Pièce 16 - Letter from Archibald Scott Lawson to Richard Monckton Milnes

1 sheet, with enclosure, 1 folded sheet.

Whittington Club & Metropolitan Athenaeum, Arundel Street, Strand. - Encloses a copy of the Duke of Norfolk's reply to the Memorial of the President and Committee of the Whittington Club; hopes Milnes will let the Committee have his opinion on it. The Dukes letter is 'evidently written after consultation with his lawyers'; obviously two distinct things, damages for departing from the original structure, and the remission of rent on the ground of the 'gratuitous outlay by the Lessee', have been 'confounded together'. The Committee think it their duty to justify the presentation of the Memorial, but think it proper to send Milnes a copy of the letter before addressing the Duke.

With enclosure, copy of letter from the Duke of Norfolk to J. J. Mechi, dated 12 Jun. 1858, Norfolk House. - Would have been pleased to see any of the gentlemen who have signed the Memorial of the Whittington Club had he thought it 'contained a reasonable request'. Has to remind Mechi that 'before any building was erected an offer was made by his father to give £1000 and forego all claim for arrears if the Club would relinquish the Lease; the Trustees would have gladly accepted the offer but the Committee 'interfered' and prevented them from doing so. The 'claim amounting to £4000 was referred to Mr Pownall and adjudicated upon by him'; notes that 'a considerable portion of the rent now owing will be swallowed up by the legal expenses incident to it'; does not think therefore that he should be called upon to 'make a subscription towards an Institution which however useful it may be is not in my opinion as useful as many to which I am compelled to refuse subscriptions'; means no disrespect but does not think in the circumstances he should have been asked to subscribe.