Grosvenor Square, Feb. 6th, 1788.
My dear Lord,
I heartily congratulate you upon the success of two very
important questions, which has been determined so much to the
advantage of the public, and to the credit of your Lordship's
Administration. I should have been very sorry if the style of
any letter of mine should have had the effect of diminishing in
the least degree the pleasure which you must have received from
the news which had just reached you from the House of Commons. I
agree with you that forms must be observed, and surely none more
exactly than those which consist in the mutual respect and
civility which ought to appear in the correspondence between two
of the principal offices of Government. In a private one between
the Marquis of Buckingham and Lord Sydney, the latter will
always be inclined to be as little punctilious as any man
living. But as to that in question, I must say, that I had no
reason to suppose that my style could seem objectionable, when I
had endeavoured to imitate that of the letter to which mine was
an answer. To leave this subject, you may depend upon my being
as cautious as possible in future, to avoid any deviation from
the usual form; but in the present case, the King's leave of
absence being already given, it is not proper that any
alteration should be made.
I have seen the Duchess of Rutland to-day for the first time at
her Grace's desire. She expressed herself in the strongest terms
of gratitude towards your Lordship, for your attention in
transmitting to her the extracts from the addresses of both
Houses of Parliament, as well as for your letter upon the
subject. Her manner and appearance was truly affecting,
particularly to one who has had a strong attachment to the
Rutland family all his life. She is very much pleased with the
marks of respect which have been shown by all ranks of people to
the memory of the poor Duke, and said that she must always love
Ireland. I never saw more propriety, or a more unaffected
general behaviour in my life.
I have finished Mr. Anselm Nugent's business to-day. I do not
think that His Majesty quite likes so total a dispensation with
an Act of Parliament; but agreed to it with great cheerfulness,
and with very gracious expressions of his desire to do what was
agreeable to you.
We have nothing new stirring, except the young ladies, two of
whom eloped the day before yesterday: Lady Augusta Campbell with
a son of Sir John Clavering's, and a daughter of Sir H.
Clinton's with a son of Mr. Dawkins's.
You will be glad to be released, and I am called to dinner.
Present my best respects to Lady Buckingham and Lord Temple.
Believe me ever to be, with the greatest esteem and regard,
My dear Lord,
Your most obedient humble servant,
Sydney.
The India Declaratory Bill, and the trial of Mr. Hastings, were the
great subjects which now engrossed the attention of the Government and
the country. Mr. Pitt had just introduced the famous Declaratory Act,
for the purpose of conferring new and important powers on the Board of
Control, and explaining the provisions of his former measure for the
regulation of Indian affairs. Against this Bill a most formidable
opposition was organized in the House of Commons, threatening, by its
numbers no less than by the weight of its objections, to overthrow the
Administration. The House was reminded that Mr. Fox's Cabinet had fallen
by a similar measure; and it was endeavoured to be shown, not without a
considerable appearance of justification, that the most odious features
of that measure were revived and exaggerated in the Bill now introduced
by Mr. Pitt. It is evident from Mr. Grenville's letter on this subject,
that, although Ministers disclaimed the resemblance thus traced between
the two plans, they regarded with no inconsiderable apprehension the
arguments founded upon it, and the consequences they entailed. Lord
Mornington writes more hopefully, but his letter was written before the
decision which betrayed the defection of many of the usual supporters of
Government.