Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-29
The Abuses in the British Civil service

Lord marlborough, whose death has Just been
announced, was ore of the last holders of "pa-
tent places" than which no more patent scan
d.tl ever existed. His grandfather was bishop,
and his father famous judge, the man whom
Lord Macauay terus "the bold and strong
minded Law" Law was a great LAWYER and the
terror of timld harristers. He it was who, when
a member OF "the sucking bar faltered, "My
very unfortunate client, my lord" reDoined,
The court is with YOU there, sir" He had an
awful temper, aud was much more feared than
loved but had great political as well as legal
weight; was the last chief justice who enjoyed
a seat in the cabinet, and one of the very few to
whom such distinction was ever accorded. The
prize piece OF patronage in the gift of the chief
justice used to be the sinecure off re of clerk of
the court of queens beneh-S3j, 900 year-'or
doing nothing but signing receipts for pay For
the reversion OF this Lord Peterborough was
offered 100000, but he preferred keeping it for
his son, who just died.
When the news reached him of the vacancy
in the ohlce he was on horseback Forwith
dsmounung, he then and there, with the pencil
in his pocket wrote his sons appointment to the
Office, making tue seat of his saddle his table
| and his groom witnessed his Signature The
son drew about 81 100000 from this Office, and
as he further held for many years the Office of
| governor general of India, salary S1250OO and
all expenses paid, he altogether didn't do badly.
| He was unhappy in his marriages-his first
wife died childless; the second had one son
who died Young, and she was divorced from
| her husband
Some time ime since Mr.. Grenville Murray,
natural sou OF the late duke of Buckingham
who attained great notoriety two years ago by
means of paper called the Queens Messenger.
and subsequently became yet better known by
an article entitled "Lord Coachington, )" in which
he made reflections on the character of the
prince OF Wales friend, Lord Darlington, which
resulted in the castgation of Mr.. Murray, by
| that noble lOrd-Hrotea brilliant, gossppy book
called "The Rowing EngliShman." 1t contains
a sketch commencing "She was the daughter of
famous Old sea captain" The lady referred
| to is the countess of marlborough.
There is one ''patcnt place" even better than
that held by Lord marlborough. This is en-
joyed by Rev. Mr. Thurlow, great nephew of
| the lord chancellor of his name Lord Thurlow
was as stern and saturiue as his brother Ellen
borough, ana, like him, too, had an excellent
notion of fcathering his nest He asked George
the Third for the bishopric OF Durlam-then
worth e150OO0 year, and the greatest prize
| in the church-lor his brother. "Anything else,
my lord, than this; prelaey has always been be-
slowed ON man Of high connections" 'Then,
| Sir" said Thurow, 81 ask it for the brother OF
| the lord chancellor of England"
The king was Obliged to give way. The great
| nephew oftbis pertnacous office-sceker has, for
| heaven knows how long, been extracting, in
right of two patent places, $4,000 year-being
$4,000 year more than the chancellor himself
has. From FIRST to last he will certainly have
nettcd s2,5O0,00O. Fancy St. Paul or St Peter
| quietly p0eketiBg such sum. And this. be il
remembered, is in addition to his church prefer
| ment.
Horace Walpole before he was ten years old
was endowed with patent places worth $4,000
which he retained for life.
1t seems, in these days, almost unntegible
how such monstrous abuses could have been
| tolerated,
The system was first iorcibly attacked by that
ilustrious statesman who was In so many re
spects in advance Of his age in what was lib
eral and ghtened-Edmund Burke.-N. Y
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