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I have the honour to be, with all possible esteem

and respect, Sir,

Your most obedient

and most humble servant,

GRAFTON.

P.S.-When we receive your answer, we will

wait on you if convenient.

MR. PITT TO LADY CHATHAM.

Tuesday, 1 o'clock, [January 21, 1766.]

My sweetest love's letter has made me happy, and her prudent and tender care keeps me easy about the dear, dear boys. Hurry is extreme; not my hurry, for, you know, I disclaim it; but others will see me, to say very pressing nothings. I have no chance of seeing you till Thursday. Business in the House swarms, but the bees never settle so things go off from day to day. I have no news to send. All is confusion, as usual. Your ever loving husband,

W. PITT.

same time, let the sovereign authority of this country over the colonies be asserted in as strong terms as can be devised, and be made to extend to every point of legislation whatsoever that we may bind their trade, confine their manufactures, and exercise every power whatsoever — except that of taking their money out of their pockets without their consent."

The address was agreed to without a division.

GEORGE ONSLOW, ESQ. (1) TO MR. PITT.

SIR,

Curzon Street, January 30, 1766.

As you went out of town, understanding it to be settled that we should proceed on the debate, in consequence of having read all the American papers, to-morrow, I think it right to inform you, to save you the trouble of coming up unnecessarily, that we could not finish last night, and that it will be as much as we can do, if we get through the rest of the papers and the viva voce evidence tomorrow. (2) The House is so fatigued with these long sittings, and attention to useless uninforming

(1) Only son of the right hon. Arthur Onslow, many years speaker of the House of Commons. He was at this time member for the county of Surrey, and one of the lords of the treasury. In May 1776, he was created baron Cranley; and in the following October succeeded to the title of baron Onslow, by the death of his cousin, the third Lord Onslow. In 1801, he was created viscount Cranley and earl of Onslow; and died in . 1814.

(2) On the 21st of January, leave had been given to bring in a bill to repeal the Stamp-act; upon which occasion, a motion by Mr. Grenville, to substitute the words "explain and amend,” instead of "repeal," was rejected, upon a division, by 275 against 167; and in a committee of the whole House, which sat daily, not only the petitions and papers laid before them were taken into consideration, but several persons were examined at their bar, and among them Dr. Benjamin Franklin, whose testimony tended to prove the Stamp-duty in every respect impolitic, and injurious to the country, and that the Americans would never submit to it, however modified, unless compelled by arms.

papers, that I doubt whether they will be prevailed on to sit on Saturday; indeed, there is not quite the same reason for it, as if we had proceeded to any resolutions.

After that, I hope we shall not stop till we have gone through the whole, and, by relieving America, saved the trade of Great Britain. Her dignity is concerned in doing justice, and in giving happiness and tranquillity to every individual that lives under her protection. God grant that those principles of government which you so nobly support, may govern the legislature in this arduous, important work! You shall certainly know on what day it is determined to proceed. I have the honour to be, with the highest respect, Sir,

Your most obliged, and

ever faithful humble servant,

GEORGE ONSLOW.

MR. PITT TO LADY CHATHAM.

February 11, 1766.

I HAVE the pleasure to be able to make you easy about my health, by telling you I bore the fatigue of yesterday till past twelve o'clock very well, and am not worse to-day, though the weather is severe. We debated long on various resolutions relative to

America, and finally ended in a good deal of agreement. The whole of things is inexplicable.(1) Tuesday last, in the Lords, the ministry lost by three votes the question we debated yesterday; which was by us completely retaliated; for we overturned and beat, à platte couture, the triumphant factions, and brought them to agree, in words and substance, to somewhat more moderate even than the ministry themselves meant.

I just learn that the world is at the House of Lords to-day, where mighty things are doing. I am sorry to say Lord Temple rises in passion, and sinks in consideration; Lord Camden grows in fame and public confidence. I have just seen your brother James, looking ill, but I trust not so to

(1) Lord Chesterfield, writing, on the same day, to his son, says "Perhaps you expect from me a particular account of the present state of affairs; but if you do, you will be disappointed, for no man living knows what it is; it varies, not only daily, but hourly. Most people think, and I amongst the rest, that the date of the present ministers is pretty nearly out; but how soon we are to have a new style, God knows! This, however, is certain, that the other day they lost a question in the House of Lords by three. The question was, to enforce the execution of the Stamp-act in the colonies vi et armis. What conclusions you will draw from these premises, I do not know; I protest I draw none, but only stare at the present undecypherable state of affairs, which, in fifty years' experience, I have never seen any thing like. The Stamp-act has proved a most pernicious measure; for, whether it is repealed or not, it has given such terror to the Americans, that our trade with them will not be for some years what it used to be. Great numbers of our manufacturers at home will be turned a starving; and hunger is always the cause of tumults and sedition."

any great degree. The Almighty be praised for the state of our sweet children! May the same divine goodness continue to preserve them, and no infection reach them, or spread through our poor village (1) I doubt if I shall have the joy of seeing you to-morrow. Perhaps I must attend at St. Stephens. Your loving husband,

W. PITT. (2)

(1) The small-pox was at this time raging throughout the surrounding country.

(2) On the 10th of February, the bill declaring the right of Great Britain to make laws binding the North American colonies in all cases whatever, was, after a long debate, read the third time. Mr. Pitt's speech upon the occasion will be found noticed in the following letter from

THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM GERARD HAMILTON TO
JOHN CALCRAFT, ESQ.

"DEAR CALCRAFT,

"Tuesday, February 11, 1766.

"THE only light in which my letters can be of use, in the present barren state of politics, is in the light you mention not to convey true intelligence, for there is none such, but to obviate the false reports which are circulated by others. The most sanguine wishers for a change in the administration do not presume to flatter themselves that there will be one till Easter, and do not seriously think there will be one till the end of the session; and what will happen at that distance, he must, I think, be a man of great presumption who shall pretend to foretell. There are, however, many who believe that the Duke of Grafton and Conway will resign, if the King still continues to decline sending for Mr. Pitt; and that this will take place as soon as the American business is at an end. I am persuaded that there are certain parts of the present administration who will, upon no account, act with Mr. Pitt. For those who want merely to keep a subordinate employment, he is certainly the best minister in

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