The History of the Post Office in British North America

l service in former

dely known as one of the deputies of the postmaster general of England. He had, however, a long and useful connection with the post office a quarter of a century before this time. He was appointed postmaster of Philadelphia in 1737,[1] and for many years combined the duties of this office with that of newspaper publisher. He became deputy postmaster general in 1753.[2] Canada had been in the hands of the British since 1760,

ablished a monthly service between the Canadian post offices and New York, arranging the trips so that the courier should ma

and south connecting there with one another, and with the packets from England. The system was under the control of two deputies, of equal authority, one of whom was Franklin, and the other Joh

assachusetts Bay for the year 1639. The colony was just ten years old. Letters from home, always ea

ent in absolute government, which ten years before had driven these peo

nglish side, it was the practice for sea captains, who intended making a trip to America, to give public notice of the fact, and to place a ba

d distributing the letters; and consequently, many letters were misdelivered, and many not delivered at all. I

rding to their addresses. He was to receive a penny for every letter he delivered, and was to answer for all miscarriages due to his neglect. The Fairbank's tavern was a resort of some prominenc

o provide for the despatch of letters posted at his house, and addressed to places abroad. He was licensed to receive letters from the citizens of Boston

s past, the exclusive right of the post office to engage in the conveyance of letters is conceded witho

o the point of hatred during the struggle for constitutional government, by the fact that trading monopolies which were granted to courtiers, not only enhanced unreasonab

of the features of which was the bestowal upon it of the sole right to carry on the business of conveying

ents for monopoly, however, were not long to be gainsaid; and when Cromwell took up the question of the post office, and passed a compr

its monopoly since that date. In the North American colonies, the post office monopoly was never popular, though, owi

the king wrote to the governor of Barbados[5] that it had become a matter of daily complaint that there was no safe means of communication with Virginia, Ne

d be sent; and the rates of postage were to be the same as those fixed for England by the act of 1660. Nothi

rom the lack of attention on the part of the home government. The coffee house on the one side, and the tavern

livery, such as Fairbank's, for letters passing between the colonists and their correspondents beyond the sea. But the want of

orce in New England. In 1652 the Dutch West India Company informed their director general in New Amsterdam, that having observed that "private parties give their letters to this or that sailor or free merchant, which letters to their great disadvantage are often lost through neglect, r

g the measures taken for the safety of their letters, the company repeated their orde

one to the other, few. Lord Cornbury, as late as 1702,[8] informed the Lords of Trade that there were so few vessels running between New York and por

a regular packet service to some part of the American continent. Sometimes many months elapsed, without his hearing

sail. From Boston there was a post by which Cornbury could hear once a week in summer, and once a fortnight in winter, so that they had a sure conveyance by the Mast fleet. Advantage had to be taken, as opportu

there was no connection whatever between these groups. Nor was any thought to be necessary. The

ories of a quarrel, which was still warm; and New York was still largely Dutch, though even

t bound the trade of the colonies to England. The Navigation Act of 1660 forbade all trade with the colonies except in English bottoms; forbade also, the shipment of tobacco any whither but to England itself; and an act of 1663

ought about by the presence of impending danger. In 1672, war broke out between the English and the Dutch, the object of which wa

only thing lacking was cohesion among the several colonies. At the outbreak of the war, the king directed governor Lo

.[10] There was no road between the two places; and governor Winthrop was aske

ade his trips for a few months only, when New York was captured by a Dutch fleet which came suddenly upon it. The town was restored

elding something from the attitude of jealous independence, which characterized them. Between the English colonies and the French in Canada there was a stea

lmed them. The unwillingness of the English to take any action in common was costing them dearly, as the outl

f the Iroquois nations. This conference was important in several respects, but particularly in the

as to establish a line of post houses along the coast from the French boundaries to Virginia. The king, who was much pleased with the proposition, directed Dongan to f

s. He was proprietor of the colony of New York; and under the post office act of 1660

March 1685, he had an ordinance adopted in the council of New York for a post office throughout the colonies, and fixed the charges for the

t. The only evidence that has appeared as to the operation of the service, and it establishes the fact that the service was performed for a time at least, is that Leisler

rried from Philadelphia to the Falls of Delaware for threepence; to Chester

choice fell upon Edward Randolph, who had just previously been made secretary and registrar of the new province. The appointment was dated 23rd of November, 168

ions. When William III was settled on his throne, he managed, amid his cares at home and abroad, to give some attention to the affairs of the colonies. Thos

and Pennsylvania; though in the south, the colonies of Maryland and Virginia sho

ority to establish such a system in America at his own charges. He pointed out in his memorial that there had never been a post for the conveying of letters within or between Virginia, Maryland, Delaware

d colonies in America, and to carry on all the functions of postmaster, either in person or by deputy. He might collect as his own, the postage accruing from the business, the rates being fixed by the English

enty-one years. Neale was held bound to provide an efficient service; in case of dissatisfaction, or of his failure to put the service in operation within two years, the patent was to become inva

esidence in New Jersey, was made governor of that province in 1692. Hamilton was a man of energy and ability; and in the difficult task of conciliating sensitive leg

will of the people. He might either apply the rates fixed by the act of 1660; or come to terms with the pe

, and begging that they might "ascertain and establish such rates and terms as should tend to quicker maintenance of mutu

ance. This bill provided for a general post office or chief letter office in the principal town of each colony, the postmaster of which was to be

riers. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, the mail couriers were granted free ferriage over the rivers and other water courses which lay along their routes. In the acts passed by New York and New Hampshire, there was no mention of f

ward, and sitting on juries. Shipmasters on arriving at a port with letters in their care were enjoined

beyond sea, if for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania twopence; if for New York ninepence. In the interchange among the colonies thems

n the letter was conveyed. A letter from New York to Boston cost twelvepence; while ninepence was the charge from Boston to

w York. From Virginia, to Philadelphia, New York and Boston, the charges were ninepence, twelvepence and two shillings r

a satisfactory service. Massachusetts was as willing as the others to grant a monopoly of letter carrying to Hamilton, but it was of opinion that the exclusive privilege should carry an obligation with it. The post

ing a monopoly on him, accordingly added a clause binding Hamilton to maintain constant posts for the carriage of letters to the se

ey reached a post office, the postmaster was required to mark on each letter the date on which it was re

s were. The acts of New York, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire passed council and became law.

ey were such departures as might be expected when an act is drawn up, by a person unlearned in the law, who, having the patent before him, aims at substantial rather than at lit

hat the patent provided that the appointment of Neale's deputy should, at his request, be made by the postmaster general; whereas the Massachusetts act a

so stipulated for the cancellation of the patent in certain eventualities. Both these terms are omitted from the act. Insufficient care was

e, would have excited little comment. But the Massachusetts general court noted and resented the discrimination. When Neale was informed of the disallowance, he begged

te the favourable consideration of the Massachusetts legislature to it.[20] The bill was lai

ed in the assembly no more. The rejection of the bill, however, was of little or no practical consequence. The post office was too great a conv

ters to deliver all letters they brought with them from oversea at the post office of the place of their arrival, for which they were to receive a halfpenn

ing these governments differed from that taken in laying the proposition before the northern colonies. In case of the northern colonies Hamilton dealt with the legislatures in person. The draft bill wh

24] it is recorded that the proposition was laid before them in a letter from the queen. This fact will account for the very different consideration the proposition received from

gement for the transmission of letters concerning the public affairs of the colony.[26] An order was issued by the council that all letters superscribed for the public service shoul

the colony showed immediate interest. The council on the 12th of January, 1693, appointed Peter Heyman deputy postmaster,[27] and proceeded to draw up a p

ounty. As letters were posted in the colony or reached it from abroad, they were to be forthwith dispersed, carried and delivered in accord

ch ounce weight. Public letters were to pass free of postage. No provision was made for postage on letters addressed to places beyond the boundaries of the colony; and it was expressly s

s to establish a postal system, comprising a general post office at a place agreed upon, and one or more subordinate offices in each county. Couriers were to be available to take letters anywhere within the colony-w

Neale should have any assurance of the business he had brought into existence. As soon as it reached a point at

pointment, they opened communication with him. The notes of the correspondence as they appear in the minutes of council[29] do not give much information, but they show that Hamilton's propositi

pening a post office, and connecting it with the other colonies. The governor believed that the scheme was feasible, and would do his utmost to encourage it. He foresaw a difficul

ch way.[31] The volume of correspondence carried cannot be ascertained, as the great mass of it, being on public business, would be free of postage. But the postage

e expenses of the Portsmouth-Philadelphia service during those years were ￡3817 6s. 11d.[32] The deficit of ￡2360 8s. 8d. fell upon Neale. Results such as these would be sufficiently discouragin

ter pointing out the benefits accruing to the colonies from the post office-the increase in the transatlantic and intercolonial trade, the rapid diffusion of intelligence in time of war, and the facilities afforded for the

n of letters at the English coffee houses, and to compel the shipmasters to take all

t to the existing arrangement. Where the bag hung open in a coffee house, any person might examine its contents on the pretext that he wanted to get his own letter back, and when the ship had reached i

liver them to the post office at the port of destination before they broke bulk, these

ting that experience had taught them that low rates were found to be more productive of revenue than those which placed the post office beyond the reach of the mass of the people. They approved

king. The post office depended for its prosperity on the maintenance of its monopoly, a thing naturally distasteful. The monopoly was easily evaded, even if the colonial governments supported it heartily, but any lack of inclination on their part would

sury, however, were not yet ready to take over the American posts, but they directed the postmasters general to give Hamilton every assistance in their power, and requested the governor

ore. The new patentees besought the government to extend their term, which in ordinary course would expire in 1712. Their confidence in the eventual success of the scheme, howeve

of the service, as the deputy of the postmaster general. The results were no better than when the service was privately administered. In 1709, the

since 1706, although he had saved the colony ￡150 a year by the delivery of the public letters. The remonstrance was fruitless, and he renewed his applicatio

TNO

nd Times of Benjam

id., p

ury Letter-Book,

Hist. Soc., thir

pers, America and West I

olonial Docume

id., p

Col. Docs.

f the American

Hist. Soc., fifth

l. Am. and W. I.,

Col. Docs

. and Crit. Hist

I. 270 (Publications o

as Glover, July 15, 1686 (

husetts, June 9, 1693 (ch. 3, 1 sess. Province Laws, I. 115); Pennsylvania, May 15, June 1, 1693 (Duke of York's Laws, p. 22

hed to the act (ch. 3, 1 sess.

l. Am. and W. I.,

l. Am. and W. I.,

id., no

Laws of Mas

bid.,

Hist. Soc., third

. S. P. Col. Am. and W. I., 1693-1696, no. 21; minutes o

ouncil, Maryland,

Statutes at

ginia, Cal. S. P. Col. Am. a

I. 112; Journals of the House of Bu

October 19, 25, 1694; May 3, July 25, 1695; Cal. S. P. Col. Am

s (published by Virgin

ew Hampshire (N. H. Prov.

., Treasur

sury Papers, 1

., Treasur

n Hamilton was appointed deputy pos

Hist. Soc., third