A means of preventing, to a considerable extent, injurious measures in the Post Office being taken without my knowledge was hit upon almost accidentally. Upon my mentioning to Mr. Parker, then Secretary to the Treasury, that many of the applications from the Post Office to his department were made without my cognizance, and offering, with the sanction of the Postmaster-General, to go down once a week or so to the Treasury to assist him in his decisions upon them, the offer was gladly accepted, the more so as the augmentations recently made in the Post Office salaries were producing corresponding demands from other quarters. Yet further confidence was shown when the new practice at the Treasury started a fresh difficulty, viz., as to what was to be done when my opinion was against measures which the Postmaster-General had recommended without consulting me. Upon my applying to Lord Clanricarde for instructions, he told me that he wished me to have no scruples as to any measures, but to advise against them unhesitatingly if so inclined. Notwithstanding this confidence, however, the anomalous arrangement of the department remained fruitful in mischief; indeed every practised man knows that where proceedings are vitiated at their source no subsequent vigilance suffices for their effectual correction. In my case, moreover, vigilance on such points was maintained at the sacrifice of progress in improvement. Parliamentary returns moved for about this time by members hostile to my plans, and demanded in such form as to mislead, were accelerated, while one moved for by Mr. Warburton in such form as to secure a true statement was kept back. Though, by great effort, I procured from the Postmaster-General an order for modification in two of the fallacious returns, yet, after all, one of them actually went forth with all its errors retained. After many details on this vexatious topic, my Journal proceeds as follows:-- "I feel ashamed, as well as annoyed, in having to record these vexations, and I must put an end to them by some means or other. I would gladly omit these records altogether, but former experience has shown that it would be unsafe so to do. I am obliged, therefore, with a view to my own justification hereafter, to continue them, though I cannot but fear that (should this Journal ever be read by those who do not know me intimately) such daily complainings may be considered as evidence of querulousness on my part."[37]