Meantime, some events of interest passed at home. On August 22nd Mr. Duncombe, in the House of Commons, again complained of the management of the Post Office. In the course of the debate Mr. Parker (Secretary to the Treasury) stated that the new Postmaster-General (Lord Clanricarde) had found "the whole establishment in a most unsatisfactory condition."[31] Mr. Hume, in terms highly complimentary to me, urged my recall. The Premier (Lord John Russell) admitted "that he was by no means satisfied with the state of the Post Office, nor did he think the plans of reform instituted by Mr. Hill had been sufficiently carried out;[32] and Mr. Warburton, referring to Lord John Russell's admission, strongly urged my reappointment to office. My first intimation of this debate was received in a letter from Mr. Warburton, of which the following is the closing passage:-- "I think it manifest from this statement of Lord John Russell that a reform in the Post Office is meditated in good earnest.... You must be within call, if wanted." On November 2nd, five days after my return from abroad, I received a letter from Mr. Warburton, of which the following is the substance. He had just seen Lord Clanricarde (at his request), who said that, knowing Mr. Warburton's interest in me and in Post Office matters, he wished to have some conversation with him before negotiating directly with me. There were difficulties in the way of giving me any high existing office in the Post Office, and objections thereto. The office of secretary, for instance, was so loaded with detail, that if given to me, whose office should be to advise, suggest, and consider of improvements, my utility would be destroyed. On the other hand, there were objections to an office of the nature held before, on account of antagonism with the Post Office. His lordship thought the fittest appointment would be one constituting me the adviser of the Postmaster-General. He thought that such an office, which every day's experience convinced him was necessary, might be constituted by himself at once. Mr. Warburton informed his lordship that, from some conversation he had had with me, he knew that I would not accept any office from the Government which might be regarded as a mode of putting me on the shelf; but that if an office of permanence and dignity, connecting me with the Post Office--not placing me under the secretary--and giving me sufficient weight to carry out my plans of improvement, were offered, it would be accepted; that the office suggested by his lordship wanted permanence. I might be dismissed, as before, by some cabal of the officers of the department. They would bide their time until a Postmaster-General should be appointed who would cashier me. If the office were ephemeral, I could be of no utility; resistance to my proposed measures would be protracted until they could be defeated by a change of dynasty. He added that, on his (Mr.