This promise, though not forgotten, produced no effect for several months. Meanwhile my health again began to suffer. The assistance lately granted me, valuable as it was, not only fell far short of my requirements, but also came too late for full benefit. My friends were still moving in my behalf, as appears by the following letter from Mr. Cobden:—
“Midhurst, Sussex,
“14th September, 1851.
“My dear Sir,—Having learnt your address from your brother, I write merely to say that, although I did not forget to fulfil my promise, yet the conversation I had with the Chancellor (which I took care was a casual one) ended in leaving matters where they were. He spoke, as usual, in terms of high regard for yourself, and is, I believe, sincerely desirous of promoting the object I had in view in speaking to him. But the difficulty in the way of the arrangement is the same now as before. ‘M—— is not an old man; he cannot with decency be shelved; and at present there is nothing good enough in point of salary to which he could be transferred so as to create a vacancy in his post,’ &c. I confess I don’t see why this should not be treated as an exceptional case, and believe that a very good defence might be made of such an arrangement as was spoken of; but I gathered from the Chancellor that he was not disposed to take upon himself the responsibility of such a proceeding. And so the matter must remain for the present. We will talk the subject over again when we meet. . . .
“Hoping you are finding health in the sea-breezes,
“I remain,
“Very truly yours,
“R. Cobden.”
Soon afterwards, at the request of the Postmaster-General, I visited, in company with my son, the more important towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire, where I discussed with Mr. Godby, the surveyor, numerous demands for postal improvement lately received from that important district. At Leeds, Halifax, Bradford, and Huddersfield I received deputations. The result of my proceedings is thus recorded:—
“November 19th.—Succeeded in every instance in satisfying the parties that we were desirous of doing all that was practicable—that some of their demands were unreasonable, or of doubtful practicability, and others dependent on the expense as compared with the correspondence to be benefited. I was exceedingly well received, thanked for the trouble I had taken, and complimented on the benefits I had conferred on the nation. I am very well satisfied with the visit, though it will cause me some months of hard work.”
Meanwhile, a little incident occurred which may perhaps be worth mentioning. A gentleman who was writing an account of the Post Office having written to Colonel Maberly to inquire as to the difference between the duties of the “secretary to the Post Office and those of the secretary to the Postmaster-General”; and Colonel Maberly having politely referred the querist to me, I wrote a brief note, the substantial part of which ran as follows:—
“There is no essential difference between the two offices, and the term ‘secretary to the Postmaster-General’ is in strictness the official designation of both. The two secretaries are in the same relative position to the Postmaster-General, who assigns to them their respective duties.”
Colonel Maberly, though not quite agreeing in the terms of my note, did not object to its despatch, which was accordingly made; but the querist having objected to the brevity of my reply, I referred the matter to the Postmaster-General, who settled the point by pronouncing my note “a devilish good answer.”