CHAPTER XX.

EFFORTS FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN POSITION. (1851-2.)

The extent to which railway affairs had come into my hands, combined with the necessity, under existing arrangements, for my acting through the medium of others not subordinate to me, and prone to interfere with my proceedings, led me to urge upon the Postmaster-General the importance of formally transferring the secretarial management of the railway department to myself. This was the more necessary, because the circular of December, 1847--never yet recalled or superseded--made it the duty of the surveyors and others to disregard any instructions I might give in railway matters; so that I had been reluctantly compelled to ask Mr. Tilley [the assistant-secretary] to sign letters for me. My Journal (June 26th, 1851) thus continues:--

"The Postmaster-General still hesitates--says he will consult the Chancellor of the Exchequer to-morrow, &c., and meanwhile advises me to sign instructions in disregard of the circular."

This promise, though not forgotten, produced no effect for several months. Meanwhile my health again began to suffer. The assistance lately granted me, valuable as it was, not only fell far short of my requirements, but also came too late for full benefit. My friends were still moving in my behalf, as appears by the following letter from Mr. Cobden:--

"Midhurst, Sussex, "14th September, 1851.

"MY DEAR SIR,--Having learnt your address from your brother, I write merely to say that, although I did not forget to fulfil my promise, yet the conversation I had with the Chancellor (which I took care was a casual one) ended in leaving matters where they were. He spoke, as usual, in terms of high regard for yourself, and is, I believe, sincerely desirous of promoting the object I had in view in speaking to him. But the difficulty in the way of the arrangement is the same now as before. 'M---- is not an old man; he cannot with decency be shelved; and at present there is nothing good enough in point of salary to which he could be transferred so as to create a vacancy in his post,' &c. I confess I don't see why this should not be treated as an exceptional case, and believe that a very good defence might be made of such an arrangement as was spoken of; but I gathered from the Chancellor that he was not disposed to take upon himself the responsibility of such a proceeding. And so the matter must remain for the present. We will talk the subject over again when we meet....

"Hoping you are finding health in the sea-breezes,

"I remain, "Very truly yours, "R. COBDEN."

Soon afterwards, at the request of the Postmaster-General, I visited, in company with my son, the more important towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire, where I discussed with Mr. Godby, the surveyor, numerous demands for postal improvement lately received from that important district. At Leeds, Halifax, Bradford, and Huddersfield I received deputations. The result of my proceedings is thus recorded:--

"_November 19th._--Succeeded in every instance in satisfying the parties that we were desirous of doing all that was practicable--that some of their demands were unreasonable, or of doubtful practicability, and others dependent on the expense as compared with the correspondence to be benefited. I was exceedingly well received, thanked for the trouble I had taken, and complimented on the benefits I had conferred on the nation. I am very well satisfied with the visit, though it will cause me some months of hard work."

Meanwhile, a little incident occurred which may perhaps be worth mentioning. A gentleman who was writing an account of the Post Office having written to Colonel Maberly to inquire as to the difference between the duties of the "secretary to the Post Office and those of the secretary to the Postmaster-General;" and Colonel Maberly having politely referred the querist to me, I wrote a brief note, the substantial part of which ran as follows:--

"There is no essential difference between the two offices, and the term 'secretary to the Postmaster-General' is in strictness the official designation of both. The two secretaries are in the same relative position to the Postmaster-General, who assigns to them their respective duties."

Colonel Maberly, though not quite agreeing in the terms of my note, did not object to its despatch, which was accordingly made; but the querist having objected to the brevity of my reply, I referred the matter to the Postmaster-General, who settled the point by pronouncing my note "a devilish good answer."

I perceived about this time various indications of an improved feeling towards me in the office. My complete success in the trying struggle relative to Sunday observance, and in some other important matters to be spoken of hereafter, combined with the confidence now constantly reposed in me by the Postmaster-General, and at the Treasury, seemed to have convinced opponents that further contest was unprofitable, and that it would be better frankly to enjoy the comfort of harmonious action.

"_December 26th._--The entries in my Journal have of late been comparatively few. This is not because there is less to be done, but partly because, since the appointment of Frederic, less has fallen to my share, and partly (indeed chiefly) because there is now much less opposition to my measures than heretofore.... The improvement in this respect is so great that, but for the apprehension that in the event of a new Postmaster-General being appointed the opposition would revive, I should scarcely desire a change in my position."

Ground of anxiety, however, soon re-appeared; strong representations being made to me as to bad appointments in the secretaries' office, the advancement of unfit men, and grievous inconvenience thence arising; a pressing reason for change which had not occurred to me. Accordingly, about a fortnight later, I again spoke on the subject to the Postmaster-General,[95] who, admitting that the administration was in a very precarious state, promised to speak immediately to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which he accordingly did, but with little success, the old difficulties being still dwelt on, though the Postmaster-General now informed me that Colonel Maberly was willing to accept £1,500 a year as a retiring pension. I pointed out to him, moreover, that the restoration of the old gross revenue, which seemed now to be an established fact, was an epoch in the progress of my plan which afforded opportunity for decided action. In this view he concurred.

A few days later the Postmaster-General spoke a second time to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but again with little result, save that he induced him to consent to my applying for support to my friends in Parliament. With this view, I obtained several copies of the correspondence already mentioned, and appended a memorandum, in which I pointed out that another year had passed away, the fifth since those expectations had been held out to me which still remained to be fulfilled. I again referred to enforced delay in improvement; to insufficiency in the net revenue, owing to my inability, circumstanced as I was, to give full effect to the economical arrangements which I had always contemplated; to the comparative insignificance of the expense implied in granting to Colonel Maberly any retiring allowance that could be thought of, and to means by which even such small sacrifice could be directly compensated.

Lastly, referring to the actual position of Ministers, to the expectations held out to me, to the acknowledged fulfilment on my part of the only condition on which they were made to depend, and, above all, to the extent to which the public service was suffering, I pressed on Government to adopt at once the only means by which it could with certainty fulfil its engagement, viz., to allow Colonel Maberly to retire on a sufficient pension. While I admitted that such a step would be a departure from an excellent rule, I pointed out that mine was an exceptional case, and must have been so viewed by Government at the time when it raised the expectations in question.

"_January 31st._--Called on Cobden. Read to him the memorandum, and left a copy of the correspondence for his perusal. He enters warmly into the business, will again speak to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, says he ought not to hesitate; advises that I should apply to those only who, like himself, are pledged to the success of penny postage, either as members of the Committees of 1838 and 1843, or as witnesses. I think he is right; at all events, this will be the safe side. Cobden, to my surprise, said that I ought not to give up any part of my salary--that £2000 a year was not too much, adding that I ought to be Postmaster-General, and would have been such in any less aristocratic country than ours. Wrote to Moffatt, who is at Ventnor, inclosing a copy, and gave a third to Thornley. Hume, Warburton, and Currie are out of town."

A few days later, however, I saw nearly all these gentlemen, as also Mr. Milner Gibson. Mr. Hume spoke of difficulties, Mr. Thornley had already spoken to the Chancellor of the Exchequer without effect, Mr. Warburton, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Moffatt were as usual very much in earnest, all undertaking to see the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Warburton volunteering to go also to Lord John Russell whenever I might think this expedient.

"_February 11th._--Brown reports that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is angry, complaining that he has had no less than four applications about me within the last two or three days, and that he can do no more. Received from Cobden the following letter:--

"'103, Westbourne Terrace, "'10th February, 1852.

"'MY DEAR SIR,--Hume and I spoke to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. There is a difficulty which he threw in our way (upon high authority) which you do not seem to have seen. Has Hume explained it to you? If not, give me a meeting for a minute either here or at the House. These matters are better talked about than written about.

"'Yours truly, "'R. COBDEN.

"'R. Hill, Esq.'"

The next day, on seeing Mr. Cobden, I learnt that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had pronounced my suggestion impracticable. He alleged that two secretaries were necessary, and that consequently any retiring allowance to Colonel Maberly must be an additional charge on the revenue, an addition which Mr. Hume was not prepared to defend, though Mr. Cobden was. Mr. Hume subsequently confirmed this statement of his views, and while assuring me that the Chancellor of the Exchequer spoke very highly of me, and promised promotion at the first opportunity, he himself was of opinion that nothing could be done at present, and so counselled patience. He forgot that such advice to a man tottering and almost sinking under his load is much more easily given than received.

_The mysterious allusion in Mr. Cobden's letter was never fully explained to me._

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the late conference, had assigned as a reason for Colonel Maberly's retention that the foreign negotiations were under his charge, I no sooner arrived at the office than I called upon the head clerk of that department for a specific statement on the subject, when it appeared that of all the negotiations then in hand, eleven in number, every one, without exception, was under mine.

"_February 13th._--Without committing Cobden, I put the question plainly to the Postmaster-General, as to whether he was still of opinion that, in the event of Colonel Maberly's retirement, I should be able to manage the department without other aid than that of the two assistant-secretaries. He answered emphatically in the affirmative, and on my adding that there was an impression on the minds of some of my friends that the appointment of another secretary would be necessary, he authorised me to state the contrary in his name, and volunteered to speak to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject, under the impression that my friends must have been misled by some mistake on his part."

After reporting all this to Mr. Cobden, I called, by his advice, on Mr. Moffatt, who was about to speak to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject. Of course I put him in possession of all the facts.

"_February 15th._--Met Moffatt at the Reform Club. He says the Chancellor of the Exchequer refused to hear him--that he complains bitterly of my 'unfairness' in setting the Members upon him, and says that if my friends are not satisfied, they ought to meet and appoint a deputation, with which he will, once for all, go fully into the matter, but that he will not see any more individual Members. Moffatt thinks the result of his interview unfavourable, but I do not. I have all along desired to have a meeting of Members, but was afraid that it might look too much like direct agitation."

"_February 16th._--Saw Cobden, and reported proceedings. We are to do nothing for a few days, in order to allow time for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to cool."

"_February 17th._--Moffatt tells me that last night he had a conversation with the Postmaster-General, in which the latter stated that if Colonel Maberly retired the appointment of another secretary would be unnecessary."

"_February 18th._--The Postmaster-General told me of his conversation with Moffatt, adding that he has expressed a similar opinion to the Chancellor of the Exchequer."

"_February 19th._--Reported proceedings to Warburton; he will attend the meeting of Members."

"_February 21st._--Called on Cobden to advise that the meeting of Members should now be held, when I learned to my surprise (not having seen the morning papers) that Ministers resigned last night in consequence of a defeat on the Militia Bill. He considers the resignation real. I certainly have been very ill-used."

"_February 23rd._--The Postmaster-General confirms Cobden's impressions. Lord Derby has undertaken to form an administration, and Lord Clanricarde retains office only till his successor is appointed."

I fear the deep mortification I underwent at this sudden frustration of my hopes when I thought fulfilment so near at hand caused me to regard the important change which was taking place much more from a private than a public point of view. My excuse may perhaps be found in the recollection of the struggle that I had for so many years sustained, in the fact of my worn health of both body and mind, and in the non-fulfilment of the promise originally made me, a delay by which the term of six months had already been extended to five years, and, as now appeared, till those who had given the pledge had lost the power to redeem it. On those who were now to become my official superiors I could have but little claim, and my expectation from them was even less.

It still remained to do what was possible for diminishing the evil of the change, and, as my readers will readily believe, I had full reliance on the friendliness of Lord Clanricarde. I therefore drew up a minute proposing that the restrictive regulations laid down on my entering office should be rescinded, and that the practice which had superseded them should be formally approved. To this minute I obtained Lord Clanricarde's sanction. Colonel Maberly, as his lordship soon afterwards informed me, sent in a counter-minute, but without effect. Lord Clanricarde's reply to this was admirable. While, of course, leaving matters with his successor, he gave it as his own opinion that a practice which has gradually grown up is more likely to work well than any rule that can be prescribed.

A further step on my part is thus recorded:--

"_February 27th._--At Lord Clanricarde's request I have prepared a statement of the principal improvements which I and Frederic have effected, and of those in hand, as also a statement of the savings which we have effected. The improvements now in hand are no less than thirty in number, even counting each class, as for instance the eleven foreign negotiations, as one; the savings, omitting sums under £20, and disregarding the numerous applications for increased salaries, &c., which have been prevented, amount to nearly £60,000 a year."

This is exclusive of the large savings I effected whilst at the Treasury.