After adverting to some of the most important and pressing improvements remaining to be made, to the opposition which these had always encountered, to the cautious and tentative process by which alone they could be effected, to the impracticability of carrying on this without “immediate confidential and uninterrupted intercourse with those most conversant with details, or on whom the duty of immediate execution would devolve,” or without “the exercise of an influence and authority limited only by due subordination to” his “lordship,” I again urged the fulfilment of the expectation held out to me. I strengthened my claim by reference to symptoms of dissatisfaction in the public with the slowness of progress, natural enough in its ignorance of the difficulties under which I laboured, but through which I was exposed to attacks which I might not repel, and suffered in my reputation while quite unconscious of blame.
This letter was promptly acknowledged as follows:—
“Dublin, January 6th, 1849.
“My dear Sir,—The subject of your letter of the 3rd is a matter for more than mere departmental consideration, and all I can do upon it is to communicate it to the authorities at the Treasury. I shall do so without delay.
“Most truly yours,
“Clanricarde.”
Three days later I learnt from the Postmaster-General that it had been forwarded to the Premier, Lord John Russell; and about a month afterwards I heard in like manner that it was then in the hands of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Instead, however, of a reply, positive or negative, to my application, I received from the Postmaster-General’s private secretary a letter addressed to his lordship from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, demanding the consolidation of the two corps of letter-carriers, referring to a promise of such improvement alleged to have been made two years before, and speaking of its non-fulfilment as discreditable to the department. I need not say that in such promise I at least had had no share; but as the obstacles to this very measure had been set forth in my recent letter, I was obliged to conclude that this letter, though forwarded as already mentioned to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, remained unread by him.
A few days afterwards, however, the Postmaster-General told me that he and Lord John Russell had talked over my letter, but the reported result was only the old conclusion, viz., delay till a suitable vacancy should be found elsewhere for Colonel Maberly. I suggested two several expedients which were not adopted. In short, nothing whatever was done, and though no attempt was made, either then or at any other time, to show any flaw in my claims, I found nothing but delay. I certainly had as yet no suspicion of the extent to which this delay would be carried.
Ten days later the Chancellor of the Exchequer again, in a private note to the Postmaster-General, returned to the charge, protesting that no jarring between Colonel Maberly and me could justify the delay, but still showing no sign of having read my letter. It was easy to suppose the Chancellor of the Exchequer unable to discover of himself the mode in which jarring between Colonel Maberly and me rendered it impracticable to effect what he desired, and to understand how press of business and variety of occupation might have prevented his noticing or remembering my explanation on the subject. Unfortunately his want of information, however accounted for, could not remove obstructions nor avert dangers; and thus, while he applied his spur, I could not induce him to remove the curb. My only resource was again to seek a hearing; and accordingly I wrote to my immediate official superior what was nevertheless intended rather for the Chancellor of the Exchequer himself.
After mentioning that I had in vain sought by reconsideration to find means of accomplishing in my present position even part of what was desired, I suggested that, to remove all obstacles to my promotion, Colonel Maberly should be allowed to retire on full salary, I undertaking all his work in addition to my own, without any present increase of emolument; Colonel Maberly to be of course ready to fill any satisfactory vacancy in another department whenever it occurred. Thus, with full allowance for such augmentation to my salary as might then take place, there would still be a large saving to the revenue. The reply to this letter, though expressed with Lord Clanricarde’s usual kindness, was a request for its withdrawal; a request with which, after a week’s consideration and consultation with friends, I thought it best to comply. I notified, however, that I still urged my claim as stated in my previous letter.