The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1864] AUTHORSHIP OF PENNY POSTAGE. 393
" Nor is it in this country alone that are to be perceived the happy
fruits of his labours ; the recognition of his plans has spread with a
rapidity to be accounted for only by their excellence from land to
land, and truly may now be said to have met with acceptance
throughout the civilised world.
"Under these circumstances, it may justly be averred that my
Lords are dealing on the present occasion with the case not merely
and
of a meritorious public servant, but of a benefactor of his race ;
that his fitting reward is to be found not in this or that amount of
pension, but in the grateful recollection of his country.
" But my Lords discharge the portion of duty which belongs to
them with cordial satisfaction, in awarding to Sir Rowland Hill, for
life, his full salary of 2,000 per annum.
" Let a copy of this Minute be laid before Parliament.
may
" Transmit copy to the Postmaster-General, with a request that it
be communicated to Sir Rowland HilL"
The following is my
"(Private and immediate.)
letter to Mr. Gladstone :
"Hampstead, March I5th, 1864.
" MY DEAR MR. GLADSTONE, I have just received through the
Postmaster-General a copy of the Treasury minute of the nth inst.
" I need not say how much I feel indebted for the very handsome
terms in which my services are acknowledged, and for the liberal
retiring allowance which the Treasury has granted me.
" There is, however, one part of the minute which I trust their
lordships may be induced to reconsider. It is that in which the
original conception of the uniform penny rate is attributed to others
than myself. As this forms the main feature of my plan, and as its
discovery and first proposal were wholly my own, you will, I am sure,
pardon me if I press that in a formal document like the one in
question a mistake on so important a point may be corrected.
"
But perhaps I ought to address an official letter to the Treasury,
stating more formally and fully the facts of the case. Will you
favour me with your wishes in this respect ? My immediate object
is to request that the copy of the minute to be laid before Parliament
may not be issued until the point in question shall have been
investigated.
"The Right Hon.
"The Chancellor of the Exchequer, &c."
" I remain, &c., in haste,
"ROWLAND HILL.