VISCOUNT SACKVILLE to his son CHARLES. 1785, June 17. Pall Mall.-These Irish propositions are still depending in the House of Lords, and when they will be finished I cannot guess, but I hope to get away from town in about ten days. The Herberts had the happiness of catching and eating several pike. I told them their equipage and attendance were the subject of conversation at Oxford. Bess laughed, but Herbert thought I had invented the story and rather looked grave... Miss C. Leighton honours Caroline with her company to Stoneland when we settle there. In the meanwhile, she lives in Berkeley Square at Mrs. Corbett's, her sister in one apartment, and she in the other. They only meet at dinner to quarrel. . Your house at Whitehall is preparing for you. So many repairs are wanting that you must not be surprised if you hear that I am ruined. "The Red Monk is at last gone to Withyam. G. Damer went to the cricket match at Peckham, and was much entertained with seeing old Cumberland directing all the players, and Charles acting first part in the game, but unfortunately Tunbridge lost the match, and the only comfort the father had was that his boy had done his duty. We have had a little rioting about the taxing of shops and maid servants, Mr. Pitt was hissed and pursued in going to and from the House of Commons, and in the evening the Guards were sent to disperse the mob collected about his house. Even Mr. Pitt must share the fate of all ministers in this country, and submit to be for a time unpopular. "The Prince of Wales has given a magnificent ball, and is now wise enough to go to Court and behave with seeming propriety to his father.' H. A. HERBERT to [CHARLES] VISCOUNT SACKVILLE. 1792, January 23. Dublin, No. 69 Dame Street.-"I had hoped long before this time to have met you and your brother in England, and to have consulted with you on several points relative to my unfortunate wife and my children now deserted by their mother," but my lawyers think that for at least ten months I should not enter the same kingdom as your unhappy sister. "When I left Muckross last week your nephews were both perfectly well. They are fine boys; the eldest remarkably handsome." I have found a school in every way eligible for a year or two and shall hope for your opinion as regards their future education. In a will made last October I have taken the liberty of nominating you one of their guardians. LORD AND LADY BATEMAN to MR. GLADWELL at Viscount 1797, August 3, and 1799, August 5. Shobdon Court.Relative to leases of the Rushden Estate, the Rectory of Rushden, and the tithes of Higham Park. The EARL OF MIDDLESEX. N.D.-A paper headed, "A full and true account of the Horrid, Barbarous, and unnatural Murther committed upon the credit, quiet, and estate of the Earl of Middlesex by Charles Sackville, Esq. Spare my Life and take all I have.'" Apparently a list of mortgages, with amounts of principal, interest and arrears. IV. HOME AFFAIRS, 1755-1784. HENRY FOX to LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE. 1755, Sep. 29." The King has declared his intention to make me Secretary of State, and give me the conduct of his affairs in the House of Commons. If I might flatter myself that your lordship approves of this and would support me in my new station, I should be happy and obliged to a very great degree. I know your lordship's abilitys, and should esteem your friendship and be proud of it. I am not to take the seals till after the meeting of Parliament, because a debate is expected the first day, on which subject I will say nothing here, proposing to wait upon your lordship as soon as I hear you are in town." Annexed, Draft of Lord G. Sackville's reply, hoping that the plan upon which the new system is formed and the measures which are to be passed in consequence of it may be such as will enable him to prove his friendship to Mr. Fox, whom he congratulates upon the great confidence which the King has reposed in him. MEMORANDUM by LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE. [1755, November ?]-To return thanks to the Duke of Newcastle] for the honour he does me in thinking me worthy of his attention. That I hope to deserve the King's favour by expressing the strongest zeal for his service, but that I desire to remain free from a particular connection with any of his ministers. I cannot ask for distinction or emolument in my profession, since I am to obtain it by resolving to support future measures of which I cannot have the least knowledge, and defend those that are past, which I cannot yet comprehend. I trust that by saying this I shall not be represented to his Majesty in the light of a person discontented or desirous to distress those ministers he may please to employ. I heartily wish I may be able to join in the support of every measure they may propose, for I do declare that I have neither political connection nor engagement with any party or person whatsoever, and I farther hope that I shall not be driven into it by being misrepresented to the King, and consequently debarred from those marks of his favour which my rank in the army or my services may give me reason to hope for. 21250 D LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE to the DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. [1755, November ?]-"I took the liberty of fully explaining my situation to your Grace when I last waited upon you, and if you will be pleased to recollect what I then said I flatter myself that you will see how impossible it would be for me to take a part which would declare the strongest attachment to the present administration. Draft. LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE to [HENRY FOX ?] [1755, November ?]-Regrets that he is obliged to decline the Duke of Newcastle's and his offer of moving or seconding the address in conjunction with Lord Hillsborough. HENRY FOX to LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE. 1756, Oct. 28.-"The Duke of Newcastle has retired from the King's service without either place or pension. He might, you may beleive, have had either. His Majesty sent for me yesterday, and told me this; said he had sent to Pitt; but that treaty was off. He might perhaps, however, join with me, on terms of common sense at least, though he would not with the Duke of Newcastle upon any, and commanded me to try him. Would it be too much, my lord, if I should beg of your lordship to let me see you on this occasion. Things are in such a crisis that the wise or foolish conduct of so inconsiderable a person as I am, may be of the utmost consequence. I will do anything to join with Pitt, and nothing more willingly than declining the station I shall be forced into if we do not join. For, as the King says, he must be served by somebody, and things must not be suffered to go into confusion if it can be avoided. I doubt much whether, but by our junction, confusion is avoidable, and therefore there is no part I will not act, and our junction, let my part be ever so subordinate, will do the business. No time is to be lost, my lord, and therefore if you will honour me with a meeting it must be soon." THE SAME to THE SAME. 1756, Oct. 30.-"I have not heard particulars, but only in general, that Pitt was more moderate to the Duke of Devonshire to-day than he had been to others. That moderation not extending, however, to act with me as a minister. "If I know more I'll tell your lordship more to-morrow. I am sure I ought to apprise your lordship of everything relative to my situation, and the situation of the publick after your coming on my invitation to consult on both." THE SAME to THE SAME. 1756, Nov. 4.-" You may wonder at not hearing from me an account of our proceedings here. But they have varied so perpetually and so strangely that till something seemed near fixing, I would not perplex myself with writing, nor your lordship with reading, on so confused a subject. The matter now stands thus-The Duke of Devonshire, after having long refused, yesterday told the King he would be First Lord of the Treasury, with Legge, his Chancellor of the Exchequer. The offer now is with Pitt thus, Duke of Devonshire, First Lord; Legge, Chancellor of the Exchequer; Pitt, Secretary of State; Lord Temple, First Lord of the Admiralty, with 4 or 5 Lords of the Admiralty of his own naming. All their friends provided for according to their own modest demands. I might be Paymaster, though Mr. Pitt thinks that would be too like Mr. Pelham in the year 1742, and that I had better let G. Grenville have it, and be Treasurer of the Navy. I desired to be excused from any employment and in the offer [as] it stands, Mr. Fox will have no employment. Pitt demurs to the whole of this, because Lord Holdernesse is not out, and his Majesty won't promise him the northern province. But he will consult Lord Temple and give his answer to-morrow night. "Now, my lord, this is not my doing, but I approve of it since it is the only method of gaining peace and quiet in this sessions. Three months domestick quiet is as necessary to this country as ever a night's sleep was to a man dying in a fever. If I undertake it, there must be such contention in the House that nothing could be well done out of it. Mr. Pitt is arrogant, and I think dishonest, if not mad, to take the whole upon him. I had rather he should be so than I, and I will assist him, being out of employment, and endeavour to make his administration as little detrimental as may be to the public. Am I not in the right, my Lord? But all this may perhaps be altered by Mr. Pitt's answer, and as soon as I know it, I will send it to your lordship." WILLIAM PITT to LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE. 1757, Oct. 15.-"I am honour'd with your lordship's letter of the 12th and feel a very particular satisfaction in knowing that you do me the justice to believe nothing can be indifferent to me about which you can form a wish. The favourable and kind sentiments with which your lordship is so good to accompany your commands to your humble servant must ever be rank'd among my most valuable possessions, and I assure your lordship that (however ill I know my title to be), this is the property I intend the longest to defend. I dare say Mr. Cunningham's affair will meet with no difficulty, but whatever I am able to do shall be employ'd if necessary with the utmost zeal on the occasion. "Total inexecution of plan in America, and the unhappy retreat from the coast of Rochefort, re intentata, have on various accounts sunk me into little less than despair of the publick. I shall abstain from giving and indeed from finally forming an opinion concerning the conduct of any, in a matter so serious, till full information enables and compells me to declare one; in the meantime I see no end of the train of mischiefs following such events. The state of the nation is indeed a perilous one, and fitter for meditation than discourse; at least not subject matter of a letter by the post. I hope it will not be long before I have the succour and consolation of full conversation with your lordship on a scene of distress and danger that demands all the ability the age can furnish and the best portion of which your lordship has to give." LORD BRISTOL to LORD GEORGE SACKVILLE. 1757, Oct. 26. Turin.-"6 You judged very right in saying that I should not have liked being at home during the agitations of last winter; I was very well contented to be at a distance, for I am not of the same opinion with an acquaintance of mine about troubled waters. We are entirely quiet in Italy, and there is no prospect of any disturbances on our side the Alps. Our campain in America has, I find, been an unactive one; it would have been well if that in Germany had been the same, for we and our allys have been losing ground since the King of Prussia's fatal battle on the 18th of June, for to that I ascribe all the misfortunes in Bohemia as well as those in Lower Saxony; since, in case the Austrians had been beat that day, a considerable detachment might have been made from the Prussian army to enforce that of observation, and then they might have kept their ground. Admiral Watson's success in the East Indies has been the only sort of good news we have received for a long time. We hear nothing of the great fleet since the commanders have thought proper to retire from the western coasts of France; our enemy either was or pretended to be very apprehensive lest that force should have fallen upon Rochefort, as there were four ships of the line there, and very considerable stores of all kinds; whatever is the destination of that armament, I hope success will attend it." Lady Betty Germain confirms the bad accounts you sent me of Lady Vere. Mr. Compton is at Florence. Lieut.-Col. Otway who lived at River-hill, close to Knole park, is now here with Lord. Mandeville. LORD TEMPLE to THE SAME. 1757, Dec. 21. Stowe.-"I cannot possibly let the messenger return with your commission sealed by me and not avail myself of this pleasing opportunity of expressing to you with how much satisfaction I executed this part of my office. I rejoice for my own sake as one poor individual of the public at large at every step that your lordship takes towards the head of your profession, because it affords to me the flattering prospect that I may live to see the military glory of this country once again retrieved, and hear from you and of you as important and decisive news as your * Then Lord Privy Seal. † As Lieut.-General of the Ordnance. |