Page 196 - Reading Mercury

the approaching close of the National Testimonial to Mr. Rowland Hill. All parties are
unanimous upon the great moral and commercial advantages of the Penny Postage. Its
expediency as a financial step has been the sole ground of question; but now, even
this can scarcely be doubted; for let it be remembered, that the old Postage Revenue
had been absolutely stationary for twenty years.—retrogressive, in fact, if we consider
the increase of population, education, and commerce during the period. The change
which Penny Postage has effected, is to make the Post Office Revenue the most
buoyant source of National Income bidding fair to become more profitable than it has
ever been. The Committee, therefore, call upon the Public to reward, with suitable
gratitude, the author of this great and triumphant measure.
The Committee have the satisfaction to announce that the subscriptions, headed by
the chiefs of political parties and of commercial wealth, already reach £10,000. But
£10,000 cannot be held to be a sufficient national reward for such national services.
The committee, therefore urge upon the nation at least to double this sum. If every
letter writer, for only a single week, would pay a two-penny instead of a penny rate
for his letters, the amount, and more would be raised. In proportion as the Public show
their gratitude to Mr. Hill, so they strengthen the chances for the chances for the
complete adoption of his plan, now but partially carried out. Its perfection will bring
greatly increased convenience to themselves, and increased advantage to the Post
Office Revenue.
Never have the services of any Public Benefactor been requited as Mr. Hull’s have
been. Quitting a permanent situation for a temporary public engagement to carry out
his plan, Mr. Hill’s services, whilst his plan was not yet carried out, were dispensed
with, and he received the following acknowledgements of his merits, and--nothing
more—
“I gladly avail myself,” writes the present Chancellor of the Exchequer, “of the
opportunity of expressing my sense of the satisfactory manner in which, during my
tenure of office, you discharged the several duties which have been from time to time
committed to you. I entertain,” writes Sir Robert Peel (who has also subscribed £10 to
the Testimonial) “a due sense of the motives by which your conduct, in respect of the
Post Office arrangements has been actuated, and of the zeal and fidelity with which
you have discharged the duties committed to you.”--
Mr. Trevelyan, on behalf of the Lords of the Treasury, writes thus: ”I am also
commanded by their Lordships to take this opportunity of stating, that they consider it
due to you, on the termination of your engagement with the government, to express to
you the approbation with which they have regarded your zealous exertions in the
execution of the duties which have been intrusted to you; and how materially the
efficiency of the Post-office arrangements has been promoted by the care and
intelligence evinced by you in the consideration of the various important questions
which have been referred to you.
Under these circumstances the Committee call upon the public to come forward
with due generosity, and reward Mr. Hill themselves, as the unrequited inventor of the
great measure of Penny Postage,-- a measure which has opened the blessings of free
correspondence to the Teacher of Religion, the Man of Science and Literature, the
Merchant and Trader, and the whole British family, especially the poorest and most
defenceless portion of it;--a measure which is the greatest boon conferred in modern
times on all the social interests of the civilised world, for Penny Postage is spreading
its influence throughout Europe, and reaching even Russia. The Committee rely on
the gratitude of their countrymen, and feel sure that this, their last appeal, will not be
made in vain.

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