“Lord J. Cavendish is very unwilling to engage again in public affairs.  Fox is to be Secretary of State.  Burke, it is thought, would not be approved of, Sheridan has not the public confidence, and so it comes down therefore to Grey, Pelham, myself, and perhaps Windham.”  Elliot was one of Burke’s most faithful and attached friends, and he was intimately concerned in all that was going on in the inner circle of the party.  It is worth while, therefore, to reproduce his account from a confidential letter to Lady Elliot, of the way in which Burke’s claim to recognition was at this time regarded and dealt with.

Although I can tell you nothing positive about my own situation, I was made very happy indeed yesterday by co-operating in the settlement of Burke’s, in a manner which gives us great joy as well as comfort.  The Duke of Portland has felt distressed how to arrange Burke and his family in a manner equal to Burke’s merits, and to the Duke’s own wishes, and at the same time so as to be exempt from the many difficulties which seem to be in the way.  He sent for Pelham and me, as Burke’s friends and his own, to advise with us about it; and we dined yesterday with him and the Duchess, that we might have time to talk the thing over at leisure and without interruption after dinner.  We stayed accordingly, engaged in that subject till almost twelve at night, and our conference ended most happily and excessively to the satisfaction of us all.  The Duke of Portland has the veneration for Burke that Windham, Pelham, myself and a few more have, and he thinks it impossible to do too much for him.  He considers the reward to be given to Burke as a credit and honour to the nation, and he considers the neglect of him and his embarrassed situation as having been long a reproach to the country.  The unjust prejudice and clamour which has prevailed against him and his family only determine the Duke the more to do him justice.  The question was how?  First, his brother Richard, who was Secretary to the Treasury before, will have the same office now; but the Duke intends to give him one of the first offices which falls vacant, of about L1000 a year for life in the customs, and he will then resign the Secretary to the Treasury, which, however, in the meanwhile is worth L3000 a year.  Edmund Burke is to have the Pay-Office, L4000 a year; but as that is precarious and he can leave no provision for his son, it would, in fact, be doing little or nothing of any real or substantial value unless some permanent provision is added to it.  In this view the Duke is to grant him on the Irish establishment a pension of L2000 a year clear for his own life, and the other half to Mrs. Burke for her life.  This will make Burke completely happy, by leaving his wife and son safe from want after his death, if they should survive him.  The Duke’s affectionate anxiety to accomplish this object, and his determination to set all clamour at defiance on this point of