Camden to Portland. 'I have this day received your grace's and Mr Pitt's letters. I will not complain of that delay which has placed me in an embarrassing situation but proceed with as much expectation as possible to endeavour to bring this important point to a decision. It does not become those who wish to act all together to make unnecessary difficulties, Your grace will therefore not find me standing upon punctilios but I shall endeavor to bring this point to an immediate issue, in the manner most advantageous to the kings service, and with as little consultation of my own feelings as possible'....'my opinion is that Mr Pelham ought to return. I have urged it upon the score of public benefit'...'if Lord Pelham is sufficiently well to suffer him to come (which from letter I received from Pelham today I doubt) and if he does not himself see that manifest inconvenience must accrue from his not returning if it does not occur to him and that he , now a member of the Irish parliament, and acquainted with its business could with so much more care sacrifice a couple of months, than any other arrangement be satisfactorily made. I do not see that your grace and I can hope to persuade him. I mention a couple of months, for I will [illegible] that the session shall not be longer '. 'As I think I have and as I think your grace has a fair claim to ask Pelham to sacrifice two months, than either Mr Pitt or I have to insist upon Steel, abandoning the line of life which from much bustle and anxiety, he had returned, I do not feel I can of a point with Steel, at all events to come hither, for if he comes he can as Pelham might, merely come over for the session'. 'To your grace's and Mr Pitt's proposal of Mr Perceval I agree with the most perfect approbation, I cannot express too strong and too pointed an acquiesce in that nomination. I have the pleasure of knowing him myself, and tho no intimately enough to be very much captivated with his manners in private and I have heard so much of his public character that I am only afraid his prospect of success in England will make it very little likely that he should be prevailed upon to come here'. 'My intimacy with Mr Stewart makes me confident that his national connexions would not have interfered with his conduct here, but as I agree with your grace and Mr Pitt in the general idea of its being unfit that an Irishman should be the secretary in this country, I do not feel myself authorized to make an exception in favour of Mr Stewart. Your grace will find therefor upon considering the former part of my letter that my opinion is that Pelham should and ought to return and that even if it is understood that he only comes for the session, little inconvenience will arise, as he and I are known to be so confidential together. If his return is out of the question, I should wish the offer to be made to Mr Perceval in the first instance. Whether that offer may be made by you or Mr Pitt I should be very glad that Mr Perceval should be informed, that is is not from your grace or Mr Pitt's suggestion alone, that I am indeed most heartily and anxiously to wish him to come over her that the acquaintance I have the pleasure of [illegible] with him and the universal opinion of the words lead me to express the most anxious hope that he may come.'