(Private.) Vienna, Sept. 15th, 1794.
DEAR DUKE OF PORTLAND,
The impatience which we know that you must all have in England to
hear the result of your last determinations, leaves me no time to
add to what is contained in our despatches; but having had occasion
to write to Lord Fitzwilliam upon his having offered to me and
pressed upon me the Secretaryship in Ireland, I cannot let the
messenger go without a few words likewise to you upon that subject,
to tell you that I have left that to your decision and to his;
having only added such expressions of my own views and inclinations
as I know your friendship for me will lead you to view in their
proper light. My objections to the situation of Secretary in
Ireland you very well know, because even all my desire of making
myself useful to you could not, twelve years ago, overcome those
objections. I am, however, so persuaded that, in this moment, it is
every man's duty to take his task without consulting his
inclination, that if, all things considered, you agree with Lord
Fitzwilliam in thinking that I had best go to Ireland, I will
certainly try it.
You will, I am sure, forgive me for adding that, if the future
course of political arrangements (according as facilities may
occur) should admit of my being usefully employed at home, my wish
and preference to any such arrangement will not, I am sure, be
overlooked by my friends in England.
Ever, my dear Duke,
Most sincerely yours,
T. G.
That some inconvenience had already arisen, and that more was yet likely
to arise, from the nomination of Lord Fitzwilliam to the government of
Ireland, will be seen from a letter addressed by Lord Grenville to his
brother at Vienna. It had been clearly understood all along, that Lord
Fitzwilliam's appointment could not be confirmed until some suitable
provision should have been made for Lord Westmoreland, who had accepted
the office of Lord-Lieutenant on that express condition; yet the friends
of Lord Fitzwilliam, in their eagerness to make known the accession of
their party to power amongst their allies in Ireland, committed the
indiscretion of talking publicly about the approaching change, before
any arrangements had been concluded, or could be concluded, respecting
Lord Westmoreland. The immediate effect of these premature announcements
was to embarrass the Cabinet, and irritate the feelings and compromise
the position of the Lord-Lieutenant. Worse effects followed soon
afterwards.