The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

196 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1851-2
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 reappeared ;
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,"" 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
*
"January 8th, 1852. I told him plainly that the Government has not kept
faith with me that if they meant, as now stated, that I should succeed Maberly
merely in the event of a vacancy arising in the ordinary manner, they ought
clearly to have stated as much, and not held out expectations of a different kind."
Sir R. Hill's Journal. ED.