Autograph letter signed : London, to the [Duke of Portland], 1782 July 21.

Concerning his acceptance of the Lieutenancy of Ireland, a position which the Duke of Portland is vacating; saying he will not formally accept the position until the public announcement of the Duke of Portland's return to England has been made; saying "Indeed my dear Lord it is not merely matter of compliment, but the true opinion of a heart most anxious for the publick welfare in this most unfortunate moment, when I assure you that I am so fully convinced of the unhappy consequences which will attend your relinquishment of the Government of Ireland, that there is hardly a sacrifice which I would not make for the accomplishment of such an object as your Graces continuance in that most important situation: under the conviction that there hardly existed a man in England who could so soon have gained, and so amply merited the fullest confidence of Ireland, think how those anxious feelings upon this unfortunate crisis are aggravated by the consciousness of my own inability & inexperience for such a situation, rendered more arduous by receiving the Government from the hands of your Grace;" commenting on the situation in England by assuring him "...that neither my principles, nor my personal feelings will permit me to support a government founded on principles differing from those upon which we have acted in common: I shall never regret the hour of our separation as the most painful period of my life; I will trust however that while our objects are the same (and I trust to heaven that they are so) sooner or later we must meet...I cannot however express in terms sufficiently strong the satisfaction I felt in understanding, that for the sake of both countries you would not press your immediate return: I am too much interested in that resolution, not to assure you that I see the full extent of the sacrifice which you make for the publick service: I trust my intentions are good, but I cannot flatter myself that in any circumstances, I can be enabled to quit Ireland with equal credit."