Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-11-24
MIS- C E L L A N Y.
From the Baptist Record.
,Origin and Beneflt OF Posts.


The most ancient method of communi-
eating official intelligence appears to have
been by express. A runner brought
King David Information in regard to the
issue of the batlle in which his son Absa.
Ion fell. Among the Aborigines of our
own country, Intelligence is frequently
conveyed by runners from tribe to tribe
and from place to place The distance
these rnnners will travel in day is al
most incredible. But the first posts, ac-
,cording.to history, were established in the
days of Cyrus the Persian King, more
than. Eve hundred years before the advent
AOf the Redeemer. When this monarch
had ended, his conquests, in conjunction
with his uncle Darius, and divided his
.dominions into l27 provinces, placing
over each governor, and over the gov
errors three ministers, he demanded a
regular official account of the conduct of
the former through the latter. The COM
manders of his troops were likewise re,
quired to keep him Informed Of the move
ments Of the army. To render the vast
amount of correspondence sure and ex-
peditious between Cyrus and all parts of
his vast empire, he built great many
post houses, locating them from each
other, about as far as good horse would
travel iE a day, stationing at each post
house, postmaster, to take charge of the
packets in passing from one courier to
another. There is reason to believe the
same system ofposts existed in the days Of
Ahasuerus, facilitating the publication Of
the edict Of this monarch in favor of the
Jews. During the reign of Augustus,
the Roman emperor, post-routes were
established in some paris of his empire
And in the dark ages. existed limited IA
cililies in Germany, France and Italy, fol
the Transmission Of dispatches. In the
days Of the crusades pigeons Were some
times employed to bear news. The uni
versity of Paris in the thirteenth century
employed pedestrian messengers to carry
letters. and many for the students, who
were from all parts Of Europe. 10 the
fifteenth century Louis XXI. established
posts on the chief roads Of France, for his
own benefit.
But the advantages. hitherto. of posts
and other means for the transmission Of
letters, were confined chiefly to those oc-
cupying Official stations. and iot the wealthy.
I. 1t has been left for modern times to bring
the system Of posts 10 the perfection now
enjoyed. nffording to all equal privileges
In Great Rritsin and the United States,
the post Office department is brought to the
greatest perfection. In the United States
the mail visits every city, village, hamlet
add neighborhood. either daily, tri weekly,
semi-weekly, or once week. travelling
on some routes. 100 miles in "a hours :
on others 200, and on some about, 3OOl-
thus ahording unparalleled facilities for
the transmission of intelligence, taking
into view the multiplicity and extent Of our
post-routes.
The benefits realized by the people oil
this country from the post office depart
ment are far greater than anyone would
be willing to admit, without mature re.
Election upon the subject. The depart.
ment aids indirectly in protecting US from
foreign invasions. to the speedy transmits
sion ofinieIlieence. whose reception, 90
the part of the official authorities. is indis.
. pensable to preparation for successful
resistance Of an advancing enemy. Il
contributes TO the improvement at the sci
ence and literature OF our country in the
wide diffusion OF our many literary and
scientific journals. 1t also promotes in
directly the settlement and cultivation. Of
our new territories. by removing great
barrier ID the dispersionsof relatives and