98 
Urdahl—Historical Survey of Fee Systems. 
higher land patent fees than Governor Wentworth of New Hamp¬ 
shire, from whom they had received their lands before the trans¬ 
fer of jurisdiction. Some of the early governors succeeded in 
collecting goodly salaries from their perquisites. 1 The grants 
to the governor of New York yielded over $65,000, besides liberal 
fees to the secretary of the province, clerks of council, receiver 
general, attorney general, and surveyor general. 2 The colonial 
governors were not all models of puritan simplicity and honesty. 3 
Many of them did not scruple to avail themselves of their office 
to exact various illegal fees, at times almost exorbitant in 
amount. 4 
These colonial governors, especially those of New York, were 
many of them worthy examples of the notorious ring-leaders of 
later generations. The crown itself was constantly defrauded 
of numerous fees and perquisites, which they collected in its 
name, but failed to turn over or account for in any way. 
Considered from our point of view, it seems rather strange 
that the colonists would pay these charges, when they must 
have known that there was no law sanctioning them. But it 
1 Governor Clarke is said to have amassed a fortune of $100,000 in seven 
years; and Gov. Clinton obtained $80,000 in a short time (mainly from fees, 
as salaries were less than 2,000£ per annum). Roberts, History of New 
York’ p. 296. 
2 During the thirteen months interregnum in New York in 1731, the 
lieutenant governor collected over. 6,407£ in fees and other perquisites of 
office. Ibid., p. 261. 
3 Among the other glaring abuses charged against Governor Crosby of 
New York was the extortion of 150£ for one trip to Albany, 750£ for serv¬ 
ices in London, etc., in the probate court. (Ibid., pp. 265-267.) See also 
F. A. Wood’s History of Taxation in Vermont , Columbia College 
Studies, IY, 322. 
4 “ For the sake of acquiring fees as governor or proprietor he (Gov. 
Sothel of North Carolina) disputed the best of titles, and vexed the fairest 
traders.” History of North Carolina. Hugh Williamson, II, p. 140.) 
The Ninth assembly of New York in 1703 adopted an address to the gover¬ 
nor concerning the exorbitant charges, fees, and other exactions, re¬ 
questing, among other things, the appointment of a treasurer who shall be 
a resident and inhabitant of the colony. (Civil List of New York , 1887, 
p. 73.) See also W. S. Ripley, Financial History of Virginia , Columbia 
College Studies, Vol. IV. 
