e of First Lord of the
Treasury.

Under these circumstances he submits to your Majesty the counsel, that
your Majesty would be graciously pleased to consult the nobleman or
gentleman who should be your Majesty's first Minister, before any
other step should be taken upon the subject. He might think that he
had reason to complain if he should find that it was arranged that
the Duke of Wellington should continue to fill the office of
Commander-in-Chief, and such impression might have an influence upon
his future relations with that office.

Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington believes that Lord John Russell
and all your Majesty's former Ministers were aware, that during
the whole period of the time during which Lord Hill was the General
Commanding-in-Chief your Majesty's Forces, the professional opinion
and services of Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington were at all times
at the command and disposition of your Majesty's servants, and were
given whenever required.

He happened to be at that time in political opposition to the
Government in the House of Parliament, of which he was a member; but
that circumstance made no difference.

It is impossible for the Duke of Wellington to form a political
connection with Lord John Russell, or to have any relation with the
political course of the Government over which he should preside.

Such arrangement would not conciliate public confidence, be considered
creditable to either party, or be useful to the service of your
Majesty.

Nor, indeed, would the performance of the duties of the
Commander-in-Chief of the Army require that such should exist; on the
other hand, the performance of these duties would require that the
person filling the office should avoid to belong to, or to act in
concert with, a political party opposed to the Government.

Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington has considered it his duty
to submit these considerations, in order that your Majesty may be
perfectly aware of the position in which he is about to place himself,
in case Lord John Russell should counsel your Majesty to command
Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington to continue to hold the office of
Commander-in-Chief of your Majesty's Land Forces.

He at once submits to your Majesty the assurance that he will
cheerfully devote his service to your Majesty's command upon receiving
the official intimation thereof, and that he will as usual make every
effort in his power to promote your Majesty's servi