THE KING TO MR. PITT.

MR. PITT,

Richmond Lodge, 15 m. past eight, a. m.
July 26, 1766.

I RECEIVED your letter last night, and am entirely of opinion with you, that it is essential Mr. Townshend must be obliged to put in execution what he so clearly expressed to you as his wish. My only reason for writing to you was, that you might be apprised of his fluctuating.

Mr. Stanley's conduct causes me no surprise; as I am thoroughly persuaded of his attachment and zeal for my service. I desire, therefore, you will appoint him to be with me after the drawing-room, to-morrow.

GEORGE R.

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES TOWNSHEND TO

MR. PITT.

July 26, 1766.

DEAR SIR,

I HAVE the honour of your friendly letter, in which you are so kind as to relate to me the manner in which you have this day represented to his Majesty the conversations which have passed between us upon the subject of the Chancellorship of

the Exchequer. Your recommendation to any office of rank and trust, is in itself the highest satisfaction to me, and would be thought by the world to be the greatest honour to any man. The personal love I have for the Duke of Grafton is with me another very strong motive for accepting the post you wish in a ministry formed under your sanction; and when these motives are confirmed by the express commands of my Sovereign, whose will, in the disposal of any consequence or talents I have, is to me a law, I hesitate not, from motives of interest or love of ease, to take that post which conforms to your wishes, my plan of union with the Duke of Grafton, and the commands of my Sovereign.

It is my earnest wish to cultivate and merit, in every measure of business and act of my life, your confidence and esteem; and I shall be happy indeed, if, in the pressing and critical circumstances of this kingdom, I should be acknowledged by posterity to have in any degree contributed, under your protection, to facilitate the re-establishment of general confidence, real government, and a permanent system of measures.

I am, with the most perfect regard and sincere esteem, dear Sir,

Your affectionate friend, and

very devoted humble servant,

C. TOWNSHEnd.

THE KING TO MR. PITT.

MR. PITT,

Richmond Lodge, 35 m. past ten,
July 26, 1766.

It gives me great pleasure that Mr. Townshend has at length clearly accepted the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer. You will therefore proceed with regard to the joint-paymaster, and the thinking of a commissioner of trade and plantations; as I believe there is but little chance of Lord Dartmouth choosing to remain.

GEORGE R.

THE RIGHT HON. JAMES GRENVILLE TO MR. PITT.

Burlington Street, July 27, 1766.

MY DEAR MR. PITT,

I was not at home when your messenger, on his return from Pinner, came to Burlington-street; which made it somewhat late in the evening before I received the honour of your letter. I am sensible of the marks of your goodness to me in the proposed offer of the offices you mention, and it would give me particular satisfaction to correspond with your wishes, by adapting myself to any situation that would be most suitable to them; but if it may be done without a considerable inconvenience to other arrangements, I should choose to decline the acceptance of either of those offices. It will

be, I confess, much more agreeable to me to continue, according to the destination of your former letter, joint vice-treasurer of Ireland, than joint paymaster-general, or even first commissioner at the board of trade. At the same time, I am full of acknowledgments to you for the favour and honour you do me in thinking of me for that department, where an object of real pride and ambition would present itself to my mind, by my being placed in a situation to act in conformity to your ideas for the service of the King's affairs, and for the public interest. I intreat the favour of you to make my affectionate compliments to Lady Chatham; and believe me to be, my dear Sir, Your very affectionate brother,

JAMES GRENville.

EARL TEMPLE TO LADY CHATHAM.

MY DEAR LADY CHATHAM,

Stowe, July 27, 1766.

We returned last night from Blenheim, where the new water is wonderfully fine, and gives a striking character of beauty and magnificence to the whole place.

I am much concerned that the ill state of Mr. Pitt's health should have called you to town, instead of paying your intended visit to the salutary sea-waters of Weymouth.

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."

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