Whitehall, Jan. 4th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
The plan for the Regency was sent to the Prince of Wales in a
letter from Pitt, three days ago, with an expression of his
readiness to give any explanation, either in person or in any
other manner that he might intimate. Yesterday his answer was
received, directed _to the Cabinet_. It is long, and with much
affectation of good writing, and is in parts of it well expressed,
in other parts confused and timid. It ends, however, with saying
that if these restrictions are adopted by Parliament he will
_accept_.
I have no doubt of carrying the Chair to-morrow, but not a little
doubt whether I ought to have accepted it. The die is, however, now
cast. The restrictions will, I think, pass without much difficulty.
I still adhere strongly to my opinion about the prorogation,
because I think there is a wide difference between exercising
during the King's health a power which he commits to your
discretion, but which he might if he pleased regulate by
instruction at any moment, and exercising the same power now when
you are to state that the King is prevented by infirmity from
attending at all to the administration of his Government. I am sure
that your acting in the manner you speak of is liable to, and will
probably bear, the very worst construction in the minds of the
public here; and I cannot for the life of me conceive what fear
there can be that the two Houses will not adjourn, considering that
the great point which they all wish, is that they may not be
obliged to pledge themselves. The extraordinary anxiety in those
whom you see, to get you to prorogue, is, in my opinion, a very
strong proof of their being actuated by that sort of wish.
I have not time to write any more, except to express my anxiety to
hear how Lady B. and your child go on.
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.
There was no doubt about the issue of the election to the Speakership.
"Your brother William will certainly be Speaker," writes Lord Bulkeley
on the 3rd, "and has already stood the hoax at White's, where it was
debated last night whether he should wear a wig or his own hair." The
election went off to the entire satisfaction of Mr. Grenville, who,
reporting the event, says that "the majority, though quite large enough,
would have been larger if they had divided half an hour later, as nearly
forty of my friends were locked out below, and about eleven of theirs."
With his customary philosophy, he made the best of everything; but he
does not disguise from Lord Buckingham that he had strong doubts in his
mind whether he ought to have accepted the Chair. The Opposition might,
probably, have been stronger against his election, but for the belief
that prevailed that the King was getting rapidly better. "The progress
of the King," observes Mr. Grenville on the 7th, "is such, _according to
our accounts_, that it is by no means impossible, nor even a very
improbable case, that before the Irish Bill can pass, he may re-assume
his Government."
Another contingency that weighed with the floating mass of undecided
politicians was the rumour which now began to be circulated that the
Regent would not dismiss the existing Ministers till the end of the
session.