Hertford Street, July 3rd, 1797.
SIR,
The Court of Directors have appointed me Governor of Madras, with
the provisional succession to Bengal. The arrangement has been made
by them, and accepted by me, with this understanding: that I am to
undertake the Government of Madras only in the event of Lord
Cornwallis's acceptance of the Government of Bengal. If his
Lordship should not go to Bengal, I am to proceed directly to the
Supreme Government. The nature of this arrangement does not appear
upon the face of it: I state it to you in _strict confidence_, as
it has been explained to me; and I believe you are already
sufficiently acquainted with my sentiments to know my willingness
to hold the Government of Madras under Lord Cornwallis, as well as
my resolution not to hold it under any other person.
Mr. Dundas authorizes me to say that he retains the same intentions
with regard to a provision for Lord Hobart which he stated to you
and to me, and you have been already apprized by me of the footing
on which the proposed peerage stands. You may rely on my constant
and unremitting attention to both objects; but I must declare, in
justice both to Mr. Pitt and to Mr. Dundas, my conviction that
neither will delay the performance of their respective engagements
one instant beyond that in which it shall be possible to execute
them.
I find that Mr. Dundas considers himself to have given sufficient
intimation to Lord Hobart of the intended arrangements, as far as
they could affect his Lordship, by having enclosed to him, in a
despatch forwarded overland some months ago, a copy of the letter
addressed by Mr. Dundas to the Chairman of the Court of Directors
on the subject of Lord Hobart's pretensions to a mark of the
respect of the Company in the event of a change in the Government
of India.
To whatever situation I may be destined, whether to Madras or
Bengal, the maintenance of Lord Hobart's credit and reputation will
always be a leading object of my wishes; and I trust, before I
leave England, that I shall have the satisfaction of receiving your
advice with respect to the most effectual mode of combining the
accomplishment of that object with ideas, in some degree different
from those which have governed the policy of Lord Hobart's
administration at Madras in more than one material branch of the
public service.
I am, Sir, with great respect and esteem,
Your most faithful and humble servant,
MORNINGTON.