Whitehall, Dec. 23rd, 1788.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
I received this morning your letter of the 18th; but am so much
engaged to-day that it is impossible for me to enter into it, which
I will, if possible, do to-morrow. I write now only to press again,
in the strongest manner, that you will get Fitzgibbon and Wolfe to
state all the particulars of the case, particularly as to the form
of the enrolment of your patent under the Irish Great Seal, and to
give you their opinions and arguments upon it. I will then take
care to know Kenyon's sentiments on that paper, and if I can, the
Chancellor's; but you are not ignorant of the bias of his mind,
which is, on all occasions, to consider the relative situation of
the two kingdoms, not such as it is, but such as it was, and as he
thought it should have remained. My idea of your tie by no means
went to your pledging yourself to do any act so contrary to your
duty and feelings, as the recommending from the throne, in
Ireland, a form of Regency varying one iota from that adopted here.
On the contrary, I think you should give it explicitly to be
understood, that everything in your power will be done to preserve
entire this link of connection. And under this explanation only, do
I think you ought to offer the proposed alternative.
I say nothing of our triumph last night. You will hear it from
other quarters; and you will probably be able to judge of its
extent, by knowing the confidence with which the enemy looked to
gaining upon us on this occasion. It is, I think, now quite certain
that we shall carry our restrictions.
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.
Another letter upon the Irish difficulty, into which Mr. Grenville
enters in elaborate detail: