t
connexions in that country? If not, there seems no hope of any
permanent agreement on this subject, even if it were so patched up
for the present as that he could go to Ireland. The next is whether
it is possible for him to undertake the Government without
insisting on the removal of Fitzgibbon? If this cannot be done, the
thing must come to an immediate stop, as we are more and more
convinced that we cannot in honour or duty accede to that measure.
And lastly, supposing any or all of these considerations to oppose
an insurmountable obstacle in the way of his going, ought that to
prevent his continuing to hold his present situation? and can the
Duke of P., Lord F., and _others_, be justified in bringing on the
country the infinite mischiefs of the dissolution of the present
united Government, on no stronger ground than because alterations,
however desirable in their opinion, in the system of governing
Ireland cannot be adopted.

I have said nothing in all this of the question about Lord
Westmoreland's removal. I should readily agree with what you say in
your last letter on that subject, that he ought to wait for a
provision, if I did not see that even this is rendered more
difficult by the _eclat_ of what has happened. Still I should think
he ought to forego his claim; but if he thinks otherwise, he has a
positive promise, which of course cannot be broken. But I always
feel a confidence that this point would in some manner be arranged,
because I am sure that we should all be willing to make almost any
sacrifice rather than let it be said by the enemy, that after
having professed to unite on public principle, we had separated on
a mere squabble about the distribution of places.

The other points are those from which I fear the most. It is,
however, a satisfaction to me to think that I see on both sides (I
know it exists on one) a very sincere and earnest desire to prevent
the fatal consequences which a division amongst us, at such a
moment as the present, must infallibly produce. And I can truly add
that, on our part, this desire is increased by the manner in which
everything else had gone on before this unhappy subject was
started.

You are coming from a bad scene and to a bad scene; but we must
hope the best, both at home and abroad