My dear Lord,
I felt myself much honoured by the very kind intimation which
you sent to me by Mr. T. Grenville, that your Lordship would not
be unwilling to come to town, to attend in the House of Lords,
in case any matter was likely to come on, which might appear to
me to be of importance in the present miserable state of the
affairs of this country.
I should have wrote to your Lordship to have apprized you of the
motions intended by the Duke of Richmond on the subject of the
execution of Colonel Harris in Charlestown in North America, and
of the proclamation which had in consequence been issued by
General Green. I was very doubtful in regard to the _probable
day_ on which the business might come to be discussed.
On the Duke of Richmond's first mentioning the subject, it came
out that the Ministers at last acknowledged that they had no
official information; but as a vessel had arrived from New York,
and some officers had also arrived from Charlestown on Friday or
Saturday last, I thought it probable that on _Monday_ or
_yesterday_ we might have heard that they had got _official
information_, and that possibly some papers would be to be laid
before the House, and the discussion of the matter would then
have been fixed for some day, and regularly proceeded upon.
The event was different: they continued to say that they had no
official information, but chose to enter into a justification of
the whole proceeding, in part urging some accounts which they
said had been in a Pennsylvanian Gazette.
I am now to inform your Lordship, that the Duke of Chandos, who
had thrown out an idea of inquiring into the causes of the loss
and capture of Earl Cornwallis and his army, has been wished and
desired to move it on Thursday next.
The Duke of Richmond, the Duke of Chandos, and Duke of
Manchester, and some friends, have been here this morning, and
have prepared the enclosed motion for the inquiry, and also
motions for papers which would be necessary. Lord Shelburne and
Lord Camden have been acquainted with the intention; the Duke of
Grafton is also in town; so that I should imagine the business
will be well supported. I have no expectation of any success in
the House of Lords; but upon such a calamity and national
disgrace, it surely will become us to propose to bring on an
inquiry. Perhaps we may learn whether the Ministers intend to
throw the blame either on their Commander-in-Chief, General H.
Clinton, or on Earl Cornwallis, or (what some suppose), on Lord
Greaves. The public at large have a right to know whether the
real cause has not arose from the neglect, inability, or some
other cause, in His Majesty's Ministers.
As the business is now fixed for Thursday next, I have taken the
liberty of apprizing your Lordship by a messenger, who I hope
will arrive before your Lordship goes to bed to-night.
I wish I could have wrote earlier. I shall be very happy in the
honour of seeing your Lordship, which I hope may be soon, even
if your Lordship could not at this time come to London.