The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-06-07

DinouIt transportation of Letters in Early
Colonial Times.


Colonial Times.
Postal Record
Intercourse between the American colo
MES previous TO 1893 was so slig ut as not
10 call for special facilities or regular lines
In urgent cases special messengers were
sent, but the bulk of correspondence, such
as it was, went by friends, especially
in coastwise vessels. The first idea for 8
postal line along the coast IRON New En-
gland to the CarOlinas originated in New
York, and was approved By their lord
ships In London. provided at least one
tenth of the gross receipts we're paid over
to the duke of York.
OF course, the plan failed. Before there
could De any gross receipts somebody had
to pay for post riders 10 travel those long
roads from Nova Scotia to Carolina, of
which the great men in London expected
profits for the duke. Not TO mention
other schemes, Andrew Hamilton of East
Jersey had occasion to 60 to London In
consequence of the Andres trouble.
He was a far-sighted man, and while he
was in London a patent for an American
postoffice was issued to Thomas Neale, and
Andrew Hamilton was appointed Ameri-
can postmaster-general. an appoin tment
so happy that after lapse of two centu-
ries we ought TO be thankful for il. Ham
ilton, the father of the American postof-
flee was a very wise man and he was sue
cessful.
He had nothing to start with other than
the patent, which gave him monopoly,
but might arouse the opposition of the
colonies and their local postmasters. He
had TO select a post route through a
country very little travelled. He had to
engage trusty mail carriers. He had to
buv horses and the regulation horns for
his post riders.
He had to replace the local postoffices,
and he had to get the consent of each col
ony for his postage rates. Late in the
summer of 1892 he returned from London
to America, where he travelled from COL
ony to colony. getting from each what he
could in the way of subsidies and law, and
then starting his mail service.
Jealousy between the colonies was great
the predjudice against strangers was great
er and distrust of suggestiveness from the
mother country was greatest. Hamilton
overcRme all obstacles; he actually in
duced all colonies TO pass substantially the
same postoffice act prescribing the same
postage rates he obtained from each col
ony what authority he required, and in
1893 the mail was carried from Ports
mouth, n. H., then known as PiscataquA,
~ DlilG huu DOJOhns
1t has been carried ever since with but
accidental interruptions. The mail route
was from Portsmouth to Boston, Say
brook, New Haven, New York, Perth
Amboy, Burlington and Philadelphia
The chief point beyond was New Castle.
The question may well be asked, which
was the greater achievement, to create
this service, or TO get Pennsylvania, New
York and Massachusetts, not to mention
the other colonists, to be of one mind in
renouncing local rights and local offices
TO agree on a postal system that did not
exist, and to promise money 10 carry the
enterprise into effect?
Neither before nor after 1893 has there
been a like triumph in all American legis-
lRtion. The greatest OF these Hamilton
acts is the Massachusetts law of June 8,
1898. which provides even for the receiv-
ing stamp to be put on all mail matter I;
but the most important, perhaps, is the
Pennsylvania act, passed on May 80, 1893,
at Philadelphia.
The reason for this statement is the fact
that the Massachusetts act was disallowed
by their lordships in London, while the
Pennsylvania act was not subject TO SUI
peTior approval. Virginia, New York and
Connecticut passed similar acts; New
Hampshire helped. II date of the great
bi-centenarY of the American postoffice
must be named, May 80, appears to be the
most appropriate, the earlier steps being
preliminary. while the Pennsylvania act
assured the success of Hamilton's plan
and was promptly followed by the post
riders making their regular y aeklv trips
between Portsmouth and Philadelphia
II there is to be a general celebration it
ought to be in the latter CITY. Hamilton
deserves a monument, which ought to
stand in front of the Philadelphia post
office.
More than one thing. Hamilton's post
office served to establish a closer union
between the several colonies and their
people. His postoffice was not only a
great civilizer. but vast political need
that helped to establish the United Col
onies just as the postoffice under Ben
iamin Franklin. in l775, helped in no
small degree to establish the United
States. No departments OF the national
government, except the postoffice, can
boast of an unbroken history covering two
centuries. and no service had for its orig
inator and head q man superior to An
drew Hamilton.