, and at least we ought all
to be quite sure that we can tell ourselves we have each done our
best to prevent the misfortunes which seem to hang over us.

God bless you, my dearest brother.

LORD GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Dover Street, Oct. 30th, 1794.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,

I received your letter the day before yesterday at Dropmore. Mr.
Pitt, who had left me that morning, had shown me your letter to
him, with respect to which I say nothing, as I understood he meant
to write to you upon the subject. The whole business to which it
relates is in a situation, the final issue of which is extremely
doubtful. With my impression of the advantage, and even necessity,
of uniting at this time in the public service the great bulk of the
landed property of the country, and doing away all distinctions of
party between those who wish the maintenance of order and
tranquillity here, I shall very deeply regret, as a great public
misfortune, any event that leads to the dissolution of a system so
lately formed. But, on the other hand, I have certainly no
intention of making myself a party to any system of government in
Ireland that is incompatible with my views of the interest of this
country there. And in any case, I certainly neither have, nor can
take, as far as relates to myself, any step upon the subject which
has its origin in any other motive than a sense of public duty
under circumstances of much difficulty.

I considered the subject of my brother's acceptance of the
situation offered to him in Ireland as being, as in fact he appears
to have stated it to you, very undecided, even if any arrangement
were made for Lord Fitzwilliam's going there. I could have no
motive to keep it back from you, but felt it due to him to leave it
to him to do what I was sure he would be anxious to do. The whole
subject appears now in some degree suspended till his arrival. When
I see him I should of course state to him, as far as I am able to
do it, your ideas respecting it.

I am still of opinion that it will turn out that the alarm created
in Ireland, and the impression given here has originated in very
loose reports, magnified, as usual, by persons repeating them
according to their interest and wishes; but I state this as matter
of opinion only