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435
Her Majesty's Mails
·
William Lewins
206
Twelve
years
after
the
trial
of
Bishop
Atterbury,
members
of
both
Houses
became
alarmed
for
the
safety
of
their
correspondence,
and
succeeded
in
getting
up
an
agitation
on
the
subject.
Several
members
of
the
House
of
Commons
complained
that
their
letters
had
been
opened.
Revelations
were
made
at
this
time
which
remind
us
strongly
of
the
episode
of
1844,
both
discussions
resulting
in
a
parliamentary
committee
of
inquiry.
It
was
stated
in
the
debate
of
1735,
that
the
liberty
which
the
Act
gave
"could
serve
no
purpose
but
to
enable
the
idle
clerks
about
the
office
to
pry
into
the
private
affairs
of
every
merchant
and
gentleman
in
the
kingdom."[121]
It
transpired
on
this
occasion
that
a
regular
organization
existed,
at
enormous
expense,
for
the
examination
of
home
and
foreign
correspondence.
The
Secretary
of
the
Post-Office
stated
that
the
greater
part
of
45,000l.
had
been
paid,
without
voucher
of
any
kind,
to
Robert,
Earl
of
Oxford,
for
defraying
the
expenses
of
this
establishment.
Among
the
principal
annual
expenses
were
the
salaries
of
the
chief
decipherers[122]
(Dr.
Willes
and
his
son),
1,000l.;
the
second
decipherer,
800l.;
the
third,
500l.;
four
clerks,
1,600l.;
doorkeeper,
50l.;
incidental
charges,
but
principally
for
seals,
100l.
The
result
of
the
inquiry
was,
that
the
Committee
condemned
the
practice,
and
the
House
declared
that
it
was
a
breach
of
privilege
on
the
part
of
the
Government
to
use
the
power
except
in
the
exact
manner
described
in
the
statute.
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