wcastle. For his attack on the
whig party George needed a scheme and a man--some one to act for him in
matters in which as king he could not appear personally to interfere.
The man was ready to his hand, his friend and teacher, Bute. His scheme
of attack was to create a division between Newcastle and Pitt, to make
peace with France, and force Pitt to leave the ministry, Pitt's
resignation would weaken the whigs, and the king would be in a position
to give office to Bute and any other ministers he might choose.
Newcastle and Pitt were not really in accord, for not only was Newcastle
jealous of Pitt, but he was anxious to bring the war to an end while
Pitt wished to continue it. George therefore started on his work of
sowing dissension between them with something in his favour. He disliked
Pitt's war policy. He and Bute desired peace, no doubt for its own sake,
as well as because it would forward their plan, for when the war ended
the great war minister would no longer be necessary to the whigs.

On the day of his accession George privately offered to make Bute a
secretary of state.[11] He refused the offer, for to have stepped into
the place of Holdernesse while the whig party was still united would
have been premature. The council was immediately summoned to Carlton
house, a residence of the princess-dowager. George at once showed that
he would take a line of his own. After a few gracious words to Newcastle
in private audience, he closed the interview by saying, "My lord Bute is
your very good friend and will tell you my thoughts at large". The duke,
Pitt, and Holdernesse were called into the closet to hear the
declaration he was about to make to the privy council; it is said to
have been written by the king himself with the help of Bute. When it had
been read George merely asked if anything was "wrong in point of form".
Pitt could scarcely believe his ears; the war was described as "bloody
and expensive". He had an interview with Bute in the evening and
insisted on a change in the sentence. He carried his point, and the
words in the council-book with reference to the war are: "As I mount the
throne in the midst of an expensive, but just and necessary war, I shall
endeavour to prosecute it in a manner most likely to bring about an
honourable and lasting peace in concert with my allies". The last five
words were dictated by Pitt.[12] Bute having been sworn of the privy
council, and having entered the cabinet as groom of t