The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-03-17
SOME CURIOUS PENsIoNs.l

A letter to the New York World, by
Mr.. Jennings, its London correspondent
giving some Of the curious features oi
the English pension list as shown by 4
Parliamentary return submitted last
month, has attracted attention. Some Of
the oldest facts contained in this return
appear to have escaped the attention OIL
Mr.. Jennings, whilst others are but
slightly noticed.
The return was submitted to the HOUSE
of Commons in response to an enqu ry
by Mr.. BradIaugh, the Radical member
who is constantly asking impertinent
questions concerning the cost of royalty
and nobility to the tax paying peo Jle.
The paper gives only the facts specific
ally requested, and does not cover all
that Mr. Bradlaugh probably desired to
obtain. 1t shows only chow many and
which of the perpetual pensions are act
ually paid to other persons than the per-
sons named as the recipients in the fl
nance accounts, and in each such case
to whom the said several pensions are
now really paid"
That there should be such thing as a
perpetual pension appears strange, but
it is still stranger to find that such annu
tiles have been assigned and transferred
like any other personal property, and
that the present benetiCisries Of these
grants are neither descendants, nor rela-
tiVes Of those to whom the pensions
were originally voted.
One hundred and eighty five years ago
King William III. granted to the family
of the Duke of Schonberg, for services
rendered by that famous General during
the struggles Of the Revolution of 1888,
an annual pension Of 100000. In after
years about one half the pension was
capitalized and purchased by the Gov.
ernment, but the remainder has been
paid with unfsiling regularity, the pres
ent reel tents being six persons who are
believed to have no relationship what
ever to the family of the famous Dutch
General. A Colonel Stuart draws $4,000
year on the ground that he is a de.
scendant of William Penn, to whose
heirs a pension in recognition of the
"moritorious services" of their ancestor
was granted in 1890, in consequence of
the losses caused to the Penns by the
"late unhappy disturbances in America" 7"
More han two and half centuries ago,
Charles l. granted the Carribbee Islands
to the Earl of Carlisle. About two hun
dred years ago Charles II, bought back
the Islands from their then possessor
the Earl of Kinnoul, for an annuity of a
thousand pounds. The payment has
gone on ever since, but the Kinnouls
have long ceased to receive the money,
the annuity having been disposed of to
others, and is now being paid to Mr.
and Mrs. Carr.
Somewhere away in the past there was
an official known as the Officer Of the
Pipe, who also held the position of Re-
membranCe of First Fruits and Tenths
of the clergy. Just what he did with
the Pipe, or why his pipe was put out,
does not appear, but every year the sum
of G62 9s Sd, is paid to some one in con-
sideration of somebody long time ago
having had the pipe taken from him and
put out forever. The present recipient
is lady whoseCured it as an Investment
and before her ownership the pension
had been many times bought and sold.
The Duke Of Grafton was granted a pen.
SION of Gl9 900 a year by Charles H.,
and the Duke of Richmond was given
by the same monarch somewhere be.
tween $4,000 and $1,000 a year, The
holders Of these titles still receive the
benefit of these pensions, most Of which
however, have been converted into land
The former Originally received his
emoluments in the shape Of duty on
"Coals exported from the Tyne and con-
sumed in England" whilst the Rich
mond pension was derived from "the
Prisage and Butlersge Dues" Both
those funds are now in the hands of
trustees for the benefit of the two Dukes
Mr.. Gladstone being one of the two trus.
tees for the Duke Of Richmond.