I should most willingly have avoided with you the subject of the present times ('), but the contents of your letter make it indispensably necessary for me not to leave you a stranger to the indignation with which I received the proposition of being stuck into a ministry as a great cipher at the head of the Treasury, surrounded with other ciphers, all named by Mr. Pitt, of a different complexion from me, with some of whom I had so essentially differed (1) The disagreement between Mr. Pitt and Lord Temple is thus noticed, in a letter from the Earl of Chesterfield to his son. The pamphlet referred to, which was entitled "An Enquiry into the Conduct of a late Right Honourable Commoner," was, however, not written by his Lordship, but by Mr. Humphry Cotes: :- "The causes and consequences of Mr. Pitt's quarrel now appear in print, in a pamphlet published by Lord Temple. It is very scurrilous and scandalous, and betrays private conversation. My Lord says, that, in his last conference, he thought he had as good a right to nominate the new ministry as Mr. Pitt, and consequently named Lord Gower, Lord Lyttelton, &c., for cabinet council employments; which Mr. Pitt not consenting to, Lord Temple broke up the conference, and in his wrath went to Stowe; where I presume he may remain undisturbed a great while, since Mr. Pitt will neither be willing nor able to send for him again." Lord Barrington also mentions the circumstance in a letter of the 31st of July, to Sir Andrew Mitchell :— “I must give you," he says, "a short history of the change which has just happened. Sunday, the 6th of this month, the King told Lord Rockingham, that the chancellor had just been giving his opinion, and reasons on which it was founded, why the administration should no longer be left in its then weak state. His Majesty repeated what had passed in this conversation, adding his own arguments on the subject, and concluded with saying, that it was his duty to strengthen his government. He accordingly sent for Mr. Pitt, by whose advice, as is supposed, the King also sent for Lord Temple, and offered him the Treasury; but his lordship, after some conversation with Mr. Pitt, said to have been very warm, went back to Stowe." on many accounts, and more especially with all during the last session. But I was determined my temper should be equal to my firmness, conversing with an old friend, whom I had much esteemed, and to whom I had, with so much partiality, so much deferred through life, labouring, as he did at the time, under bodily infirmity. My brother James is no stranger to my thoughts upon this matter, even after cool reflection on my pillow, and I told the King and my Lord Chancellor to this effect, amongst a variety of other things, that though I was most willing to sacrifice my brother's (') pretensions, as he was himself, to Mr. Pitt's indisposition towards him, for the sake of public and general union, yet as that in my opinion was not the plan, I would not go in like a child, to come out like a fool. (2) To you, my dear sister, I will say no more on this extensive subject, satisfied as I am with your fair, upright, and amiable conduct throughout. In (1) Mr. George Grenville. (2) "At the audience of the King," says the pamphlet referred to in the preceding note, "Lord Temple told his Majesty, that Mr. Pitt's terms were of such a nature, that he could not possibly accept of them consistently with his honour; that he had made a sacrifice of his brother to Mr. Pitt's resentment, in order to accommodate with him; but that gentleman insisted upon bringing in a set of men, some of whom were personal enemies to his lordship, and with whom he had differed upon the most essential points of government; and would not permit him to name one friend for the cabinet, in whom he had an entire confidence, and had assumed a power to himself, to which his lordship never could submit; for if he did, the world would say, with great justice, that he went in like a child, to go out like a fool." certain situations, appearances are realities, and, in all, false appearances I hate. Our reciprocal country visits cannot, therefore, take place as we intended. Be assured, however, that you will always find in me towards you the warmest affection, founded in real esteem, and that I am Your most truly affectionate brother, TEMPLE. SIR, LORD NORTH (1) TO MR. PITT. Dillington, July 29, 1766. I AM just waked by the arrival of your most obliging letter. The offer it contains is beyond my merits or pretensions, and it is with the utmost thankfulness that I accept of this gracious mark of his Majesty's goodness. I hope very soon to have the pleasure of waiting upon you in town, and shall then be able more fully to express in conversation, than I can now do by letter, the gratitude that I feel for this very great and unsolicited instance of your friendly partiality towards me. The too good opinion you conceive of your humble servant, and the sentiments you retain for a family you have long (1) The Honourable Frederick North, eldest son of Francis, first Earl of Guilford; at this time member for Bamber. See Vol. I. p. 409. honoured with your friendship, call for my sincerest thanks, and give, if possible, an additional value to the favour they accompany. But I do assure you, that the satisfaction I received from your letter was not confined to the particular advantages that result to me from the present arrangement: I most heartily partake of the joy, which every true friend to this country must feel at the fair prospect now opened to the public, in the integrity, weight, and abilities of those to whom his Majesty entrusts the principal direction of his affairs. I propose to be in London on Thursday morning. In the meanwhile, I must beg leave to trouble you to lay before his Majesty my dutiful and grateful acceptance of this mark of his royal favour. I am, with the greatest esteem and respect, Sir, obedient humble servant, END OF THE SECOND VOLUME. NORTH. |