ir John Mitford, afterwards Lord Redesdale. There is
no ground for the insinuation that Addington snatched at office. He took
it without eagerness but from conscientious conviction; and Pitt, with
the usual generosity of his nature, assured him of his support as a
private member. Of Pitt's colleagues Grenville, Dundas, Spencer, and
Windham offered their resignations; so also did Cornwallis and
Castlereagh at Dublin. Portland retained the Home Secretaryship. Of late
he had wavered on the subject of Catholic Emancipation, perhaps owing to
the arguments of Loughborough. Westmorland and Chatham also kept their
positions of Lord Privy Seal and Lord President. The retention of office
by the latter aroused some comment; but as the earnest desire of Pitt
was to disarrange the Ministry as little as possible, he probably
approved conduct which outsiders condemned as unbrotherly.

The following letter from Chatham, dated Winchester, 6th February, is of
interest. After expressing his regret at Pitt's resignation, he
continues: "Upon the measure itself of granting further indulgence to
the Catholics I have neither time, nor indeed would it be of any use, to
say anything at present. I will only observe that if, by being on the
spot, I could in any degree have contributed even to put off the
extremity to which the agitation of it has led, I should think I had
done much, and I should be most unhappy in having been absent; otherwise
I consider myself as fortunate in having avoided a discussion which
could only have been painful to me in many respects. As things stand, I
shall certainly think it my duty to come to town in a few days, and I
will defer, till we meet, any further remarks; I will only add that if
your part is irrevocably taken, the King could not have acted more
wisely than in having recourse to the Speaker.... I see all the
difficulty and delicacy of your situation."[585]

Far less charitable were the sentiments of Dundas in the following
letter:

Wimbledon, _7 Feb., 1801_.[586]

I know not to what stage the Speaker's endeavours to form an
Arrangement have proceeded; but it is impossible for me not to
whisper into your ear my conviction that no Arrangement can be
formed under him as its head that will not crumble to pieces
almost as soon as formed. Our friends who, as an act of
friendship and attachment to you agree to remain in office, do
it with the utmost