A petition of John Palmer Esq. of the city of Bath was brought up, and read; setting forth, "that the petitioner having, in common with other subjects of this kingdom experienced great inconvenience from the tedious, irregular, and insecure mode of correspondence by the General Post, and having had frequent occasions to remark great defects in the establishments of the Post Office, which had become a matter of universal complaint, he was induced to give much serious consideration to a grievance of such magnitude, and was ultimately convinced that improvements might be made so as not only to effect a more speedy, regular, and secure conveyance for letters throughout the Kingdom, but likewise be the means of providing the same advantages for property and travellers, and at the same time of creating and supporting a gradual, and ultimately a very considerable, increase to the revenue, derivable from the Post Office, which, instead of keeping pace with the increasing commerce and opulence of the country, had (in consequence of the defects before alluded to) been long in a state of stagnation, if not of actual decrease; and that in the spring of 1782, the petitioner having arranged the general outline of his proposed reform, and connected with it such an increased rate of postage, with a restriction on franking, as appeared adviseable at the commencement, he communicated the same to the right ho 221 hourable William Pitt, the then chancellor of his Majesty's exchequer, who immediately conceived so favourable an opinion of the benefit to be obtained for the country if the plan could be effected, that he gave the petitioner every encouragement to proceed, and requested him without delay to procure all possible information on a subject of so much importance, and to spare no pains in bringing the proposed arrangements into such a state as would enable and justify a trial of the scheme; and that, in consequence of these directions, the petitioner, after making some requisite arrangements in regard to the extensive commercial and other concerns in which he was at that time engaged, travelled over a great part of the kingdom, for the purpose of collecting further information on the subject, the different Postmasters having previously received orders from the treasury to answer his inquiries; and that, during the petitioner's absence, the administration was changed, but the new administration being equally desirous of encouraging and effecting the plan, sent the outline to the general post Office for inspection, and it was returned with voluminous objections from the superior officers, who asserted, that the post office establishment had, after the fullest consideration and every possible exertion, been brought to the most perfect state of improvement, not only as to expedition and safety, but in the interior departments, and that any attempt to alter it would be ruinous to the correspondence and commerce of the country, and if any ignorant projector were suffered to interfere for such a purpose, he ought to be made responsible, as far as might be, for the consequences; and that, although some of these objections appeared well founded, it was evident that others arose from prejudice and self-interest; but the petitioner was directed to answer them in detail, which he had scarcely done . before the administration was again changed; and Mr. Pitt, on his return to office, received further decided objections from the post office, which were followed up by such a determined opposition and outcry against the plan as to create a combination amongst the inn keepers and coach-masters on the roads, and by rendering them unwilling to convey the mails on the terms proposed threatened to destroy the whole of the arrangements made by the petitioner preparatory to the trial; this, together with the complicated nature and construction of the posts, which his plan would totally disarrange, and which he must of course completely new 222 model, gave full employment to his mind, and cause for serious reflection and anxiety; and that the petitioner had first taken up the idea of reform as a very simple one, and easy to be accomplished, but as he was imperceptibly led on in the pursuit of his favourite object, the new and accumulated dangers and obstacles which opened upon him at every step, together with the inveterate opposition he experienced from the General Post Office, from which he had been led to expect by government every assistance, convinced him that he had involved himself in almost inextricable difficulties; it had completely possessed his mind, and he had pursued it through different changes of administration for above two years; he had, incurred great expence; the various concerns he had been engaged in had been neglected to his great loss, and he found that he had no alternative now left, but either to abandon the plan, to return to safety, and dedicate his future life to the recovery and improvement of his various private concerns, or to make the sacrifice of abandoning those altogether, and adhere to his plan, and to the chance of acquiring a great fortune for himself and family by its success, as Mr. Allen had done before him by his improvements of the posts; he submitted therefore these circumstances and his situation to Mr.Pitt, and the necessity of immediately settling the terms which were to determine his choice, and that to the justice of this the minister directly assented, and assured the petitioner, that if he would give in his proposals for compensation so that the promised advantages could but be secured, and the agreement be made fair and safe for the public, whatever fortune the petitioner might derive from it, there would be no hesitation on his part to close with it, and to satisfy his mind as to his future prospects; and that, in consequence of this assurance, the petitioner informed Mr. Pitt, through the present Bishop of Lincoln, his then secretary, that he would undertake the proposed reform at his own risk and expence, on condition that he should be entitled to receive, during his life, two and an half per centum on the future increased revenue of the Post Office beyond the present nett profits, provided his plan succeeded, but not a shilling otherwise; and that with this proposal the petitioner delivered in a statement of the Post Office revenue, from a very early period, by which it appeared, that, at the expiration of two centuries from its establishment, it had reached only to £150,000 per annum; and, to mark more strongly the profits he expected to de 223 rive from his plan, as well as the powers necessary to carry it into execution, he likewise gave in a narrative of Mr. Allen's transactions and agreement with government in 1720, relative to his farm of the cross posts, which were improved gradually, and at different periods, during upwards of 42 years, till he died (after the accumulation of a very large fortune, and his having received upwards of £12,000 per annum for many years, as a reward for his services, and during the whole time retained the absolute and independent controul of that branch of the Post Office); and that, in reply to this offer, the petitioner was informed by Mr. Pitt, through his secretary, "that the proposal was thought fair, and would be fully complied with, provided the plan succeeded;" and that the agreement having been thus acceded to, the petitioner proceeded to make his plan more perfect, and prepare for the trial; and Mr. Pitt, in every conversation previous to such trial, constantly expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the fairness and moderation of the terms, and the benefit to be derived to the public if the plan could but be successfully carried into execution; and that in the autumn of 1784, after two years of incessant labour and aux[...]ety, the plan was tried on the Western road, and succeeded beyond the promise held out by the petitioner, who had nevertheless afterwards to encounter a renewal of hostilities and impediments from the Post Office, which obliged him to apply for the protection of the Lords of the Treasury, who immediately saw the necessity of their interference, and issued a peremptory order for the purpose; but the mischief had so far been done, that a considerable delay took place before the trials could be made upon the other roads; and that Mr. Pitt, being of opinion that the repeated impediments and opposition experienced from the Post Office rendered it absolutely requisite that the petitioner should hold some ostensible official situation, the better to enable him to forward the establishment of his plan, and prevent further obstructions, proposed that he should be appointed surveyor and comptroller general, with a salary of £1,500 per annum, which should be accepted in lieu of per centage on any part of the Post Office revenue within £240,000, being £90,000 above the amount at that time; and of course the proposed salary was considerably less than the per centage would have amounted to; but the petitioner consented to this proposed modification of his original agreement, ra- 224 ther than start obstacles on his part, and particularly as it was intimated that, in case any accident should happen to the petitioner after effecting the plan, but before he had an opportunity of making a suitable provision for his family, there could be no doubt but that government would take such an event into consideration; and that in the autumn of 1785, when the plan had been carried into effect on many of the roads in the kingdom, and arrangements made for its further extension, a draft of the petitioner's intended appointment was prepared at the Treasury, agreeably to the modified terms, being a grant from his majesty appointing the petitioner surveyor, and comptroller general of the Post Office during his life, with authority to suspend any of the officers and servants belonging thereto, and granting him in consideration of his good and faithful services for the advancement of the revenue, and the advantage of the commerce and manufactures of the kingdom, as well by way of reward of such services, as to encourage him to continue his exertions for furthering the same, a clear salary of £1,500, together with £2. 10s. per cent on the increased post revenue, according to the modification before stated; and that when a draft of this proposed appointment was laid before the then attorney general, he was of opinion that an act of parliament would be requisite to enable the minister to carry the agreement made with the petitioner into execution, as the Post-Office Act of the 9th of Queen Anne merely authorises appointments under the postmaster general, and in consequence of this obstacle the intended grant was suspended till the requisite act could be obtained; and that during this delay, the petitioner not having sufficient authority vested in him to forward and protect his plan, it got into great irregularity, owing to the neglect of the contractors, who had been induced to believe that he was unsupported by government, and that as the plan had to encounter fresh objections and memorials from the Post Office, it must necessarily be given up? therefore being disheartened by these apprehensions, as well as by the severity of the winter, and influenced by the advice and threats of those who were adverse to the plan, a combination was entered into, and bonds under heavy penalties executed among, many of the coachmasters as well as postmasters, not only to decline any mail-coach contracts, but to oppose them wherever attempted to be established; and that in this situation the petitioner found that unless he 225 immediately obtained some official powers, the plan must sink, and all his labour, anxiety, and expence be lost; and therefore, after representing his apprehensions to the Minister, and consenting to postpone the Completion of his agreement, till the requisite arrangements could be made respecting it, a limited appointment was in August, 1786, directed to be granted him by the postmaster general, under which he might be enabled to forward his plan, but with an assurance from Mr Pitt, that the full benefit of his agreement should be ultimately secured to him, and he at the same time obtained a warrant for a part of his expences, hot having till then received a shilling either for himself or his numerous agents, although more than four years had elapsed since the commencement of the business, as he was determined to adhere strictly to his proposal, that the plan should be proved efficient and beneficial to the public, before he would accept any remuneration whatever; and that having obtained this limited appointment, the petitioner without loss of time went into Scotland in order to arrange the posts of that kingdom, and afterwards to Paris for the purpose of establishing a daily packet and post connection between France and this country, so that he was not able to return to London till October, 1787; and that early in 1788 he was requested to go to Ire land, in order to settle regulations respecting the establishment of mail-coaches in that kingdom, and likewise for the forming better communications by packets between the northern and southern parts of that country, and the English ports; and that although the petitioner had during these intervals, in his frequent communications with Mr. Pitt, the most positive assurances, that after effecting these farther arrangements the agreement made with him should be no longer delayed, but settled to his entire satisfaction, yet, on his return, he had the mortification to encounter further impediments from the Post Office; and he therefore most earnestly and warmly pressed the minister to carry his agreement with him into immediate execution, and by granting him the promised powers put an end to these hostile attacks from the office, so injurious both to himself and the public; and that Mr. Pitt acknowledged the necessity as well as justice of this demand; and his anxious wish to comply with it; and at last observed, "That it would be a great satisfaction to his mind, and more fully authorise and justify the agreement with the public, if sanction 226 ed by the Report of the Commissioners of Inquiry, after their full investigation into the whole of the proceedings." Unexpected and distressing as this further procrastination was, the proposal appeared so candid and proper that the petitioner could not but consent to it; and that in 1788 the Commissioners of Inquiry made their Report as to the Post Office; and stated, with respect to the petitioner, "That he had performed his agreement with government far beyond his promise, not only as to expedition and safety, but at £20,000 per annum less than was proposed; and that he had accomplished his object in despite of numerous difficulties, and a most powerful opposition, and every obstruction that could be thrown in his way by the officers of the General Post Office; and therefore the commissioners declared the petitioner justly entitled to his specified compensation, being a very small part of that increased revenue which his integrity, activity, and zeal, had created, exclusive of the convenience and numerous collateral advantages which the country at large, and more particularly the commercial part of it, derived from his exertions;" and that, after this examination and decision by the commissioners, the petitioner, at the end of December 1788, wrote to the minister, requesting him to fulfil his original agreement, stating at the same time that he had Various other plans which he conceived of the greatest consequence to the correspondence of the kingdom and particularly of the metropolis and its neighbourhood, which waited this final adjustment to enable him to carry into execution: and that further delays now arose from the peculiar and unfortunate circumstances which occurred at that time, and the consequent embarrassments of government, and at last from the difficulties the petitioner experienced in his pecuniary concerns; wearied out with these continued mortifying and vexatious delays, to which he saw no probable end, and against which, or to compel the performance of his agreement, he had no legal remedy, he, at the earnest desire of the minister, consented to continue further to act with the limited and uncertain powers he hitherto had done, but under the strongest assurances on the part of Mr. Pitt, "that there should be no future interference with his regulations from the General Post Office, and that he should feel himself equally protected and advantaged in all respects as if possessed of the intended Patent Grant of 1785, and that he might be assured his agreement was 227 equally Valid as if sanctioned by an act of parliament; and that soon after a new appointment was sent to him, and he was paid, after seven years delay, the whole arrears of the salary and per centage to that time, and agreeably to his modified agreement of 1785, but he was allowed nothing for his time previous to the commencement of the plan in August 1714, or for his subsequent great expences in England, or even in France Or Ireland, nor was there any mentioned reversion of the situation for any of his family, as he was led to expect in the modification of his agreement in 1785, but he was told he must look to an ample recompence for all this in the great and increasing advantages of his per centages; and that however convenient the petitioner found this sum for the settlement of his pecuniary difficulties, in consequence of his attention to this business, and whatever pleasure he felt at the arrears, according to his modified agreement, being thus honourably discharged, yet he never failed expressing his dissatisfaction at the Patent Appointment of 1785 not being yet granted to him, or his original agreement not being fulfilled, and his fears and apprehensions of the consequences both to the public, his plan, and to himself; and that for some little time after this, however, the petitioner proceeded uninterruptedly, and to his satisfaction; but it being soon known at the Post Office that he had no legal authority, independent of the Postmaster General, the old opposition and intrigues revived, and were pursued for a considerable time, or at intervals, in a manner that might naturally be expected Where prejudice was so deeply rooted, and power in the exercise of persons so completely at variance with each other, and whose ideas of business, and the mode of conducting it, were so different; and that the former unwarrantable conduct to defeat the plan on one side, and unavoidably so to protect it on the other were again resorted to; on every occasion which the petitioner conceived of importance to his plan, or the revenue, he acted in the best manner he could for its advantage, and to alarm and deter the office from interfering in its conduct and, confiding in the spirit of his original agreement, he uniformly denied at such times the postmaster-general over him, asserted his agreement, and appealed to the minister, which generally produced a temporary cessation to this harrassing and injurious interference with his regulations, and he was frequently assured some line or other should be drawn, 228 or some effectual measure adopted, to put an end to it; and that at last the postmaster general suspended the petitioner, in March 1792, for disobedience of their orders, under this nominal appointment, which he had been compelled to act with to the best of his judgment, and independent of the postmaster-general; for, had he not done so on every occasion he thought necessary, and according to the powers described in the patent appointment drawn up in 1785, and I assured to him by the minister, he never could have carried his plan into execution, or the public been in the enjoyment of its advantages; and that after various remonstrances and answers between the postmaster-general and himself at the Board of Treasury, and with which, on the part of the petitioner, the minister expressed himself satisfied, he was compelled to leave the conduct of his plan to the office, as was originally intended, after he should have perfectly established it, but, of course, considered that he was not to be prejudiced in the profits arising from his agreement; and he intimated to the minister, that he still was ready to proceed to further great and extensive improvements, of material importance to the public convenience and the revenue, if granted the requisite powers promised him; and that, some time after this declaration a warrant was sent to the post office for the payment of the petitioner's arrears (according to his modified agreement in 1785) to April 1793; and the Board of Treasury gave him notice that they had settled an allowance of £3000 per ann. on him for his life, in compensation for his services; and that to this the petitioner declared, as he invariably had done, that he should consider himself extremely ill treated if he was paid in any degree short of his actual agreement; that Mr. Pitt had a right, if he thought proper, and as might suit his political convenience, to dispense with his services, but he could not in justice dispense with the engagements he had entered into with the petitioner; and that, in December 1794, after the usual period had elapsed of making up the annual accounts at the General Post Offices, the petitioner sent a memorial to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, stating his agreement, and requiring Post Offices accounts to April 1794, and the payment of the balance of salary and per centage due to him beyond the sum he had been paid (of £3000). In August, 1795, after various applications and waiting eight months, he received an answer, stat 229 ing, that their lordships were of opinion that the sum of £3000 per annum for his life was a just and full compensation for the services he had rendered, and that they did not think themselves justified on the part of the public to make any addition to that allowance; and that, in January 1796, (being shortly after the next meeting of parliament) the petitioner having advised with his counsel in the further steps necessary to be taken in this harrassing business, presented to the Board of Treasury a remonstrance to their answer, and proposed, that if their lordships conceived themselves unable to perform the agreement made with him, an application might be made to parliament on the subject, when the agreement, as well as his merits and his conduct, might be fully investigated; and that although an answer was promised in time for the petitioner to make such appeal, he did not receive it till the dissolution of parliament was determined on, and he had to wait the meeting of the new one in the following year, when a committee of the house was appointed "To consider of the agreements made with the petitioner for the reform and improvement of the Post Office and its revenue, and to inquire into the causes of his suspension, and report to the house the evidence received;" and that, in May 1797, the committee, after being occupied above five weeks on the subject, reported to the house the evidence received, which was ordered to be printed, and fully proved the agreement made with the petitioner as before stated.— Ordered to lie upon the table.