[From Atholl Papers - AP 122(4th) 9]

[Letter from Peter John Heywood to Duke of Atholl 22 Sept 1786]

Isle of Mann Septr 22d 1786

My Lord Duke

I had the honor of receiving your Graces's Favor of the 6th instant. As the Governers Decree respecting the Coins is not yet issued I did not think it proper to send Your Grace's Letter to the Lieut Governor for his perusal and I must Confess I have great Objections to the showing it to him or any other person here 'till absolutely necessary your Grace having signified that Treasure Trove as one of the Points in dispute between the Crown and your Grace will be settled the Ensuing Winter. The sooner your Grace's intententions or hopes are known here, the Civil Officers and Keys will have more time to arm themselves at all points to impede your Grace's Measures and I am confident their Sheet Anchor will be their Old Friend the Marquis of Buckingham.

The Pacquet which bought your Grace's Letter brought also Mr Watts, the Receiver-General, his account of himself to the Collector who is my authority here is, that he is a Farmer & Grazier near the Borough of Haslemere in Surrey belonging to Lord Lonsdale that he never saw Lord Lonsdale in his Lifetime or even solicited this place or any other from him but that an intimate Friend of his who has great interest in the Borough got it for him.

Mr Betham says his manners perfectly accord with his profession and that as a Man of Conversation or Business he seems grossly ignorant, that the reason he gave for coming to the Island, which he never intended, was his having heard by accident that Mr Frazer was appointed to inspect the Revenue Accounts. He was sworn into Office yesterday but whether his commission is under the King's Sign Manual or a Warrant from the Treasury I have not yet Learn'd. He has appointed Senhouse Wilson, Lutwidge's late Deputy, as his Deputy and returns to England by this Pacquet. The consequences must be that every thing with regard to that Office must remain on its former Seating as every unfavourable Report that Lutwidge made, originated with Senhouse Wilson. If I should not be presuming I would venture to say that Matters are bad enough here when a Preceptor of Boys is appointed to inspect the public Accounts and a Grazier appointed to the most respectable Office in the Island next to the Govr. But perhaps the Minister was not aware of an Objection which would seem to render it impossible to be transacted by Deputy and that is because it deprives the Government as well as the Govr of one of the Standing Council, if it can be dispensed with in this instance every other Office here might be held by Deputy also and in that case there would be no Council at all, by which means one part of the Legislature would be annihilated.

I find my Commission as Water Bailiff and Judge of the Admiralty Court is still refused on the Ground of my having the Management of your Grace's Affairs here.

I have the honor &c

Peter John Heywood
by Richard Clague

P.S. I am much inclined to think that if this business was properly represented to the Board of Treasury & properly considered and the Man examined in person by the Board that an alteration might yet take place or at least that he might be prevailed on the resign fora trifling Annuity