224

HISTORY OF THE

[FEES.

paid by the Treasury, and those who pay them out of their own purse, not merelyin the value of the money, but because it is a tacit intimation that those whoare not relieved by the Crown from the payments, did not receive the Order forservices of much importance, an inference that might seem to cast some reflec-tion on the justice of the Sovereign, and the dignity of the Institution. Forthese and other reasons, those Fees had long excited great dissatisfaction; andthe Government had been inconvenienced by the complaints of Knights of theOrder, when called upon for payment, and by the remonstrances of the Officersat being deprived of emoluments to which they are legally entitled. From 1815to 1834, nothing, however, was done to alter a system by which the Crown,the persons whose merits it had rewarded with Honours, and its own servantswere equal sufferers; and which, in the emphatic words of Mr. SecretaryStanley, in the House of Commons, was “ a National grievance and a Nationaldishonour.” 5 Early in 1834, arrangements were, however, matured for abolish-ing the Fees, and placing the Order on a proper establishment in all otherrespects. A Message was sent by the King to Parliament, and an interestingand animated debate ensued. The House of Commons was almost unanimousin declaring, that “when the Crown grants Honours to men for distinguishedservice to the Country, it ought to be enabled to confer them without imposinga burden upon those who receive themand one Honourable Member, withcharacteristic energy, denounced the Fees “ as absolute piracy.” 6 Though theHouse resolved that the Lords of the Treasury should be authorized to makecompensation to such Officers of the Order as might be deprived of Salariesand Fees, under the existing Statutes, 7 the measure was not proceeded with.Mr. Stanley, whose exertions on the subject deserve the gratitude of the Navyand Army, and of the Country, soon after went out of Office, and the evilsthus deprecated by the Government, and by the House of Commons, still existin all their force.

The present Fees originated in the plan of entirely supporting the Officersby the Knights, who, on the revival of the Institution, principally consisted ofPeers and other persons of large private fortune, few of whom had rendered anyimportant service to the Country, and who were willing to accept the Honourwith all the pecuniary burthens attached to it. From the desire of patronage,an unnecessary number of Offices was created, the duties attached to the greaterpart of them being so slight, as to be little more than nominal, so that the

5 Vide p. 174, antea.

6 Vide p. 176, antea.

7 Vide 180, antea.