3 October 1789

HMC Fortescue 1, 526. Letter from Nugent Buckingham at Teignmouth to William Wyndham Grenville

The newspapers have this day announced to me the death of the Duke of Chandos. I am persuaded that you did not think that this event could interest me, or I should have had an earlier intimation of it from you; but I feel the greatest difficulty in writing to you on this subject for reasons which must be obvious to you, notwithstanding the unlimited confidence with which I have always communicated with you.

I have now six weeks since apprized you of my intention of not returning to the government of Ireland, which I should conscientiously have done if I could have flattered myself that my strength of mind or body would have been equal to it; and I have studied to make this step, both in the manner and in the time of it, as easy to Mr Pitt as I could. At the same time you know the bitter reflexions which have preyed so deeply on my mind in consequence of the unmerited neglect which the King has so strongly shewn to me for a conduct which, to say the least of it, was honourable towards him, and steadily faithful to the just rights of Great Britain. It has however so happened that neither in the first moments of convalescence, nor in the moments of his recovery, nor in the moments in which he was bountiful of his graces elsewhere by office or by promotion of those in office, nor when Mr Pitt notified to him ten days since that the state of my health would make it impossible for me to return, has the King thought my services entitled to favour. You will say that though this may be true, yet that it is equally true that it did not depend upon Mr Pitt; and to that answer I have acquiesced, because I do not think he would, and I know that you would not deceive me. But the lapse of this great office must open the means of soothing these feelings of disappointment in my mind, and of apparent neglect in the eyes of both kingdoms, as it must give the means of some arrangement, or of pressing upon the King the indecency of suffering the one amongst his servants who personally risked and bore the most, to remain neglected and forgotten. I know so little of what is going on in the political world that I do not speak on sure grounds, But I imagine that the persons in your contemplation for this employment must be either the Duke of Dorset or the Duke of Leeds. The first will naturally wish to leave France, and the last has talked openly since his father’s death of his wish to quit the seals. Now as to either of these offices I should possibly not be thought of, because I certainly do not think of myself, even if my wretched state of health did not make such an undertaking impracticable; but the opportunity might occur of pressing the King to promote me in the peerage, as the strongest mark of his equal regard to me as well as to those whom he has rewarded, and whom by this opening he probably will reward; and the extinction of the Duke of Chandos’s title obviates his objection to the multiplication of this high rank; the Dukes of Cleveland and Kingston having already been replaced by Northumberland and Montagu. [sic] I think I can say most truly that personal vanity has no share in this request; I have sickened of such nonsense, but personal feelings of another sort make me most anxious for a testimony of this nature to my public services.

If this is impracticable, I feel the latter sensation so strongly, that, although in many points of view the office of Lord Steward is much below my wishes to pretensions, I would accept it as a stepping stone which would let me down from present situation with rather less disgrace (from apparent neglect) that that which I feel must, under all the present circumstances, accompany my retreat from Ireland, unthanked, unrewarded, and supposed from thence to be at variance with the King’s Government. After stating this I will add that if you should, after communication with Mr Pitt, be obliged to write to me that the King will not do the first, and that the second arrangement will materially distress Government from any considerations which you may be [able] to state to me, I certainly will not think of sacrificing the most essential interests of Mr Pitt’s administration by exacting (if I may use the term) that compliance with my wishes; but I owe to you, to him, and to myself, this explicit statement of my present feelings, of my wishes, and of my intentions whatever be the result.

5 October 1789

HMC Fortescue 1, 527. Extract of letter from Nugent Buckingham at Teignmouth to William Wyndham Grenville

[Political appointments…]

I remain very anxious for Marzon’s return with your answer, not for the sake of the Lord Steward’s office which is in so many points below me, but from the pain which I shall feel in seeing this given as a reward, and added to the list of those so distinguished, whilst the King’s neglect of me is so strongly marked. This is the only consideration which makes me think of this staff; but I again repeat that whatever may be the result, I shall always conceive that Pitt will have done fairly by me in the object which I do wish for; for surely Lord Sydney and the Duke of Dorset will have retired very differently from me.

5 October 1789

HMC Fortescue 1, p527. Extract of letter from William Wyndham Grenville at Holwood to Nugent Buckingham.

With respect to the other point (that of a Dukedom) I need not say how desirous I am, and have always been, that the King would consent to comply with your wishes in this respect. But it has, as you well know, been more than once mentioned to him by Pitt, and the objections which he has already stated to it, whether they are or not the true reasons which decide him, are of a nature which the death of the Duke of Chandos does not seem in any degree to remove. And I am perfectly persuaded that this is a point which nothing but the utmost extremities could carry, even if they could do it, or if you could wish them to be resorted for that purpose.

I am grieved to see the weight which you allow to such impressions as you well upon in your letter. There is no possible mark of honour or distinction that could accompany your retreat from government of Ireland which would not rejoice me, both in itself, and in proportion as it relieved your mind from any uneasiness […] The Dukedom will certainly be a mark of distinction and reward, but it surely cannot be necessary to justify your own conduct to yourself, and I am sure it would neither raise you in point of consequence of public opinion.

[…]

10 November 1789

HMC Fortescue 1, 538. Extract of letter from Nugent Buckingham at Stowe to William Wyndham Grenville. 

[…]

You seemed when we last conversed upon this painful subject, to agree so little with me upon the propriety of my feelings, or upon my situation in general […]

But upon two propositions my mind is made up; the first is that it is essential to my character and peace that the King should mark his approbation of my conduct in Ireland by some favour; and the second is that my present situation is such as a public man cannot in honour submit to, as it puts that mark of favour (either by office or promotion) at so great a distance that a negative would be less offensive.

As far as I can recollect your opinions we do not agree on either of these points. […]