At top of p. [1]: "Private & Confidential."
Part of a large collection of letters from and to George Canning. Letters are described in individual records; see MA 854-855 for more details.
Speaking of "the astonishment which has been created in [his] mind by the view which appears to have been presented to [Wellesley] of the late transactions so far as regards [Wellesley]"; pointing out the absurdity of Wellesley's supposition that he was not offered the position of first minister because Canning opposed it; writing, "how can it have been supposed that my resignation should operate to lower your pretensions either in the King's [George III] estimation, or in your own?"; describing the circumstances of his resignation; mentioning the Duke of Portland [William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck], [Spencer] Perceval, Lord Liverpool [Robert Banks Jenkinson], and Lord Harrowby [Dudley Ryder]; arguing forcefully that he did not stand in the way of Wellesley's being offered the position of prime minister: "If no such offer has been made to you -- if all that you have been called upon to undertake is, my vacant office, under Perceval Prime Minister, I claim of your fairness, & of our friendship, that you shall not believe -- but shall reject, (as I would do in your case,) as an unworthy attempt to set us at variance with each other, the insinuation that it is to any indisposition of mine that you are to attribute your not being called to the Head of the Government"; informing him that [Robert Stewart, Viscount] Castlereagh's resignation took place after his; discussing the circumstances under which the Duke of Portland resigned as prime minster.