Page:Viscount Hardinge and the Advance of the British Dominions into the Punjab.djvu/109

Rh and must necessarily be, so much mixed up with political matters, it is quite reasonable that the same head should direct both. We think that the best mode in which this could be done is by giving you (as was done in the case of Lord Wellesley in 1800) the commission of "Captain-General and Commander-in-Chief." This would place you in the position in which we wish to see you upon public and obvious grounds, and the commission would be so worded as not in any degree to point to any distrust of Gough. Lord Wellesley's commission was not given him when he first went out in 1797, but was given afterwards for special reasons assigned. The possession of the same powers will not compel you to exercise the power given you at all times and upon all occasions, but it will enable you at your own discretion to avail yourself of it.'

This letter was subsequently modified by another, dated March 7th: —

'We found so much difficulty and technical doubt as to the Letters Patent which I mentioned to you in my last letter of the 24th, and the law officers considered Lord Wellesley's case so inapplicable to yours, that we have been compelled to abandon the plan. We are, however, so convinced of the absolute necessity of meeting the difficulty of the case that we have adopted a course suggested by the Duke of Wellington, and explained in a Secret Committee Despatch of this day's date, that you should have a Letter of Service from the Queen to enable you as Lieutenant-General