St. James's Square, June 25th, 1792.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
Having been out of town Saturday and Sunday, I did not get the East
India news time enough to write to you. The newspapers contain all
we know or have received. There is no doubt of the authenticity of
the "Bombay Gazette," the original of which is received. But it
seems very odd how the news should first reach Bombay through the
Nizam's Durbar. On the whole, however, I see no sufficient ground
to disbelieve it; and, if true, it is as good as the most sanguine
wishes could have desired.
Lord Camelford is landed at Deal, and will be in town to-morrow
night. I shall, therefore, certainly keep my engagement for Friday.
I shall see Tom this morning, and will put the Address into his
hands, to be communicated to the Duke of Portland, and will also
talk to him about the Grand Jury. The new French Ministry is wholly
Fayette's, and by his letter he seems to think himself strong
enough to take the whole into his own hands and keep it. I have,
however, no opinion of his judgment. I am persuaded his plan is to
negotiate with the two Courts, and he will find a ready ear to all
he can say there. The Princes are wholly excluded, and
systematically so, from all that is doing, and will scarce be
allowed the honour of fighting should it come to blows. And the
King will be too happy to yield to any compromise that he may think
will insure his personal safety. And so far for prophecies, in
which you know I do not deal much.
Ever most affectionately yours,
G.
P.S.--The enclosed is for Lord Buckingham. Pray let it be put among
the portraits of other heroes. It is original, and Liston says
very like. The whipping-post, knife, and pistol, are also
portraits.
I open my letter again to tell you, that by way of anniversary of
the 20th, there was a procession of the two faubourgs with pikes,
&c., to the National Assembly. From thence they went to the
Tuileries, to present what they called a petition to the King. He
ordered them to be let in, and they entered, notwithstanding the
National Guard, who were there in force, but made no resistance,
though it is said they were disposed to it if they had been
encouraged. They remained three hours in the King's room, loading
him with insults, and demanding the recal of the Jacobin Ministers,
and the sanction for the two decrees. They put the red cap upon his
head, upon the Queen's, and upon the Dauphin. They were at length
persuaded to disperse by Petion telling them that they had
sufficiently manifested their patriotism. The King is said to have
behaved with uncommon firmness and apparent indifference. The whole
was expected, and had been announced for a week, and you see how it
was met. The Jacobins feel it a complete triumph, and talk of
sending La Fayette to Orleans.
Luckner has taken possession of Menin, Ypres, and Courtrai, the
latter after some resistance, in which the Austrians lost about one
hundred men. An action was expected every hour.