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. 5½ 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.’