198

RIT

{Ear

that of frankness ans anreserve, by which your letter i
characterized. Pirgt I+ mn cov that I am very sorry to heer
you are about to leave London immediately, I meant wo
bake the earliest opportunity, after the passing of the Cor?
Bill, to ask for the satisfaction of making your persons]
“oqueintance, and of expressing a hope that every recol
lection of past personal differences was obliterated for ever:
If you were aware of the opinions I have been express
ing during the last two years to my most intimate friends
with regard to the purity of your motives, your intellectusl
power, and ability to give. effect to it by real eloquence
you would share in my surprise that all this time T was sp"
posed to harbour some hostile personal feeling towards you-“I
 need not give you the assurance that I shall regard
your letter a8 a communication more purely confidential
than if it had been written to me by some person united t0
me by the closest bonds of private friendship.
“I do not think I mistake my position.
“I would have given, as I said I would give, every proof
of fidelity to the measures which I introduced at the beginning
 of this Session. I would have instantly advised dissolution
 if dissolution had been necessary to ensure their
passing. I should have thought such an exercise of the
Prerogative justifiable—if it had givon rae a majority on 10
other question. If my retention of office, under any circumstances
 however adverse, had been necessary or would have
been probably conducive to the success of those measures;
I would have retained it. They will, however, I confidently
trust, be the law of the land on Friday next.
“I do not agree with yon as to the effect of my retire
ment from office as a justifiable ground, afer the passing of
those measures.
“ You probably know or will readily believe that which
is the truth——that such ga position as wine entails the severest