William Goddard's petition to the Continental Congress
Collection: National Postal Museum
Object type: Archival Material
Date: September 29, 1774
Associated Organization: Continental Congress
Writer: William Goddard
Place: Pennsylvania
Medium: paper; ink / handwritten
Dimensions: Height x Width: 12 5/16 × 7 3/4 in. (31.27 × 19.69 cm)
Topics: Postal Administration
Colonial Era (1607-1776)
Description: On this single-sheet manuscript signed by William Goddard, he addressed a petition to the Continental Congress for the establishment of a postal system that would compete with the colonial British Post Office and included an addendum paragraph initialed "W.G.," dated September 29, 1774, and location given as Philadelphia.
William Goddard was one of several publishers who used private carriers to get their news past the prying eyes of the Crown's post office. Goddard experienced the abuse of authority by the British firsthand in Philadelphia after he formed a partnership with Benjamin Franklin to publish the Pennsylvania Chronicle, a paper sympathetic to the revolutionary cause. The local postmaster failed to deliver out-of-town newspapers to Goddard, depriving him of a critical source of information. The Chronicle was subsequently driven out of business when the Crown post refused to accept it in the mails. Goddard retaliated by designing a distinctly American postal system to challenge the Crown's post office. He founded the proposal on the principles of open communication, freedom from governmental interference, and the guaranteed free exchange of ideas.
Goddard presented his plan to the Continental Congress on October 5, 1774, nearly two years before the formal declaration of independence from England. Congress tabled Goddard's plan until after the battles of Lexington and Concord in the spring of 1775. On July 26, 1775, the plan, known as the 'Constitutional Post', was adopted and implemented, ensuring communication between patriots and keeping the general populace informed of events during the American Revolution. Goddard’s system provided a link between members of the Committees of Correspondence, Committees of Safety, and the Sons of Liberty.
Goddard also achieved a measure of personal revenge as the revolutionary post forced the Crown's post office out of business in America on Christmas Day 1775. The Constitutional Post became the foundation of the United States' postal system.
To the Honourable Commissioners, or Delegates, from the several American States & Dominions, now sitting in general Congress, in the City of Philadelphia.
As from the Nature of your high Station , it is supposed you will have under Consideration all offensive Statutes of the Parliament of Great Britain, which touch the American Colonies, more especially such as are made for the Purpose of Revenue, Doubtless the Act of the ninth year of Queen Anne for establishing a Post-office in America, and such other subsequent Statutes as have been made relative to the same, will excite your Attention.
refs, will excite your Attention. However useful an Establishment of a Post Office in these Colonies might be, to admit of such a Regulation from Parliamentary Institution, is sapping our own Constitution in Es- sen tials. It is an ex post Fact, is an Interposition in our internal Policy, & a Repugnancy to every Idea of the just Liberties of America, whether founded on the Laws of God, Nature, or on Compact, Charter, or British Constitution, or otherwise; and any Compliance heretofore yielded to it, whether the same was made thro' Fear, Inattention, or a feigning Utility, hath, in event, proved dangerous, and been urged against us as a President of unlimited Power in the Parliam t of Great Britain over the Colonies in all cases whatever. It cannot be conceived from what Source the Parliament could derive a Power for this Regulation. If our own Profit & Convenience should be said to give it them, the same may be said of every Kind of law which they shall please to judge fit and convenient to the total Abolition of our own Legislatures. Of two Inconveniences the lesser should be taken: and, in the present case, it hath been thought that paying any Obedience to the Post Office Act must bring bad Consequences, as would be far more detrimental and dangerous than the having no Post Office at all. Besides, this Office is committed to the Management of Persons not chosen or appointed appointed
Can Beofect
I hang on at once in War & how engaged It is few like you have equal faith & energy. As an arm, my friend, each & all stand there now, I will then - I shall be deep, or shallow, or eyes; I trust his long arms, in Raphael's view.
I see to him more; next his Brother came, A like in feelings, and a like in name! Through the world, but from the lowly man, A ready compass see the Light's Organ!
Copy of W. G. d address to the Congress —
1984.1127.04
approved by Government here, and who have availed themselves of its Im- -punity, are now very considerable. By this means Officers, who are ministerial in their Creation, Discretion and Dependence are maintained in the Colonies, into whose Hands all the Social, com- mercial, and political Intelligence of the Continent is necessarily committed, to our great Danger. S. Here are liable to be stopped & opened by ministerial mandate, & their Contents converted into treasonable Conspiracies; and News Papers, those necessary and important Vehicles, especially in Times of public Danger, may be rendered of little Avail for Want of Circulation. When- ever it shall be meditated to restrain the Liberty of the Press, or injure an Individual, it can now be easily brought to pass. A Ruler may be dismissed, & a Grazier or Farmer of the Dep. Postmaster General substituted, who may take the carriage of News Papers to a Prohibition. In short, every Inconvenience and Danger is to be expected, when the whole Regulation comes from without, and the Officers not appointed here, & without that Control & Restraint necessary for a Defence against the encroachment of arbitrary Power.
It would be endless to give in Detail the Disadvantages and peculiar Hardships which must flow from an Acquiescence in the Execution of this Parliamentary Formation, besides its being built on Principles subversive of our Constitution. However, as the Subscriber, from the Nature of the Business which he both pursued both had great and singular oppor- tunities of becoming well acquainted with the Policy and Ma- nagement of the Post-Office, he will most cheerfully, when called upon, appear before the Congress, answer such Questions and enter into such Explanations as shall be proposed to him. For casting any light upon the Matter, according to his utmost Knowledge and Ability.
He hath, with good advice, published a Plan for establishing a new American Post-Office, gone far into the Design and met with great Countenance & Encouragement in most of the large commercial Places. He now, by particular Instruction
from the Friends of this useful and necessary Measure, ap- plies, to the great Council of America, to form such general Institution of an American Post-Office, as shall be constitutional, safe, and for the good of the People; at least to give such public Marks of approbation, that the Design may not be frustrated, but so far encouraged that those who have entered upon it, may proceed without any Want of the united Sense of the Colonies in this Behalf. In general it is wished that something may be done to give Weight and Sanction to the Endeavours which have of late been made for the Suppression of a Parliamentary Measure, destructive of our political Frame, and by Experience found very inju- rious to Individuals, & to give Authority to a Post Office founded on Constitutional Principles.
William Goddard
Philadelphia, Sept. 29. 1774.
In pursuing the Ideas which succeeded each other in this Application the Writer perhaps hath used more Arguments than became him. He intended intended only to have made a short Representation and Request; however in Prosecution of this Intent he hath made some Observations which the subject insensibly drew from him; hoping for the Candour of the Congress in this Particular, as he presumes not to instruct or argue, but only to exhibit a brief account of Grievances and a plea for such Things as will redress it, and for an Institution of such Measures as are manifestly of unsearchable Utility. This address is now made in Behalf of those who have entered into and favoured the Design in one of the Colonies, and is humbly Submitted by
W. G.
An Acrostic
Champions at once in War & Love engag'd, As few like you have equal Battles waged. A rom Arms, my Friends, each valiant Hero cries, Sinkes then a Slave to Lips, or Hands, or Eyes; Extends his longing Arms, in Raptures Dies.
I came to his Arms; next his Brother came, Alike in Feelings, and alike in Name; Challenge the World, but spare the Love-sick Man, Already conquer'd ere the Fight's begun!
Parthenia to her Lover
Injured in so sensible a Part, and having
Copy of W.P. as sent to the Engraver
1984 1121.04
W.P. - 1884 1884 - 1885 1885 - 1886 1886 - 1887 1887 - 1888 1888 - 1889 1889 - 1890 1890 - 1891 1891 - 1892 1892 - 1893 1893 - 1894 1894 - 1895 1895 - 1896 1896 - 1897 1897 - 1898 1898 - 1899 1899 - 1900
To the Honourable Commissioners, or Delegates, from the several American States & Dominions, now sitting in General Congress, in the City of Philadelphia.
Gentlemen,
As from the Nature of your high Station, it is supposed you will have under Consideration all offensive Statutes of the Parliament of Great Britain, which touch the American Colonies; more especially such as are made for the Purpose of Reven- ue, Doubtless the Act of the ninth Year of Queen Anne for establishing a Post-office in America, and such other subse- quent Statutes as have been made relative to the same Busi- ness, will excite your Attention.
However useful an Establishment of a Post-office in these Colonies might be, to admit of such a Regulation from Parlia- mentary Institution, is sapping our own Constitution in Es- sentials. It is an express Tax, is an Interposition in our inter- nal Polit, & a Repugnancy to every Idea of the just Liberties of America, whether founded on the Laws of God, Nature, or on Compacts, Charters, a British Constitution, or otherwise; and any Compliance heretofore yielded to it, whether the same was made thro' Fear, Inattention, or a seeming Utility, hath, in Event, proved dangerous, and been urged against us as a Precedent of unlimited Power in the Parliament of Great Britain over the Colonies in all Cases whatever. It cannot be conceived from what Source the Parliament could derive a Power for this Regulation. If our own Profit & Convenience should be said to give it them, the same may be said of every Kind of Law which they shall please to judge fitable and convenient, to the total Abolition of our own Legislatures. Of two Inconveniences the Latter should be taken; and, in the present Case, it hath been thought that paying any Obedience to the Post-office Act must bring such Consequences, as would be far more detrimental and dangerous than the having no Post-office at all. Besides, this Office is committed to the Management of Persons not chosen or appointed appointed