of profligacy, inattention to bufinefs, 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 wish it was in my power to give your great and invaluable friend the moft convincing proofs 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 honeft conduct; therefore ever command, with the utmoft freedom, my dear Doctor,

Your moft 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 attention 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 differs 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. Thofe, dangers are indeed extreme, and feem to preclude all hope."

Hayes, quarter before one,

Feb. 9, 1778.

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 disrespect for him. Dr. Addington replied, that to the beft of his 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 difrefpect, 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 recall of the troops, and that the Doctor might tell Lord Chatham fo if he pleased; 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 earnest defire with Lord Chatham to fave the country; and was also certain, that nobody could fave it, but Lord Chatham, with the affifiance 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 asked Sir James once or twice fince, whether Lord Bute would have been Secretary of State in Lord Weymouth's room? and he anfwered, Yes, he would, or would not, as Lord Chatham pleafed. When Sir James had mentioned Lord Bute's readiness to afft Lord Chatham, and to be Secretary of State, he expreffed a with that the whole which had pasfed 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-house, but would write in the evening, and fend his letter to town by nine the next morning. The Doctor, notwithftanding, was permitted to quaint Lord Chatham with Lord Bute's willingness to be Secretary of State, and, as he understood, with every thing elfe he has depofed, which is not expreffed in the letter. (Vide No. I.) The letter is dated the 2d of January, 1778; it fhould 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

ас

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 cer"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 afks you about it, I defire you to bear witness that you heard me fay fo." He repeated the fame words juft 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 asked 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 these 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 hould chufe to give any.

Bute's family, no anfwer was fent 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. II. and No. IV.)

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

Lord

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

Sir James Wright's Anfver to Dr.

Addington's Narrative.

AN account having been print

ed in feveral of the Newspapers of the 14th and 16th inftant, 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 impreffion 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 himself 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 hand, and afferted verbally on this fubject.

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 effect; 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 wifhed 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 fi to take a part in Adminiftration." Thus much Sir James Wright thinks proper to fay at

The first paragraph of that publication obferves very truly, that various falfe reports had been induftriously propagated concerning a

negociation faid to have been carried on between the Earl of Bute and the late Earl of Chatham. No lefs than three feveral reports of negociations between thofe two noble Lords reached me in the courfe of last Spring, each differing from the other two in circumftances, and all from one another in the fubftitutes 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 enqui ries, the perfons mentioned as agents or meffage-bearers in two

of the three reports, very readily difclaimed all fhare 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 furprised 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 Nar

rative.

The relations given by these two gentlemen being thus inconfiftent, it was thought proper that a full abftract fhould be prepared of their refpective papers and others which my inquiries had produced, including my father's own account of his part in Sir James Wright's tranfaction, 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 request, 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 feveral fteps I had taken in the inquiries 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 Ladyship's own defire. To thefe communications, I understand, 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 myfelf 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 connection, and the nature of the occafion did not afford me fufficient inducement and excuse for fo doing.

The account is avowed expressly to be drawn up from papers in poffeffion of the Earl of Chatham's family, in order to fhew whether the fuppofed negociation did or did not originate from his Lordfhip: fo that the papers are confeffedly furnished by the Earl's family for the purpose of compofing this account; which therefore

bears