taking to remove me, and one less likely to enter into the
mind of our adversaries, than if the grant expressly gave the
office only during pleasure. I can lose nothing by taking it for
life, even if such a grant is bad, because that will at least be
equal to a tenure during pleasure; and if it is good, as I think
precedents, and even the true construction of the Act will make
it, I have attained the object which your friendship is anxious
to secure to me. You will observe that the argument of vacating
by non-residence does not apply to a grant for life, _with
exception of the ministration of justice_; but to a grant,
_quamdiu se bene gesserit_, under the statute which enables the
King to grant _judicial_ offices in that form. The latter would
clearly be forfeited by non-residence, and I strongly think that
the former is good in law.

I mention this, because you appear to feel considerable
difficulties in any exchange, and I am unquestionably very
anxious that an arrangement in which I fear you must, at all
events, sacrifice a good deal to my objects, may be attended
with as little additional inconvenience to you as possible.

Our friends are sanguine as to the event of Bastard's motion,
which is to come on to day. As this opinion is the result of a
personal canvass, I hope it is tolerably founded; but I am not
enough acquainted with the particulars to give any opinion of my
own upon it. Only I think I see amongst our friends a sort of
feeling of our situation, and some revival of that zeal which
has been so grievously wanted of late. Against this there is to
be set a very general impression of the badness of the question,
which is certainly in itself not a strong one on our side, and
is made less so in appearance by the necessity we are under of
declining all personal discussions, in order to adhere to our
principle, of the impropriety of such points being debated in
Parliament. I am, however, told that there are a few of Fox's
party who do not like the question, and will not vote against
us. Plumer is mentioned in particular, and there are, I believe,
two or three others. It is a dreadful thing for the general
strength of Government, to have these sort of doubtful days
recurring so often. I am inclined to think that the event will
be that Lord H. will now remain longer t