gs upon this occasion, will excuse, I hope, bling your Lordship with again expressing real and earnest wish, that I might be left esent situation: for many reasons, my dear would make me more happy to remain as least for the present. The honour I have r Lordship, the friendship which I hope › maintain, and the fixed and determined have taken to support the administration. 3 under your Lordship's direction, embolden arnestly to request your Lordship (contrary, ow, to your own ideas), to let the intention y being appointed commander-in-chief drop, east for the present, and that your Lordship ld be so kind as to speak to his Majesty for purpose. xcuse, my dear Lord, the liberty I have taken; believe me to be, with the truest respect and ur, my dear Lord, Your most affectionate and faithful humble servant, GRANBY. (1) Lord Granby, at this time master-general of the ord', was, on the 13th, made commander-in-chief of all his sty's land-forces in Great Britain. The non-appointment ord Ligonier, now in his eightieth year, gave great offence ›rd Chesterfield. "It was cruel," exclaims the earl, "to put a boy as Lord Granby over the head of old Ligonier; and ad been the former, I would have refused that command, ༣ the life of that honest and old general." In the following , the gallant octogenarian was created an English earl, esented with a pension of 1,500l. a year for the remainder humbly submitted to his Majesty: these few lines (written by the King's order, and which his Majesty sees) will apprize you more effectually than volumes, of his Majesty's royal purpose to establish a firm and solid system for the maintenance of the public tranquillity. In this great view, the King has been graciously pleased, by my most humble advice, to appoint Mr. Stanley, your friend and mine (whose abilities for this important work point him out with distinction), his ambassador to the court of Russia. The object of his mission is so clearly and court, you will not wonder that his Majesty, previous to the sending Mr. Stanley and to beginning any actual negotiation, is desirous to know whether this most friendly step taken by his Majesty, is viewed with pleasure by the King of Prussia. "After giving, therefore, in the most confidential manner, the plan proposed by his Majesty to the King of Prussia, and thereby giving his Prussian Majesty the strongest proof of his Majesty's inclination to act on terms of the most cordial union, you will, as soon as may be, for his Majesty's information, report to me in what manner these overtures have been received, and will accompany the same with such intelligence or observations as appear to you material for throwing the fullest lights on this interesting and important business, and as may be a direction for the further prosecuting it with effect. "To you, Sir, who are so entirely master of all that relates to this subject, it will be little necessary to add any more. You are, in general at least, informed of the obstructions which the treaty of alliance with Russia, so long since proposed, has met with; and if, by means of the mode of negotiation in this new form, that object can be attained, you, Sir, who will be a chief instrument in promoting it, will deserve, and undoubtedly obtain, the highest approbation and applause." with such precision (as to the outline) marked in the minute of the cabinet (') transmitted to you by Mr. Conway), that I do not trouble you with the repetition of it. I will only observe, my dear Sir, to a discernment like yours, that the intended journey of the King's ambassador to Russia, by way of Berlin, with a credential to the King of Prussia, in order to open (in concert and conjunction with you) the whole plan to his Prussian Majesty, before any opening of it be made to the court of Petersburg, is a step of such decision and confidence, on the part of his Majesty, as cannot fail to make deep impressions on the mind of that clear-sighted monarch, the King of Prussia, if he be in the least inclined towards this great work. The King, on his part, assuredly wishes it; but his Majesty wishes it, like a great King of Great Britain, salvá majestate. If his Prussian Majesty meets, on his part, the King's favourable dispositions, I see before us a happy prospect of durable tranquillity; and this momentous affair, like most great things, would immediately proceed with little formality, "Re (1) The following is a copy of the said minute: solved, that his Majesty be advised to take the proper measures for forming a triple defensive alliance, for the maintaining of the public tranquillity, in which the crown of Great Britain, the Empress of Russia, and the King of Prussia to be the original contracting parties; with provision for inviting to accede thereto the crowns of Denmark and Sweden, and the States General, together with such of the German or other powers as the original contracting parties shall agree upon, and as are not engaged in the family compact of the House of Bourbon." and abundance of substance and real mutual confidence. More words upon this important matter are totally useless. I will only add, that you are to make such use of this letter with his Prussian Majesty, as you shall judge most conducive to the great object of it. Your own perfect knowledge of that court, your zeal, ability, and address are the best instructions. My heart is in this arduous business, so highly for the King's dignity and repose, and yours, I know, will go with ardour along with it. The conjunction of the King's ambassador, as he passes, I am persuaded, will cause no uneasy sensation in a mind composed like yours. I am ever, with unalterable esteem and warm affection, my dear Sir, Your most faithful friend, and obedient humble servant, CHATHAM. THE MARQUIS OF GRANBY TO THE EARL OF MY DEAR LORD, Knightsbridge, August 8, 1766. THE unhappiness which I am well informed the honour his Majesty intends me will create to my friend Lord Ligonier, who I find intends paying his respects to your Lordship this morning, to express his feelings upon this occasion, will excuse, I hope, my troubling your Lordship with again expressing my most real and earnest wish, that I might be left in my present situation : for many reasons, my dear Lord, it would make me more happy to remain as I am, at least for the present. The honour I have for your Lordship, the friendship which I hope ever to maintain, and the fixed and determined part I have taken to support the administration formed under your Lordship's direction, embolden me earnestly to request your Lordship (contrary, I know, to your own ideas), to let the intention of my being appointed commander-in-chief drop, at least for the present, and that your Lordship would be so kind as to speak to his Majesty for that purpose. ; Excuse, my dear Lord, the liberty I have taken and believe me to be, with the truest respect and honour, my dear Lord, Your most affectionate and faithful humble servant, GRANBY. (') (1) Lord Granby, at this time master-general of the ordnance, was, on the 13th, made commander-in-chief of all his Majesty's land-forces in Great Britain. The non-appointment of Lord Ligonier, now in his eightieth year, gave great offence to Lord Chesterfield. "It was cruel," exclaims the earl, "to put such a boy as Lord Granby over the head of old Ligonier; and if I had been the former, I would have refused that command, during the life of that honest and old general." In the following month, the gallant octogenarian was created an English earl, and presented with a pension of 1,500l. a year for the remainder |