Dublin Castle, May 1st, 1783.
My Lord,
I am honoured with your Grace's letter of the 26th instant, and
must return my best thanks for the expressions of regard with
which you have noted my appointment of Mr. Coppinger, and of Mr.
Doyle, to the situations which they now hold, at your Grace's
recommendation, to which I have truly given the earliest
attention in my power.
It is really a misfortune to me to find that our political ideas
have so materially differed. I perfectly agree with your Grace
in wishing not to defend nor arraign, and shall therefore waive
the subject, as far as it regards the change in His Majesty's
councils.
But I cannot help complaining in private, as I have uniformly in
public, that I have been singularly unfortunate in the treatment
which I have met with. I resigned on the 12th of March, and that
resignation was notorious to every one conversant in public
business, and the intention communicated to your Grace on the
2nd of March. Notwithstanding this, I understand that no person
was recommended for this situation in the formation of the new
Ministry; nor from the date of their acceptance did I receive
any notification of the King's acceptance of my office, nor any
apology for the delay, nor any request to remain till the new
appointment or arrival of my successor, nor any communication
upon the very extensive business of this kingdom, for which I
have declined any responsibility; but, on the contrary, I have
been, under these circumstances, detained in a situation without
responsibility, which was actually objected as a charge against
Mr. Pitt, while I have been labouring to disengage myself; and,
ultimately, I have received Lord Northington's appointment,
dated on the 24th (two days after it had been communicated by
every one connected with Government to their friends), without
one line of the King's approbation of my conduct, in
circumstances and moments very critical, unless I am to
interpret Lord North's opinion on that subject, as the official
notification of His Majesty's satisfaction.
These circumstances, my Lord, have much galled me, because they
are personal; and because they are not necessarily connected
with the change of Government, and have laid me under the
necessity of resenting it by expressions very decisive, in my
despatch of the 24th; and your Grace will easily believe that
the period for my relief, fixed by Lord North for six weeks
hence, after a resignation on the 12th of March, has not much
soothed me. I shall regret any injury to the public service, but
I have my private feelings, and they will not suffer me to
remain in such a situation for such a time, even if the state of
this kingdom justified such an addition to the absolute
interregnum which has existed now since the second week in
February: but at the moment in which I write I remain totally
uninformed upon any of the voluminous details which I have
submitted, and particularly upon the subject the most delicate
from every consideration which depends upon it, I mean the
Parliament, which stands for next Tuesday. These facts, which I
have shortly detailed, press strongly on my mind. I have wished
to show every attention to your Grace, from whom I have
experienced great kindness, and to reconcile my private
sensations to a treatment which I must think unjustifiable, and
which I totally separate from the great political considerations
which have guided our respective lives, and with which I doubt
not we are both equally satisfied. These considerations never
would for a moment have broken in upon private friendship and
regard, but it severely pains me to think that I have reason to
complain of the personal conduct of a Ministry in which your
Grace has taken so distinguished a part, and in which I must
conclude, from your letter to me, that the powers of Government
are solely invested in those who had the advantage of being
denominated the friends of the late Lord Rockingham.
I am to apologize to your Grace for the length of this letter,
but I cannot conclude it without thanking you for the assurances
of your regard and good-will.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Grace's obedient humble servant,
N. T.
The despatch alluded to, dated 24th, officially addressed to Lord North,
stated in detail, and with equal earnestness and decision, the just
grounds of complaint here repeated to the Duke of Portland. Mr.
Grenville, having no option in a matter of so much moment, and which
admitted of no pause or remedy, forwarded the despatch to Lord North;
although he would gladly have withheld it, under an apprehension that it
might expose Lord Temple to injurious imputations, not only on the score
of impatience, but as desiring to throw obstacles in the way of his
successor. In the hope of averting the latter supposition, Mr. Grenville
visited Lord Northington, to express on his part, and on that of Lord
Temple, the desire of placing the Government in his hands with every
possible advantage to his personal convenience and the public service.
This interview was attended with the best result, so far as Lord
Northington was concerned.