Whitehall, Nov. 30th, 1788.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
There is no particular account of the King this morning, He was
yesterday evening removed to Kew. There was considerable difficulty
in persuading him to agree to this removal, but it was at last
accomplished without violence. Pitt saw him again at Windsor before
his removal, and thought him rather less well in his manner than on
the preceding day. Addington's conversation is still such as to
show that he thinks the probabilities greatly in favour of his
recovery. He mentioned particularly to Pitt, that he had in his
house one person whose case appeared to him exactly to resemble the
King's, and that this person had been cured.
We are still much undetermined about the time of bringing forward
the decisive measures. The general leaning of people's minds
appears to be for delay, and there is not anything that can perhaps
absolutely be said to require that immediate steps should be taken.
There are, however, several points of foreign business which seem
to press considerably, and there seems little reason to hope that
this situation will be at all altered within such a time as it
would be possible to wait. I am rather inclined towards bringing
the business forward on Thursday; and yet I am very apprehensive of
the effect which might be produced by any appearance or imputation
of precipitancy.
When the Cabinet went down to Windsor two days ago, in consequence
of the Prince of Wales's letter, he did not see them, but sent them
a written message by the Duke of York, respecting the King's
removal. This message, whether accidentally or not, was couched in
terms that were thought a little royal. Some caution was thought
necessary in wording the answer to avoid the style of giving His
Royal Highness advice, or of acknowledging any authority in him.
You will have heard, in all probability, much on the subject of the
Chancellor. His situation is a singular one. It is unquestionably
true that he has seen _Fox_, and I believe he has also seen
Sheridan repeatedly, and certainly the Prince of Wales. And of all
these conversations he has never communicated one word to any other
member of the Cabinet. Yet I am persuaded that he has as yet made
no terms with them, and that whenever they come to that point they
will differ. With this clue, however, you will be at no loss to
guess where the Prince acquires his knowledge of the plans of
Regency which are to be proposed, because, even supposing the
Chancellor not to have directly betrayed the individual opinions of
his colleagues, yet still his conversation upon these points, in
all of which he has explicitly agreed with the opinions of Pitt,
must lead to the communication of the plans in agitation. I am,
however, rather inclined to believe that Cuninghame's correspondent
has taken by guess one out of a variety of reports circulated, and
that he has been right by accident. The general belief of the
Opposition certainly is, as you may by their papers, that measures
of much more violence are intended.
Pitt has been induced, from his regard to the King, to dissemble
his knowledge of Thurlow's conduct, and to suppress the resentment
which it so naturally excites. There is no reason, but the
contrary, for believing that any of those who have acted with him
are at all disposed to follow his example. It is universally
reprobated, and explicitly by them. I think you will do well, if it
comes in question, to do as I do, which is to avoid saying anything
on the subject as long as I can; and when pressed, to profess
ignorance.
There is no great inconvenience arising, in reality, from the
communication of these intentions to the Prince. His intentions are
sufficiently decided, and he has no means of traversing our
schemes.
We do not yet know with certainty whether he has any idea of
negotiation; but if he has, it is unquestionably only as a cloak,
and meaning that it should be rejected. But the prospect of
detaching the Chancellor may make this less probable, although he
may perhaps insist on something of the sort being done to provide
for his _delicacy_. The general language is universal and immediate
dismission. If I am not mistaken, a storm is rising that they
little expect, and the sense of the country, instead of being
nearly as strong as in 1784, will be much stronger. But the party
in general are so hungry and impatient, that I think they will act
upon the better judgment of their leaders, and prevent them from
doing anything which may allow a moment's delay.
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.
It was beginning to be suspected that Thurlow was about to _rat_.
His conduct justified the worst doubts. Sir William Young confirms
the intelligence about his increasing and suspicious intimacy with
the Prince of Wales.