My dear Duke of Wellington,—­The king has, at an audience from which I have just returned, been graciously pleased to signify to me his majesty’s commands, to lay before his majesty, with as little loss as time as possible, a plan of arrangements for the re-construction of the administration.  In executing these commands it will be as much my own wish, as it is my duty to his majesty, to adhere to the principles upon which Lord Liverpool’s government has so long acted together.  I need not add how essentially the accomplishment must depend upon your Grace’s continuing a member of the cabinet.

   Ever, my dear Duke of Wellington, your Grace’s sincere and faithful
   servant,

   George Canning.

To this the Duke of Wellington replied in a characteristic way:—­

   To the Right Hon. George Canning.

   London, April 10, 1827.

My dear Mr. Canning,—­I have received your letter of this evening, informing me that the king had desired you to lay before his majesty a plan for the re-construction of the administration; and that, in executing these commands, it was your wish to adhere to the principles on which Lord Liverpool’s government had so long acted together.  I anxiously desire to be able to serve his majesty, as I have done hitherto in his cabinet, with the same colleagues.  But before I can give an answer to your obliging proposition, I should wish to know who the person is you intend to propose to his majesty as the head of the government?

   Ever, my dear Mr. Canning, yours most sincerely,

   Wellington.

On the next day came the following from Mr. Canning:—­

   To his Grace the Duke of Wellington.

   Foreign Office, April 11, 1897.

My dear Duke of Wellington,—­I believed it to be so generally understood, that the king usually intrusts the formation of an administration to the individual whom it is his majesty’s gracious intention to place at the head of it; that it did not occur to me, when I communicated to your Grace yesterday the commands which I had just received from his majesty, to add, that, in the present instance, his majesty does not intend to depart from the usual course of proceeding on such occasions.  I am sorry to have delayed some hours this answer to your Grace’s letter; but from the nature of the subject, I did not like to forward it without having previously submitted it (together with your Grace’s letter) to his Majesty.

   Ever, my dear Duke of Wellington, your Grace’s
   sincere and faithful servant,

   George Canning.

And finally, on the evening of the same day, the Duke wrote thus to Mr. Canning.—­

   London, April 11, 1837.