Page:Viscount Hardinge and the Advance of the British Dominions into the Punjab.djvu/184

180 that on grounds of personal regard to you, and of professional duty to the public service, I should be most anxious to afford to your Government any assistance in my power. I have, however, on every occasion since I came from India recorded my vote in favour of Free Trade measures, and in honour and consistency I cannot depart from the line I have adopted. In other respects, I believe there is no difference of opinion between us. I therefore infer that my acceptance of the office of Master-General is limited to the military administration of that department, without requiring from me any change of political opinion. If this be so, I am ready, as a professional man, to give you any assistance in my power. But if this arrangement is inconvenient to you, I shall consider the communication as strictly confidential between us, and to be treated as if it had never been made.'

In order to complete the correspondence, I must quote from Lord Derby's reply, dated Feb. 24th, 1852: — 'You have rightly interpreted my abstaining from offering you the Cabinet. I wish to have you free; and though I could not offer so important an office to a political opponent, yet I hope I may rely on your neutrality if a question should arise relating to Free Trade in which you cannot concur with my views. I may add that any vote of the kind is very little likely to arise during the present session.'

It is needless to say that on these terms Lord Hardinge undertook the duties of the office. Such an understanding has seldom been arrived at in the