rliament, the Catholic Question naturally occurred
and gave rise to a good deal of discussion in the Cabinet. Mr.
Pitt, Lord Grenville, Lord Spencer, Mr. Dundas, and Mr. Wyndham
declared themselves in favour of Catholic Emancipation; and the
Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Portland and Lord Westmorland
against it. Lord Chatham and Lord Liverpool did not attend the
Council, the former being at Winchester as military commander of
that district and the latter was confined to his house by
illness.

The King was of course informed of this division in the Cabinet
and took a decided part by talking against the question freely
and openly to everyone he saw. On Wednesday, the 28th of
January, the King said to Mr. D[undas] at the _levee_ in such a
voice that those who were near might hear him--"So here is an
Irish Secretary come over to propose in Parliament the
Emancipation of the Irish Catholics, as they call it"--and then
he declared himself in the strongest degree hostile to the
question. This was of course reported to Mr. Pitt. On the Friday
(the 30th) the King sent for the Speaker to the Queen's House
and conversed with him a long time. Upon my mentioning this
circumstance to Mr. Pitt, he said he knew what happened at that
interview and seemed perfectly satisfied with it. He had before
told me (namely, the first night he saw me, Saturday, Feb. 7th)
that he knew nine days before that he should be under the
necessity of resigning. On the 31st Mr. Pitt wrote his first
letter to the King. Two letters only passed on each side, which
see. Mr. Pitt did not see the King till at the _levee_ on
Wednesday the 11th [February]. The King spoke to him in the most
gracious manner--"You have behaved like yourself throughout this
business. Nothing could possibly be more honourable. I have a
great deal more to say to you."--"Your Majesty has already said
much more than the occasion calls for."--"Oh no, I have not; and
I do not care who hears me: it was impossible for anyone to
behave more honourably." After more conversation of the same
kind the King desired to see Mr. Pitt in the closet. The _levee_
continued, and, some little time after, Mr. Pitt said to the
King: "Your Majesty will pardon me if I take the liberty of
saying that I fear I shall not be able to attend Your Majesty in
the closet.