Chapter XXIX: Resignation. (1864.)

I return to the year 1864, and to my personal narrative.

The necessity for my withdrawal was the more disappointing because I knew that I had the full confidence and even sympathy of the head of that department to which the Post Office is subordinate. This confidence, however, was not sufficiently near for my support; and in my immediate department the ground was slipping from beneath my feet. The chief point I was striving to maintain was that of promotion at once by absolute merit, and in faithful accordance with the requirements of the department. The rules by which this was maintained had to an important extent been of late set aside; all my resistance to the change being overborne. My appointment having been made by the Treasury, I had thought myself justified in appealing directly to that higher authority; and I now learnt, for the first time (February 6th, 1864), that such appeal had been condemned by the Postmaster-General, who at the same time denied in general terms my alleged appointment by the Treasury,[230] maintaining that "all appointments in the Post Office, without distinction, are made by the Postmaster-General, and him alone." I had even gone so far (on the suggestion of Mr. Gladstone) as twice to solicit and obtain an interview with the Premier, Lord Palmerston. Though, on the first occasion, I was received in the most friendly manner, and listened to with great patience, and even obtained some little support, I became convinced, on the second interview, that I had no hope of effectual aid from that quarter. In short, matters had ere this come into such a state that it was in effect impracticable for me to retain my actual position; and, indeed, at the time of which I am now writing, viz., the beginning of 1864, no change, I am afraid, would have availed, my strength being already exhausted. The last six months I had passed in vacation, for which I had applied, in the hope that such a period of rest might so far recruit my health as to enable me to hold on in the hope of better times; but at the close of the period I was but too sensible that this end had not been attained. I therefore procured a consultation of all my medical advisers, four in number; their opinion, communicated to me through the mouth of their senior, Sir Thomas Watson, is thus recorded in my Journal:--

"They were unanimously of opinion that for me to return to the
Post Office would be attended with serious risk of life, and they
hoped that I would altogether abandon any such intention; that I
had accomplished a great work, and they hoped that I would make
up my mind to rest for the future; that with rest, and with such
pleasant occupation as they had no doubt I could find, they had
every reason to believe I should, to a considerable extent, regain
my health and strength. He added that he had been informed by the
others, confidentially, that certain changes had been made at the
Post Office, which, in my opinion, would add to my difficulties
if I returned; but that, under any circumstances, their opinion
was against such return. The question of an extension of leave of
absence having been raised, Dr. Watson, supported by the others,
earnestly advised that the main question should now be finally
decided, as they considered it very important, in the state of
my health, that all doubt on the subject should be removed. They
afterwards gave the following certificate:--

"'16, Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square,
"'February 18th, 1864.

"'We certify that the state of Sir Rowland Hill's health is such
as to render it unsafe for him to resume his duties at the Post
Office.'"

In yielding to the necessity thus falling upon me, I had some comfort in knowing that I left behind me, in addition to several men of tried zeal and ability in their respective stations, a few on whose zeal, talent, and earnest support of my plans, I could implicitly rely; for though I feared that under existing circumstances their efforts would be comparatively unavailing, yet I trusted they would have strength to endure until the return of better times. Unfortunately while my trust in their firmness has been fully justified, my hope seems as far as ever from fulfilment.

My whole family concurring in the necessity of the contemplated step, I called on the Chancellor of the Exchequer: my interview with him is thus recorded in my Journal:--

"Gladstone greatly regrets my determination to resign. Presses upon
me an offer to arrange for another six months' absence, with a
clear understanding that I do not return to the Post Office while
Lord Stanley of Alderley is there. At his urgent request, promised
to reconsider the question."

I fulfilled this promise, but could not venture to change my determination. Before sending in my resignation, however, I thought it due to Mr. Gladstone to wait upon him, and state the reasons which compelled me to take this step, as also to warn him of the evils that must follow some of the changes then in progress at the Post Office. Mr. Gladstone, receiving me with much kindness and evincing great sympathy, expressed his readiness to do anything in his power that might enable me to remain; but, while sincerely thanking him for all his kindness past and present, I was obliged to say that measures of relief, even if practicable, were now too late. Thus ended my last official interview with that distinguished statesman.[231]

My letter of resignation, which was addressed to the Lords of the Treasury, a copy being also sent to the Postmaster-General, was as follows:--

"Hampstead, 29th February, 1864.

"MY LORDS,--Referring to my letter to your lordships of the 12th
March last for explanation of the circumstances which rendered
my position at the Post Office so difficult, especially in the
impaired state of my health, I regret to say that the leave of
absence subsequently accorded me having elapsed without any
satisfactory result, I have no course left but to resign my
appointment as Secretary to the Post Office into your lordships'
hands, which I now accordingly beg leave to do. The necessity for
this step will at once appear on reference to the enclosed medical
certificate.

"I will not, my lords, attempt to conceal the extreme regret with
which I have come to the resolution to retire from a pursuit which
has been the absorbing occupation of so many years of my life. I
had once hoped to assist, for some considerable time to come, in
the great work of perfecting our postal system. My disappointment,
severe as your lordships will feel it must be, is nevertheless
greatly mitigated by the consolation of knowing that all the
expectations I ever held out to Parliament and the country have
been surpassed by the results. Of these, I beg leave to enclose a
brief and necessarily imperfect statement.

"Sincerely thanking your lordships for the ready support you have
so frequently afforded me in the performance of my arduous duties,

"I have, &c.,
"ROWLAND HILL.
"The Right Hon.
"The Lords Commissioners of H.M. Treasury, &c."

Of the brief and imperfect statement of results referred to above, the following is a copy. A few notes, however, are appended for the purpose of giving later results:--

"RESULTS OF POSTAL REFORM.

"Before stating the results of postal reform, it may be convenient
that I should briefly enumerate the more important organic
improvements effected. They are as follows:

"1. A very large reduction in the rates of postage on all
correspondence, whether inland, foreign, or colonial. As instances
in point, it may be stated that letters are now conveyed from
any part of the United Kingdom to any other part--even from the
Channel Islands to the Shetland Isles--at one-fourth of the charge
previously levied on letters passing between post towns only a
few miles apart;[232] and that the rate formerly charged for this
slight distance--viz., fourpence--now suffices to carry a letter
from any part of the United Kingdom to any part of France, Algeria
included.

"2. The adoption of charge by weight, which, by abolishing the
charge for mere enclosures, in effect largely extended the
reduction of rates.

"3. Arrangements which have led to the almost universal resort to
prepayment of correspondence, and that by means of stamps.

"4. The simplification of the mechanism and accounts of the
department generally, by the above and other means.

"5. The establishment of the book-post (including in its operation
all printed and much MS. matter), at very low rates; and its
modified extension to our colonies, and to many foreign countries.

"6. Increased security in the transmission of valuable letters
afforded, and temptation to the letter-carriers and others greatly
diminished, by reducing the registration fee from 1_s._ to 4_d._,
by making registration of letters containing coin compulsory, and
by other means.

"7. A reduction to about one-third in the cost--including
postage--of money orders; combined with a great extension and
improvement of the system.

"8. More frequent and more rapid communication between the
Metropolis and the larger provincial towns; as also between one
provincial town and another.

"9. A vast extension of the rural distribution--many thousands of
places, and probably some millions of inhabitants, having, for the
first time, been included within the postal system.

"10. A great extension of free deliveries. Before the adoption of
penny postage, many considerable towns, and portions of nearly all
the larger towns, had either no delivery at all, or deliveries on
condition of an extra charge.

"11. Greatly increased facilities afforded for the transmission
of foreign and colonial correspondence; by improved treaties with
foreign countries, by a better arrangement of the packet service,
by sorting on board, and other means.

"12. A more prompt despatch of letters when posted, and a more
prompt delivery on arrival.

"13. The division of London and its suburbs into ten postal
districts--by which, and other measures, communication within
the twelve-miles circle has been greatly facilitated, and the
most important delivery of the day has, generally speaking, been
accelerated as much as two hours.

"14. Concurrently with these improvements, the condition of the
employés has been materially improved; their labours, especially
on the Sunday, having been very generally reduced, their salaries
increased, their chances of promotion augmented, and other
important advantages afforded them.

"RESULTS.

"My pamphlet on 'Post Office Reform' was written in the year
1836. During the preceding twenty years--viz., from 1815 to 1835,
inclusive--_there was no increase whatever in the Post Office
Revenue, whether gross or net_; and therefore, in all probability,
none in the number of letters: and though there was a slight
increase in the revenue, and doubtless in the number of letters,
between 1835 and the establishment of penny postage early in
1840--an increase chiefly due, in my opinion, to the adoption
of part of my plan, viz., the establishment of day mails to and
from London--yet, during the whole period of twenty-four years
immediately preceding the adoption of penny postage, the revenue,
whether gross or net, and the number of letters, were, in effect,
stationary.

"Contrast with this the rate of increase under the new system,
which has been in operation during a period of about equal length.
In the first year of penny postage, the letters more than doubled;
and though since then the increase has, of course, been less rapid,
yet it has been so steady that, notwithstanding the vicissitudes
of trade, every year, without exception, has shown a considerable
advance on the preceding year, and the first year's number is now
nearly quadrupled. As regards revenue, there was, of course, at
first a large falling off--about a million in gross and still more
in net revenue. Since then, however, the revenue, whether gross
or net, has rapidly advanced, till now it even exceeds its former
amount; the rate of increase, both of letters and revenue, still
remaining undiminished.

"In short, a comparison of the year 1863 with 1838 (the last
complete year under the old system) shows that the number of
chargeable letters has risen from 76 millions to 642 millions (See
Note A); and that the revenue, at first so much impaired, has not
only recovered its original amount, but risen, the gross from
£2,346,000, to about £3,870,000, and the net from £1,660,000 to
about £1,790,000.[233] (See Note B).

"The expectations I held out before the change were, that
eventually, under the operation of my plans, the number of letters
would increase five-fold, the gross revenue would be the same as
before,

(A) In 1868 the number had increased to 808,000,000.--("Fifteenth
Report of the Postmaster-General," p. 4.) [In 1878 the number had
increased to 1,097,000,000--nearly fourteen and a-half fold the
number sent in 1838, in addition there were sent through the post
in 1878, 111,000,000 post-cards, 197,000,000 book packets and
circulars, and 130,000,000 newspapers.--ED.]

(B) Return 1868, No. 215, the latest account rendered in this form
shows that in 1867 the gross revenue had advanced to £4,548,000,
and the net revenue to £2,127,000. [According to the form now in
use, the gross revenue for 1878-9, was £6,274,000, and the net
revenue £2,434,000.--ED.] while the net revenue would sustain
a loss of about £300,000. The preceding statement shows that the
letters have increased, not five-fold, but nearly eight and a-half
fold; that the gross revenue, instead of remaining the same, has
increased by about £1,500,000; while the net revenue, instead of
falling £300,000, has risen more than £100,000. (See Note[234]).

"While the revenue of the Post Office has thus more than recovered
its former amount, the indirect benefit to the general revenue of
the country arising from the greatly increased facilities afforded
to commercial transactions, though incapable of exact estimate,
must be very large. Perhaps it is not too much to assume that, all
things considered, the vast benefit of cheap, rapid, and extended
postal communication has been obtained, even as regards the past,
without fiscal loss. For the future there must be a large and
ever-increasing gain.

"The indirect benefit referred to above is partly manifested in
the development of the money-order system; under which, since the
year 1839, the annual amount transmitted has risen from £313,000 to
£16,494,000; that is, fifty-two-fold (See Note[235]).

"An important collateral benefit of the new system is to be found
in the cessation of that contraband conveyance which once prevailed
so far that habitual breach of the postal law had become a thing of
course.

"It may be added that the organization thus so greatly improved and
extended for postal purposes, stands available for other objects;
and passing over minor matters, has already been applied with great
advantage to the new system of Savings Banks.

"Lastly, the improvements briefly referred to above, with all
their commercial, educational, and social benefits, have now been
adopted, in greater or less degree--and that through the mere force
of example--by the whole civilized world.

"I cannot conclude this summary without gratefully acknowledging
the cordial co-operation and zealous aid afforded me in the
discharge of my arduous duties. I must especially refer to many
among the superior officers of the department--men whose ability
would do credit to any service, and whose zeal could not be greater
if their object were private instead of public benefit.

"ROWLAND HILL.
"Hampstead, Feb. 23rd, 1864."

RESIGNATION.

In consequence of further communication from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, I wrote to him as follows:--

"Hampstead, March 4th, 1864.

"MY DEAR MR. GLADSTONE,--Mr. Moffatt has communicated to me your
expressions of desire that I should, if possible, still continue my
connection with the Post Office.

"Though much gratified with this further proof of friendly feeling
towards myself, and deeply regretting that your earnest and
repeated efforts to remove the obstacles to my continuance at
the Post Office should have proved unavailing, I am reluctantly
obliged--having regard to the opinions so emphatically expressed by
my medical advisers, confirmed as they are by my own conviction--to
abide by the decision already announced.

"If, however, the expectation entertained by my medical friends
of improved health from rest should be realized, I need scarcely
say that I shall be most happy to afford Government any advice or
assistance it may be in my power to give; and I may remind you that
my first official connection with the Post Office was as adviser to
Sir Francis Baring, then Chancellor of the Exchequer.

* * * * *

"I remain, &c.,
"ROWLAND HILL."

A few days later I received the subjoined from the Postmaster-General:--

"General Post Office, March 7th, 1864.

"DEAR SIR ROWLAND,--I have to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter, informing me that you have resigned your situation as
Secretary to the Post Office.

"It is with great concern I hear the state of your health is such
as to prevent you from resuming your duties.

"I enclose a copy of the letter I have sent to the Treasury on the
subject of your resignation, which expresses my opinion of the
great value of your services, and I have only again to assure you
how sensible I am of the loss which the Department has sustained,
and of my sincere regret at the cause of your retirement."

The enclosure was as follows:--

"4th March, 1864.

"MY LORDS,--I have received a communication from Sir R. Hill,
together with a medical certificate, from which it appears that
he has derived no benefit from his leave of absence; and that the
state of his health is such as to render it unsafe for him to
resume his duties; and in which I am informed that he has already
forwarded his resignation of the office as Secretary of the Post
Office.

"Under these circumstances, I have no choice left but to accept
his resignation; but I cannot do so without expressing my regret
that the country should be deprived of the services of this
distinguished public servant.

"For the introduction of penny postage alone--a measure which,
in itself, and in all its ramifications, has conferred such vast
benefits on all classes of the community, and with which the name
of Sir Rowland Hill will ever be identified--he deserves the
gratitude of his country--indeed of the civilized world, which, no
doubt, will not be niggardly expressed.

"But it is rather my province as Postmaster-General to state simply
the high opinion I entertain of the able manner in which Sir
Rowland Hill, so long as his health permitted, performed his duties
in this Department, and feeling satisfied that your lordships will
concur with me, I have no hesitation in recommending you to grant
him at once a retiring allowance equal to his full salary, a step
which the Superannuation Act enables you to take."

My reply, written on the same day, was as follows:--

"Hampstead, 8th March, 1864.

"MY DEAR LORD,--I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt
of your lordship's letter of yesterday enclosing a copy of the
letter you have addressed to the Treasury on the subject of my
resignation; and to request that you will accept my thanks for the
manner in which you have been pleased to speak of my services.

"I have the honour to be,
"Your Lordship's most obedient Servant,
"ROWLAND HILL.

"The Right Hon.
"LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY, &c."

Amongst the numerous notices of my retirement that appeared in the newspapers there was one[236] which showed that, notwithstanding my careful silence on the subject, suspicion was abroad as to the cause of my resignation. In it my retirement was attributed to opposition in the Department,--not to the ill-health which such opposition, combined with other troubles, had produced. The day after the appearance of this notice, a passage occurred in the House of Lords, which is thus mentioned in my Journal:--

"The following tells its own story. I have only to add, that
although I know Lord Truro, who inherits his father's interest
in my success, I have had no communication with him, direct or
indirect:--

"_Times_, March 9th.

"'RETIREMENT OF SIR ROWLAND HILL.

"'Lord TRURO rose to ask Her Majesty's Postmaster-General whether
the rumour of Sir Rowland Hill's resignation was well-founded; and,
if so, whether he had any objection to state the circumstances
under which that resignation had taken place. The noble lord said
he put the question to satisfy the strongly expressed desire of
the public to know the truth of the rumour to this effect which
had got abroad. He was sure that it would cause general regret to
hear of the existence of any cause for the retirement of a man who
had conferred such an immeasurable benefit upon the country, and,
indeed, upon the whole civilized world. (Hear, hear).

"'Lord STANLEY OF ALDERLEY said that Sir Rowland had recently
resigned his position in the Post Office in consequence of the
state of his health. Six months ago he applied for six months'
leave of absence, in the hope that he might then be enabled to
resume his duties, but at the end of that period--the beginning
of this month--he forwarded his resignation, saying that the six
months' leave of absence had not restored him, and accompanying it
with a medical certificate that it would not be safe for him to
resume his duties. Those were the whole circumstances connected
with Sir Rowland Hill's resignation, as far as he was acquainted
with them. He was sure that he should meet with their lordships'
concurrence in expressing the deepest regret at the retirement
of this able public servant. (Hear, hear.) The name of Sir R.
Hill would be inseparably connected with the establishment of the
penny post system--one of the greatest improvements of the present
age--which had, perhaps, conferred more benefit on mankind than any
other invention. (Hear, hear.) Those who recollected the state of
things before the penny post would know that to the poorer classes
correspondence by letter was practically interdicted, that to the
class above them the cost of a letter was a very serious matter,
and that, in the commercial and mercantile world, intercourse
was very much restricted by the expense of correspondence. Since
its first introduction, the penny post system had been greatly
extended; facilities of all sorts were given; money orders and
savings banks had been connected with it, and in every way it
had been largely developed. It had become popular all over the
civilized world, and with it the name of Hill would be for ever
connected. Their lordships would confirm him in expressing the
general regret which would be felt by the public at his retirement,
and the universal acknowledgment of the value of his services
would, no doubt, be a great satisfaction to Sir R. Hill. (Hear,
hear.)'"

Amongst the numerous manifestations at this time, not the least gratifying was the meeting at Birmingham, at which it was determined to raise subscriptions for the purpose of erecting a statue to me in some public part of that town, in which I had passed so many of my early years. My pleasure at this movement was not a little enhanced by the fact that the originator of the project, the late Mr. James Lloyd, had been, some forty years before, my pupil.

A few days after the meeting at Birmingham I received, through my steady and valued friend the late Mr. Matthew Forster, the following communication from the late Mr. Joseph Parkes, whom I had known almost from boyhood, and to whom I could not but feel much indebted for his spontaneous and earnest efforts in my behalf:--

"10th March, 1864. R. C. 5-1/2 P.M.

"DEAR MR. FORSTER,--I could not leave my office till 5. I thought
my interview with Sir F. Baring so good a chapter in Hill's life,
and so important a testimony to his public services, that I penned
the written minute in a note to you before I left Staple Inn. In
fact, Sir Francis is the best, and a willing, witness of Hill's
deserts.

"Yours truly,
"JOSEPH PARKES."

"_Sir Francis Baring's opinion of Rowland Hill._

"Staple Inn, 10th March, 1864.

"DEAR MR. FORSTER,--I found Sir Francis Baring at his rooms after
breakfast this morning, and I sat an hour with him on the subject
of our friend Sir Rowland Hill's deserts and claims on his country.
No one could be more kind or sensible in all his views of the
subject, and on the proper course for Sir Rowland Hill's friends to
pursue in the matter.

"I detailed to him the particulars of my interview with Moffatt
yesterday, and who, Sir Francis thinks, has not injudiciously
broken ground with Mr. Gladstone; and Sir Francis cheerfully agrees
to be one of three, _i.e._, with Mr. Wilson Patten and Moffatt, in
a deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

"Sir Francis at first doubted whether he himself should be one of
the best persons to promote the object of Hill's friends in seeing
Mr. Gladstone, as he said he and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
had each _angles_ that possibly might not quite _square_. However,
afterwards, he agreed with me that such were of no moment, and that
he felt it was due to himself, equally as to Hill, that he should
unite with Mr. W. Patten and Moffatt. He said really emphatically,
'No public man can so well or naturally impress Hill's deserts
on the Chancellor of the Exchequer as myself, and it is my duty
to do it. Hill was long in office under me, _or rather I under
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
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 12th.

"_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 15th 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 in my letter to Mr. Gladstone of this day (also subjoined), but nothing could be more gratifying than the minute as a whole:--

"TREASURY MINUTE, dated 11th March, 1864.

"Read letter from Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.B., dated the 29th
February, stating that six months' absence having elapsed without
any satisfactory results as regards the state of his health, he has
now no course left but to resign his appointment as Secretary to
the Post Office.

"Read also letter from the Postmaster-General of the fourth
instant, stating that Sir Rowland Hill has, in consequence of the
state of his health, been compelled to retire from the public
service, and bearing his testimony to the eminent services which
Sir Rowland Hill has rendered.

"The retirement of Sir Rowland Hill from the office of Secretary to
the Post Office would, if treated under the ordinary machinery of
the Superannuation Act, afford to my Lords the power of granting
him no more than a pension of £566 13_s._ 4_d._, or to the utmost
£666 13_s._ 4_d._, but it supplies, in the judgment of my Lords,
an occasion of peculiar fitness for calling into action the 9th or
special clause of the Superannuation Act, and thus, by a proceeding
which marks their sense of his services, of drawing to those
services the attention of Parliament.

"The period during which Sir Rowland Hill has held office, either
by a temporary or a permanent appointment, is but little in excess
of twenty years; yet my Lords have to regret that while he remains
full as ever of ability, energy, and resources, and of disposition
to expend them for the public good, the state of his health, due,
without doubt, in great part to his indefatigable labours, compels
him to solicit a retirement.

"It is not, however, by length of service that the merits and
claims of such a man are to be measured. It is not even by any
acknowledgment or reward which the Executive Government, in the
exercise of the powers confided to it, can confer.

"The postal system, one of the most powerful organs which modern
civilisation has placed at the command of Government, has,
mainly under the auspices and by the agency of Sir Rowland Hill,
been, within the last quarter of a century, not merely improved
but transformed. The letters transmitted have increased nearly
nine-fold, and have been carried at what may be estimated as little
more than one-ninth of the former charge. In numerous respects
convenience has been consulted and provided for even more than
cheapness.

"Upon the machinery for the transmission of letters there have been
grafted other schemes, which, at a former period, would justly have
been deemed visionary, for the transmission of books with other
printed matter, and of money, and for receiving and storing the
savings of the people.

"While these arduous duties have been undertaken, the condition of
the persons employed in this vast department has been improved,
and, could attention be adequately drawn to what lies beneath the
surface, my Lords are persuaded that the methods of communication
by letter which are now in action have produced for the mass of the
population social and moral benefits which might well have thrown
even these brilliant results into the shade.

"As respects purely fiscal interests, advantages so great as those
which have been recited were, of course, not to be obtained without
some effort or sacrifice. But the receipts on account of postal
service, which on the first adoption of the change were reduced by
above a million sterling, have now more than recovered themselves;
and if computed on the same basis as under the old system, the
gross sum realised is about £3,870,000 instead of £2,346,000, and
the net about £1,790,000 in lieu of £1,660,000; at the same time
contraband in letters may be stated to have ceased, and instead of
a stationary revenue, such as that derived from letters between
1815 and 1835, the State has one which is steadily and even rapidly
progressive.

"My Lords do not forget that it has been by the powerful agency
of the railway system that these results have been rendered
practicable. Neither do they enter into the question, as foreign
to the occasion, what honour may be due to those who, before the
development of the plans of Sir Rowland Hill, urged the adoption
of the uniform penny postage.[237] Nor are they insensible to the
fact that the co-operation of many able public servants has been
essential to the work performed. But after all justice has been
done to others, Sir Rowland Hill is beyond doubt the person to
whom it was given to surmount every kind of obstacle, and to bring
what had been theretofore matter of speculation into the world
of practice, without whom the country would not have enjoyed the
boon, or would only have enjoyed it at a later date, and to whom,
accordingly, its enjoyment may justly be deemed due.

"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 of a
meritorious public servant, but of a benefactor of his race; and
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.

"Transmit copy to the Postmaster-General, with a request that it
may be communicated to Sir Rowland Hill."

The following is my letter to Mr. Gladstone:--

"(Private and immediate.)
"Hampstead, March 15th, 1864.

"MY DEAR MR. GLADSTONE,--I have just received through the
Postmaster-General a copy of the Treasury minute of the 11th 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.

"I remain, &c., in haste,
"ROWLAND HILL.

"The Right Hon.
"The Chancellor of the Exchequer, &c."

Upon receiving Mr. Gladstone's reply I wrote to the Treasury a letter in which I requested attention to the point in question. I also enclosed a memorandum recapitulating the facts of the case. Both documents will be found in the Appendix (N). My object in marking as "Immediate" the letter containing the above memorandum was that it might be laid before Parliament as soon as possible after the publication of the unfortunate error which it was intended to correct; and more particularly that this might be done before the Easter holidays, then close at hand. This point Mr. Gladstone was kind enough to secure; and in a few days my letter, with the memorandum, appeared in the public papers. Moreover, he assured me, in a private letter, that it was not intended in the Treasury minute to put a negation on my claim to originality.

Lord Palmerston's notice relative to a pension to my wife produced a good deal of discussion amongst my friends; and owing to their earnest advice an address from Lady Hill to the Queen was prepared, and a communication made to Lord Palmerston on the subject. A meeting was then held, and arrangements were made for postponing further proceedings in Parliament till after Easter. With these and the after proceedings connected with the Parliamentary grant, except as to my unavoidable correspondence with Mr. Moffatt, I took no part whatever, but left the matter entirely in the hands of my friends.[238] The purport of Lady Hill's address to the Queen was to pray that any reward to which Her Majesty might consider me entitled should take a form which should be beneficial to our children. A deputation, with Sir Francis Baring at its head, then waited upon Lord Palmerston, and in consequence of the representations then made to him, the motion of which he had given notice was postponed, and, when actually brought forward, was greatly modified.

Lord Palmerston's motion was finally made on June 11th, the following message from the Queen having been brought up by his lordship on the 6th:--

"VICTORIA REGINA.--Her Majesty, taking into consideration the
eminent services of Sir Rowland Hill, the late Secretary of the
Post Office, in devising and carrying out various important
improvements in the postal administration, and being desirous, in
recognition of such services, to confer some signal mark of her
favour upon him, recommends to the House to concur in enabling Her
Majesty to grant Sir Rowland Hill the sum of £20,000."

The following report of the proceedings is taken from the _Times_:--

Mr. MASSEY having read Her Majesty's message, recommending
the grant of a sum of £20,000 to Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.B., in
recognition of his services in connection with postal reforms,

"Lord PALMERSTON rose and said: I trust that the Committee will
be disposed to concur without any objection in the recommendation
which her Majesty has been graciously pleased to make. (Cheers.)
Sir Rowland Hill is a man of great genius, of great sagacity,
of great perseverance and industry, and he has rendered great
services both to this and other countries. He formed the opinion
that the Post Office was more properly a department for the
performance of service than for the mere collection of revenue,
and with a boldness which staggered a great number of persons
who had not looked at the matter from the same point of view, he
recommended a very large reduction in the rate of postage, with
the confidence that it would in the end bring up the revenue to
the same amount to which it had previously stood, and would in the
mean time confer the greatest possible benefit upon the community.
(Hear, hear.) Many people thought that he was too sanguine in
his calculations, and that, although the number of letters might
increase, the revenue would not recover the great shock which the
introduction of the penny postage would inflict upon it. Those
anticipations have been falsified, and the calculations of Sir R.
Hill have turned out to be correct. Sir R. Hill had for nearly a
quarter of a century performed, with some slight interval, the
arduous duties which had devolved upon him in connection with the
scheme, and he is now at a time of life when his health must have
suffered from the great labour which attaches to his office. The
Treasury have on that ground, given him permission to retire,
and have done that which I am sure this house will not think too
much--they have given him his full salary for life. He is now, I
believe, in the seventieth year of his age, and his health has
been shattered by the labours which he has had to perform. Under
these circumstances, Her Majesty thought that this House would be
of opinion that the great services which he has performed would
recommend him for a grant which should enable him to make those
arrangements for his family which the short period during which
he may probably enjoy his pension would not otherwise permit him
to make. His labours have produced more beneficial results than
may strike persons at first sight. It is quite clear that the
facilities which the penny postage has given to the transactions
of commerce, and to all communications connected with business,
must have been infinitely advantageous to the industry, and, by
that means, to the general revenue of the country. (Hear, hear.) In
that view Sir R. Hill has performed great services to the country;
but there is another view in which he has produced still more
startling results, namely, in the amount of happiness and comfort
which his invention--if I may call it an invention--his plan, has
conferred upon millions of the poorer classes of the community.
(Hear.) When the rate of postage was as high as it was before
that plan was introduced, communication between the members of a
poor family who were scattered about the country was impossible.
How could a poor labouring man pay a shilling or sixpence for a
letter? Communication between the members of such families was more
difficult than the communication between England and Australia is
now. (Hear, hear.) The cultivation of the affections raises men
in their own estimation and in the standing which they occupy in
society. It improves their morals, and develops all those qualities
which tend to make useful members of the community. Therefore I
say that Sir R. Hill, independently of the benefits which his plan
has conferred upon the general interests and prosperity of the
country, has the merit of having conferred a great benefit upon the
labouring and poorer classes of the people, which would of itself
entitle him to any mark of approbation and reward which the House
may be disposed to confer upon him. In the year 1838, before the
penny postage was introduced, the number of letters transmitted
through the Post Office was 76,000,000; in 1863 the number was
642,000,000. (Hear, hear). That is a measure of the extent to which
that plan has assisted the industry and contributed to the comfort
and happiness of the community. There are many matters connected
with the plan which are independent of the mere reduction of the
amount paid for the postage of letters. Among others, there is the
facility which his arrangements have given for the transmission
of money in small sums from one part of the country to another.
The amount of the money orders taken out in 1838 was £313,000; in
1863 it was £16,494,000. (Hear, hear.) What an immense advantage
must have resulted from the facility for the safe transmission
of so large an amount of small sums, which it would otherwise
have been very difficult and expensive to transmit. Then there
is the book-post. It is greatly conducive to the interests of
literature, and the arrangements have been most extensively taken
advantage of. The gross revenue of the Post Office has increased
very considerably, but of course the increase of facilities has
led to the multiplication of establishments and officers, and
has therefore largely increased the outgoings. In 1838 the gross
receipts were £2,436,000; in 1863 they were £3,870,000; showing
that Sir R. Hill was perfectly right in anticipating that at no
distant period the receipts of the Post Office would recover from
the diminution which the first introduction of his plan naturally
produced. In point of fact everybody is so well acquainted with
the merits of Sir R. Hill's plan and the good effects which it has
produced, that I shall content myself with moving the resolution of
which I have given notice. (Cheers.) The noble Viscount concluded
by moving that a sum not exceeding £20,000 should be granted to Her
Majesty as a provision for Sir Rowland Hill."

* * * * *

"Sir F. BARING, having been Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time
when Sir R. Hill's plan was introduced (hear, hear), wished to bear
testimony to the ability of that eminent public servant, and to the
good sense, intelligence, and good humour with which he met and
surmounted the innumerable difficulties that it was then thought
right to throw in his way."

Mr. Neate, who had been at the time Sir Francis Baring's private Secretary, most justly dwelt on the support given to me by Sir Francis, when my official superior.

Mr. Hennessy asked why Sir Rowland Hill had not been created Postmaster-General; to which Lord Palmerston remarked that had he been appointed to that post he would have had to go out on a change of Government.

The motion was carried without a division.

A few days afterwards, Lord Granville brought the question before the House of Lords in a very kind and graceful speech.

"Lord BROUGHAM said there was this peculiarity in Sir Rowland
Hill--that whereas inventors in general were the most sanguine of
men,[239] who saw no difficulties in the way, and who exaggerated
the probable results of their novelty, he understated the value of
his invention and over-estimated the difficulties and the expense
of adopting it.

* * * * *

"The Marquis of CLANRICARDE had the satisfaction of remembering
that under him and through him, in some degree, Sir Rowland
Hill had entered the Post Office; and bore testimony to the
extraordinary zeal for the public service, the judgment, the
discretion, the temper, and unvarying urbanity with which he met
all the difficulties that he had to encounter. Of course those
who had been accustomed to the old system viewed the innovation
proposed with great alarm and suspicion. He attributed no blame to
these officers, believing that the opinions given by them against
the new system were founded upon very natural fears and bias. But
penny postage, as his noble friend had said, was not the only
improvement for which the nation had to thank Sir Rowland Hill.
His belief was that, if it had not been for Sir Rowland Hill,
the business in the Money Order Office would not have reached to
one-sixteenth of its present proportions, and he doubted, indeed,
whether that business would have been carried on any longer. No
balance had been struck, and no one could tell what assets were
in hand. He then asked Mr. Hill, who at that time had introduced
some important improvements in the circulation of letters, to take
this subject in hand. The result of that gentleman's efforts was
to establish, if not an exact balance, at least what practically
amounted to it; the system was materially altered, and instead of
eleven entries for every money order, the number was reduced to
four or five; and since that time he had heard of no defalcation or
fraud on the part of postmasters, such as had frequently occurred
before that time. During the time that he had the honour to be
connected with the Post Office he always found that Mr. Hill
laboured zealously and efficiently, and always to his satisfaction.
When objections to his plans were raised, Mr. Hill always received
them in a fair and temperate manner, and never complained of being
overruled when fair grounds for so doing had been shown. Upon the
whole, this country had never rewarded by a grant of money any
public servant who more richly deserved it. Mr. Hill's name would
live in every country, for every country had derived benefit from
his labours."[240]

I need not say that the parliamentary recognition of my services, so handsomely made, was and is regarded by myself and my family as the crowning honour of my life.

I wrote as follows to Mr. Gladstone:--

"Hampstead, 15th June, 1864.

"MY DEAR MR. GLADSTONE,--While I have written to Lord Palmerston
and Lord Granville to thank them for the favour they have publicly
shown me, I cannot but feel that my chief acknowledgments for
the very handsome and gratifying manner in which my services
have been recognised must be due to yourself, who, from first to
last, have lent me your powerful aid in my efforts to perform the
duties committed to me, and have given to all my suggestions and
representations a kind, candid, and careful consideration.

"Believe me, &c.,
"ROWLAND HILL.

"The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
"&c., &c., &c."

To the above letter Mr. Gladstone replied as follows:--

"11, Carlton House Terrace, June 15th, 1864.

"_My dear Sir R. Hill_,--The support you have had from me has been
the very best that I could give; but had it been much better and
more effective, it would not have been equal to your deserts and
claims.

"I sincerely hope you are deriving much benefit from a lightened
mind,

"And remain,
"Always sincerely yours,
"_W. E. Gladstone_."

Amidst the above transactions some events occurred of no small interest to myself; the first being that I had the gratification of receiving from the University of Oxford the honorary degree of D.C.L.;[241] and the second an address voted at a town's meeting at Liverpool, followed by a valuable presentation of pictures. I will also mention here that, a year later, the town of Longton presented me with two fine china vases, specimens of its manufacture. About a week after the date of Mr. Gladstone's letter I had the honour of receiving the Albert Gold Medal of the Society of Arts from the hands of the Prince of Wales.[242]

Some time afterwards I received a letter from the Treasury stating that their lordships had "cordial satisfaction in giving directions to the Paymaster-General to issue to me the amount of the Parliamentary grant, £20,000."

Such was the final close of my official career; and, without forgetting the struggles, delays, disappointments, or mortifications attending it, I cannot but acknowledge that when I compare my experience with that of other reformers or inventors, I ought to regard myself as supremely fortunate. Amongst those who have laboured to effect great improvements, how many have felt their success limited to the fact that by their efforts seed was sown which in another age would germinate and bear fruit! How many have by their innovations exposed themselves to obloquy, ridicule, perhaps even to the scorn and abhorrence of at least their own generation; and, alas! how few have lived to see their predictions more than verified, their success amply acknowledged, and their deeds formally and gracefully rewarded!

Here, then, closes my narrative of postal reforms. It must not be supposed, however, that no work will remain for a future historian; for not only is the course of postal improvement, like that of any other great department of human affairs, absolutely without limit, but various important changes may be regarded as distinctly in prospect, however uncertain may be the time of their accomplishment. As much has been achieved of which in the outset I had but a dim conception, and much also of which I had never thought at all--every advancement opening a field for yet further progress, and every difficulty surmounted affording encouragement to further effort and facilities for further achievement--so the point now attained enables us to look onward to points yet to be reached, and to conceive of others as still beyond our sight.

Thus, it yet remains to carry into full effect the principles for regulating the packet service recommended in Lord Canning's Report already referred to; principles in accordance with those of economy and free trade; a task unfortunately rendered at once more difficult and far longer than it should have been by the retrogressive measures lately mentioned. To accomplish this, it is necessary that every branch of the packet service should be rendered at least self-supporting, except, indeed, in any special case, if any such there be, where other national interests, yet greater than those of the Post Office, require an expenditure beyond receipts; and even there I would submit that such additional expenditure should be charged not to the Post Office, but to that department of state to which it really pertains; clear accounts being obviously important to economy, and all attempt to hide political action under the mask of postal facility being, to say the least, absolutely futile.

Of course, the rule of self-support should, in like manner be maintained in every other department of postal service. And this, I may remark, would furnish the means for a just increase of advantages in those districts or departments in which receipts may be found to be much in excess of expenditure; an arrangement which would perhaps include the establishment of tubular conveyance[243] to a limited extent in certain directions, and would certainly give to many of our great manufacturing and commercial towns either an increase in the number of deliveries, or of mails.

In order that economic improvement may not be unduly encumbered with fixed arrangements, it would be well to limit the duration of all future contracts to some moderate period, say three years; but, under this restriction, it is very desirable for the sake of economy, and for other important considerations, that the contract system should be greatly, though gradually, extended. Experience may show that it may safely and advantageously be made to include the whole postal work at the provincial offices, and various separate departments in the offices within the metropolitan districts, not wholly excluding the Chief Office itself. I may add that the benefit of this change would be greatly increased if the proposed contractors, adopting views now gradually gaining ground, should arrange to give their respective subordinates a direct interest in the energetic and economical performance of the service.

Independently of the moral benefits consequent upon the abolition of private patronage, I believe the direct financial advantage, which might be expected from the faithful adoption and rigorous execution of this principle, would be, as I have already said, an eventual saving of probably not less than £250,000 a year.

Judging by what has been done at the various telegraphic offices and elsewhere, and bearing in mind the change now steadily progressing in public opinion, I should hope that one beneficial effect of an extension of the contract system would be that female labour would be admitted to a much larger share in postal employment--an improvement which my brother and I always had much at heart.[244]

Of a Parcels Post I have already spoken; and I am confident that, whenever established, provided of course that it be on good arrangements, its benefit will be great.

I have already indicated the desirableness of lowering the rate of inland letter postage from a penny per half-ounce to a penny per ounce--a change which would obviously give much relief as regards heavy letters.

My brother Frederic twice formally proposed, once under Lord Stanley of Alderley, and once under the Duke of Montrose, that negotiations should be entered into with a view to establishing throughout Europe an international postage on a low uniform rate, submitting, to that end, a complete plan; I need not enlarge upon the political, moral, and commercial advantages of so comprehensive an improvement.[245]

Concurrent negotiations should be entered into for extending our outer money order system to many foreign countries not yet brought within its range.

It has been repeatedly urged in Parliament and in the public press that the office of Postmaster-General should cease to be political and become permanent; and, as already intimated, I cannot but consider such change highly desirable; seeing that a permanent head of the Department would have ample time and motive to make himself thoroughly acquainted with the business of the office, and would naturally be led to select his subordinates with more direct reference to their probable efficiency; his duration in office making it probable that the fruits of his own selection, whether good or bad, would be reaped by himself.

Supposing this change to be made, it would become even more desirable than it is at present that the Postmaster-General should have the disposal of that very numerous class of Post Office appointments still retained by the Treasury; seeing that, in addition to his being in more direct communication with those on whose advice it is important that he should act, he would also, as a matter of course, have better information on the whole subject than the Treasury can command. Such transference would also manifestly tend to that concentration of responsibility which all who have rightly studied the principles of administration agree with Jeremy Bentham in regarding as of primary importance.

These organic changes being made, there would be good ground to hope that, in due time, the all-important rule of promotion by simple and exclusive reference to demonstrated fitness would be strictly followed.

One more change may be spoken of, but on this point I rather suggest inquiry than advise action. The abandonment of the Post Office monopoly has much to recommend it, but yet is not a one-sided question. On the one hand, it implies the removal of an offence from our statute book, and the probable rise of a wholesome competition wherever the service is performed with less than the greatest efficiency and cheapness; a competition which, more perhaps than any other external circumstance, would tend to compel the department to have due regard to simple merit in its officers, and economic efficiency in all its arrangements.[246] On the other hand, it must be remembered that the operations of the Post Office, extending over the whole country, provide for the correspondence of many districts where the population is too small or too sparse to yield any profit whatever; and that although its general rule is not to go further than this, by providing for districts which cannot be served without loss, yet for purposes of Government the rule is in many instances set aside. It must be added that there are many reasons in favour of affording a service, not indeed day by day, but at least week by week, to every house in the United Kingdom (a completeness already attained in France, Prussia,[247] and Switzerland); and it would seem hard that the Post Office, while called upon to continue all this ill-remunerated or non-remunerated service, should be exposed to competition in that more profitable part of its business, which alone rival establishments would undertake.

Upon the whole, however, I am so impressed with the evils attaching to every monopoly, that I cannot but regard the abandonment in question, after due preparation, as a desirable step.

Before taking leave of my readers, I would express an earnest hope that my narrative, besides describing the progress of a remarkable change, may prove especially useful to all who may at any time contemplate a devotion of their powers to the cause of departmental reform; that it may be serviceable alike for encouragement and for warning--for encouragement, as showing that the field is open, and success, with its rewards, not unattainable; for warning, as showing with what difficulties it is beset, how serious the obstacles, how long the delays, how galling the mortifications, and how deep the disappointments, to be encountered even by one who is happy enough to attain at length the goal towards which his long, laborious, and anxious race has been directed.