Stanhope Street, March 26th, 1788.
My dear Lord,
On the whole, there is every appearance that the Declaratory
Bill has occasioned a temporary division in the Cabinet, and a
run against Dundas, and consequently against Pitt, who stands a
willing sponsor for his transgressions, and who supports him
through thick and thin. Dundas sticks to Pitt as a barnacle to
an oyster-shell, so that if he chose it he cannot shake him off,
and everybody believes he does not mean it, let what will be the
consequence, because he likes him, and really wants him in the
House of Commons; besides, there is no man who eats Pitt's toads
with such zeal, attention, and appetite, as Dundas, and we all
know the effect of those qualities. You, who know the interior
of things, must laugh at me for what I tell you, but I only can
tell you public appearances and opinions, all which you may know
to be perfectly false and untrue.
Many of the Opposition with whom I converse seem to think a
change of Government at a great distance, while the King and
Pitt are on good terms, and others are woefully disappointed
that all this late business has passed off so quietly, without
Pitt being out and Fox in. What the future consequences of the
Declaratory Bill may be to Pitt, I cannot pretend to divine; but
certainly it has brought him a temporary unpopularity, and has
hurt him in the public opinion. I own, for my own part, that I
think _Leadenhall Street_, sooner or later, will overthrow him,
as it did Fox; but in this opinion, I know I differ with _la
parenté_, who all swear to me, even the nervous Jemmy, that Mr.
Pitt has gained strength from the measure, both in Parliament
and with the public; such, likewise, is the opinion of all
Pitt's intimates. I wish I may be wrong, and shall be very happy
to be convinced that I am so.