Description:Owing to Gower’s long and diverse political career, the Sutherland Papers includes many letters from various men in high political office, including letters from Prime ministers Henry Addington and William Pitt.
The Sutherland Papers include a number of Letters exchanged between William Pitt the Younger and Earl Gower concerning Gower’s career in public office, the Pitt administration and contemporary political issues. Earl Gower was rewarded by Pitt for his political loyalty in 1786 when he was made the first Marquis of Stafford.
Several letters relate to Earl Gower’s role in the Pitt administration as Lord President of the Council and then as Lord Privy Seal. The letters detail Gower’s agreement, at Pitt’s suggestion, to take the role of Lord Privy Seal 1784, exchanging the role of Lord President of the Council in order to ensure the appointment of Lord Camden to the Cabinet.
Pitt’s letter to Earl Gower reflects the high esteem with which Earl Gower was regarded by his contemporaries. Pitt’s letter begins ‘I rely on the experience I have personally had of your Lordships Goodness, as well as your zeal for the advantage of Government’.
Pitt writes to Earl Gower to ‘beg’ a ‘favor’, refering to his ‘expectation of prevailing on Lord Camden to fill the present Vacancy in the Cabinet’. He writes ‘Tho I had understood that the office of Privy Seal was not precisely the most agreeable to Him, I had hoped his particular Objections to it would be easily removed’. However, Pitt reveals that he was incorrect in his assumptions, stating ‘I since find that He has a great dislike to coming forward in a station which has no sort of Connection with the Habits of the Profession to which He has belonged.’
Pitt’s letter requests that Lord Gower change his role in office from Lord President of the Council to that of Lord Privy Seal in order to allow Lord Camden a place in the Cabinet. Pitt writes ‘as there seems little difference between these two high offices except that the Privy Seal has rather less Confinement, Possibly your Lordship might have no objection now to that it instead of that of President’.
He continues ‘If that should be entirely the case, you would undoubtedly lay me under a great additional obligation, by permitting me to mention such an arrangement to the King’. He adds by way of persuasion, appealing to Gower’s ‘zeal for the advantage of Government’: ‘I really think Lord Camden’s assistance under all the present circumstances of very material consequence’.
Pitt goes on to discuss the current political climate surrounding his administration. He suggests that ‘accounts’ concerning his administration ‘give a more favourable prospect’. He then refers to political intrigue, suggesting that ‘secret information has been given of plots supposed to be formed by the discontented party, but there seems every Reason to think them greatly exaggerated’. He adds ‘the discovery however may be sufficient to throw great disgrace at least on those who have been most active’.
Pitt’s letter refers also to the contemporary political situation. He writes that the current ‘situation of the Continent’ required ‘a good deal of our attention’, suggesting that this may ‘afford an opening for gradually gaining some Ground there’. Earl Gower’s political opinion was highly regarded within the Pitt administration, Pitt’s letter requesting to ‘trouble’ Earl Gower again ‘on that subject before long’. The Prime Minister’s respect for Earl Gower is evident at the conclusion of his letter, where he writes to ‘assure’ Gower of his ‘sentiments of perfect Respect and Regard’.
Click on the image on the left to learn about Gower's response to Pitt's request.