The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1864] SIR FRANCIS BARING. 389
or rather I under
duty to do it. Hill was long in office under me,
him. For months, I may say, he was little out of my own room. I
have the highest estimate of his public services on the postal changes,
of his talent and good judgment throughout many difficult considerations
and decisions ; and his integrity was unimpeachable in
carrying out his plans. Further, I always found him open-minded
in regard to objections made to his own individual propositions on
some points, often material, on which we individually differed, and in
which, now and then, I overruled him ; he always made due
allowance for my disagreement with him, and all proper consideration
for my difficulties and views as Chancellor of the Exchequer. And I
formed not only this high opinion of his character and public service,
but I also formed a friendship for him which would induce me always
to promote his interest in any matter in my power.'
" I really thus pen his almost exact words as due to Hill, and
because they much impressed me. And you know Sir Francis is not
a man of many words, or, in manner, of overflowing heart. . . .
He considers that at Hill's age, and considering the immense benefits
his country has derived at his hands, a retiring pension on full salary
only
'
would be a mockery '
(Sir Francis's own expression) ; and he
considers that either his bare official pension, or, say ^1000 per
annum, might be asked of Gladstone, with a grant of a proper sum
as a public reward or a just gift to him. We talked awhile on the
amount of that sum.
* * * * * *
" But we both thought the figure an after consideration. He said
the pressure of the proposed deputation to Gladstone must be placed
on Mr. Gladstone, as all Chancellors of the Exchequer naturally
were given to be scared when such exceptional claims were made on
the public's purse. But he spoke highly of Gladstone's generosity of
mind as a public and private man ; and he said he was certain the
Chancellor of the Exchequer would be sincerely glad to give full
consideration to Hill's most peculiar case and public claims, and to
do all in his power officially, and within his public duty. Sir Francis
mentioned the Times article among others as particularly useful, and
as having placed Hill's services on the proper and full basis. He
did not know of the Birmingham statue meeting, and was much
struck by the fact. I send you my Birmingham Daily Post with
the report, and the deputation should be armed with it to show
Mr. Gladstone.
" Sir Francis thought no two better men than Mr. W. Patten and
Moffatt could be selected as his colleagues ; Moffatt also having