accommodation of the King's affairs, Lord Hertford has in consequence consented to resign Ireland, desiring at the same time some weeks more or less before his resignation. If the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland be agreeable to Lord Bristol, his Majesty will see with particular pleasure that important post filled by his lordship, and expects every advantage to his government from the great abilities of Lord Bristol, and from his lordship's more frequent residence in Ireland. The King desires to see Lord Bristol, as soon as is convenient to his lordship.

Lord Chatham is extremely mortified that his present condition puts it out of his power to wait on Lord Bristol on his arrival in town, but will be proud and happy to be at his lordship's orders at North End, to offer any lights in his power, previous to Lord Bristol's attending his Majesty.

THE EARL OF BRISTOL TO THE EARL OF CHATHAM.

Ickworth Lodge, August 27, 1766.

MY LORD, I HAVE just received the honour of your Lordship's most obliging letter by the messenger Evans, and am truly concerned to hear the gout has confined your Lordship to your bed. I should think myself wanting in gratitude to your Lordship, if I did not take the earliest opportunity of going to North End, to express my acknowledg

ments for your recommendation of me to his Majesty for the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland; which I think it my duty to accept of, since you, my Lord, have judged me equal to so important a trust, and that the King condescends to name me to it in so gracious a manner.

I hope to wait upon your Lordship on Friday morning about eleven, and then to renew the professions of that constant attachment, truth, and respect, with which I have the honour to be, my Lord,

Your Lordship's

most obliged, obedient, and most faithful servant, BRISTOL.

THE DUKE OF GRAFTON TO THE EARL OF CHATHAM.

Grosvenor Square, August 27, 1766.
Wednesday, half-past 3, p. m.

MY DEAR LORD,

THE King, on my coming into the closet, gave me directions that Sir Charles Saunders should kiss his hand, as first lord of the admiralty. He then proceeded to talk of other matters, without bringing up at all any conversation on the subject of Mr. Mackenzie. After having paused some time, I acquainted his Majesty, that that gentleman had called on me yesterday while I was out airing;

that I could not suppose that any difficulty was made by him to accept the post, on the footing his Majesty had been so gracious to tell me and the rest of his servants that he meant he should hold it. To which his Majesty directly replied, "Not in the least. I have thoroughly explained to him, that he holds the office detached of every ministerial power whatever;" and that he could not conceive from whence could arise any reports of doubt on the subject, and that it could come from no good wisher to his affairs. Thus, my Lord, having heard the King repeat again the conditions on which he held it, and his assuring me that Mr. Mackenzie was well informed of it also, I concluded that there never had been a doubt, or, if there was, that it had immediately been stopped in the closet. He kissed hands, and in his behaviour was very civil to me. (1)

(1) When Mr. Stuart Mackenzie first received the privy seal of Scotland, in 1763, he was assured by the King that his appointment was for life: the Duke of Bedford, however, in 1765, apprehensive of being considered under the influence of Lord Bute, deprived him of the situation. Lord Chatham, regarding this removal as a flagrant violation of the royal promise, unmindful of the odium which might attach to the measure, made this reparation of the King's private honour one of the first acts of his new ministry. For this measure of justice he was assailed with all the virulence of party malice; and though he had recently declared in parliament, that he would not submit to be minister where he felt an over-ruling influence, and that his objection to Lord Bute was personal and not national, he was decried as the dupe of that noble lord, and told, that "as he had been caught in a Scotch trap, he must get out of it as well as he could." See "An Enquiry into the Conduct of a late Right Honourable Commoner."

The East India chairman and deputy are desired to be at my house to-morrow at seven o'clock, where Lord Chancellor and the two secretaries are to dine. I mean also to invite Charles Townshend. I have enclosed the words which Lord Shelburne had from your Lordship. After having repeated the substance of them, I mean to deliver it in writing to them, as a fuller justification of the King's servants, if you approve of it. Though I look upon it as a certainty that this matter must have a parliamentary enquiry, would your Lordship have the word certainly or those in all likelihood inserted in the place of the other? (')

(1) When the news reached England of the re-establishment of the East India Company's affairs, and of the immense acquisitions that had been gained for them by the various treaties concluded by Lord Clive, the price of stock rose, and there was a clamorous demand for an increase in the dividends; which, during the war, had been reduced from eight to six per cent. This was opposed by the directors, on the ground that though many advantages had been acquired, great debts had been incurred, and that the payment of debts ought to precede the division of profits. Not convinced by this reasoning, at the next general quarterly court of the proprietors it was carried by a majority of 340 against 231, that the yearly dividend should be increased to ten per cent. It was at this time that the government sent the message to the directors hinted at in the above letter, importing, "that as the affairs of the East India Company had been mentioned in parliament last session, it was very probable they might be taken into consideration again; and therefore, from the regard they had for the welfare of the Company, and in order that they might have time to prepare their papers for that occasion, they informed them that the parliament would meet in November."

I shall be happy to hear that your Lordship is better; and beg leave to assure you that I am always, with the most profound respect,

I WAS much pleased at learning this day from Lord Bristol that your gout is diminishing. When it is quite removed, a journey to Bath will, I make no doubt, secure you from any fresh attack during the winter.

The enclosed letter from Sir Andrew Mitchell (') has given me great pleasure, as he seems very thoroughly to enter into what is proposed, in the very light it is viewed here.

GEORGE R.

(1) Sir Andrew Mitchell's letter to Mr. Conway, of the 21st of August; an extract of which is given at p. 46.