MEMORANDUM OF A CONFERENCE WITH LORD

ROCKINGHAM.

[Read by Mr. Nuthall to Mr. Pitt.]

Wednesday, February 26, 1766.

LORD ROCKINGHAM, in Palace-yard, called to me to come into his coach, and, after some conversation concerning public affairs, said, "He wished to God, Mr. Pitt would fix upon some plan for carrying on administration, putting himself at the head of it; and that such a plan might be laid before the King that if such a thing was to

that if

be brought to the King, his Lordship verily believed his Majesty would concede to it the ministry were to desire the King to put the management of public affairs into Mr. Pitt's hands, and on that idea the King should send for Mr. Pitt, his Lordship feared, if arrangements were not previously settled, it might end in breaking to pieces. the present administration; which made him very desirous that a system might be previously settled; and his Lordship desired me to go on the morrow to Mr. Pitt, and convey to him his ideas and wishes on this subject, and that he would meet the Duke of Grafton, and General Conway, and himself on this business. On my return, he desired I would immediately impart to him Mr. Pitt's sentiments; for which purpose, he would be at home to-morrow evening, and would leave orders for my seeing him."

Before I parted, on considering what his Lordship had said, I asked, if Mr. Pitt should condescend to say any thing to me on this subject, further than as concerning a meeting, whether this plan, if it was to take effect, was to be carried to the King by his ministers, as that which they would recommend and answer for, or whether Mr. Pitt himself should, on being sent for or invited by the King to take administration upon him, recommend it to the King as a plan for a solid administration? his Lordship said, that might be as Mr. Pitt pleased.

I think I asked his Lordship, during the discourse, what he meant by saying, in case a plan was not settled beforehand, administration would be in danger of being broke to pieces. If I did not ask it, I am sure his Lordship, of his own accord, explained his meaning, that the arrangements Mr. Pitt might insist on might be such as would disgust those friends who had stood by them firmly, and who would think it very hard to be forced out, or adrift, when they had done nothing to deserve it.

MESSAGE FROM MR. PITT TO LORD ROCKINGHAM. [Committed to writing by Mr. Nuthall, from Mr. Pitt's mouth.]

February 27, 1766.

In answer to the honour of Lord Rockingham's message by Mr. Nuthall, Mr. Pitt desires to assure

his Lordship, that he should be proud and happy to confer with Lord Rockingham, the Duke of Grafton, and Mr. Conway, openly and unreservedly, upon the formation of an administration, if respect and duty to the King did not indispensably forbid him, without his Majesty's express commands, so to do; sensible that nothing but the King's most gracious pleasure that he should lay his feeble thoughts, in the royal presence, at his Majesty's feet, can acquit him, as a private individual, of the highest presumption, in obtruding his opinion in a matter of this nature.

Mr. Pitt cannot enough express the sense he has of the honour Lord Rockingham, the Duke of Grafton, and Mr. Conway do him, by this mark of their favourable opinion; and he trusts that difficulties on his part, from the nature of things insurmountable, will not be construed into any want of regard, inclination, or confidence.

THOMAS NUTHALL, ESQ. TO MR. PITT.

SIR,

Friday morning, February 28, 1766.

I SAW Lord Rockingham, after I left you last night; who finds a difficulty in communicating your message, which is this, that by the latter part of it, the Duke of Grafton and Mr. Conway may be supposed to have been privy to the message

Lord Rockingham desired me to deliver to you; which certainly was without their knowledge at the time, and therefore his Lordship wishes that part might be altered, so as to be conformable to the fact, in any manner you please. If you authorise me to make this alteration, then the last sentence will relate to Lord Rockingham only, and the names of the Duke or of Mr. Conway will not stand in it; or perhaps you may choose to make it different in other respects; but upon the substance of what is contained in your answer, his Lordship, whenever you come to town, desires he may have an opportunity of conferring with you.

The bill for the repeal of the Stamp-act was read a second time yesterday, and committed for this day. This Lord Rockingham did not know; but I was told afterwards, that there was no debate, and that this is expected to be the day of opposition in the committee. I am, Sir,

Your most obedient and faithful servant,

T. NUTHALL.

MR. PITT TO THOMAS NUTHALL, ESQ.

Hayes, Friday, 12 o'clock, February 28, 1766.

In answer to your note of this morning, my dear Nuthall, I will only observe to you, first, that ambassadorship is a troublesome trade. What you read to me, being an invitation from Lord

Rockingham to confer with his Lordship, the Duke of Grafton, and Mr. Conway, it was natural to suppose, that the two last-mentioned persons were privy to the message. That not being so, I beg Lord Rockingham will leave out (in the latter part of my answer) those two names, if it relieves his lordship of the least embarrassment in communicating the rest of it; which I hope will be done, word for word, as it is conceived in my own terms.

Be so good as to present my best compliments to Lord Rockingham, assuring him I shall always be proud of the honour of seeing his lordship; but that he will be pleased to see by my answer (which is final), that I am under an impossibility of conferring upon the matter of administration without his Majesty's commands, as expressed in the paper you wrote from my mouth. I continue lame to-day, and am unhappy to be absent from the committee. Believe me always, my dear Nuthall, affectionately yours,

WILLIAM PITT.

THOMAS NUTHALL, ESQ. TO MR. PITT.

SIR,

Crosby Square, February 28, 1766.

I HEARTILY Subscribe to your position, that ambassadorship is a troublesome trade. I beg leave to add, dangerous too, and that I envy not the most honourable and expert professors in it.

I have communicated the exact contents of the