“March 13th.—Laid several important minutes before the Postmaster-General. He expressed his concurrence in all, and earnest approval of some; but, instead of signing them and returning them to me, as Lord Clanricarde would have done, he said he should keep them, and send them, when signed, with other papers, to Colonel Maberly, in order that they might be properly entered; and on my explaining that I always sent the minutes to be entered, after which they went to Colonel Maberly, the Postmaster-General intimated, in rather a peremptory manner, that he must do his own business in his own way.”
“March 18th.—Gave Lord Hardwicke a statement of my duties and responsibilities, he having called upon the chief officers to do the like.”
The minute examination which is, doubtless, indispensable on board a man-of-war, was less profitable in the Post Office:—
“March 20th.— We are suffering much inconvenience from the manner in which Lord Hardwicke delays his decision on the minutes: those left with him on the 13th instant are not yet returned. He appears to be making the mistake of attempting too much. He is calling for all sorts of returns, some on unimportant matters, e.g., the number of fires lighted daily in the office, and seems unwilling to rely sufficiently on the recommendations of his advisers.”
“March 23rd.—In discussing the proposed reduction in the Colonial postage, the Postmaster-General was very complimentary as to the accuracy of my financial predictions as regards former measures.”
“March 26th.—The Postmaster-General, instead of simply approving our minutes, is apt to add instructions which render the whole impracticable. I find, however, a readiness on his part to alter his minutes on their impracticability being pointed out.”
Meantime, old sources of trouble beginning to reopen,[96] a conversation ensued between Lord Hardwicke and myself relative to the division of duties. He again expressed a desire to place matters on a more satisfactory footing, but appeared to have a notion that Colonel Maberly’s authority must be in some degree superior to mine. “There cannot,” said he, “be two kings in Brentford”; and on my pointing out that in the Treasury and other departments there were two secretaries of equal authority, he replied, “If you are to be joint secretaries, I’ll make you shake hands and sit in the same room.” How far harmony would have been improved by compulsory association I am not able to determine, as the experiment was never tried. The conversation continued as follows:—
“He again spoke in strong terms of the value of my services, and proceeded in so open and unreserved a manner that I thought it best to tell him of the conditions under which I accepted office, and of the manner in which the late Government had from time to time postponed the fulfilment of its engagements. My statement produced an evident effect on Lord Hardwicke. He said he was very glad I had communicated these facts to him; that he should consider what I had said confidential, though he should probably speak to Lord Derby on the subject.”