  October, 1787. Told the Chairman the Company had long been in want of four regiments of King’s forces—said it was the first he had heard of it—told him he must require them as absolutely necessary for the safety of India—the man appeared staggered; reminded me of my usual caution; grumbled out something about recruits being cheaper; muttered that I expected too much from him, and talked of preserving appearances.—Called him a fool, and ordered him to do as he was bid. October, November, December, January.—Employed in disputes with those damned fellows the Directors—would not have my regiments—told them they must—swore they would not—believe the Chairman manages very badly—threatened to provide transports, to carry out the troops at the Company’s expence—found afterwards I had no right—ordered PITT to bring in a Declaratory Bill! February 25th.——Bill brought in—badly drawn—turn away RUSSEL, and get another Attorney-General—could not make MULGRAVE speak—don’t see what use he’s of. March 3d.—Bill read a second time—Sheridan very troublesome—much talk about the constitution—wish Pitt would not let people wander so from the question. March 5th.—Bill in a Committee—Members begin to smell mischief—don’t like it—PITT took fright and shammed sick—was obliged to speak myself—resolved to do it once for all—spoke four hours—so have done my duty, and let PITT now get out of the scrape as well as he can. March 7th.—PITT moved to recommit the bill—talked about checks and the constitution—believe he’s mad. Got into a damned scrape about cotton—second time I’ve been detected—won’t speak any more.—N.B. Not to let BARING come into the Direction again.—FOX spoke—PITT could not answer him, and told the House he was too hoarse—forgot at the time to disguise his voice. March 9th.—Got THURLOW to dine with us at Wimbledon—gave him my best Burgundy and Blasphemy, to put him into good humour.—After a brace of bottles, ventured to drop a hint of business—THURLOW damned me, and asked PITT for a sentiment—PITT looked foolish—GRENVILLE wise—MULGRAVE stared—SYDNEY’s chin lengthened—tried the effects of another bottle.—PITT began a long speech about the subject of our meeting—SYDNEY fell asleep by the fire—MULGRAVE and GRENVILLE retired to the old game of the board, and played push-pin for ensigncies in the new corps—Grenville won three.—Mem.—To punish their presumption, will not let either of them have one. THURLOW very queer.—He swore the bill is absurd, and my correspondence with those cursed Directors damned stupid.—However, will vote and speak with us—PITT quite sick of him—says he growls at every thing, proposes nothing, and supports any thing. N.B. Must look about for a new Chancellor—Scott might do, but cants too much about his independence and his conscience—what the devil has he to do with independence and conscience—besides he has a snivelling trick of retracting when he is caught in a lie—hate such puling fellows—GEORGE HARDINGE not much better—must try him tho’—will order him to speak on Wednesday. Took PITT to town in my chariot—drove to Berkeley-street—got PITT to the door, but he would not come in—lounged an hour with CHARLOTTE—promised her a company in one of the new regiments for a disbanded private of the Horse Guards.—Why not order the whole House to be qualified at DRUMMOND’s, and charge it to the Company’s secret service? March 10th.—Sent for TWINING—when he came, had by me a large bason of his SOUCHONG—drank it without a wry face—the most nauseous black draught I ever swallowed—swore it was excellent—quoted a sentence from CICERO, which I got from PRETTYMAN for the occasion—promised to put TWINING on my House-list next year, give him one of the Chairs, and put the Tea-Trade under the Secret Committee—TWINING to procure a requisition for a General Court—gave him hints for a speech—to abuse Baring damnably. Called at WHITEHALL—took away the last letters from CORNWALLIS, that PITT may not see them before they are properly copied out by my private Secretary.—Left orders for PITT and SYDNEY to follow me to my house, where they would find my dispatches for India ready for signing. March 11th.—Dined with the Directors—almost too late; London Tavern not near enough.—Mem. to order the Directors in future always to dine in my neighbourhood, and allow them to charge the additional coach-hire to the Company—Why not buy a long stage to carry them about wherever I may want them? PITT frightened when we got into the City, lest the mob should hiss—talked about Grocers’ Hall and better times; asked me if I was not glad they were going to pull down Temple bar, and hoped there would be no further occasion for it. Tried to prevent his being melancholy—threw a shilling among the blackguards—would not do—no huzzaing. N.B. Not to forget to make the Chairman repay me, the money being disbursed in the Company’s service. Got to the LONDON TAVERN at six. Drew up my Commissioners in the passage, and gave them their orders—told PITT to follow next to me, and bid MULGRAVE speak in his upper voice, and be affable.—Tried to laugh as we entered the room—MULGRAVE put us out by one of his growling sighs—damn the fellow! must get rid of him.—Told DEVAYNES to laugh for us all—did it well—make him Chairman next year. Dinner good—don’t see why we should not dine with them always.—N.B. Ordered twelve dozen of their claret to be carried to Wimbledon—LUSHINGTON grumbled, and asked by what authority I did it.—A very troublesome fellow that—remove him. PITT peevish and out of spirits; ordered MOTTEUX to sing a song—began “Ah si vous pouviez comprendre.” PITT turned red, and thought the Chairman alluded to some dark passages in the India Bill—endeavoured to pacify him, and told the Secret Committee to give us a soft air; they sung in a low voice “the cause I must not, dare not tell”—MANSHIP groaned, and drank Colonel CATHCART. By G—, if I thought he meant to betray me, I’d indict him for perjury!—Somebody struck up “if you trust before you try.”—PITT asked if the Directors wished to affront, him, and began a long harangue about his regard and friendship for the Company;—nine Directors offered to swear for it—told them they need not—bowed, and thanked me. LE MESURIER begged our attention to a little French Air, “Sous le nom de l’amitiÉ en finesse on abonde”—cursed mal-À-propos. PITT swore he was insulted, and got up to go away. The Alderman, much terrified at what he had done, protested solemnly he meant no offence, and called God to witness, it was a very harmless song he learnt some time ago in Guernsey—Could not appease PITT—so went away with him, after ordering MULGRAVE not to let SYDNEY drink any more wine, for fear he should begin talking. PITT desired the servants to put out the flambeaux, as we went through the city—(a sad coward!) asked me if I did not think FOX’s a very able speech—sighed, and said he had promised to answer it to-morrow—wished however to do nothing in a hurry—expressed much diffidence in his own abilities, and paid me many compliments—thought I had a fine opportunity to shew my talents—assured me he should think nothing of waving his right to reply; and that he had not the least objection to letting me answer FOX—begged to decline the offer. N.B. He seemed very uneasy and much frightened—never knew him diffident before—wish to-morrow was well over. Came home—opened a bottle of champaigne which I brought in the carriage with me from the Directors’ dinner—looked over my list of levee men—found nine field officers yet unprovided for. Wrote to ROSS, enclosing the copy of a letter to be sent to me from Lord C——LL—S requiring more King’s troops—finished my bottle and went to bed. March 12.—Went to the levee—He looked surly—would hardly speak to me—don’t like him—must have heard that I can govern INDIA without consulting him.—Nothing ever escapes that damned fellow SHERIDAN! Between four and five went to the House—worse than the levee—PITT would not speak, pretended it was better to wait for FOX—put him in mind of the excuse he made at the end of the last debate, and his promise to answer calumnies—don’t mind promises—a damned good quality that—but ought to consider his friends—GEO. HARDINGE spoke in consequence of my orders—forgot I was sitting below him—attacked Lord NORTH’s administration—got into a cursed scrape with POWIS—won’t do for CHANCELLOR—why not try BURGESS?—SCOTT defended what he had said in the last debate—made it worse than ever—quoted from DEBRETT’s debates—talked about an adder—thought he was alluding to PITT—our lawyers somehow don’t answer—ADAM and ANSTRUTHER worth them all—can’t they be bought?—Scotchmen!—damned strange if they can’t—Mem. to tell ROSE to sound them. ADAM severe on me and the rest that have betrayed Lord NORTH—a general confusion all round PITT—no one to defend us—VILLIERS grinned—GRAHAM simpered—MULGRAVE growled—by G—d I believe PITT enjoyed it—always pleased when his friends get into a scrape.—Mem. to give him a lecture upon that—MULGRAVE spoke at last—wish he’d held his tongue—SHERIDAN answered him—improves every day—wish we had him——very odd so clever a fellow shouldn’t be able to see his own interest—wouldn’t venture on a reply myself, for fear of another lick from that clumsy boor Sir EDWARD ASTLEY—said my long speech was dull and tiresome—what’s the matter with the fellow?—used to vote with us—believe LANSDOWN’s got him.—Mem. to tell STEELE to look out for another Member for the county of Norfolk. Jogged PITT—told him SHERIDAN’s speech must be answered—said, I might do it then, for he couldn’t—PULTENEY relieved us a little, pretending to be gull’d by the checks—too great nonsense to have any effect on the House.—BASTARD forgot his last abuse of PITT, and talked again about confidence; but was against the Bill—what’s confidence without a vote?—came to a division at last—better than the former—had whipped in well from SCOTLAND—the House seems tired—hope we shan’t have much more of this. Mem. to give orders to MANNERS to make a noise, and let nobody speak on third reading—a very useful fellow that MANNERS—does more good sometimes than ten speakers. March 14th. God’s infinite mercy be praised, AMEN! This is the last day that infernal DECLARATORY BILL stays in the House of Commons—as for the Lords—but that’s no business of mine; only poor SYDNEY!—Well—God bless us all—AMEN! Got up and wrote the above, after a very restless night—went to bed again—but could not sleep—troubled with the blue devils—thought I saw POWIS—recovered myself a little, and fell into a slumber—Dreamt I heard SHERIDAN speaking to me through the curtains—woke in a fright, and jumped out of bed. Went down stairs—found some of the DIRECTORS waiting in the hall—damned their bloods, and told them this was all their doing—informed me a General Court was called by the enemy—bid them make such a noise, that nobody might be heard—DEVAYNES undertook it—ordered the SECRET COMMITTEE to stay, and sent the rest about their business. After breakfast wrote to HAWK——Y, and begged his acceptance of a Lieut. Colonelcy, 2 Majorities, a Collectorship, 3 Shawls and a piece of India Muslin for the young ladies—sent back one of the Shawls, and said he’d rather have another Collector’s place—Damnation! but it must be so, or SYDNEY will be left to himself.—N.B. Not to forget THURLOW’s Arrack and Gunpowder Tea, with the India Crackers for his children. MULGRAVE called to know if I wanted him to speak to-day—told him not—had enough of him last time. Went down to the House—ANSTRUTHER played the devil with all our checks and guards—serves us right for introducing such nonsense—GEORGE NORTH asked when I meant to open my budget—said, when the RAVENSWORTH arrives—pray God she be lost! Mem. When I do open my budget, to state all the accounts in Tales, Pagodas, and Mohurs—has a fine effect on the country gentlemen, and prevents many impertinent observations. Waited very patiently for PITT’s promised answer to FOX’s calumnies till eight o’clock—fresh inquiries about it every minute—began to be very uneasy—saw OPPOSITION sneering—SHERIDAN asked PITT if he was hoarse yet—looked exceedingly foolish—pitied him, and, by way of relieving his aukward situation, spoke myself—made some of my boldest assertions—said a good thing about “A Mare’s Nest”—coined a few clauses, which I assured the House were in Fox’s Bill, and sat down with much applause—was afterwards unfortunately detected in every thing I had said, and universally scouted by all sides.—Mem. I should not have got into that scrape, if I had not tried to help a friend in distress.—N.B. Never to do it again—there’s nothing to be gained by it. |
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