§ The chancellor of the exchequer moved the order of the day for the further consideration of the report on the subject of the claims of the duke of Atholl for compensation for the loss of the revenues, regalities, &c. of the Isle of Man.—The house having accordingly resolved itself into a committee of the whole house,
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer, after a short history of the island, and the revenues, regalities, &c. of the noble duke in this island, and which his ancestor parted from for an inadequate consideration, in 1765, moved a resolution, the substance of which was, that the present duke of Atholl, his heirs, &c. be allowed one-fourth of the produced revenues of the Isle of Man, which, being estimated in gross at about 12,000l. would yield to the noble duke an income of about 3,000l. per annum.
§ Mr. Curwen opposed the resolution very strenuously.
548§ Mr. Creevey also opposed the resolution, and alledged that there had been a great deal of disgusting canvassing on behalf of the noble duke's interest in this matter, and that if the measure was carried, it would be owing to such canvassing.
§ Mr. Sheridan kindled at this expression, and said he knew of a great deal of canvassing against the noble duke upon this subject, and of cards being printed and circulated for that purpose. He had been himself canvassed in that manner, he had been also canvassed on behalf of the noble duke, but that was by a perfectly respectable person, who only desired him to look into and thoroughly understand the subject before he voted for it; he had done so, and the result was a conviction of the propriety of the claim of the noble duke, for whom he had no partiality whatever, but he followed the dictates of his conscience. He could not help lamenting that his hon. friends who opposed this measure did not understand its merits so well as they ought to do, before they took such a course of opposition to it.
§ After some further conversation, in which Mr. Windham and Mr. Wilberforce opposed the duke of Atholl's claims, and Mr. Rose and lord Glenbervie supported them, sir William Young moved an amendment, to grant a compensation to the duke of Atholl annually, out of the consolidated fund, equivalent to one-fourth of the gross revenues of the island. This was acceded to by the chancellor of the exchequer. A conversation of some length ensued between Mr. William Smith, lord de Blaquiere, and several other members. At length the house divided, for the amendment 79, against it 26, majority 53.—The house was resumed, and the report ordered to be received on Monday.—Adjourned.