Whitehall, May 17th, 1783.
My Lord,
Upon the receipt of your Excellency's letters of the 9th and
10th of this month, I took immediately every step in my power
that might forward your Excellency's wishes, and have now the
satisfaction of informing your Excellency that Lord Northington
will not fail to be at Holyhead on the 1st day of next month;
and I am commanded by His Majesty to express to your Excellency
his wish, that you will not quit the Government of Ireland
before the arrival of Lord Northington. Although your Excellency
will, according to this arrangement, be detained a few days
longer than the 25th of the present month, yet I hope that the
time fixed by Lord Northington is not so remote as to cause any
public or private inconvenience.
By my letter of the 9th instant, I flatter myself that I have
removed the uneasiness which your Excellency has expressed more
than once, because His Majesty's approbation of your
Excellency's Government has not been notified in a manner the
most agreeable to your Excellency. I am sure that when you read
that letter, your Excellency was convinced that your former
complaint was ill-founded; that His Majesty's gracious
approbation of your Excellency's conduct has been substantially
conveyed to your Excellency; and that there is nothing in the
whole tenor of my letters which can justify your Excellency's
opinion, that a total change of system is to be adopted both
with regard to the Chief Governor, and the measures of
Government in Ireland.
I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, My Lord,
Your Excellency's most obedient humble servant,
North.
P.S.--The messenger carries three letters from Lord
Northington--one to your Excellency, one to Lieutenant-General
Burgoyne, and another to General Baugh.
His Excellency the Earl Temple, &c., &c., &c.