Item 123 - Richard Jones to William Whewell

4 pp.

Private - The Tithe Commission is proceeding well - 'the follies of the Parliamentary Committee men hurt none but themselves - the majority of them seem to have found this out and one or two of the apparent leaders have been to me privately to disavow their supposed claims and plans and have talked so reasonably that if they can only manage one or two foolish men and perhaps as many deliberate knaves we may I think probably agree and legislate this session - their sticking point was the periodical revaluations we insisted on and some of the more prominent and violent are disposed to yield this (seeing we not to be moved) they are disposed too to drop any combined opposition to the resumption of tithe - rent charges - (1/3 of the whole revenue) and there is a vista opening on a fair prospect enough'. The whole process has been delayed as the Commission has to listen to the witnesses the Committee have sent who 'have been cutting their throats and I think they know it'. RJ reckons that the new system will eventually raise a revenue of more than a million pounds from one that currently only produces 400,000 pounds. An accountant called Grey is the Committee's advisor - 'he is a professed agitator obviously for selfish purposes and will not keep much hold on them'. RJ means 'to help the avenging deity a little if I have ever time but much more do I hope to give them some more useful truths to mumble over. God bless you'.