FOX (Charles James, 1749-1806, the famous Whig orator, opponent of Lord North over America, friend of the Prince of Wales)

Fine Autograph Letter Signed to GRENVILLE (Lord William, 1759-1834, Prime Minister) thanking him for his letter and remarking that "if political transactions put one out of humour with many, they make one love the few who do act & think right so much better better that it is some compensation. I understand a messenger is just going by whom I send this letter, he will bring you others from whence you will learn that your Brother is going Ld Lieut to Ireland ...", George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of BUCKINGHAM (1753-1813, Statesman), "If you go with him as secretary, I hope you will be so good as to endeavour to serve my friend Dickson who by this change has for the third time missed a Bishoprick. I called upon your Brother yesterday and left with him the letters that passed between you & me, explaining that it was at your desire that I did. I was very glad to have your authority ... I was very much inclined to take it even of my own when I was supposed he was to be my Successor, now that he knows the whole of the transaction, if he still choses (as I fear he will to go into this den of Thieves, neither your nor I have any thing to answer for. If this transaction had been witheld from him, he might have had reason to complain of me but much more of you. I have not heard from him since he has been au fait. His expressions both to me personally & to the party were so kind that I am far from considering him as lost, but wether he is or not and whatever part your situation may make it right for you to take in Politics, I shall always depend upon your friendship & kindness to me as perfectly unalterable ... that most contributes to keep up my spirits in this very trying situation ...", 3 sides 4to., Grafton Street, 13th July

Grenville entered the House of Commons in 1782. He soon became a close ally of the Prime Minister, his cousin William Pitt the Younger, and served in the government as Paymaster of the Forces from 1784 to 1789. In 1789 he served briefly as Speaker of the House of Commons before he entered the cabinet as Home Secretary.
There was a constitutional Crisis in 1782 when, under the strains of office and the disastrous American War, Lord North finally resigned in March 1782, he was replaced with the new ministry of the Marquess of Rockingham. Fox was appointed Foreign Secretary. But Rockingham, after finally acknowledging the independence of the former Thirteen Colonies, died unexpectedly on 1st July. Fox refused to serve in the successor administration of the Earl of Shelburne, splitting the Whig party

Item Date:  1782

Stock No:  40107      £475

             Add to Wish List     Order/Enquire