Slander, however, was not the only means resorted to by malcontents; threats being added. Of these no mention appears in my Journal, as of course I wished to keep off all apprehension on my account from my family, and particularly from my wife, who generally acted as my amanuensis. At least three times, however, notice was sent me that unless the wages of the letter-carriers were raised I should be assassinated. The first of these occurrences was, I believe, in 1854, when I was summoned from a holiday sojourn at Brighton, in consequence of a letter to this effect being received at the office, where, in my absence, it had been opened by my brother. On arriving at the London Station, I found my brother, Mr. Peacock, the solicitor to the Post Office, Mr. (now Sir William) Bodkin, its standing counsel, and, I believe, Mr. Bokenham, head of the Circulation Department, who had all come to meet me, thinking it better that for the time I should not go to the office. The threatening letter was produced, and I was informed that the writing was identified by an expert with that of a certain letter-carrier in the Chief Office, who had lately been giving considerable trouble. In short, Mr. Peacock, in kind concern for my safety, advised immediate arrest and prosecution. Upon a careful comparison, however, of the anonymous letter (which of course was written in a disguised hand) with a specimen of the suspected man’s usual handwriting, I felt so much doubt as to the evidence of identity that I declined to concur in the proceeding, which was consequently abandoned; and I must add that circumstances (though of what nature I cannot now recollect) seemed afterwards to show that my doubt was well founded.
Another letter, received a year or two afterwards, was more precise in its warning, naming a particular day on which, supposing demands to remain ungranted, execution would take place, notifying also the mode of death fixed upon, viz., by shooting. To allow reasonable time for effecting the change, the interval was somewhat long; and, oddly enough, the day again happened to fall within the period of my holiday, though near its end. As, however, the notice was so definite, I thought it well to show myself, lest absence, being misinterpreted, should lead to further trouble. Accordingly, returning home the evening before, I went the next morning, at my usual hour and by my usual route, to the office; my practice at that time being to walk the last half-mile of the way.[204] I carried no weapon but my umbrella, but of this I determined to make, if necessary, good use, believing that if properly handled it would prove a very formidable, not to say deadly, weapon. I scarcely need say my resolution was not put to its trial.
The last letter I received on such a subject is shown by the postmark to have been sent on December 23rd, 1858. It certainly was rather ill-timed, for in the previous month I had induced the Treasury to abandon its intention of issuing an order forbidding the receipt of Christmas-boxes, and also had obtained for the letter-carriers some improvement in their scale of wages, the Treasury granting even more than was applied for. Of course I took no more notice of this threat than of its predecessors; and the age to which I have lived is an instance of the longevity proverbially attained by threatened men.
[CHAPTER XXVI.]
MISCELLANEOUS PROCEEDINGS FROM 1855 TO 1859.
Various occurrences remain to be mentioned before I proceed to that portion of my narrative with which I shall close the history of this period.
In order to give the public, in a cheap and convenient form, such information regarding the Post Office as is of general interest, we established that small periodical publication which is now so well known by the name of the “British Postal Guide.” The first number appeared in the year 1856, and its acceptability was shown by the sale soon rising to between twenty and thirty thousand. From that time to this a revised edition has been regularly issued every quarter.
About two years later a valuable improvement was effected in a publication which had for many years existed under the direction of the Post Office by the name of the “Daily Packet List.” This was now rearranged, enlarged, and made to convey much information beyond its former meagre contents; a weekly edition was added; and the “Postal Official Circular,” as it is now called, has performed much useful service. Had the recommendation, however, which was actually adopted by the Postmaster-General, been sanctioned in full by the Treasury, the sphere of this publication would have been so extended as to render it a kind of postal monitor; correcting misconception as it arose, and keeping the public constantly informed as to the real proceedings of the department.