said of him, as to make him of another opinion for the moment, though I readily believe your Lordship that it is changed. This is the case not only with regard to the Duke, but with anybody whom he has lived in friendship with, which you will find him, as I have often assured your Lordship, most uncommonly sincere in. For my own part I see it in most odious colours, but not less serious for their being odious. I do believe it requires the utmost activity and versatility in your Lordship to rescue the King from being liable the whole of his reign to such insults.
I am with great esteem and regard,
My dear Lord,
The preliminaries were submitted to both Houses of Parliament on December 9th. Shelburne was entrusted with the motion approving them in the House of Lords.[1] No record of his speech on this occasion is preserved. The preliminaries were approved in both Houses. "Now," said the Princess Dowager, "my son is King of England."[2] "Strip the Duke of Newcastle of his three Lieutenancies immediately," wrote Fox, anticipating the victory. "I'll answer for the good effect of it, and then go on to the general rout, but let this beginning be made immediately.[3] I should not wish your Lordship," he continued, when sure of the event, "so entirely well as I do (and hope you think I do), if I did not touch upon the subject of turning out, lest these scenes should ever come to be acted over again. The impertinence of our conquered enemies last night was great, but will not continue so if His Majesty shows no lenity. But, my Lord, with regard to their numerous dependents in Crown employments, it behoves your Lordship in particular to leave none of them. Their connections spread very wide, and every one of them, their relations and friends, is in his heart your enemy. They
