of profligacy, inattention to bufi nefs, and barefaced immorality, which daily increase in every department of life, and muft bring down ruin, and the diffolution of our country.

"That firft quality of knowledge, which Lord Northington lamented the extinction of in this country, I fhall never prefume to be entitled to; but that of integrity I dare affert my claim to; and in that particular I hold myfelf inferior to no man; I only with it was in my power to give your great and invaluable friend the mult convincing proo's of this affertion, as well as of my profound veneration for him. You have known me long enough to be perfuaded, that nothing can diveft me from the love of my country, and the paths of an honest conduct; therefore, ever command, with the utmost freedom, my dear Doctor,

"Your most faithful,
"and fincere friend,
JAMES WRIGHT."

"P. S. I fhall be in town on Tuesday about three o'clock, and ftay till the following day."

The next day the following anfwer, written by the Countess of Chatham, was fent to Dr. Addington:

No. VII. Copy of a Letter from Lady Chatham to Dr. Addington, dated Feb. 9.

"I WRITE, my dear Sir, from my Lord's bed-fide, who has had much pain all laft night from the gout in his left hand and wrift. The pulfe indicates more pain to come. He defires me to

exprefs for him the true fenfe he has of all your very friendly atten tion in this very delicate and critical fituation. The gentleman's letter which you tranfmit is handfomely written, and fufficiently explicit. At the fame time, it is impoffible not to remark how widely it dif fers from the tenor of fome of the intimations conveyed in former ftrange converfations to you. The letter now before him is written alfo with much fenfe and candour, as coming from a heart, touched with the extreme dangers impending over the King and kingdom. Those dangers are, indeed extreme, and feem to preclude all hope.'

Hayes, quarter before one, Feb. 9, 1778.

From this unambiguous and au thentic account, founded on indifputable evidence, every impartial perfon will determine whether the following propofition is not fully established, viz. "That the late Earl of Chatham not only did not court a political negotiation with the Earl of Bute, but without hefitation peremptorily rejected every idea of acting with his Lordfhip in administration.

Dr. Addington's Narrative, containing his Account of what passed relative to the Tranfaction between him and Sir James Wright.

of faving it was for Lord Bute and Lord Chatham to unite firmly together; but remarking, that they were two of the men the King bated moft. After various converfations on this matter, Sir James faid, Lord Bute thought Lord Chatham had a difrefpect for him. Dr. Addington replied, that, to the beft of this remembrance, Lord Chatham had never once named Lord Bute to him; but that he thought Lord Chatham had no difrefpect for Lord Bute; adding, that though they might differ in politics, Lord Chatham was not the kind of man to have difre fpect, or bear ill-will to any man. Sir James added, he was fure Lord Bute had the highest refpect for Lord Chatham; that he had heard Lord Bute bestow great commendations on his whole fpeech at the beginning of the feffion, except that part which regarded the recal of the troops, and that the Doctor might tell Lord Chatham fo if he pleafed; but he never mentioned it till the 3d of February,

Nothing more paffed till the 2d of February, when Sir James afked the Doctor whether he had mentioned their former converfation to Lord Chatham. He faid he had not. Sir James then faid, that fince that converfation he had feen Lord Bute, and was certain he had the fame carneft defire with Lord Chatham to fave the country; and was also certain, that nobody could fave it but Lord Chatham, with the affiftance of Lord Bute; that Lord Bute was ready to affift him, and would be Secretary of State in the room of Lord Weymouth. The Doctor understood that Lord Bute had told Sir James fo; and

he has afked Sir James once or twice fince, whether Lord Bute would have been Secretary of State in Lord Weymouth's room? and he answered, Yes, he would, or would not, as Lord Chatham pleafed. When Sir James had mentioned Lord Bute's readiness to affift Lord Chatham, and to be Secretary of State, he expreffed a with that the whole which had paffed might be communicated to Lord Chatham. The Doctor, on this, refolved to go to Hayes the next morning for that purpofe, looking upon it as a matter of very great moment. But he defired to have in writing, before he went, the fubftance of what had paffed between Lord Bute and Sir James. Sir James faid, he had not time to write then, as he was in a hurry to go to Ray-houfe, but would write in the evening, and fend his letter to town by nine the next morning. The Doctor, notwithftanding, was permitted to acquaint Lord Chatham with Lord Bute's willingness to be Secretary of State, and, as he understood, with every thing else he has depofed, which is not expreffed in the letter (Vide No. I.). letter is dated the 2d of January, 1778; it should have been dated February 2d: the Doctor received it February 3d, before nine in the morning, and fet out directly for Hayes. He read the Letter to Lord Chatham, who was very attentive, and in a few minutes afterwards dictated this answer (Vide No. II. as above.). As foon as Dr. Addington had writ and read to Lord Chatham the above anfwer, he communicated to Lord Chatham what Sir James Wright had told him of the readiness of

The

Lord

Lord Bute to be Secretary of State, in the place of Lord Weymouth. He feemed to think it ftrange. "Indeed!" faid he; "did Sir James Wright tell you, fo?" "He certainly told me fo."-After this, he afked Lord Chatham whether he had any objection to coming in with Lord Bute or Lord North? He lifted up his hands, and faid, "It was impoffible for him to ferve the King and country with either of them; and if any one asks you about it, I defire you to bear witness that you heard me fay fo." He repeated the fame words just as the Doctor was leaving him.

Sir James continued at Rayhoufe till February 5th or 6th. He called on the Doctor in the morning of the 6th, and took a correct copy of Lord Chatham's anfwer, dated February 3d. Upon reading it, he afked what was meant by the words, "real change." It looks, faid he, as if they included Lord Bute as well as the miniftry, and as if Lord Chatham thought Lord Bute was concerned in public affairs. I can affure you, he has nothing to do with them, and has not feen the King thefe two years. If Lord Chatham has a mind to undertake the direction of public affairs, there will be no objection to his having the affiftance of Lord Camden; but there are fome he might chufe who could not be admitted. Sir James faid, he was to wait on Lord Bute at one that day, and would fend the Doctor an answer to Lord Chatham's paper between two and three, if Lord Bute fhould chufe to give any. But a misfortune happening in

Lord

Bute's family, no answer was sent till February 8th, in the morning. On the 7th of February, a fervant of Lord Chatham's came to town, by whom Dr. Addington fent a letter to Hayes, at two o'clock, giving Lord Chatham an account of the above-mentioned converfation with Sir James Wright on the 6th. On the evening of the 7th, his Lordship wrote the following anfwer, which the Doctor received the next morning (Vide No. III, and No. IV.).

On the 8th of February, foon after Lord Chatham's letter arrived, the Doctor received that

The Doctor fent

letter from Sir James which had been expected from February 6th. (Vide No. VI.) It is dated February 7th, and contains Lord Bute's anfwer to Lord Chatham's paper of February 3d. it immediately to Hayes, and had the next morning the answer written by Lady Chatham, dated February 9th. (Vide No. VII.) The Doctor communicated to Sir James Wright this letter from Lady Chatham, and alfo the latter part of that from Lord Chatham, as foon as he could; and fo the affair ended.

P. S. In Sir James Wright's letter of February 2d, there are the following words: "I told Lord Bute that a friend of mine had hinted to me, that he thought Lord Chatham had a high opinion of his Lordship's honour, as well as his fincere good wishes for the public fafety." After reading these words to Lord Chatham, the Doc tor could not but take notice that Sir James had miftaken him; for all he faid was, that he thought

Lord

Lord Chatham had no disrespect for Lord Bute, &c. as is ftated above.

Sir James Wright's Answer to Dr. Addington's Narrative.

A

N' account having been printed in feveral of the newspapers of the 14th and 16th -inRant, concerning a negociation, (if it may be called fo) faid to have been carried on between the Earl of Bute and the late Earl of Chatham, which feems to convey an impreflion as if Sir James Wright had carried to Dr. Addington a propofition from Lord Bute, to take a fhare in adminiftration with the-late Earl of Chatham; Sir James Wright thinks himfelf obliged, in fupport of truth, and in vindication of his own honour, to declare thus publicly what he has long fince and repeatedly given under his

own

band, and afferted verbally on this fubje&.

He therefore now declares, in the most folemn manner, upon the word of a man of honour-"That, he never received, directly, or indirectly, from the Earl of Bute, or delivered to Dr. Addington, any propofition to that or the like ffect; and that he never had the leaft authority from Lord Bute, to mention, hint, or fuggeft, to Dr. Addington any terms whatever on which his Lordship wished Lord Chatham to come into adminiftration, or made any offer on the part of Lord Bute, but of his hearty concurrence and fincere good wifhes, if Lord Chatham thought fit to take a part in adminiftra, tion." Thus much Sir James Wright thinks proper to fay at

prefent, until he can properly digeft what he fhall have fhortly to offer the public on this subject.

These accounts having been pub

hfhed in most of the news. papers, occafioned the following addrefs from Lord Mountftewart, eldelt fon to the Earl of Bute.

SIR,

T

Hill-freet, O&. 23.

HE publication which has

appeared in your paper, and is there faid to be taken from a copy handed about by the friends of the late Earl of Chatham, makes it neceffary for me to defire a place for this letter figned with my name.

The first paragraph of that publication obferves very truly, that various falfe reports had been induftriously propagated concerning a negotiation faid to have been carried on between the Earl of Bute and the late Earl of Chatham. No lefs than three feveral reports of negotiations between thofe two noble Lords reached me in the courfe of laft fpring, each differing from the other two in circumftances, and all from one another in the tubftitutes named as having been employed in the tranfactions; and I took fome pains to fearch into the origin of thefe ftories; not to fatisfy any doubt of mine as to their falfhood (for I believed none of them), but to convince fome of my acquaintance who difagreed, and others who might difagree, with me in opinion upon the fubject.

In confequence of thefe enquiries, the perfons mentioned agents or meffage-bearers in two

as

of

of the three reports, very readily difclaimed all share in or knowledge of the tranfactions afcribed to them. With respect to the third, there was more pretence of foundation; fince meffages certainly paffed between the late Earl of Chatham and my father, by means of Sir James Wright and Dr. Addington.

The reprefentation I had heard of fome particulars in the fubject matter of that intercourfe furprifed me fo much, that I requested the favour of an explanation from Dr. Addington, who obligingly allow ed me to write from his mouth fuch an account as he thought fit to give me, and approved my ftate of it when written. This was put into Sir James Wright's hands, who in a fhort time produced an anfwer contradicting it in all the material articles of their converfations, on which Dr. Addington's reports to Lord Chatham had been founded. I read over the anfwer to Dr. Addington, who perfifted in maintaining the truth of his relations; but faid, he would reconfider the matter at leifure, and put his thoughts into writing Accordingly he afterwards fent me a paper, the fame with that referred to in your publication, and fince printed under the title of Dr. Addington's Narrative.

The relations given by these two gentlemen being thus inconfiftent, it was thought proper that a full abftract should be prepared of their refpective papers, and others which my enquiries had produced, including my father's own account of his part in Sir James Wright's anfaction, digefted into fome me

thod, to be fhewn to fuch as might defire to fee it, but not allowed to be copied. This abftract or digeft was executed by a friend, at my requeft, in a fair ftate of the allegations on both fides between Sir James and the Doctor, with a preliminary detail or introductory narrative of the several steps I had taken in the enquiries above-mentioned; and my friend's compilation hath been read by a few people; but no copy, as I am informed, hath been delivered out of my family, except one which had been intended for a very near relation, and was fent to Lady Chatham, with copies of Sir James Wright's papers, at her Ladyfhip's own defire. To thefe communications, I underftand, it is immediately owing, that the authentic account lately printed was judged indifpenfably neceffary to be drawn up and circulated; of which Lady Chatham was fo good as to furnish my father with a copy thirteen or fourteen days before it appeared in print: fo that I, who confider myself as being in fome degree the caufe of the publication, am for this reafon called upon to take a public notice of it, if my connexion, and the nature of the occafion, did not afford me fufficient inducement and excufe for fo doing.

The account is avowed exprefsly to be drawn up from papers in poffeffion of the Earl of Chatham's family, in order to fhew whether the fuppofed negotiation did or did not originate from his Lordfhip: fo that the papers are con felfedly furnifhed by the Earl's fa. mily for the purpofe of compofing this account; which, therefore

beat