Stanhope Street, March 10th, 1788.
My dear Lord,
Our politics have worn the most decided aspect till lately. On
last Wednesday, on the bringing in the Declaratory Bill of the
powers of the Board of Control, Mr. Pitt experienced a
mortification, not only from the abilities of those who oppose
him, but from the defection of some of his friends, and the
luke-warmness of others, that he has not experienced since he
has been a Minister. It was an awkward day for him, and he felt
it the more because he himself was low-spirited, and overcome by
the heat of the House, in consequence of having got drunk the
night before at your house in Pall Mall, with Mr. Dundas and
_the Duchess of Gordon_. They must have had a hard bout of it,
for even Dundas, who is well used to the bottle, was affected by
it, and spoke remarkably ill, tedious and dull. The Opposition,
therefore, made the most of their advantages, and raked Pitt
fore and aft in such a manner, as evidently made an impression
on him. I heard from our own friends that no Minister ever cut a
more pitiful figure.
These triumphs were, however, of short duration to the
Opposition, for on Friday Pitt made one of the best and most
masterly speeches he ever made, and turned the tables
effectually on Opposition, by acquiescing in such shackles as
they chose to put on the article of patronage, all which they
had pressed from an idea that Pitt on that point would be
inflexible. This speech of Pitt's infused spirit into his
friends; Dundas spoke very well, and, contrary to expectation,
so did Scott and Macdonald. Government kept up their numbers in
the division, and Opposition lost ten. I understand from all
quarters that last Friday was, considering all circumstances, as
good as the Wednesday before was _bad_ for Government.
Notwithstanding this happy recovery, there is yet a heavy and
severe clamour against Dundas, and I shall not be surprised if
his unpopularity should very materially injure Pitt's character
and Government. It was by his influence that a Mr. Tierney was
kept out of the direction, and a Mr. Elphinstone brought in,
which last has turned out the most violent opposer and the most
formidable Government has had at the India House; and there is
great reason to think the other, if he had been supported, would
have been a friend, though that docs not seem clear. However,
those two men have been the most active and useful to the
Opposition in all the late contentions in Leadenhall Street,
where Mr. Dundas _ought_ to have had a majority.
All this business has given Fox advantages, which he has not
neglected; and although Mr. Pitt may be secure as to the
continuation of his power, yet the former has and will gain
character, as a firm and manly straightforward politician; which
the other begins to lose by nearly adopting the principles of a
Bill which he had reprobated and condemned. Devaynes tells me
that a few dozen of claret, and two or three dinners, would have
operated with many in the direction; but Rose and Steele follow
Pitt's example in that respect, and vote such company boors not
deserving of such notice.
Your brother William suffered a mortification last Wednesday,
which, I am told, has vexed him: the moment he got up to speak,
the House cleared as it used to do at one time when Burke got
up. I hope it proceeded from accident, for if it continues it
must hurt him very essentially. The day after he was in uncommon
low spirits, and croaked very much. There seems a general
complaint of Pitt's young friends, who never get up to speak;
and I am not surprised at their timidity, for Fox, Sheridan,
Burke, and Barré, are formidable opponents on the ground they
now stand upon. Young Grey has not yet spoke on either of these
last days, and he is hitherto a superior four-year-old to any of
our side. I have kept Sir Hugh Williams and Parry steady to
their tackle; the latter, I think, unless a judgeship comes
soon, will not live much longer, not being of an age or
constitution to live for ever on expectation, however good his
may be, for I am assured he is to have the first vacancy. What
the event of Hastings's trial will be, I cannot say; the
prosecution is carried on with great ability and acrimony, but
hitherto the oral evidence has fallen short of the expectations
pronounced by the managers.
Fox made a severe attack on the Chancellor and the Court, for
which Lord Fortescue was near moving to have the words taken
down, and to adjourn to the House of Lords, but letting the
proper moment slip, he was advised not to resume it again by the
Chancellor and the Duke of Richmond. I think the Chancellor, to
a certain degree, provoked Fox's attack by a speech the day
before in the House of Lords, which everybody said had better
been left alone.
I dined last Friday with your brother Marquis; in talking of
Lord Fortescue, he said he heard he was a sensible man, and
asked me whether he stood on his own bottom, or whether he was a
follower of the Grenvilles. I felt the aim of his _gracious_
speech, and consoled myself with his dinner and the addition of
a new stock of mimicry of those I already possess of him. He and
all his Synod are violent against the new Declaratory Bill, and
are ready for any mischief against the present Government,
though they are the last who would benefit by a change. The
Prince of Wales takes an active part in opposition, and goes on
the same. The Duke of York in politics talks both ways, and, I
think, will end in opposition. His conduct is as bad as
possible; he plays very deep, and loses, and his company is
thought _mauvais ton_.
I am told the King and Queen begin now to feel "how much sharper
than a serpent's tooth it is to have an ingrate child." When the
Duke of York is completely _done up_ in the public opinion, I
should not be surprised if the Prince of Wales assumes a
different style of behaviour; indeed, I am told he already
affects to say that his brother's style is too bad.
I am, my dear Lord,
Your affectionate and sincere
B.
The habits of the Prince and his brother were now become matter of
notoriety in the political circles, and in the preceding January had
attracted the observation of Mr. Grenville, who thus spoke of them in a
letter to Lord Buckingham:
The Prince of Wales has taken this year very much to play, and
has gone so far as to win or lose £2,000 or £3,000 in a night.
He is now, together with the Duke of York, forming a new club at
Weltzies; and this will probably be the scene of some of the
highest gaming which has been seen in town. All their young men
are to belong to it. Lord T. had even at Oxford shown his turn,
having been sent away for being concerned in the Faro then. I
leave you to form the conclusion.
Dundas's character, sketched in a sentence, and the hazards of the
Government arising from the Declaratory Bill, are the chief points in
the next communication from the sprightly Lord Bulkeley.