Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    L30/11/151/35
  • Title
    Typed transcript. Sent from London:
  • Date free text
    31 May 1777
  • Production date
    From: 1777 To: 1777
  • Scope and Content
    Alive after fatigue of yesterday. Heat intolerable, hardly any of the oldest stagers could stand it without going to the coffee house for water etc. By 2.30 the steps of the throne were crowded with peers, relations and foreigners; and below the bar, there literally was not room to thrust in a walking-stick. All the avenues to the House completely shut up by wretches who gasped for admittance. We had 103 or 104 lords present. The heat then grew so horrible that all windows were thrown open, when lo! in all the majest of crutch, Chatham appeared. He is extremely emaciated but looks keen and well. His 1st speech lasted an hour and in some parts his voice failed him and he was very languid, but the 2nd time he rose to explain, he spoke with all the strength and vigour of 25, and (giving him his principles for granted) with great force. Duke of Grafton, Duke of Richmond, Lord Lyttleton, Lord Gower, Lord Weymouth, Camden Shelburne (violent, furious), Mansfield (clear cold moderate reasoning). Chatham's 3 points: country on brink of ruin on account of American war; most speedy means to peace; these means to remove the accumulated grievances. Number 3 I believe not to be the most speedy means. For what are the grievances America complains of? Had he proposed to bring in a bill to repeal the laws since 1763, declare we would give up the right of taxation, and recall our troops, on condition the Congress should separate, and each provincial assembly recognize our legislative and supreme authority, and then leave the detail to be settled in each colony singly, I would have voted with him. Love etc. Bye the bye, 5 lines of Pope's characters of women from 275-80 is exactly you, except courage.
  • Level of description
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