The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

x847-8] MR. COBDEN'S ADVICE. 73
The difficulty, however, was not yet solved, for I
presently found that the Postmaster-General, instead
of himself drawing the minute transferring the secre-
tarial authority over the Money Order Department to
me, had remitted the task to Colonel Maberly. The
result was such an instrument as would have both
crippled my authority and lowered me in the eyes of
each of the some twenty officers to whom the minute
was to be communicated.* Unfortunately this minute,
without any opportunity being allowed for objection,
had been confirmed, not only by the Postmaster-
General but also by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The course I took was to draw up a new minute, in
the name, not of Colonel Maberly, but of the Post-
master-General himself, substantially the same as
regarded the powers that were given me, but free from
all offensive expression and unnecessary restriction.
This I submitted to the Postmaster-General, urging its
adoption ; but, though he admitted the objectionable
character of some parts of Colonel Maberly's minute,
I saw that he was disappointed and annoyed at my
application.
In my renewed difficulty,
further consider my ground :
I perceived that I must
"December ijth, 1847. Called on Mr. Cobden; described my
position at the Post Office, and asked his advice as to the course I
should adopt ; more especially seeking his opinion as to whether I
should be justified in public opinion in resigning my appointment, if
apply to the Postmaster-General to dismiss the offender, and that the higher his
rank in the office, the more readily I shall take the step.
is greatly alarmed,
and promises all sorts of things." Sir R. Hill's Journal. ED.
* " Maberly has contrived to make it appear very much his own act, talks of
his laying down rules for my guidance, interdicts me from punishing or even
reprimanding anyone without the previous sanction of the Postmaster-General,
and in various ways contrives to make the very act of extending my power the
means of tying my hands." Sir R. Hill's Journal. ED.