ng resignation on grounds which he desired to
explain. He added: "I am in the firm persuasion that an Arrangement can
be formed to which I can give a cordial general support, and which may
keep everything safe."[590] The bishop thereupon came to town and saw
much of Pitt, whose conduct he thus describes: "I never saw Mr. Pitt in
more uniformly cheerful spirits, although everyone about him was
dejected and melancholy. He talked of his quitting office with the
utmost composure, gave the King the highest credit for the notions on
which he acted, and also fully acquitted those who were supposed to have
influenced his sentiments and conduct. He felt some dissatisfaction at
the conduct of one who was _not_ a Cabinet Minister, and was under great
obligations to Mr. Pitt, who had by intrigues and misrepresentations and
every unfair means in his power endeavoured to influence people's
opinion on the question and to excite alarm and prejudice against him."
The reference here is to Lord Auckland, but nothing definite is known as
to his conduct. The bishop then states that Pitt's equanimity was
surprising, inasmuch as his resignation would reduce his income to less
than that of a country gentleman and necessitate the sale of Holwood.
Nevertheless, no hasty word fell from him even in the most confidential
conversation; but he talked cheerfully of living in privacy for the rest
of his life, and expressed satisfaction that men who were attached to
the constitution would carry on affairs of State. The safety of the
country seemed to be his only concern. Tomline then describes the cause
and the circumstances of Pitt's resignation:[591]

While the business of the Union was going on, Lord Cornwallis
had informed the Ministers in England that the support of the
Catholics to the measure would in a great degree depend upon the
intention of Ministers to remove those disabilities under which
they at present laboured. This produced in the Cabinet a
discussion of the question of Catholic Emancipation, as it is
called, and Lord Cornwallis was authorized to declare that it
was intended by Government, after the Union should have taken
place, to grant to the Catholics some further indulgences; but
he was not authorized to pledge the Government to any particular
measure, nor was any plan of this kind settled by the Cabinet.
When the King's Speech was to be drawn up for the opening of the
Imperial Pa