The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1849] FAILURE OF HEALTH. 1 05
Meantime doubt revived as to the stability of the
Ministry :
" May 7th. The Postmaster-General expresses doubt as to the
result of this debate [the Navigation Laws], on which the existence
of the Ministry depends. He says, however, that in the event of
their resignation, there will be ample time to consider any arrangements
similar to those discussed at the time of the last ministerial
crisis for making my position in the office more satisfactory."
With the importance of the relief to be derived
from the long-sought change in my position I was
again impressed by failure of health. Towards the
unfit for
end of May I became so unwell as to be very
work,
home.
and was obliged to remain almost entirely at
Some weeks later I again fell ill, and was for
a week absent from the office, getting with difficulty
through some little work at home. Early in August,
however, the parliamentary session having closed, I
was able to take more rest, and though repeatedly
interrupted by
recalls either to the Post Office or
the Treasury, I was nominally at holiday
for a
whole month, and really passed nearly a fortnight at
Ramsgate. Before leaving town, however, I again
wrote to the Postmaster-General. (See Appendix B.)
In his reply (Appendix C), Lord Clanricarde repeated
his former objections to moving in the matter, and
said he saw no reason to believe that the Treasury
would take at that moment any steps to place me in
the position I desired to hold.*
* Lord Clanricarde said, in his reply, " I could not send forward to the
Treasury your letter of the 3rd of January without previously communicating
with Colonel Maberly." On this Sir R. Hill thus remarks in his Journal : " In
saying that he could not forward, &c., he strangely forgets himself. He did send
it forward as soon as he received it. Perhaps he means that he cannot send it
forward officially or a second time ; but this is unnecessary. I don't like the look
of things at all. If I consent to these indefinite delays, the result will be that
there will be a change of Ministry, and I shall be defrauded of my promised
promotion. ' ' E D.