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others, of the office of postmaster for foreign parts in reversion: and in 1631 the king strictly prohibited private persons from engaging in the business of forwarding letters to foreign countries, or receiving them from abroad for distribution in England.

In 1635, the king issued a proclamation declaring that "whereas to this time there has been no certain intercourse between the kingdoms of England and Scotland, he now commands his postmaster of England for foreign parts, to settle a running post or two to run night and day, between Edinburgh and London, to go thither and come back again in six days: and to take with them all such letters as shall be directed to any post-towns in or near the road." By the same proclamation, posts were established to Westchester, Holyhead, and thence to Ireland: and also to Plymouth and Exeter.

In the following year, Charles the first of England and Louis the thirteenth of France, both issued proclamations forbidding private persons from engaging in the business of letter carrying: but the operations of the public posts must, notwithstand ing, have been very limited, for in 1653, the whole establishment in England, Scotland, and Ireland, was farmed to John Manly, Esq. for ten thousand pounds yearly. At that time, members of parliament had not the privilege of franking letters.

In 1656, Cromwell and his parliament established the post-office by law: the acts of this parliament being deemed illegal by the royalists, another act to the same effect was passed in 1660-61, after the restoration. In 1663, the revenues of the post-office, amounting to 21,500l. were settled on the Duke of York. In 1685, the obsequious parliament of James II. passed an act to make the revenue of the post-office the king of England's private estate for ever. In 1711, the former laws for establishing post-offices in Great Britain were repealed, and one postmaster-general was appointed for the kingdom. By the same act, general letter offices were established at Edinburgh, Dublin, New York, and in the West Indies.

This is the first reference we find in British acts to post-offices in America: but the establishment of posts in our country was nearly coeval with the first settlement of at least some of the colonies. In July 1683, as we learn from Watson's Annals, William Penn established regular posts from Philadelphia to the Falls of Delaware, Chester, Newcastle, and Maryland; and ordered the time of departure to be carefully published on the meeting-house door, and other public places.". A regular act of assembly, for the establishment of a post-office at Philadelphia, was first passed in the

year 1700.

66

Soon after this, Colonel John Hamilton, the son of Governor Andrew Hamilton, devised a postoffice scheme for British America. For this scheme he obtained a patent, and the profits accruing from the execution of the scheme were to be his own. But he afterwards sold his patent to the crown: and a member of parliament was appointed postmaster for North America, with power to appoint a deputy to reside at New York. By connivance, as

is stated by Dr. Douglass, the deputy was permitted to reside in any part of the continent. The office was filled at one time by a gentleman of South Carolina; and, at another, by a gentleman of Virginia.

In Dec. 1717, Jonathan Dickinson writes to his correspondent, "we have a settled post from Virginia and Maryland unto us, and goes through all our northern colonies, whereby advice from Boston unto Williamsburgh is completed in four weeks, from March to December, and in double that time in the other months of the year." Dr. Douglass, writing in 1747, says, "that from Portsmouth to Philadelphia there is a regular postage. From thence to Williamsburgh, in Virginia, is uncertain, because the post does not proceed till letters are lodged sufficient to pay the charges of the post-rider. From Williamsburgh, in Virginia, to Charleston, S. C., the post is still more uncertain.”

In 1753, the post-office establishment of North America was confided to Dr. Franklin and another, with liberty to make out of it 600l. a year, “if they could." Then began the delivery of letters by the penny-post, and also the practice of advertising letters remaining in the office.

Till that time, the northern mail went from Philadelphia and returned once a week in summer, and once a fortnight in winter, just as it had done twenty-five years before. But in 1754, the mail to New York began to run thrice a week in summer, and once a week in winter. In the next year Franklin gave notice, that the mail to New England, which used to start but once a fortnight in winter, should start once a week all the year round," whereby answers might be obtained to letters between Philadelphia and Boston in three weeks, which used to require six weeks."

It was several years before Dr. Franklin and his co-partner got the 600l. per annum, which they were permitted to make for themselves, "if they could." Their expenditures for the improvement of the mail brought them in debt to the amount of 900l.: but the doctor states, that under this new system, the post-office of North America afterwards yielded a greater clear revenue to the crown than had ever been derived from the post-office of Ireland. Through a quarrel with the ministry he was deprived of his office of deputy, at a time when it would have yielded him a just compensation for his labour.

In 1774, we read that " John Perkins engages to ride post to carry the mail once a week to Baltimore, and will take along, or bring back, led horses, or any parcels." From this it appears that, previous to the revolution, only the northern mail was regular in its arrival and departure. When a post-rider purposed starting to the south, notice was given of his intention by advertisement, some time in advance.

On the 26th of July 1775, congress established a line of posts, under the direction of a postmastergeneral, from Falmouth in New England to Savannah in Georgia; and they authorised as many cross posts as that officer should think proper. In

1782, all the surplus income of the post-office was directed to be applied to the establishment of new post-offices and the support of packets, to render the post-office department as extensively useful as might be. In 1789, authority was given, under the new constitution, to appoint a postmastergeneral and other subordinate officers. The progress of the department, from that time to the end of the year 1830, may be seen in the table at the end of this article. From 1790 to 1800, the number of post-offices increased from 75 to 903. In 1810, they amounted to 2300: in 1820, to 4500: in 1830, to 8450.

"The great increase of the number, and the extent of the post-roads in the United States," said Dr. Seybert, writing in 1817,"demonstrate the rapid improvement of our country. Besides the convenience which this establishment offers to individuals, much of the commercial prosperity of nations is owing to the dispatch and safety of a well regulated post-office establishment. In this respect, our progress has been equal to that of any of the nations of Europe: convenient roads now intersect every portion of the United States. Though we do not possess many routes that are equal to the most improved in England and France, our roads are more safe, more expeditious, and better regulated than those of any other nation in Europe. Even so late as 1750, the roads in Great Britain and France

were in a wretched condition: they have done much within a few years to promote the intercourse in those states. In 1763, seventeen days were occupied in going from London to Edinburgh, in the stage-coach, the distance about four hundred miles. In 1816 you might go from the city of New York to Buffalo on lake Erie, four hundred and seventyfive miles, in one hundred hours from the time of departure, and be comfortably lodged every night: the time actually occupied in travelling was eighty hours. Our mail is now transported with uncommon rapidity through countries which continue to be inhabited by savages: our vehicles pass with more speed to towns, the sites of which twenty-five years ago were the theatres of savage barbarity, than do the public carriages in some of the most civilized and oldest countries in Europe. may go from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, in the stage, three hundred and ten miles, in five days and a half, and be lodged every night on the route.

You

"In 1812, in France, by the stage-coach, six days were required to go from Paris to Geneva, three hundred and ninety miles: six days from Paris to Strasburgh, three hundred and sixty-six miles."

The mail now goes from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in less than three days, traversing in this passage all the mountain chains of Pennsylvania.

[The annexed table, obtained from the Post-Office Department, exhibits a concise view of the rapid increase in the post establishment of the United States from 1789 to Dec. 31, 1830.]

TABLE LXV.

number. of postage. tion to P. M.

Post Of

Table of the Post Office Establishment, from 1789 to 1830, December 31st.

RECEIPTS,

Years. fices in being total am't Compensa

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1810 2300 1811

32,093 292,751
128,653
28,676
141,579 23,516
551,684 149,438 18,565

453,885 24,878

33,755

305,499

462,828

2,264

34,035

332,917

498,012 8,622

34,035

327,966

495,969 55,715

36,406

1812

2403
2610

1813

1814

1815 3000

1816 3260

1821 4650

587,247 159,244 20,689 319,166 649,208 177,422 22,117 340,626 703,155 221,848 20,605 438,559 730,370 234,354 17,170 475,602 1,043,065 241,901 18,441 487,779 748,121 294,944 961,782 265,944 16,508 521,970 804,422 157,360 1817 3459 1,002,973 303,916 23,410 589,189 916,515 1818 3618 1,130,235 346,429 24,792 664,611 1,035,832 1819 4000 1,204,737 375,828 24,152 717,881 1,117,861 1820 4500 1,111,927 352,295 26,206 1,059,087 337,599 1822 4799 1,117,490 355,299 1,167,572 1823 5043 1,130,!15 360,462 29,069 767,464 1,156,995 1824 5182 1,197,758 383,804 35,276 768,939 1,188,019 1825 5677 1,306,525 411,183 32,214 785,646 1,229,043 77,482 1826 6150 1,447,703 447,727 33,885 885,100 1,366,712 80,991 1827 7003 1,524,633 486,411 40,203 1828 7651 1,664,759 548,858 55,873 1,086,312 1829 8050 1,773,990 575,165 1830 8450 1,919,300 615,476

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VOL. XVIII.-PART II.

3 V*

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TABLE LXVI.

Showing the Distance from Washington to the Capital or largest town of each State; also, the Distance from each Capital or largest town to each of the

others.

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365 Farmington Canal
276
Finances of U. S.
388 to 407
embarrassed condition of

393, 394
364

246

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Chowan

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390

394

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257
249
Climate of U. S.
289 to 307
Colhoun, John C., became vice-
president U. S.
Colleges & schools in U.S. 354 to 362
Colonies, English North Ame-

rican, restrictions on their

commerce

352

363

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319

315

318

Fisheries of U. S., origin of
destroyed during the war 368
Florida, Peninsula of 233, 269, 272,
273
origin of the name of 273 note
ceded to the U. S. 327, 350
Fox, Mr., motion in parliament
to end American war
France, first foreign nation to
form a treaty with U. S. 315
loans negotiated in
debt due U. S. commuted
king of, unaware of the
causes and tendency of
American revolution
motives of its government in
taking part with U. S. 316
motives of her statesmen in
regard to American inde-
pendence
sinister influence of, in the
Louisiana controversy be-
tween U. S. & Spain 324, 328
M. Gerard, first minister
from, sails from Toulon
reception by congress
hostile proceedings of its
government against U. S. 342
treaty between, and U. S.
annulled by the latter
new treaty with
Berlin and Milan deerees
Franklin, Benj., sent ambassador
to France. His character
and qualifications
assists to negotiate treaty
with France 315, with G.
Britain 320, with Sweden ibid.
Frederick II, le ter from, to W.
Lee, U. S. agent
opinion of, on American
revolution

337
337

Independence of the British N.
American colonies, causes
which produced 315, ac-
knowledged by G. Britain
3:9, 339, not in the first
instance of revolt the ob-
317
ject of N. Am. colonies
Indiana, original settlement of 333
admitted into the Union 334, 350
Indians, their character
342

defeat the U. S. army
under Gen. Harmar, again
under Gen. St. Clair Ib.,
defeated and forced to
conclude a peace by Gen.
Wayne Ib., Shawanese
defeated at Tippecanoe
Insurrection in western Penn.
Iron, manufacture of, in U. S.

347

342

386

Jackson, Gen. defeats the British 349
elected president of U. S. 352
James Island 245, River
254
Jay, John, assists to negotiate trea-
ties with G. Britain 320, 343
sent minister to Spain 321
Jefferson, Th., negotiates a treaty

343

343

346

between U. S. & Prussia 317
elected vice-president U. S. 343
prest. US 344, his death 352
Judiciary of the U. S.
341
Kalb, Baron de, mortally wounded 338
Keane, Gen. mortally wounded 349
Kennebec river
267
Kentucky, original settlement of 333

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392
Constitution of U. S. Period at
which each state adopted 341
general provisions
341
Cotton, inanufactures of, in U. S. 386
Cumberland mountains
Currituck sound

242

251

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315

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La Fayette, Gen., tour in U. S. 351-2
Land, public, system in the U. S.
origin of
340
Leather manufactures in U. S. 385-6
Lee, Wm., commissioner from U.

274

Lenos, Manuel Gayoso de, gov.

263

ment

333

Louisiana, acts of congress to

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carry into effect the agree-
ment for the purchase of 395
boundary between and U. S.

Gilpin, Thomas, his surveys for

fixed by treaty

322

canal
Grasse, Count de, blocks up the

273

315, 316 Gulf stream

British army at Yorktown 339
Green Mountains
238
Green, General Nathaniel, ope-
rations of
338, 339
238

admitted into the Union

receded by Spain to France 324
ceded by France to U. S. 325-29

of purchase from France
expedition into, and over

334

345

rocky mountains by Lewis

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Eton, Gen., operations in Africa 344
Education, treatise on in the

U. S. with tabular views
of the colleges and condi-
tions of the several states
as regards
353 to 362
England, causes which deceived
the government of, in re-
gard to the North Ameri-
can colonies
Lord Bute, his character and

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and Clarke 345, invaded
by a British fleet and army 349
Lyman's diplom. recommended 315
Machias bay

358

Madison, James, instructions to
American ministers

325

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342

Maine, original settlement of

333

245

admitted into the Union 334, 350
Marran Island, position of

230

Lackawaxen

275

Manufactures of the U. S. 381 to 387

New York

275, 280

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Cayuga and Seneca

276

316, 339

Connecticut

276

Conewago canals

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loan negotiated in
Housatonic river

Massachusetts and Rhode

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Island

276, 277

Obio

277

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Estaing, Count D', French Ad-
miral, sails from Toulon
shares the defeat of the
Americans at Savannah

390
263, 264
234, 239, 247
bay, or harbour of N. York 235

337

338

Illinois, original settlement of 333
admitted into the Union 334, 350

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her N. Am. colonies 367, 368
treaty of peace in 1814 be-
tween U. S. and

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