The Early History of the Colonial Post-Office Part 2

[56] _N. H. Provincial Papers_, Vol. III., pp. 61, 248, 257, 279.

A year later[57] (May 3d, 1705) the council and General a.s.sembly voted to pay 6 out of the next provincial rate, to Campbell for his "extraordinary Service in forwarding his Excellency's and Government letters for her Majesty's service relating to this province;" again in 1707 (April 8th) he was granted[58] 6 out of the treasury, and in 1708 (May 6th) another 6 for "diligent care of expresses and letters."

[57] _N. H. Provincial Papers_, Vol. III., p. 304.

[58] _N. H. Provincial Papers_, Vol. III., p. 343.

The first entry in the Colonial Records of Rhode Island[59] regarding a post is in 1774.

[59] _Colonial Records of Rhode Island._

Connecticut's earliest efforts toward the establishment of a post have already been mentioned in connection with New York and Ma.s.sachusetts. On May 10th, 1694, the court of election at Hartford pa.s.sed the following Act for the encouragement of a post office.[60]

[60] _Colonial Records of Connecticut_, Vol. IV., p. 123.

"Whereas their most excelent Ma{ties} King W{m} and Queen Mary by their letters pattents have granted a Post Office to be set up in these partes of N. E. for the receiving and disspatching of letters and pacquetts from one place to another for their Ma{ties} speciall service and the benefit of theire Ma{ties} good Subjects in these parts. This court being willing to encourage so good a worke, doe order and enact that all such persons as shall be imployed by the Post Master Gen. in the severall stages within this Colony of Connecticut shall and may pa.s.s and repa.s.se all and every ferry within this Colony, from the day of the date hereof for and during this courts pleasure, without payeing any rate or sume of money either for his own or horses pa.s.sage."

May, 1698,[61] in response to a complaint that posts and other travellers met with great difficulty in journeying through the colony, especially in the towns.h.i.+p of Stonington, the court ordered the selectmen to lay out convenient highways, kept cleared and open, unless they pa.s.sed through ancient common fields, or the general or county court ordered otherwise, and "made good with sufficient causeis and bridges as need shall require," failure to observe these instructions to be punished by a fine of 10 into the public treasury, and for a continuance of the offence by an annual fine of 10 to be levied upon the selectment or inhabitants.

[61] _Colonial Records_, Vol. IV., p. 246-47.

In May, 1704,[62] the general court decreed that since the post was often impeded, "in cases extraordinarie the authoritie may grant a bill to the Constables for the defraying of such charges as are really necessary."

[62] _Colonial Records_, Vol. IV., p. 468.

Watson,[63] in his _Annals of Philadelphia_, bases on MSS. in the possession of the Pemberton family, his statement that as early as July, 1683, a weekly post was established by order of William Penn and a grant given to a certain Henry Waldy of Tekonay to hold one, and "supply pa.s.sengers with horses from Philadelphia to New Castle or the Falls of the Delaware; the rates from the Falls to Philadelphia 3d., to Chester 5d., to New Castle 7d., to Maryland 9d., and from Philadelphia to Chester 2d., to New Castle 4d., to Maryland 6d." Winsor, in the _Narrative and Critical History_, adds that the notices of the departure of the post were put on the meeting-house doors and in other public places.

[63] Watson, Vol. II., p. 391. Winsor, _Narrative and Critical History_, Vol. III., p. 491. _Historical Magazine_, Vol. III., p. 221.

The same year (1683)[64] a law was pa.s.sed at Philadelphia directing the way in which official letters should be dispatched, in order that the governor might obtain "true and speedy information regarding public affairs, as well from Europe as the neighboring colonies and remote parts of this province and territories thereof." "Be it Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every Justice of the Peace, Sheriff or Constable within the respective counties of this province and territories thereof, to whose hands or knowledge any Letter or Letters shall come, directed to or from the governor, shall dispatch them, within 3 hours at the farthest, after the receipt or knowledge thereof, to the next Sheriff or Constable, and so forwards, as the Letter directs, upon the penalty of 20s. for every hour's delay. And in such cases, all Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs or Constables are hereby empowered to press either man or horse for that service, allowing for a horse or man, 2 pence by the mile, to be paid out of the public stock."

[64] _Historical Magazine_, Vol. III., p. 223.

September 5th, 1700, Penn writes to Logan that he sends a package for Governor Blackeston[65] to be forwarded to the sheriff of New Castle, showing that the custom was in vogue seventeen years after its origin.

[65] _Penn and Logan Correspondence._

The _Duke of Yorke's Laws_[66] under the laws made and pa.s.sed by Benjamin Fletcher, governor of Pennsylvania, and the council and representatives, May 15th and June 1st, 1693, records one for the erection of a post office in Philadelphia by Andrew Hamilton, "from whence all letters & packets may be with all expedition sent into any of the parts of New England and other adjacent colonies in these parts of America, at which said office all returns and answers may be received."

Andrew Hamilton, or some other postmaster-general appointed by the king, was to demand and receive postage according to the following rates: single foreign letters 2d., and each packet 4d.; letters sent from Philadelphia to New York 4d. half penny, to Connecticut 9d., to Rhode Island 12d., to Boston 15d., to points beyond Boston 19d., to Maryland and Virginia 9d., and to every place within eighty miles of Philadelphia 4d. half penny. If foreign letters were left forty-eight hours uncalled for, they were to be delivered and one penny more for each demanded from receiver. Public letters were to go post free; ferriage was to be free for all, and constant posts were to be maintained from Philadelphia to New York and New Castle.

[66] _Duke of Yorke's Laws_, p. 224.

At an a.s.sembly held at Philadelphia,[67] May 20th, 1697, Joseph Growden, "chairman of the grand comittee appointed to consider of Andrew Hamilton's memorial for encouragement to support the post," reported "that it was the vote of the comittee that a bill be prepared for encouragement to support the post both by the publick and upon private letters."

[67] _Pennsylvania Colonial Records_, Vol. I., p. 524.

Since the charge of the office had much exceeded the postage,[68] the a.s.sembly, "being sensible of the benefit of the said office to trade and commerce, and to the province and territories in general if it be continued, and of the great loss that will happen to both if it should happen to fall for want of encouragement," it was voted that the rates be raised on foreign letters received from 2d. to 4d., on those sent from Philadelphia to New York from 4d. to 8d., and other rates proportionately. Hamilton was to receive 20 in the silver money of the province from the public treasury annually for three years, the period during which the law was to be in force.

[68] _Duke of Yorke's Laws_, p. 262.

In 1700, a bill was pa.s.sed to be in effect seven years, which says:[69]

[69] Martin's _Bench and Bar of Philadelphia_, pp. 126-130.

"Considering that maintenance of speedy correspondence is good for trade and is best carried on by public post, Be it enacted, that there be a General Letter Office erected and established in Philadelphia to send letters to colonies planted in America or in any of the King's Kingdoms in foreign lands." Rates were regulated by bulk, as well as by distance, a sheet of paper being accounted as a single letter and a packet equal to three letters, at the least; the post of a single letter from Philadelphia to Boston or Rhode Island was 18d., to Piscataqua and other parts east of Boston 2s., to New York 8d., to Maryland and Virginia 18d.

if by post, if by private person to the office 4d., all letters for the proprietary or for the governor to be free. The fine for a neglectful ferryman was 5, for any one who should presume to carry letters for hire or set up or employ any post, 40.

"Whereas, letters to merchants were often delayed and given to untrustworthy persons who may open them and get trade secrets,"

s.h.i.+pmasters were ordered to give letters only to the postmaster or to his a.s.sistants.

In 1701 (June 23d), in response to a pet.i.tion from Patrick Robinson in behalf of Col. Andrew Hamilton, "Postmaster General in America and Gov{r} of the Jerseys," praying for the payment from the "publick stock"

of the 20 per year for three years, which had been allowed him by the act of 1697, the treasurer was ordered to pay the sum as soon as there was sufficient money in his hands.

April 11th, 1706,[70] a grant was given a certain Hugh Huddy to establish stages from Burlington to Perth Amboy, and April 4th, 1709, an act for the encouragement of the post office was pa.s.sed by the New Jersey a.s.sembly. The masters of the offices were to be appointed from time to time by the postmaster-general. No other persons were to receive, dispatch or deliver letters or packets except such as were sent by masters or merchants in s.h.i.+ps of which, or of the cargo of which, they were entirely or in part owners, or "except letters to be sent by any private Friend or Friends in their ways of journey or Travel, or by any Messenger or Messengers sent of purpose for or concerning the private affairs of any person or persons."[71] The rates were fixed according to bulk as well as distance, the post of every single letter from Europe, the West Indies and other parts beyond the seas, was four pence half-penny, all letters to be accounted single if they did not exceed one sheet of paper. The postage on each "pacquet" of letters from these places was 9d. a "pacquet" being accounted three sheets, at the least. The post of every letter from Boston not exceeding one sheet of paper, was 1s. 3d., the post of every letter not exceeding two sheets, 2s. 6d., and the post of every "pacquet of letters or other things whatsoever, 2s. 6d. for every ounce, Troy weight, and for the post of every letter not exceeding one sheet of paper, for any place not exceeding one hundred and fifty miles, 9d., and so in proportion to the bulk." Carrying letters for hire, or setting up or employing any foot, post, horse or paquet boat for carrying letters or paquets or providing and maintaining horses or furniture for the horsing of any through post, was punishable by a fine of 100 current money for every several offence, one-third to go to the governor, one-third to the use of the colony and the remaining third to the informer. Any ferryman neglecting, delaying or refusing to convey posts forfeited 5.

[70] _Pennsylvania Magazine_, Vol. IX., p. 444.

[71] Copied from the original.

As late as 1791 there were only six post offices in the colony, and none south of Trenton.[72]

[72] _Pennsylvania Magazine_, Vol. IX., p. 444.

The Maryland archives contain no reference to a post before 1710.

In March, 1661/2, the following act[73] was pa.s.sed by the Virginia a.s.sembly: "Whereas the remotenesse of diverse places in the country from James Citty and the necessity of communicating diverse businesses to the utmost lymitts of itt, would (if messengers were purposely prest) put the country to an annuall greate expense for prevention whereof, Be it enacted that all letters superscribed for the service of his Majesty or publique shall be imediately conveyed from plantation to plantation to the place and person they are directed to under the penalty of 350 pounds of tobacco to each defaulter."

[73] Hening's _Statutes at Large_, Vol. II., p. 109.

March 2d, 1692/3,[74] an act was pa.s.sed for encouraging the erection of a post office in each county of the colony, Thomas Neale and his deputies to settle and establish the post at their own cost. Rates were to vary according to bulk and distance, state letters and public orders of the governor and council were to be sent free, and merchants were not to be prohibited from sending letters by the masters of vessels or others. The act was to be in force during the term granted by their majesties' letters patent to Thomas Neale.

[74] Hening's _Statutes at Large_, Vol. III., pp. 112, 115.

Cooper's _Statutes at Large of South Carolina_[75] records an enactment regarding the post, of September 10th, 1702, by John Grenville, Esq., Pallatine, and the other lords and proprietors of the province of Carolina with the consent of the other members of the General a.s.sembly.

A certain Ed. Bourne was appointed postmaster and ordered to fix an exact list of letters received and dispatched in some public place in his house for thirty days, for each packet or letter receiving one-half royal, and for any neglect of duty forfeiting 40s. July 12th, 1707, an act[76] to erect a general post office was ratified and continued for two years.

[75] Cooper's _Statutes at Large_, Vol. II., pp. 188-89.

[76] Cooper's _Statutes at Large_, Vol. II, p. 308.

The first act regarding a post office in North Carolina was in 1787.[77]

[77] Iredell, _Laws of North Carolina_.

The correspondence of the period shows when the post became an established fact. About 1700, letters begin not with the names of the bearers, but with expressions such as the following: "The post is just blowing his horn and cannot help it that I write no more particularly."[78] "I had not time to say more by the last post than I did." "Sent by post last week." "Having no letter from you by the post."

Individual bearers were still made use of, often probably for the reason which Logan gives in a letter to Penn, written February, 1708.[79] "I send this chiefly to accompany the enclosed to Wm. Aubrey, I therefore request thee to peruse it ... and to let it be sealed up, directed in some hand like mine, as J. Jeffreys, and delivered. I send it thus without cover to save postage, which is now very high to Boston." It is to be hoped that Lovelace's description of the first post as "active, stout and indefatigable," would apply equally to his successors, for they too went laden with "letters, portable goods and divers bags." Wait Winthrop writes from Boston to Fitz-John Winthrop, "Gov{r} of his Maj{ts} Collonye of Conecticott in New London," "I have had yours by the post with little bundle;" "If Sudance can bundle up John's freise Jacket & Mingoe's cloth Jacket in an old towell pray let the post bring them."

"Post will bring you a pair of Simpsons ... could not goe to direct the man about the gla.s.s, or els it had gone by this Post" and "If Anthony has lamed the horses he may dispatch them quite that they may be no further trouble; but if their legs are fit to bring them, I desire they may be sent by the post, unless some safer opportunity present in two or three days."[80]

[78] _Ma.s.s. Historical Collections_, 6th Series, Vol. V., pp. 64, 65, 66, 70.