Whitehall, Jan. 19th, 1793.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
It is at length settled that Lord Loughborough shall take the Seals
on Wednesday. He has written a long letter to the Duke of Portland,
which has not been answered. It is as yet very difficult to say
what proportion of the _ci-devant_ Opposition will follow Lord
Loughborough's example, and join Government avowedly, but I am
inclined to hope a pretty large one. The Prince of Wales has also
written to the Duke of Portland, and sent a message to us,
declaring his intention to join Government. I have not seen the
letter, but _my informant_, to whom it was shown yesterday morning
by the Duke of York, told me it was proper and explicit.
424 against the referring the judgment to the Assemblees Primaires,
283 for it.
The first question, of guilty, decided almost unanimously; the
third, that punishment should be inflicted, was deferred to the
10th.
Brissot's report, which you will see in the French papers, seems
well enough calculated for our purpose. The thing must now come to
its point in a few days; and we shall, I trust, have appeared to
the public here to have put the French completely _dans leur tort_.
Ever most affectionately yours,
G.