Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 43.djvu/147

 . He had been verbally promised through Pitt's secretary, Dr. Pretyman, in case the plan succeeded, two and a half per cent. on the increase of the post-office revenue during his life, with a general control of the office and its expenditure. But delays arose in settling the terms. In March 1786 the postmaster-general endeavoured anew to procure the abandonment of Palmer's scheme. Pitt, however, was satisfied with Palmer's refutation of the allegations made against him, and on 11 Oct. Palmer was appointed comptroller-general of the post office.

In his capacity as comptroller-general Palmer corrected many of the irregularities of the service, but the parliamentary commission of inquiry of 1788 still found numerous gross abuses in the post office. Of Palmer himself, however, they reported that he had exceeded the expectations held forth by him with regard to despatch and expense; the revenue was augmented, and answers were returned to letters with a punctuality never before experienced, at a lower rate per mile than of old. They therefore thought Palmer entitled to the compensation he claimed, viz. his expenses up to 2 Aug. 1784, and two and half per cent, on the total increase of revenue, as compared with an average of the revenue at that time, such allowance to include salary and expenses.

From June to October 1787 Palmer was in France, by direction of the treasury, for the purpose of settling with the intendant-general of the posts there a daily communication with England under improved regulations, as well as a similar plan for other parts of the continent. He did not succeed, and before his return Lord Walsingham, a man as energetic as Palmer himself had become postmaster-general. Palmer's jealousy was aroused as soon as Walsingham gave any instructions affecting the inland post, and the friction between the postmaster and the comptroller quickly became intense (, History of the Post Office).

A commission of inquiry was held in 1789 to consider Palmer's appeals for payment for his improvements in the postal service, and, after much discussion, the treasury, on 2 July 1789, granted two warrants, one for the payment of arrears, the other a warrant in place of that of 1786, appointing Palmer surveyor and comptroller general. Among further reforms which Palmer now introduced was the establishment of a separate newspaper office; before the postmaster-general knew anything about it, the office was established, a staff of sorters appointed, and their wages fixed. When Walsingham asked for particulars in order that the plan might be properly sanctioned and the appointments confirmed, Palmer refused to comply with the request. Pitt pointed out that Palmer had power to suspend, but not to appoint, post-office servants. To this decision, however, as in other cases, Palmer paid no attention. Thenceforth the breach between Palmer and his official superior widened. In March 1790 Lord Chesterfield was joined with Walsingham in the office of postmaster-general, and Palmer's autocratic policy was more effectually hindered. A quarrel between himself and his friend Charles Bonnor [q. y.], whom he had made deputy-controller, further jeopardised his position. Matters came to a head early in 1792, when the postmasters-general, in consequence of some discrepancies in the accounts, directed that letters for the city for the first delivery should be checked. The merchants in the city met on 15 Feb. and complained of the consequent delay in the receipt of their correspondence. Bonnor, the deputy comptroller, who owed everything to Palmer, published a pamphlet ('Facts relating to the Meeting on the Fifteenth of February at the London Tavern'), in which he alleged that the meeting had been promoted by Palmer to obtain an enlargement of his powers; that Palmer had supplied to the chairman material for the attack, and that the delay complained of was a wilful contrivance of Palmer's. A few days afterwards Palmer suspended Bonnor, and the postmasters-general, failing to extract from Palmer any explanation of this step, suspended him (7 March). On 2 May Pitt suggested that there should be a court of inquiry into the whole controversy. Soon, however, Bonnor gave Walsingham a number of private letters, many of them compromising, which had passed between Palmer and himself during their intimacy. Pitt thereupon agreed that the postmasters-general must take their own course. Palmer was dismissed, but not in express words; a fresh list of the establishment was prepared, and from this list Palmer's name was omitted. A little later Pitt granted Palmer a pension of 3,0001. (from 5 April 1793). Bonnor became comptroller of the inland department, but after two years he was dismissed.

Palmer's plan had brought with it economy as well as safety and speed. Before 1784 the annual allowance for carrying the mails was 4l to 8l. a mile; in 1792 the terms for the conveyance of mails were exemption from tolls and an annual allowance of rather over 3l. a mile. Palmer had estimated the total cost of his plan at 30,000l. a year; the actual cost was slightly over 12,000l. (, History of