[From Goldie-Taubman Papers - pp87/8 letter book ]

dated 28 Jan 1790 to

George Aust Esq London

My good Sir.

I recd your kind favor 12th Ult and I am clear of your opinion that the only chance the Herring Curers have to procure the disputed Bounty, is to take two eminent Lawyers opinions on the Acts of 26th & 27th Geo 3d which I have strongly recommended to the merchts concerned.

It is really astonishing what little attention is given to the public business of this Island, for our affairs are in very great disorder for want of the Royal Assent to our Acts of Legislation, remaining so long dormant in the Secretary of State's office. His Grace of Athol's influence hath already been very fatal & injurious to this Isle, and fear it will yet be more so, as I am given to understand, that his Grace intends making an early effort this Sessions. It is hard to say what his views and plans now are, but am persuaded they are hostile to the interest of the people here, if so we must certainly exert ourselves, and resist them with all our might for which purpose the Keys have thoughts of sending up a committee of their House to attend parliament this sessions, if you think it would be of any avail.

I would willingly flatter myself that if we could procure a Membr to state and lay our agrieveces before the House, that it would even alarm the Minister himself, for an independant State's ^right^ power of Legislation is not to be trifled with to gratify any man(?) whatever.

I must therefore beg & request the favor of you to give in the first notice of his Grace's motions in parliament and in the mean time, that you procure some friend member viz Mr Jo Christian if in town, or Sir Wm Young to pray and move the House for suffnt time to give us notice that we may attend and be heard there at the Bar of the House.

I am always, with great esteem &c.

Notes

John Christian's first wife had been Margaret Taubman. daughter of the writer but she had died at an early age and John Christian married his cousin Isabella heiress to the Curwen family estates - shortly after this letter was written John Christian changed his name with royal approval to John Christian Curwen.

The Duke of Atholl was at the time attempting to get Westminster to review the 1765 Act of Revestment and restore to him some of the rights he felt had been taken away as well as some financial restoration of what he claimed had been an unfair and forced sale- the outcome was the Commission of Enquiry of 1792.