Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-23

because scarce any came IN here but
what, some way or other concern'd
Trade That tho M[sstlrs should,
for the reward OF penny .
Letter deliver them, the Post Mr.
could demand no postage for the
Conveyance Of them, and abundance
more as ridiculous IS Arrogant. This
gave Handle for framing some Griev-
snces to the Assembly against this new
Once; And, thereupop. Bill is pre-
pared and passed both Council and
Burgesses, web, tho it ackno wedges
the Act Of Parlism't to be in force
here, does effectuslly prevent its be.
ing ever put in Execution. The first
Clause OF that Bill Imposes an 0bliga-
ton on the Post Master to web he is
no ways liable by the Act Of Psrla.
ment. The second Clause lays penalty
of no less than E5 for every Letter be
demands or takes from q Board any
Ships that stand Decreed to be ex-
cepted by the Act Of Parliament (;
and the last Clause appoints ye Stages
and the time Of Convey ance Of all Let
tiers under an Extravagant Penalty. As
1t is impossible for the Post Master to
know whether the Letters he receives
be excepted or rot, and vt, according
to the Interpreters, our Judges Of the
Act Of Parliament, all Letters sent
from any Merchant, whether the same
relate to Merchandise on board or not,
are within the exception of the Law,
the Post Mr. must NEEDLE with no Let
tiers at all, or run the hazard of being
ruin'd.
"Ahd the last Clause, besides its
Contradiction to the Act of Parliament
in applying the Stages, w'ch is ex-
pressly Bestowed to the Post Master,
according to the Instruction of the
Sovereign, is so great an impossibility
to be complyed with that, considering
the difficulty of passing the many grit
Rivers, the Post MT must be liable to
the penalty OF 20s. for every Letter he
takes into his care during the whole
Season Of the Winter. From whence
yo'r Lordships may judge how well
affected the Major part Of Our Assem-
bly, men are towards We Collecting this
Branch Of the Kings Revenue, and VII
therefore be pleas'd to Acquitt me Of
any Censure of Refusing Assent to such
q Bill"
1t may be Of interest to some to know
that two imperfect Ms. copies Of this
negatiyed and therefore unpublished
bill are among the manuscripts Of the
Virginia Historical Society.
In 1880 Alexander Spotswood was
made Deputy Postmaster-General for
the American Colonies and held the
office until 1879, and it was he who
promoted Benjamin Franklin to the Of
fee Of postmaster for the province Of
Pennsylvania. In 1853 Franklin be-
came Deputy PostmasterGenera for
the Colonies, with an annual salary of
GG00 for himself and assistants.
The United States postal system dates
from 1889, when the Constitution con-
ferIed on Congress the exclusive con-
troll Of postal matters. The rates OF
postage until 1916 were for q single
piece of paper, under 40 miles, s cents
over 10 and under 90, 10 cents over
80 and under $50, l24 cents; over $50
and under 200, II cents; over 300 and
under 500, 90 cents; over 500, IS
cents. For more than a single piece Of
paper double rates were charged.
1t may BIO recalled that the paper Of
the period, usually foolscap, was OF
rough surface, unsized and unruled.
1t was the day of the goose-quill and
black sand. There were no envelopes,
and the due folding Of letter and an
economical utilization Of all available
writing surface involved some skill. 1t
was sealed ordinarily with q wafer, but
often digni6ed with imposing seals of
wax with armorial bearings.
In 1916 the rates of postage were
modified: For q single letter for dis
tance not over 30 miles, six and a quar-
ter cents over 80 and under 80, two
cents; over so and under $50, twelve
and half cents; over $50 and under
400, eighteen and three quarter cents;
over 400, twenty-five cents; newspa-
pers under 100 miles, one cent over
100 miles and beyond the several States,
one and a half cents; magazines and
pamphlets, one and half cents for any
distance under 100 miles over 100
miles, if prepaid, two and half cents;
if not prepaid, four and six cents.
In 1916 the rates provided were For
letter not exceeding one half Of an
ounce in weight for distances under
300 miles, five cents over 300, ten
cents; advertised letters, two cents
each additional for papers, pamphlets,
&C., two and a half cents per ounce
each additional ounce, one cent. The
next Congress advanced the rate on
newspapers per ounce to three cents,
with one cent for each additional
ounce.
In 1851 the rates were made for
each letter of one-hslf ounce in weight
three cents for all distances under 5000
miles. if prepaid-if not, five cents;
over 5000 miles, six and twelve cents
respectively to foreign countries, dis
tant not over $500 miles, ten cents
over $500 miles, twenty cents.
In 1852 the rates were modified
For letters transported over 5000 miles
and not prepaid, ten cents newspa-
pers, circulars, &C., weighing under 3
ounces, one cent. By the same act
postage stamps and stamped envelopes
were ordered.
July /, 1884, the rate on letters was
reduced to two cents per half ounce, and
July l, 1885, to two cents per ounce.
1t is unnecessary to cite here the
present classification Of mail matters
other than the letter rate.
may be pardoned for remarking that
the present exemplication seems to war
rant the suggestion to the sagscious and
enterprising management of the Dis
patch for the establishment, for the
public benefit" in its admirable col
umns-in its Sunday issue-of de-
oartment of Notes and Queries. A
division of service among it's grateful