e who
have voted with Lord North till now, and who are disgusted
either at his union with Fox, or his conduct to the King.

To-day, the prevalent report was that you had been sent for.
This I know to be otherwise, in present, though I think it not
unlikely to happen; as I know the King's wish--at all events to
exclude Fox and North, and particularly the first. If it should
be so, lights will undoubtedly be given you which I cannot
furnish, to which will of course be added every light which it
is in my power to procure. At present I rather believe, and from
no bad authority, that the idea is, Lord Gower at the Treasury,
Jenkinson, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Townshend to manage
the House of Commons, Pitt resigning. But the whole, even from
the best information, is but a scene of conjecture. In the
meantime, the situation of the country cannot be described. The
Government is broke up just at the moment when a Government was
most wanted. Our internal regulations, our loan, our commerce,
our army, everything is at a stand, while the candidates for
office are arranging their pretensions: in the meantime, we have
no money, and our troops and seamen are in mutiny.

One thing, however, is worth your attention: a Bill is to be
brought in on Monday to open our ports to American ships,
putting them, in all respects, on the footing of natural-born
subjects; which regulation is to continue, till it is known that
they refuse to do the like by us. How can this be done in
Ireland without a Parliament?

I cannot apply, for I have nobody to apply to, about your
Peerages. Adieu, my dear brother. One thing is worse than bad
Government, viz.: the having no Government at all.

Ever yours,
W. W. G.

I still retain my wish of _bringing_ over the third reading, as
I can be of no use in the House of Lords; although I believe
with you, that the disposition to oppose does exist.

All parties were desirous of strengthening themselves by an alliance
with Lord Temple. The coalition sought to engage him even before they
were themselves in a position to treat; and there seems to be no doubt
that, at this juncture, when every succeeding hour brought new incidents
and unforeseen difficulties, a movement was going on for placing him at
the head of the Government. Mr. Astle, writing to his Lordship on the
1st o