902 
these words : ‘* Whatever difference 
of opinion may prevail as to the 
particular measures which Mr. Fox 
may have supported or opposed in 
the long course of his parliamentary 
exertions, there is one point to 
which all mankind must agree, and 
which even his most inveterate ene- 
mies will not dare to call in questi- 
on,—that if the wonderful talents 
‘of his mind, instead of being exert- 
ed in the service of his country, had 
been directed to objects of private 
interest and personal ambition, they 
would long ere this have placed 
their possessor in a situation of opu- 
lence and power equal to his fame 
and celebrity. That this has not 
been the case is equally notorious, 
and it must therefore be the natural 
wish of every man of liberal feel- 
ings, that he who has conducted 
himself in so distinguished a manner 
should be placed in a situation as in- 
dependant as his mind.” 
After this declaration, resoluti- 
ons were passed to the tenor of the 
proposition, and a committee was 
appointed to forward the plan, and 
to execute any trust which might be 
necessary, consisting of Jord “John 
Russel, lord G.H.Cavendish, Messrs, 
Francis, Crewe, Vyner, Wright- 
son. Skinner, Coombe, Adair, 
Coke, Pelham, and Byng. Never 
was there a nobler instance of re- 
recognition of public services by in- 
dividuals ; never was any one bet- 
ter deserved. 
Mr. Serjeant Adair now commu- 
nicated this generous procedure to 
Mr. Fox, from whom he received 
the following letter : 
é St. Ann's Hill, June 6ti, 1793. 
_ © Dear sir, 
«“ You will easily believe that it 
is nota mere form of words, when 
Tsay, that 1 am wholly at a loss 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1806. 
how to express my feelings upon the 
event which you have in so kind 
a manner communicated to me. 
‘¢ In difficult cases it is wot un- 
usual to enquire what others have 
said or done in like circumstances, 
butin my situation, this resource is 
denied me; for where am I to look 
for an instance of such a proof of 
public esteem as that which is offer- 
ed to me? to receive at once from 
the public such a testimony to the 
disinterestedness of my conduct, 
and sucha reward as the most inter- 
ested would think their lives well 
spent in obtaining, is a rare in- 
stance of felicity which seems to 
have been reserved for me, 
‘¢'Tt would be gross affectation, 
if, in my circumstances, 1 were to 
pretend that what is intended me is 
not in itself of the highest value. 
But it is with perfect sincerity that 
I declare, that no other manner in 
which a fortune could have come to 
me, would have been so gratifying 
to ‘the feelings of my heart. I ac. 
cept, therefore, with the most sin- 
cere gratitude, the kindness of the 
public, and consider it as an additi- 
onal obligation upon me, if any 
were wanting, to continue steady 
to the principles which | have uni- 
formly professed,and to persevere in 
the honest and independent line of 
conduct, to which alone I am con- 
scious that I am indebted for this, 
as well as for every other mark of 
public approbation. 
‘* | hope 1 need not add, my 
dear sir, that I could not have 
received this honourable message 
through a more acceptable channel. 
** J am with great truth, 
*¢ My dear sir, 
s* Your most obliged tanheeenrnlyis 
“Gr Ju Fox 
Mr. Serj, Adair.” 
This 
