THE COUNT DE FUENTES TO THE MARQUIS

GRIMALDI. (1)

London, March 17, 1761.

I OBSERVE the seeds your excellency has sown by the three messengers; and I wish they may have the desired effect. But I must acquaint your excellency that upon the reports of France's desire to make peace, and upon the hopes of a congress, stocks have risen four per cent. in a few days. Whether the French ministry think seriously of peace or not, they should make believe that they are far from agreeing to a congress; for, if this nation continues to believe that this may happen shortly, their proposals will be intolerable, considering the continuation of the rise of stocks, and their being able to get plenty of money, at low interest, in order to go on with the war.

I look upon this ministry as interested in persuading the nation that peace and a congress are at hand. Your excellency understands the reason; and I am fully persuaded, when there is at Paris no appearance or talk of a congress, stocks will fall much more than they have rose, the difficulty of getting money will increase, and interest will be higher; England then will be the first to desire a congress, in order to prevent those damages which France ought to make them suffer, by not hearkening to their proposals till they had been obliged to procure the money for the ex

(1) Endorsed" translation of a letter in cipher."

penses of the next year; otherwise, France will sacrifice her interests and reputation to whatever laws England pleases to impose upon her.

It is said that the expedition will sail soon. I have nothing to add about its destination. The change of my Lord Holdernesse (') will be fol

(1) The following is the concluding entry in Dodington's diary: "Feb. 6. Lord Bute and I talked over Charles Townshend's being secretary at war, and Sir Francis Dashwood's succeeding him. He seemed resolved to come into administration, but not yet: he said it was very easy to make the Duke of Newcastle resign; but who was to take it? was the question. He did not seem to think it would be advisable to begin there. I replied, I saw no objection; but if he thought there was, he might put it into hands that would resign it to him, when he thought proper to take it; but that he must begin to be a public man, by taking something. He said, that Holdernesse knew nothing of what the minister was doing for these last ten days, and therefore he began to think with me, that it was possible Pitt might resign." (p.386.) - On the 19th of March, Lord Holdernesse retired upon a pension, and Lord Bute was made secretary of state; Mr. Legge was at the same time dismissed from the chancellorship of the exchequer, and the office given to Lord Barrington; who thus writes, on the 23rd, to Mr. Mitchell:- "Our administration is at last settled: I think well settled, in the main; and my opinion is, that it will last. Our friend Holdernesse is finally in harbour: he has four thou sand a year for life, with the reversionship of the cinque-ports, after the Duke of Dorset; which he likes better than having the name of pensioner. I never could myself understand the difference between a pension and a sinecure place. The same strange fortune which made me secretary of war five years and a-half ago, has made me chancellor of the exchequer; it may, perhaps, at last make me pope. I think I am equally fit to be at the head of the church, as of the exchequer. My reason tells me it would have been more proper to have given me an employment of less consequence, when I was removed from the War-office; but no man knows what is good for him. My invariable rule, therefore, is, to ask nothing, to refuse nothing;

lowed by many others; as I informed the court, since the King's death. There is a great fermentation; and a Scotch secretary of state will create much talk. If we behave with proper resolution, as I hope we shall and if the court of France thinks and acts as it ought I promise myself great satisfaction; and the greatest of all will be to reduce this nation to proper limits, and to reason; which they do not know. I return my compliments to our friend Choiseul, and shall do what he desires.

FUENTES.

THE COUNT DE FUENTES TO M. WALL. (1)

London, March 20, 1761.

THE rumours of peace have raised the stocks four per cent.; but they have already sunk two, and will sink more when their hopes of peace and of a congress are vanished. If France now sues

their own terms on

for peace, they will impose her. This court will itself demand a congress, in order to guard against the difficulties of finding money for next year. France ought to take ad

to let others place me, and to do my best wherever I am placed. I have the satisfaction to be perfectly well with my royal master, who deserves all love and admiration, and with the three persons whose union can alone keep this country great and happy." - Mitchell MSS.

(1) Endorsed, "translation of a letter in cipher."

vantage of this opportunity, in order to better her situation, by not hearkening till she has occasioned England these distresses.

If peace be deferred, party divisions will produce a civil war here; and thus France will improve her condition. If she will not know this, which I much doubt, these circumstances will be favourable to us; for I am every day more and more convinced, that this is the best opportunity for us to obtain justice, and reduce the nation to its due limits. If France continues the war, we shall be able to operate more at our ease: however, the blow will not be less certain, if the king is willing to strike it alone.

Mr. Pitt is not visible; I believe he wants to gain time, to see the effect of France's declaration. Your excellency need not doubt of his union with my Lord Bute; and that the present changes have been made with his privity. The blow is levelled at the Duke of Newcastle, and his party. Your excellency will foresee the consequences of this, and of the fermentation which already exists ('), better than myself.

FUENTES.

(1) In the early part of the month, some serious commotions had taken place in several of the northern counties, in consequence of the expiration of the three years' term of service, prescribed by the Militia Act, and the new ballot about to take place. At Hexham the mob killed an officer and three of the Yorkshire militia; who, in return, fired, and shot forty.

M. DE BOUGAINVILLE TO MR. PITT.

MONSIEUR,

A Paris, ce 25e Mars, 1761.

LES hommages rendus sous votre ministère à la mémoire de M. Wolfe (1) me sont un garant que vous ne désapprouverez pas les efforts que fait la reconnaissance des troupes Françoises qui ont servi en Canada, pour perpétuer le souvenir du Marquis de Montcalm (2), leur général. Son corps est enhumé à Quebec.

J'ai l'honneur de vous envoyer une épitaphe que l'Academie des Inscriptions de Paris a faites pour lui. Je vous prie, Monsieur, de vouloir bien l'examiner; et, si vous n'y trouvez rien à reprendre, de me faire obtenir la permission de l'envoyer à

(1) By the rough draught, in his hand-writing, it appears that the following inscription, on Wolfe's monument in Westminster Abbey, was penned by Mr. Pitt: -"To the memory of James Wolfe, Esq., major-general and commander-in-chief of the British landforces, on an expedition against Quebec; who, surmounting by ability and valour all obstacles of art and nature, was slain in the moment of victory, at the head of his conquering troops, on the 13th of September, 1759: the King and the Parliament dedicate this monument."

(2) The Marquis de Montcalm was sent out to Canada in 1756, as commander-in-chief of the French-American colonies. He fell in the battle of Quebec, shortly after Wolfe, and was conveyed into the town; whence, before he died, he wrote a letter to General Townshend, recommending the prisoners to the humanity of the British nation. Throughout the war in America, the marquis had performed the highest services to his country, and perfectly supported his reputation in this last scene of his life.