Lord Stanleytook the opportunity of explaining, with respect to the discourtesy with which the hon. and gallant Member for Liverpool supposed himself to have been treated by the Government in relation to his suggestion of a diminution of the amount of the contribution levied from the inhabitants of the Ionian Islands, that there had been no intention of showing any discourtesy to his hon. and gallant Friend. The fact was, that a diminution of the amount levied from the Ionians for the purpose of military contribution had been recommended by the several Lord High Commissioners, of whom the hon. and gallant Officer was the first; and within the last fortnight the Treasury had actually come to the determination of diminishing the sum. It was not the practice, how- 839 ever, to communicate resolutions of this kind to any parties in this country before they were promulgated in the Colonies. The communication of the Treasury Minute on the subject to the Ionian Islands had yet been barely made, and under these circumstances, he had not made the hon. and gallant Officer acquainted with the decision come to, which was taken very much in consequence of the representations made by his hon. and gallant Friend on various occasions. He trusted the gallant Officer would be satisfied that no discourtesy was meant in not making him acquainted with the result.
§ Sir H. Douglaswas perfectly satisfied with the noble Lord's explanation, and wished to know if he would have any objection to state the description and extent of the intended abatement?
Lord Stanleysaid, he would lay on the Table of the House the Minute of Treasury referred to. The principle on which it had been made was, that the reduction should be proportioned to the decline in the revenue of the Islands, which had considerably fallen off in the last two or three years. Their contribution was proportioned to the amount of revenue raised from them.