ms (to which the Duke of
Portland had acceded in July, 1782,) are immoderately high,
viz., L2,000 per annum for three lives. When you will recollect
that our late Chancellors, though going to the Woolsack from
high offices and emoluments, received--Lord Camden L1,500 a year
Irish, till a Tellership fell; Lord Bathurst nothing; Lord
Thurlow a reversion of a tellership at L3,000 per annum. Compare
the pretensions and the rewards!

In this kingdom you will see that there is _de quoi s'amuser_ in
Parliament: the Funds lower than in war; L30,000,000 still
unfunded, consequently L1,500,000, at the least, to be raised of
annual taxes, and at least L500,000 or L600,000 additional taxes
to make up the deficiencies. Nothing done in Reform, except the
creation of new offices, and the whole attention of ministers
exclusively turned to the book of Numbers. My brother's fears
were that the Opposition might be petulant. With this bill of
fare, and that which the foreign questions will furnish, I do
not think that we run great risk. Do not answer the detail of
this letter, for it is unsafe; but I wished to take every
opportunity to give you good information, and to assure you of
the affectionate regard with which I am,

My dear Lord,
Ever yours,
N. T.

The East India Bills were introduced by Mr. Fox, on the 18th of
November. The extreme and almost unprecedented principle laid down in
these Bills, afforded His Majesty and his private advisers the
opportunity of resistance they desired. Had the Opposition themselves
framed a measure for Ministers, with the express purpose of widening the
distance between the Cabinet and the Sovereign, they could not have
devised one better adapted to the purpose. The main object of the East
India Bills was to withdraw from the Company the entire administration
of the civil and commercial affairs of India, and to vest it in a board
of commissioners, who should be nominated by Parliament, and rendered
perfectly independent of the Crown. This scheme is said to have been
devised by Mr. Burke; but even the paternity of Mr. Burke could not
mitigate the odium that was heaped upon it by the Pitt and Grenville
party. Mr. Pitt described it as a piece of tyranny that broke through
every principle of equity and justice, that took away the security of
every company in the kingdom, the Bank, the national creditor and the