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A Lost Letter of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, to George Grenville, 13 October 1761 1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

K. W. Schweizer
K. W. Schweizer
Affiliation:
Peterhouse, Cambridge
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Type
Communication
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , June 1974 , pp. 435 - 442
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

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References

2 Smith, W. J., ed., The Grenville Papers (London, 1852), I, pp. 395–6. (See Document 1).Google Scholar

3 Sir Gilbert Elliot, M.P. for Selkirkshire, Commissioner of the Treasury and close friend of Bute. See: Valentine, A., The British Establishment, 1760–1784 (Oklahoma, 1970), II, pp. 293–4.Google Scholar

4 Namier, L. B., England in the Age of the American Resolution (London, 1930), p. 347, note 2. Prof. Namier declared that he could not find the original either among the Bute or the Minto manuscripts. But then he apparently only utilized the papers in the possession of Lord Harrowby and not those at Mt. Stuart, many of which were at that time still uncatalogued.Google Scholar

5 Grenville Papers, I, p. 412 (Grenville Diary).Google Scholar

6 Cf. Jesse, J. H., Memoirs of the Life and Reign of George III (London, 1867), pp. 73–4.Google ScholarAlmon, J., The History of the Late Minority (London, 1766), p. 12 ff.Google ScholarSherard, O. A., Lord Chatham and America (London, 1958), p. 11 ff.Google ScholarWalpole, H., Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Third (London, 1894), p. 62.Google Scholar

7 For Bute's own statements see: Bute to Henley, 26 Dec. 1761, Bute MSS (Mt. Stuart), 730; Russell, Lord J. ed., Correspondence of John, Fourth Duke of Bedford (London, 1846), III, pp. 50–1 (Bute to Bedford, 10 Oct. 1761)Google Scholar; and Devonshire Diary (Chatsworth MSS), 6 Oct. 1761./260.348.

8 Originally Bute had intended Fox for high office, but he changed his mind after hearing the objections of Devonshire and Newcastle. See: Earl of Ilchester, Henry Fox, Lord Holland (London, 1920), II, p. 146;Google Scholar Devonshire Diary (Chatsworfh MSS), 25 Sept. 1761./260.343.

9 Newcastle to Hardwicke, 26 Sept. 1761. B.M. Add. MSS 32928, ff. 362–3. See also Hardwicke's answer reprinted in Yorke, P. C., The Life and Correspondence of Philip Yorke, Earl of Hardwicke (Cambridge, 1913), III, pp. 327–8.Google Scholar

10 For example, he nor only informed Mitchell (the British envoy in Berlin) that the recent resignation would not alter Britain's war policy, but he also adopted a highly aggressive attitude towards Spain. See: Bute to Mitchell, 9 Oct. 1761. Public Record Office, State Papers (Foreign), 90/79. Ruville, A. von, William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (London, 1907), III, pp. 28–33.Google ScholarYorke, , Hardwicke, p. 294.Google Scholar

11 On Grenville see: Grenville Papers, I, pp. viii–xvi.Google ScholarWiggin, L. M., The Faction of Cousins: A political account of the Grenvilles, 1733–1763 (Yale, 1958).Google ScholarJohnson, A. S., The Political Career of George Grenville (Duke University, unpub.Ph.D., 1955).Google ScholarTomlinson, R. G. ed., Additional Grenville Papers, 1763–1765 (Manchester, 1962).Google Scholar

12 Grenville Papers, I, p. 414. (Grenville Diary) see also:Google ScholarNamier, , American Revolution, p. 343.Google Scholar

13 Newcastle to Hardwicke, 26 Sept. 1761, B.M. Add. MSS 32928, ff. 364–5.

14 Arthur Onslow, M.P. who was about to retire after a long and honourable career.

15 Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont. See Wiggin, , The Faction of Cousins, p. 249 ff.Google Scholar

16 For further details see: Newcastle to Bedford, 10 Oct. 1761. Bedford MSS no. 8 vol. XLHI, f. 194; Newcastle to Devonshire, 14 Oct. 1761, B.M. Add. MSS 32929, f. 252; Newcastle to Grenville, Oct. 7, 1761, Grenville Papers, I, pp. 393–4;Google ScholarNamier, , American Revolution, p. 345.Google Scholar

17 Grenville Papers, I, p. 412 (Grenville Diary).Google Scholar

18 Newcastle to Hardwicke, 13 Oct. 1761, B.M. Add. MSS 35421, ff. 112–3. Also: Stanley, D. A. Win, Personal and Party Government (Cambridge, 1910), pp. 82–3Google Scholar and Yorke, , Hardwicke, III, pp. 331–2.Google Scholar

19 Such as the view held by Sedgwick, R. R. ed., Letters from George III to Lord Bute (London, 1939), p. lx.Google Scholar

20 Apparently the assurance of the King's firm support was the prime determining factor in this decision. See Document 3.

21 Newcastle to Rockingham, 3 Nov. 1761, B.M. Add. MSS 32930, S. 299–300. For Bute's final arrangement with Fox see: Shelburne to Bute, 31 Oct. 1761, Bute Correspondence, Cardiff Public Library, 5/57; Fitzmaurice, Lord E., The Life of William, Earl of Shelburne (London, 1912), I, pp. 95–6.Google Scholar

22 Grenville Papers, I, p. 412 (Grenville Diary).Google Scholar

1 Reprinted from Grenville Papers, I, pp. 395–6.Google Scholar

1 On the top left-hand side of the manuscript Bute wrote: ‘This letter I dispatched Elliot to read to G. Grenville, when fluctuating about taking the lead in the House of Commons on Pitt's resignation.’

2 The original letter is docketed Dec/1761 while in the Register of the Correspondence of the Earl of Bute (B.M. Add. MSS 36.796. f. 124) the date given is 29 Dec. 1761. Internal evidence of course proves both dates to be wrong. The letter was written on the same night of Newcastle's conversation with Bute (i.e. Tuesday, 13 Oct. 1761). See: Namier, , American Revolution, p. 347.Google Scholar

3 Besides wanting to become speaker of the House of Commons, Grenville also considered it inappropriate to succeed his brother-in-law. See Devonshire Diary (Chatsworth MSS), 6 Oct. 1761./260.348.

4 Though Pitt remained civil, Grenville was ostentatiously snubbed by his brothers for remaining within the administration. See Wiggin, , The Faction of Cousins, pp. 254–7;Google ScholarGrenville Papers, I, pp. 409–14. (Grenville Diary).Google Scholar

5 viz., giving up the speakership but taking the lead in the Commons.

6 Shelburne thought it wise to give the seals to a commoner, so Pitt could not complain about a “cabal of nobles.” See Shelburne to Bute, 6 Oct. 1761, Bute Correspondence, Cardiff Public Library, 5/56.

7 Winstanley, , Personal and Party Government, p. 82;Google ScholarHunt, W., ‘Pitt's retirement from office, Oct. 5, 1761’, English Historical Review (vol. XXI, 1906), pp. 128–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

8 Actually, Bute merely censures Newcastle for his weak conduct of foreign policy, whereas in the Grenville Papers, p. 396 (see Document 1) the implication is much stronger (i.e. “foreign system, foreign ideas” ).

9 Those of Secretary of State for the Northern Department.

10 This is present tense in the original.

11 This interesting exposition, scarcely consonant with the traditional story of Bute's indiscriminate vendetta against Newcastle and followers, is entirely missing from the summary made by Mrs Grenville.

12 Apparendy in 1759, when approached by Leicester House (via Lord Lincoln), Newcastle had avowed his intention of resigning in the coming reign. This was taken seriously and the Duke was never allowed to forget it. Indeed just before Pitt's resignation, the Duke, talking to Bute, again expressed his intention of retiring should the king desire it. (See Newcastle to Lord Lincoln, Sept. 1761. Newcastle MSS Nottingham University Library, NEC. 3/841.) Also: B.M. Add. MSS 32889, ff. 136–7 (Memo. Mar. 18, 1759). Yorke, , Hardwicke, III, pp. 306–7.Google ScholarNamier, , American Revolution, pp. 112–4.Google Scholar

13 This of course had been the advice of the Duke of Devonshire right from the beginning. See Devonshire Diary (Chatsworth MSS), 5 Nov., 24 Nov., 8 Dec, 1760. 11 July, 18 Nov., 1761.

14 The original letter was incorrectly docketed 12 Oct., 1761. However, since Bute's letter was not composed until the night of 13 Oct., 1761, Elliot's reply (containing that letter) must have been written the next day.