place in the favour of the King during the late ministerial crisis, had
relinquished the power which His Majesty had invested him with.

For a thousand reasons, public and private, I am sorry you found
yourself under the necessity of resigning the Seals, and for the
same thousand reasons I hope your Lordship will soon again
accept of office.

The resignation of the Seals, here alluded to, was a step Lord Temple
felt himself called upon to take by a nice and punctilious sense of
honour; but which, upon a broader view of the exigencies of the public
service, and the peculiar demands of the occasion, could not have been
considered imperative. It had reference to the resolution of the
Commons, impugning as a high crime and misdemeanour the circulation of
the opinions of the King, with a view to influence the decision of
Parliament. That resolution was avowedly pointed at Lord Temple; and in
order that he might be enabled, without embarrassing the Sovereign or
the Government, to meet any subsequent action which the Commons might
think fit to found upon it, Lord Temple resigned. His chivalry, however,
was a mere waste of that generous self-abnegation which characterized
his whole public life. The Commons never proceeded any farther in the
matter.

In another letter to General Cuninghame, dated 1st of March, Lord Temple
expresses his regret that his recommendation of that officer to His
Majesty had not the effect he desired, and again assures him that he
possesses no power or influence with the Administration.

I am favoured with your letter upon General Pitt's appointment.
I need not repeat that if I had continued in Ireland, I should
have shown every attention to your wishes. In my present
situation I neither have been nor can be consulted in official
arrangements. My warm affection and near relationship towards
the Duke of Rutland and Mr. Pitt have disposed me to give them
the best advice which my experience in Ireland could suggest to
me; and in the course of these communications, your pretensions
to the command were stated with every advantage.

General Cuninghame replies by declaring that he considers himself very
ill-used, after having supported the British Government in Ireland for
thirty-three years in Parliament; but adds: "Why should I complain to my
benefactor, who has it not in his power to relieve me?"

Amongst the Irish correspondents who continue