Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 1

CCLXXXIII.
De hertog van Newcastle aan Willem Bentinck.

[B.M., Add. 32810.]

Newcastle House, 19 Februari/1 Maart 1748/8.

(Heeft met de beantwoording van Bentincks brieven gewacht, daar hij geen nieuws te melden had. Ingevolge zijn benoeming tot Staatssecretaris voor het Noordelijk Departement als opvolger van Chesterfield zal hij Bentinck voortaan vaker schrijven.)

You will see, by the orders sent to My Lord Sandwich's what are His Majesty's sentiments upon the present situation of affairs. The King's unalterable resolution to act in the most perfect concert with His Allies, both in peace and war, to take no step without them, and, in all events, to preserve the Allies united. But most particularly to establish the most perfect friendship and good correspondence between His Majesty and the Prince of Orange, which will and ought to give the tone to the whole alliance.

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In this view His Majesty rejected those vague and extravagant proposals of peace, which were flung out the end of the last summer by Mars^l. Saxe, and were so justly disapproved and remonstrated against by the Stadtholder. And, upon the same principle of concert and affection for His Allies, His Majesty has now directed My Lord Sandwich, after having previously settled the manner of doing it with the Prince of Orange, to communicate his thoughts to the Ministers of the Allies, upon the conditions of peace, and the necessity of putting an end to the war this campaign, from the difficulties of supplying the expences another year. But before His Majesty would take any step of this kind, He has taken such measures in conjunction with His Allies, and made such efforts for this year, as must, if duly executed on all sides, prevent the further progress of the enemy and give us a prospect of such advantages, as we may reasonably hope, will procure us much better conditions of peace.

This is the scheme we always went upon when you was in England, and is perfectly agreable to what His Majesty then declared to you to be His sentiments and inclinations. The King is very sensible of the great efforts the Prince of Orange is making for the defence of the Republick and the support of the common cause, in which the honor and interest of the Republick are equally concerned. His Majesty is also most sensibly affected with the particular facilities which the Prince of Orange has shewed in the settlement of some points in the convention, that otherwise might have obstructed the conclusion of it; which had from other causes been too long defer'd. And I hope the King has shown by some compliances on His part, how ready His Majesty is to do everything in his power that is agreable to the Stadtholder, whose honour and interest the King has extremely at heart. As the points which I have hinted at are over, it is very improper for me to stir them again. I cannot, however, but express my concern to find by your letter that you thought we, here, were so much in the wrong in desiring, that they might remain in the same manner they were the last year.

I see and applaud your zeal for everything, that the Prince of Orange wishes and particularly for whatever

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you think may encrease His power, influence and authority in the Republick. But tho' I can easily forgive your partiality, I must take the liberty to say, on the other side of the question, that it was not to be expected, that His Majesty could consent to an alteration in the convention of such consequence, the effects of which muste have been doubtfull and might possibly have been unfortunate, when those alterations had not been so much as mentioned till within a few days of the signing of the convention, the adjusting of which had been depending several months.

I only just mention this, that you may not think we, here, are so unreasonable as you seemed by your letter to apprehend.

I am so well acquainted with your principles founded upon an inviolable attachment to the person and interest of the Prince of Orange and the necessity of the most cordial friendship between the King and the Republick, under the administration of the Stadtholder, that I shall be extremely happy, if in my present situation I can any ways contribute to the advancement of that great and desirable object. It is a great misfortune to me, not to be personally known to the Greffier, but I am no stranger to his abilities, principles and character, and his name must always be respected by every true Englishman.

His Majesty does me the honor frequently to talk to me upon your subject, and though at some few points where, at first, the King and the Prince of Orange might think differently, His Majesty could not but see to which side your opinion inclined, yet the King knows how much you have at heart the perfect union between the two nations and the honor, interest and prosperity of both, which so entirely depend upon that union, that his Majesty is persuaded that will be your principal view. The King has the same good opinion of the Greffier; and you will allow me to observe, that nothing will so effectually secure the hearts and inclinations of this country to the Prince of Orange as the continuance, on the part of His Highness, of that conduct, which originally gained to Him and, I hope, will ever preserve to Him the affections of the best and the honestest part of the Republick.

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I say this from a most sincere attachment to His Highness and His family, on the preservation of which, I think, the liberties and independency of the Republick entirely depend, and, consequently, one of the great bulwarks and supports of the Protestant interest and the common cause.