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In the Cuſtoms there was a claſs of offices, granted by patent, in the gift of the firſt lord of the treaſury, abſolute ſinecures, and many of them of great value[1]: this patronage was the more deſirable, as no local claims interfered with it at all, which left the miniſter at liberty to diſpofe of it among the relations and private friends of himſelf, or of thofe on whom he was moſt defirous of conferring favors. Theſe ſinecure employments, to the number of one hundred and ninety-ſix, amounting at that time in value to 42,000l. a-year, and which would now, from the increaſe of trade, have been worth much more, Mr. Pitt took a determination to aboliſh ſo early as Chriſtmas 1784; from which time they remained vacant as they fell in. In truth he diſpoſed of only two of thoſe from his firſt entrance into office; one given for public ſervices[2], and the other for the ſupport of ſome of the younger branches of an ancient, noble
- ↑ One of theſe, worth more than 1200l, a-year, was given by Lord North to the brother of Mr. Robinſon, and another, of about half that value, was held by a gentleman in the Treaſury for Sir Grey Cooper, the joint ſecretaries of the Treaſury.
- ↑ This was only a moiety; there was a ſurvivor in the patent, which prevented the ſuppreſſion of the office.
