Whitehall, Dec. 14th, 1788.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
I received this morning your letter of the 8th, and am very sorry
that I am so hurried to-day as to make it absolutely impossible for
me to enter into the subject which you discuss, in the manner which
I should wish. You will collect from a former letter my general
notions upon it, but I doubt whether those may not be considerably
varied by the consideration which you suggest of being able to
carry more for the King by remaining, than otherwise.
I have had a good deal of conversation with Pitt on the subject. He
promises me that he will, immediately after Tuesday, discuss it
thoroughly with me, and enable me to send you his decided opinion
how you ought to act. I find, from what he says, that he apprehends
Lord Thurlow's opinion to be contrary to ours. This, however,
seems immaterial, except with a view to future support, and,
probably, cannot easily be brought to a point, as no Cabinet
measure or instructions can be grounded upon it. The idea still
continues of proceeding by Bill; and as we preface that with an
assertion of the right in both Houses, it must still be a
considerable time before any measure can come in question with
respect to Ireland.
I believe we shall word the proposition in a less abstract form,
and apply it more particularly to this individual case, still,
however, asserting the right.
The account is less favourable to-day, notwithstanding that of
yesterday. I saw a letter from Willis to Pitt, in which he said
that the King "had passed the day calmly, and was, in other
respects, much the same as yesterday."
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.