Memoirs of the Court of George IV. 1820-1830 Part 44

[98] Lord William Bentinck.

THE RIGHT HON. W. H. FREMANTLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Englefield Green, Sept. 26, 1822.

MY DEAR DUKE,

The communication you have made to me is not a matter of surprise, for I own I expected this would be the result. The proposition, however, being now made by one Cabinet Minister to Lord Grenville, and communicated by another to you, see how I should stand committed if I were to meddle with it by asking an interview with Lord Liverpool. In the former case Lord Liverpool opened the proposition to me, and it was my duty to lay it before you, even before I spoke to Lord Grenville; but in this case Wynn has informed you of it, and he would have a right to demand why I presumed to communicate at all with Lord Liverpool without his authority or permission, on a subject so deeply involving his interests and wishes. By his communication to you, he has ent.i.tled you to write to Lord Liverpool, as you have done to Canning, expressly stating your views and feelings on the subject; and I am witness that a station in the Government was undoubtedly one of the primary objects of your contemplation in the former negotiation. I have no doubt that if I were to see Lord Liverpool, even under your authority, he would treat it as a Cabinet question, and refuse to enter into any discussion with me upon it, but I am quite sure I could not discuss it without touching upon the views and objects of Charles Wynn in a way that might offend him; it is an object of such moment and importance to him, that I cannot be surprised that he receives it so favourably. I heard from him the moment he came to town, telling me he was quite sure the Directors would not nominate him, but he says nothing of the new proposal, and probably it had not then been made, or if so, he did not choose to confide it to me. With regard to the advantages the Government derived from his efforts as a speaker on the Treasury Bench during last session, it must be obvious to you as it was to him, that he failed altogether. The difference which you point out, as to the effect this change would have on the Catholic question, may to a certain degree be past, but still I think, _as a Speaker_, his influence would have much more weight than even if he remained in Cabinet.

The question is also one which materially affects Lord Grenville's support of the Government; and Canning, Lord Liverpool, and Wynn are now evidently treating with a view of connecting your uncles more closely with them; also you must consider that Plunket, who is also the organ of your party, still commands this question.

I know you will say, and feel naturally, that these considerations have nothing to do with your personal objects, and the claim which you have to Cabinet; but on the other hand the Government will feel that if they can more strongly and generally unite your family interests with theirs, it is the best course they can pursue. I cannot think that the public would view this transfer of Cabinet to the Chair as a sale of your support, originally contemplated, for this distinct object and your Dukedom; n.o.body could have calculated on anything occurring which would induce Manners Sutton to quit the Chair, and surely there is no trafficking on your part or that of your family for the object; the proposition comes to you, and is always to be so stated and avowed. I take it for granted the difficulty is opening a Cabinet office; Lord Wellesley could not be removed without disgracing him, unless he applies for recall, and I should presume Lord Harrowby has no disposition to retire.

I see how very difficult your situation is, for in resisting this arrangement you bar the anxious wishes and hopes of Charles Wynn, and in giving way to it you for a time put by your claim, but at the same time it is but for a time, for it makes it stronger whenever the vacancy occurs. I cannot, however, concur in thinking the public would condemn you, or think it was an excess _of job_ if the proposition is acceded to, for it must always be Canning's _job_, and not yours. I trust you will give me credit for the motives which I have placed before you, as inclining me to hesitate in writing to Lord Liverpool; I really hope on reflection you will see them in the same point of view.

Believe me ever, my dear Duke,

With sincere attachment and affection,

Most faithfully yours,

W. H. FREMANTLE.

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

East India Office, Sept. 26, 1822.

MY DEAR B----,

Enclosed I send you a letter which I yesterday received from Lord G----, together with the draft of my answer,[99] in which I have expressed myself fully. You will see that I had antic.i.p.ated a part of your feelings upon the proposed plan, though I speak of them as likely to arise hereafter instead of at present. What has most struck me in all that has pa.s.sed, is the manner in which Canning has a.s.sumed to himself, even in the presence of Lord Liverpool, the tone and authority of Premier.

You will see I mention in my letter to Lord G---- my opinion of the manner in which he has put off seeing me as a mark of disinclination. On Monday, the business was scarcely commenced when he expressed his wish to discuss foreign business with Lord L---- before he left town, in order to get rid of me. Knowing that the latter was not to return to town during the week, I expressed my wish for further discussion with C----, and asked him when he could see me. He said Tuesday was foreign post day, Wednesday he had several appointments, and then named to-day. Yesterday I had a note from him that he wished to shut himself up to-day, and to-morrow to write to the Duke of Wellington, and naming Sat.u.r.day. Now, considering that we have as yet had no discussion whatever on the general state of things, I think this is, to say the best, unconciliating conduct. Still, on Sat.u.r.day I will endeavour either to lead or to force him upon different subjects, and particularly on the Catholic question, which will naturally arise out of your letter. His want of judgment is such, that I really think it is an even chance that in the first session he gets into some difficulty from which he cannot extricate himself, and in which his friends will delight to leave him. If he survives that, I expect him to govern the House with a rod of iron, and fix his power absolutely.

He seems to me fully aware of the weakness of character he has to deal with, and that the a.s.sumption of power will probably confer it. I am to see the Chairman of the E.I.C. alone to-morrow, and probably shall from him learn more of the feelings of the Directors than C---- has communicated to me.

Ever most truly yours,

C. W. W.

[99] Enclosures not preserved.

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

East India Office, Sept 28, 1822.

MY DEAR B----,

I read part of your letter to C---- to-day, but did not show it to him, as there were parts of it which I thought referred rather too much to topics which are private to ourselves, and my uncle Tom had particularly entered his _veto_ against communicating the reference to his letter. I saw it discomposed him extremely, and he agreed that it would be necessary for me to see Lord Liverpool and talk the matter over with him before it goes any further. He told me that previous to making this proposal, he had ascertained that the Directors would not be disposed to send me to India, and that their motive to accept the Speaker would only be with the view of making room here for Huskisson. That he had originally determined before he came to town to have stipulated for the promotion of Huskisson before he made himself "the immense sacrifice he did in accepting office," but that the concurrent opinion of his friends had deterred him from this, and that he was most especially moved to it by your letter to Lord Morley, which had peculiar weight with him, and that now, standing as he did single in the Cabinet, he felt that he was ent.i.tled to have every facility afforded him for that purpose, or that it might still be necessary for him to retire.

I have written to Lord L---- to offer to go down to Combe Wood to-morrow, as I am sure it is desirable to bring the matter to an upshot one way or the other. My uncle Tom comes up to town, and dines with me to-day. I must own it appears to me that C---- has completely _got round_ both him and Lord G----. They are astonished that I can think he shows disinclination to me personally, &c. &c.

I must say that I think your view of the question is a fit one, and such as you are thoroughly ent.i.tled to take, and have only to beg earnestly that no consideration of my interests may induce you to depart from what you feel to be due to yourself and your own consistency.

Ever most faithfully yours,

C. W. W.

THE RIGHT HON. THOMAS GRENVILLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Cleveland Square, Oct. 3, 1822.

MY DEAR DUKE,

Having learnt from Charles that you have expressed to him some uneasiness at not hearing from me in reference to the discussions which have, as he tells me, been going on between you and the Government upon the proposal of his taking the Chair, I do not hesitate to a.s.sure you that no man living can take a more cordial and affectionate interest than I do in everything which regards your happiness and gratifications, public and private, and that whatever could be done, on my very limited scale, that could in the least degree contribute to any of those objects, I should do with all the kind and ready feelings of warm and sincere affection. From political discussions, however, I have, as you know, entirely withdrawn myself for a very long time past, and the very little share which I took in the discussion respecting yourself and Charles, at the beginning of last winter, convinced me how much pain to myself and how little advantage to you, must arise from my renewing them. In truth, I am much too antiquated to enter into the councils of a mind as ardent as yours, and much too little conversant with the politics of these times to be a useful or safe adviser. I have the more readily adopted this negative course from the persuasion that you, who are in the prime of life for business, with more than forty years over your head, with good talents, and with no little experience of men and manners, are a much more reasonable judge of what is fit for you to do or not to do, than any other man can be for you. Who is there that can sufficiently adopt the thoughts and feelings and taste of another, to decide for him what is best for his own happiness? Why should it be required that I, who have one foot in the grave, should see the objects of public life or the means of attaining them, in the same points of view with yourself, who are in the prime of active life, and ardently alive to all those pursuits which are flat and unprofitable to my antiquated eyes? It is perhaps not unreasonable in me, who see you one of the first men in the country, with a Dukedom and the Garter, and having already all that the Crown can give, to consider you as standing upon very elevated ground, and as being one who ought not easily to be persuaded by any Government to accept of any office from them. On the other hand, it is quite natural for you or any man who has the ambition to be decidedly the one first man in the country, to take the course which in your judgment leads most directly to the object of your wishes; but how can I advise in this, who do not start from the same post or look towards the same goal? I am prouder, it seems, for you than you are for yourself, and while you seem anxious to establish a claim for office in the present Government, I am too proud to see you as that claimant, or to agree that any consideration should induce you to take official share in this Government, unless it were for the single act of dispensing to Ireland the blessing of Catholic emanc.i.p.ation? This different view of your situation from that which you entertain, leaves therefore no possibility of my old-fas.h.i.+oned eyesight adopting what your younger and stronger eyes see with an ardour of which mine are no longer capable. As long as I see my dear Duke, I do not see upon earth anybody in whose prosperity and happiness I take a warmer and more sincerely cordial feeling than I do in yours--and that is better in an old, decaying uncle, than discussions that he is no longer fit for.

This sensible communication antic.i.p.ates the result of the overtures of Mr. Canning, who was already beginning to feel his strength, and did not hesitate to show it. What his object was is expressed in the next letter; it was foiled by the Duke of Buckingham placing it in a strong light before the observation of the now nominal Premier, Lord Liverpool.

THE RIGHT HON. W. H. FREMANTLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Englefield Green, Oct. 7, 1822.

MY DEAR DUKE,

I thank you for your communication, and am glad to find the whole business, as far as it was connected with your party, is terminated; I received a letter from Charles Wynn yesterday morning, informing me of the result of your communication with Lord Liverpool.

No one can undoubtedly so well judge the question, as it may affect your honour and character, as yourself; the removal of Charles Wynn from the Cabinet, if done either by intrigue or force, was a measure which you could not submit to, and if you were satisfied that such was the intention, the steps you adopted were such as became you; I consider that it would have been impossible for any one of your party who had accepted office, to hold it one moment after you had come to the decision of separating yourself from all official connexion; nor do I think that under such a declaration Charles Wynn could doubt of the line which he so promptly and honourably adopted. Indeed, I must fully agree with you in applauding his feelings towards you and his friends. I am rejoiced that no new arrangements take place in your political relations with the Government, for I am persuaded the best, the most advantageous, and most popular state in which your interests can stand, for some time at least, is by remaining perfectly quiet, and suffering public discussion on men and parties and official situations to be diverted to other quarters. We had our full share last Session, and let Mr. Canning, if he chooses to commence his career by Cabinet intrigue, have the full benefit of it; no change would at this moment occur in your party without incurring (whether true or false) the charge of official rapacity on the one hand, or a want of common grat.i.tude on the other.

The King is arrived at the Cottage with his _usual_ party, and I understand remains about three weeks: he sees n.o.body as yet, but is reported to be very well and in good spirits; he was at chapel yesterday, and is driving in the Park every day.

Ever, my dear Duke,

Most faithfully yours,

W. H. FREMANTLE.

THE RIGHT HON. W. H. FREMANTLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Brighton, Nov. 5, 1822.

MY DEAR DUKE,

Charles Wynn wrote to me to say he wished to come and lay before the King Lord Amherst's appointment to sign, thinking it would be a good occasion of presenting himself for an audience, and I strongly recommended him to do so, though it was uncertain how he might take it; however, nothing could have been better received. The King has not appeared since he has been here, now ten days, and has confined himself to his room under a slight affection of gout, for which he is taking Wilson's medicine, but he received him most graciously, talked for an hour and a half, and Wynn came away delighted. I am quite happy that he came down for the purpose. I can't make out exactly how matters stand at the Pavilion. The Regnante has not yet arrived. He has been quite alone, literally, with Lord Conyngham and Sir W. Knighton, and not another person. It is said she has taken an aversion to this place, and I rather give credit to it, for Lord Conyngham told me he was going to fit up the Castle at Windsor, as the King had taken a fancy to it, and now seemed to prefer it to the Cottage. What this means I know not; I do not think, notwithstanding, that she is out of favour, or even to have lost ground, but that the strangeness of his conduct daily increases.

Did you ever hear of anything half so absurd as the conduct of the Speaker? He first wrote to Lord Liverpool to ask his opinion about standing for the University, and having received a very cold answer, declaring his wishes to be in favour of Lord Hervey, he immediately declared himself with his _re_consideration advertis.e.m.e.nt; afterwards Charles Wynn hit the blot which bad been overlooked, or probably never looked for, in the case of Charles Dundas when proposed by Sheridan, and who was objected to by Mr.

Pitt, as not being capable on account of not having previously taken the oath at the table before the Speaker, which by the act is necessary in every case but at the commencement of a new Parliament. When Charles Wynn mentioned this, it set them all aback, and after requiring a day to consider it, it ended by his giving up; the consequences of all this has been that the Solicitor-General has been driven from a certain success, and the Government interest being divided between R. Grant and Lord Hervey, it is not improbable that Scarlett may succeed.