, Five P.M.

MY DEAR DUKE,

I have this instant returned from the Cabinet, to which the first
sketch of the King's Speech has been submitted. The principal parts
of it are the expression of hope that peace may still be preserved
between Russia and the Porte; pleasure at the manifestation of
loyalty and attachment during his visit in Ireland; hope that it
has produced beneficial effects, but regret at the spirit of
outrage which has evinced itself by systematic violence, &c.;
determination to exert every means in his power to protect the
peaceable and loyal, and referring it to the consideration of
Parliament whether further powers may be necessary--_i.e._,
Insurrection Act; assurances of the determination to administer the
law _equally and impartially_ to every description of subjects;
great satisfaction at the increasing produce of the revenue, and
the flourishing state of manufactures. The Speech concludes with
the depression of the agricultural interest, and so commending the
subject to the most serious attention of Parliament.

I have no time to enter into a discussion of these points before
the post goes out, as I only returned from Dropmore to the Cabinet,
and have some other letters which cannot be delayed. I am anxious
to hear how soon you come up, as subjects of this kind can be
considered infinitely better by conversation than correspondence.

Our accounts from Ireland are very bad. There has been a desperate
engagement between the insurgents and a party of the King's troops
near Bantry, in which the former fought with great resolution. One
of the soldiers was killed, and twelve of the others. There has
also been a search for arms in Kildare, which has produced 667
fire-locks and a great number of other weapons. This, so near
Dublin, is a more alarming circumstance than the former.

The Commission for the new Board, consisting of Fremantle,
Phillimore, and myself, is at length ordered, and will appear in
to-morrow night's _Gazette_.

If you have no particular objection, I wish that you would yourself
propose to Lord Liverpool the arrangement for the change of
Phillimore for Sir E. Carington at St. Mawe's, and the return of
the former for a Government seat.

I think that Lord Liverpool seems indisposed to Phillimore, and
perhaps has not yet forgot his re