508 
Who could imagine, that I, who 
am. the oldest colonel in the service, 
had asked for.the rank of a general 
officer in the army of the king my 
‘father, and that it had been refused 
me! 
I am sorry, much more than 
sorry, to be obliged to break in, 
upon your leisure, and to trespass 
thus a second time on the attention 
of your majesty. But I have, sir, 
an interest in my character more va- 
luable to me than the throne, and 
dearer, far dearer to me than life. 
1 am called upon by that interest to | 
persevere, and I pledge myself never 
to desist till [receive that satisfaction. 
which the justice of my claim leads 
me to expect. 
In these unhappy times, the 
world, sir, examines the conduct of 
princes with a jealous, a scruti- 
nizing, a malignant.eye. No man 
is more aware than I am of the ex- 
istence of sucha disposition, and no 
man.is, therefore, more determined 
to place himself above all suspicion. 
In desiring to be placed in a for- 
ward situation, I have performed 
one duty to the people of England ; 
{ must now perform another, and ~ 
humbly supplicate your majesty to 
assign those reasons which have in- 
duced you to refuse a request which 
appears to me and to the world so 
reasonable and so rational. 
I must again repeat my concern 
that 1 am obliged to continue a cor- 
respondence which, I fear, is not 
so grateful to your majesty as I 
could wish. I have examined my 
own heart—I am convinced of the 
justice of my canse—of the purity 
of my motives. Reason and honour 
ferbid me to yield : where no reason 
is alledged, 1 am justified in the con- 
clusion that none can be given. 
In this candid exposition of the 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1803. 
feelings which have agitated and 
depressed my wounded mind, I 
hope no expression has escaped me 
which can be construed to mean the 
slightest disrespect to your majesty. 
I most solemnly disavow any such 
intention ; but the circumstances of 
the times—the danger of invasion— 
the appeal which has.been made to 
all your subjects, oblige me to re- 
collect what I owe to my own ho- 
nour and to my own character, and 
to state to your majesty, with 
plainness, truth, and candour, but 
with the submission of a subject, 
and the duty of an affectionate son, 
the injuries under which I labour, 
which it is in the power of your 
majesty alone at one moment to 
redress. i 
It is with the sentiments of the 
profoundest veneration and respect, 
that [ have the honour to subscribe 
myself, 
Your majesty’s most dutiful 
And most affectionate 
Son and subject, 
(Signed) G; RB: 
Brighton, 2d O&t. 1803. 
My dear brother, 
By the last night’s Gazette, which 
1 have this moment received, I per- 
ceive that an extensive sa tieatiarh 
has taken place in the army, where-, 
in my pretensions are not noticed; a 
circumstance which, whatever may 
have happened upon ther occasions, 
it is impossible for me io pass by, at 
this momentous crisis, without ob- 
servation. 
My standing in thé army, accord- 
ing to the most ordinary routine of 
promotion, had it been followed up,. 
would haye placed me either at the 
bottom of the list of generals, or at. 
the head of the list of lieutenant ge- 
nerals, Wher the younger poate 
o 
