote, as well as canvass for Mr. Cooper (1), my opponent. My lord president of the council (2) has been here also; but great as these Lords are, they have left us much disappointed; the hearts of the people resisting their efforts, and continuing warm in our cause. I hope to have a good account of your health; and shall always remain, with unalterable respect and attachment, Dear Sir, Your most obedient and faithful humble servant J. CALCRAFT. GEORGE COOKE, ESQ. (3) TO MR. PITT. SIR, Lincoln's-inn Fields, December 5, 1765. THE Duke of Newcastle sent to me this morning, and when I came to him, told me he had a message to deliver me from the present administration; (1) Mr. (afterwards Sir) Grey Cooper, secretary to the treasury; which office he held during the subsequent administrations of the Duke of Grafton and Lord North. In 1783, he was made a lord of the treasury, and in 1796, a privy councillor. He died in 1801. (2) The Earl of Winchelsea. (3) At this time member for Middlesex, and chief prothonotary in the court of common pleas; and on Mr. Pitt's return to office, in the following July, appointed joint-paymastergeneral. He died in 1768. namely, the Duke of Grafton, Lord Rockingham, Mr. Conway, and Lord Egmont; the purport of which was to desire, that I would second the address at the meeting of parliament, Lord George Cavendish being intended for the mover of it; that having some acquaintance with me, he had taken this affair on himself to mention it. This induced me to inquire a little, what those in power intended towards answering the expectations of the people: -"In the West India affairs, a hearty resolve to determine the question about the stamp act (1) in favour of the West Indies, and exactly (1) In the month of March 1764, the ministry had deemed it necessary to contemplate America as a source of future revenue, and a series of resolutions was brought into the House of Commons, for regulating the trade, and imposing duties on certain articles of American commerce. These resolutions formed the basis of a bill, which speedily passed through both houses, and received the royal assent on the 5th of April. At the time when the resolutions upon which this act was founded were brought forward in the House of Commons, Mr. Grenville also moved, "that towards defraying the expenses of defending, protecting, and securing the British colonies and plantations in America, it may be proper to charge certain stamp duties in the said colonies and plantations." While the yell of Indian carnage was yet in their ears, and the smoke of their ruined habitations before their eyes, the rage and despair of the Americans were further inflamed by the arrival of the British act of parliament for taxing them. Perceiving in it the first appearance of a general and extensive plan of taxation, they determined not to wait for the gradual exposure of the plan to combat it by parts, but to strike at once at the basis, by denying the right of the mother-country to impose taxes on the colonies; which, not being represented in parliament, did neither really nor virtually consent to the imposition. Petitions to the King, and memorials to parliament against the measure, were transmitted to England |