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          THE COURT AND CABINETS

                    OF

             GEORGE THE THIRD.


                 VOL. II.


              [Illustration]


                  MEMOIRS

                  OF THE

             COURT AND CABINETS

                    OF

             GEORGE THE THIRD.

      FROM ORIGINAL FAMILY DOCUMENTS.


                    BY

     THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS,
                   K.G.


              IN TWO VOLUMES.

                 VOL. II.


                 LONDON:
      HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
       SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN,
      13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
                   1853.


                 LONDON:
Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street.




CONTENTS

OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.


1788.

(CONTINUED.)

THE KING'S ILLNESS--CONDUCT OF THURLOW--PLANS OF MINISTERS--DISCUSSIONS
IN PARLIAMENT--IRISH VIEW OF THE REGENCY QUESTION--PROCEEDINGS
OF THE PRINCE'S PARTY--THE RATS IN BOTH HOUSES                      1-83


1789.

DEATH OF THE SPEAKER--MR. GRENVILLE ELECTED IN HIS PLACE--COMMITTEE
ON THE REGENCY--THE HOUSEHOLD BILL--CONDUCT OF THE
PRINCES--ADDRESS TO THE PRINCE OF WALES FROM THE IRISH PARLIAMENT--RECOVERY
OF THE KING--DECISIVE MEASURES OF LORD BUCKINGHAM--IRISH
PROMOTIONS AND CREATIONS--DISSENSIONS IN THE ROYAL
FAMILY--MR. GRENVILLE APPOINTED SECRETARY OF STATE--MR. ADDINGTON
ELECTED SPEAKER--LORD BUCKINGHAM RESIGNS THE GOVERNMENT OF
IRELAND                                                           84-175


1790.

MR. GRENVILLE'S ELEVATION TO THE PEERAGE                         176-181


1791.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CLAIMS--RESIGNATION OF THE DUKE OF LEEDS--FLIGHT
OF THE ROYAL FAMILY OF FRANCE--PROSPERITY OF ENGLAND
AT THIS PERIOD                                                   182-198


1792.

MR. PITT'S BUDGET--THE STATE OF IRELAND--THE KING DISMISSES LORD
THURLOW--DISCONTENTS IN ENGLAND--FRENCH EMIGRANTS--RETREAT
OF THE DUKE OF BRUNSWICK--MEASURES OF INTERNAL DEFENCE--THE
FRENCH CONVENTION DECLARES WAR AGAINST ENGLAND AND HOLLAND       199-233


1793.

CAUSES AND OBJECTS OF THE WAR--SECESSIONS FROM THE OPPOSITION--REVERSES
IN HOLLAND--DISASTERS OF THE ALLIES--STATE OF FRANCE
AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR                                         235-249


1794.

PREPARATIONS IN ENGLAND FOR THE PROSECUTION OF THE WAR--INACTIVITY
OF THE AUSTRIANS--LORD SPENCER AND MR. THOMAS GRENVILLE SENT ON
A MISSION TO VIENNA--HOSTILE RESOLUTIONS OF THE OPPOSITION--SEVERAL
OF THE LEADING WHIGS JOIN THE ADMINISTRATION--LORD CORNWALLIS
APPOINTED TO THE COMMAND ON THE CONTINENT--PROGRESS OF
THE NEGOTIATIONS--LORD FITZWILLIAM NOMINATED TO THE LORD-LIEUTENANCY
OF IRELAND--HIS CONDUCT ON THAT OCCASION                         250-323


1795.

LORD FITZWILLIAM'S ADMINISTRATION IN IRELAND                     324-338


1796.

THE PROSECUTION OF THE WAR SUSTAINED BY REPEATED MAJORITIES IN
PARLIAMENT--MR. BURKE'S SCHOOL FOR THE EDUCATION OF EMIGRANT
CHILDREN--BUONAPARTE APPOINTED TO THE COMMAND IN ITALY--LORD
MALMESBURY'S MISSION TO PARIS                                    339-360


1797.

DISCONTENTS IN ENGLAND--THE BREST SQUADRON--MOTION ON THE STATE
OF IRELAND--AFFAIRS OF THE CONTINENT--LORD MALMESBURY'S MISSION
TO LISLE                                                         361-383


1798.

CONDITION OF ENGLAND--PLANS FOR THE NATIONAL DEFENCES--THE
AUGMENTATION OF THE MILITIA--VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTIONS--A REBELLION
BREAKS OUT IN IRELAND--LORD CORNWALLIS SUCCEEDS LORD
CAMDEN AS LORD-LIEUTENANT--LORD BUCKINGHAM VOLUNTEERS FOR
IRELAND--DIFFERENCES WITH LORD CORNWALLIS--MR. THOMAS GRENVILLE
IS APPOINTED ON A MISSION TO VIENNA AND BERLIN.                  384-421


1799.

ENGLAND ENTERS INTO A TREATY WITH RUSSIA AGAINST FRANCE--MR.
THOMAS GRENVILLE'S MISSION TO THE CONTINENT--THE UNION BETWEEN
GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND--SUSPENSE RESPECTING THE FATE OF
MR. GRENVILLE--PROGRESS OF EVENTS ON THE CONTINENT--AUSTRIA
JOINS THE COALITION--VACILLATIONS AND INACTIVITY OF PRUSSIA--EXPEDITION
TO HOLLAND--FURTHER AUGMENTATION OF THE MILITIA--PROJECTS
FOR THE ENSUING YEAR                                             422-452




COURT AND CABINETS

OF

GEORGE III.




1788.

(CONTINUED.)

THE KING'S ILLNESS--CONDUCT OF THURLOW--PLANS OF MINISTERS--DISCUSSIONS
IN PARLIAMENT--IRISH VIEW OF THE REGENCY QUESTION--PROCEEDINGS OF THE
PRINCE'S PARTY--THE RATS IN BOTH HOUSES.


The fluctuations of the daily accounts from Windsor, and afterwards from
Kew, to which place the King was ultimately removed at the instance of
the Prince of Wales, and the effect they produced upon the public and
the Opposition, greatly increased the difficulties of the Government in
this unprecedented emergency. So long as there was the faintest hope of
His Majesty's recovery, Mr. Pitt was enabled to avert extremities
between the Administration and the Prince of Wales, by repeated
adjournments of Parliament. The interest, therefore, which attached to
the slightest items of intelligence contained in these letters may be
easily understood. All other subjects were of inferior consideration.
Even the serious inconvenience occasioned to the public service by the
suspension of business in Parliament was forgotten in the one absorbing
topic.

The uncertainty that hung over the issue, the responsibility that
attended the treatment of the case, and the extreme caution observed by
the physicians in the opinions they were called upon to pronounce, kept
all classes of the people in a state of constant agitation. The Prince
and his supporters availed themselves of these circumstances to
strengthen their party in Parliament and out of doors. The passions of
the inexperienced, and the hopes of the discontented, are always on the
side of youth and excitement; and every vicissitude in the condition of
the King that diminished the prospect of his recovery, augmented the
ranks of the Opposition, which now became familiarly known as "the
Prince of Wales's Opposition." Mr. Pitt acted throughout with the utmost
reserve. Deeply impressed by the complicated hazards of the situation,
he carefully avoided all allusions to his ulterior intentions in his
intercourse with the Prince of Wales, which was strictly formal and
official, and confined to such communications as were unavoidable in his
position.


MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

     Whitehall, Nov. 15th, 1788.
     MY DEAR BROTHER,

     I enclose you the note, which I received from Pitt last night on
     his return from Windsor. I have seen him this morning; and
     understand that Warren said one thing which is still more
     favourable. He told him that a more rapid amendment would, in his
     opinion, have been a less pleasing symptom; and I find, from Pitt,
     that on conversing both with Sir G. Baker and Reynolds, he found
     them rather more sanguine, upon the whole, than Warren, but
     agreeing with him in his general account. What I have learnt this
     morning seems to confirm the pleasing hope which I cannot help
     indulging, from all these circumstances, though, God knows, it is
     still exposed to much doubt and hazard. The public account, which
     has been uniformly less flattering than the private letters from
     Windsor, states that he has had six hours' sleep, and that he is a
     little better this morning. All the other accounts say that he is
     certainly getting better.

     Pitt saw the Prince of Wales yesterday, for the purpose of
     notifying to him the step which the Council had taken, of ordering
     prayers, and of acquainting him that he had written circular
     letters to _all_ the Members of the House of Commons, stating the
     probability of Parliament having to meet on Thursday; and that he
     meant then to propose to adjourn.

     Prince of Wales received the communication with civility, and told
     him he was persuaded no opposition could be made to this. It is, I
     think, plain, from Pitt's account of his general behaviour, and
     from what one hears, that my conjecture is right, and that he will
     dismiss Pitt without hesitation.

     Ever most affectionately yours,
     W. W. G.


MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

     Whitehall, Nov. 17th, 1788.
     MY DEAR BROTHER,

     The accounts for the last two days have been, I think, rather less
     favourable than that of Saturday, which I sent you. You can,
     however, hardly conceive the difficulty which we have, even at this
     small distance, to procure such information as can be in any degree
     depended on. All the private accounts are so strongly tinctured by
     the wishes of those who send them, that no reliance can be placed
     upon them; and the private letters of the physicians are frequently
     inconsistent with each other, and even with the public account
     which they send to St. James's. In general, that account has been
     uniformly found to be the least favourable; and seems as if it was
     drawn for the purpose of discouraging the hopes which their own
     letters and conversation excite. The letters which they read to
     Pitt, though frequently varying in their general tenor from the
     public account, are not at all more detailed than that is, and take
     no sort of notice of the most material circumstances. I imagine all
     this is to be imputed to a difference of opinion which is supposed
     to prevail amongst them, it being believed that Warren is strongly
     inclined to think the disorder permanent, and that Reynolds is
     sanguine in the contrary opinion. Pitt is gone down again to
     Windsor to-day; but will hardly be back again time enough for me to
     insert his account in this letter. The public account of to-day
     says, I understand, that the King has had much quiet and composed
     sleep, but is nearly the same as before. The sleep, I am told, is
     generally considered as a favourable symptom