The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

390 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1864
been an original strong promoter of Hill's postal reforms and early
movement.******
" It is no question of what Hill's pecuniary private position may
or may not be. It is simply the appreciation of his singular services
to his country, and the gains of his countrymen by his mind and
labours of the unquestionable success of his plans of postal reform
of the vast beneficial results.
" I will only add that I cannot sufficiently appreciate Sir Francis
Baring's kind and earnest interest in your good object.
" Truly yours,,
"JOSEPH PARKES.
"P.S. I will only repeat that Sir Francis was decided that Mr.
Gladstone should be seen at once, and before the Treasury decide
on Hill's retiring pension, and that Gladstone, by such a deputation,
must be backed up to a full act of justice. Sir Francis said he was
confident Lord Palmerston would agree to any course Gladstone
approves.
"The proper decision would be to give Hill the full salary as
retiring pension, and the sum of money. But we shall see how
matters work as they progress."
"EXTRACT from the Daily News of March i2th.
" House of Commons.
"
Pension to Lady Hill. Notice by Lord Palmerston.
" Sir Rowland Hill
"Lord PALMERSTON. Sir, I believe it is well known that that
valuable and deserving public servant, Sir Rowland Hill, is about
to retire from the public service, and that in the ordinary course of
things he will be entitled to a pension for life. I beg to move that
this House resolve itself into a committee of supply, on Monday
next, for the purpose of considering whether that pension should
not be extended for the life of Lady Hill should she survive her
husband."
On the 1 5th I received a minute of the Treasury, of
which the following is a copy. There are some errors
in the minute, of which the most important was noticed