erstand, to be replaced by Adair. On
this subject, Pitt and myself cannot but feel that the only ground
on which the Ponsonbys can desire the Chancellor's removal, is the
conduct he held during the Regency in support of Lord Buckingham's
Government, and that our consent to such a step must therefore be
utterly dishonourable and degrading to us. But independent of this
consideration, it is my sincere opinion that there cannot be
adopted any measure more certainly destructive of the peace and
tranquillity of that country. The system of introducing English
party into Ireland, the principle of connecting changes of
Government here with the removal of persons high in office there,
and particularly the marking that system in the instance of a
person of Fitzgibbon's situation, weight, and character, are all so
utterly irreconcilable with every view that I have of the state of
that country, that I should really be inexcusable if I could make
myself a party to such a measure; and in this opinion Pitt entirely
concurs.

On every principle, therefore, of duty and character, we are
obliged to say that we cannot consent to this step, and we can only
regret that, if it was originally intended, so capital a feature in
the new arrangement was not brought forward earlier. The same
observation applies to the whole idea of holding out a new system
of men and measures in Ireland. If that was meant before the
junction was made, it ought surely to have been stated then, in
order that we might judge whether it did not oppose an
insurmountable bar to the whole scheme. If it has only been
conceived since that period, it ought certainly to have been
communicated and concerted here, before any pledge or assurance was
given to individuals who might be concerned in it there.

When I say this, you must not suppose that there enters into our
minds anything like warmth or resentment on the subject. The manner
in which everything else has been conducted since we acted
together, convinces me that the evil has arisen from precipitation
and indiscretion, and not from any concerted plan of committing us,
without our knowledge, to measures which we could not be supposed
willing to adopt. And if it were still possible that the thing
could be settled without discredit to either par