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day (Sunday) the Chancellor, by his Majesty's command, sent for Lord Temple, who was at Stowe, in Buckinghamshire. His Lordship came to town on the fourteenth. Next morning he waited upon the King at Richmond, before he saw Mr. Pitt. The King acquainted his Lordship with the offer that had been made to Mr. Pitt; and added, that he expected his Lordship would assist Mr. Pitt in forming the arrangements. Next day, which was the 16th, "his Lordship received a very affectionate letter from Mr. Pitt, then at North End, Hampstead, desiring to see his Lordship there, as his health would not permit him to come to town. His Lordship went; and Mr. Pitt acquainted him, that his Majesty had been graciously pleased to send for him, to form an administration; and as he thought his Lordship indispensable,' he desired his Majesty to send for him, and put him at the head of the Treasury; and that he himself would take the post of Privy Seal. Mr. Pitt then produced a

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*This account of the conference between Mr. Pitt and Lord Temple at Hampstead, and the subsequent audience of the King, are taken from a pamphlet called An Enquiry, &c. Lord Chesterfield, in his letters to his son, says, this pamphlet was written by Lord' Temple. But his Lordship was mistaken. The pamphlet was written by Mr. Humphry Cotes, assisted by another person. It is, however, true, that the particular facts, stated in this account of the conference and of the audience, were communicated by Lord Temple, in conversation, to Mr. Cotes; who, without Lord Temple's participation, caused them to be published.

list of several persons, which he said, he had fixed upon to go in with his Lordship; and which, he added, was not to be altered. Lord Temple said, that he had had the honour of a conference with his Majesty at Richmond the evening before, and that he did not understand, from what passed between them, that Mr. Pitt was to be absolute master, and to form every part of the administration; if he had, he should not have given himself the trouble of coming to Mr. Pitt upon that subject, being determined to come in upon an equality with Mr. Pitt, in case he was to occupy the most responsible place under government. And as Mr. Pitt had chosen only a side-place, without any responsibility annexed to it, he should insist upon some of his friends being in the cabinet offices with him, and in whom he could confide; which he thought Mr. Pitt could have no objection to, as he must be sensible he could not come in with honour, unless he had such nomination; nor did he desire, but that Mr. Pitt should have his share of the nomination of his friends. And his Lordship added, that he made a sacrifice of his brother Mr. G. Grenville, who, notwithstanding his being entirely out of place, and excluded from all connection with the intended system, would nevertheless give him (Lord Temple) all the assistance and support in his power that it was an idea to conciliate all parties, which was the ground that had made Mr.

Pitt's former administration so respectable and glorious, and to form upon the solid basis of union, an able and responsible administration; to brace the relaxed sinews of government, retrieve the lronour of the crown, and pursue the permanent interest of the public: but that if Mr. Pitt insisted upon a superior dictation, and did not chuse to join in a plan designed for the restoration of that union, which at no time was ever so necessary, he desired the conference might be broke off, and that Mr. Pitt would give himself no further trouble about him, for that he would not submit to the proposed conditions.

"Mr. Pitt, however, insisted upon continuing the conference; and asked, who those persons were whom his Lordship intended for some of the cabinet employments? His Lordship answered, that one in particular was a noble Lord of approved character, and known abilities, who had last year refused the very office now offered to him (Lord Temple) though pressed to it in the strongest manner, by the Duke of Cumberland and the Duke of Newcastle; and who being their common friend, he did not doubt Mr. Pitt himself had in contemplation. This worthy and respectable person was Lord Lyttleton. At the conclusion of this sentence, Mr. Pitt said, Good God! how can you compare him to the Duke of Grafton, Lord Shelburne, and Mr. Conway? Besides, continued he, I

have taken the Privy Seal, and he cannot have that. Lord Temple then mentioned the post of Lord President: upon which Mr. Pitt said, that could not be, for he had engaged the Presidency : but, says he, Lord Lyttleton may have a pension. To which Lord Temple immediately answered, that would never do; nor would he stain the bud of his administration with an accumulation of pensions. It is true, Mr. Pitt vouchsafed to permit Lord Temple to nominate his own Board; but at the same time insisted, that if two persons of that board (T. Townshend and G. Onslow, Esqrs.) were turned out, they should have a compensation, i. e. pensions.

"Mr. Pitt next asked, what person his Lordship had in his thoughts for Secretary of State? His Lordship answered, Lord Gower; a noble lord of great alliance; and in whom he hoped to conciliate and unite a powerful party, in order to widen and strengthen the bottom of his administration, and to vacate even the idea of opposition; thereby to restore unanimity in Parliament, and in the public. To this his Lordship added, that he had imparted his design to Lord Gower, nor did he know whether that noble Lord would accept of the place; but he mentioned it now, only as a comprehensive measure, to attain the great end he

* Lord Temple afterwards wrote to Lord Gower, to excuse the mention he had made of his name.

wished, of restoring unanimity by a reconciliation of parties; that the business of the nation might go on without interruption, and become the only business of parliament. But Mr. Pitt rejected this. proposal, evidently healing as it appeared, by saying, that he had determined Mr. Conway should stay in his present office, and that he had Lord Shelburne to propose for the other office, then held by the Duke of Richmond; so that there remained no room for Lord Gower. This Lord, Temple said, was coming to his first proposition of being sole and absolute dictator, to which no consideration should ever induce him to submit. And therefore he insisted upon ending the conference; which he did with saying, That if he had been first called upon by the King he should have consulted Mr. Pitt's honour, with regard to the arrangement of ministers, and have given him an equal share in the nomination; and that he thought himself ill-treated by Mr. Pitt, in his not observing the like conduct."

Here the conference ended.

Next day Lord Temple had an audience of the King in the closet; when his Lordship told his Majesty, in substance, "That Mr. Pitt's terms were of such a nature, he could not possibly accept of them consistently with his honour: that he had made a sacrifice of his brother to Mr. Pitt's resent

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