The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-11-07

and yet, knowing that his fellow
countrymen would visit a particular
coffee house some time in the near
future, he might carry the communica-
ton there and leave it until such time
as it might be called for.
This manner of interchanging letters
was crude and insecure, and it was
found necessary to establish some sort
OF a recognized Postoffice. As an out
come OF this want the Colony of Massa-
chusetts in 1889 passed a resolution to
the etTe-t: st is order / that notice be
given that Richard Fairbanks, his house
In Boston, is the place appointed for all
letters which are brought from beyond
the seas or are to be sent thither to be
left with him, and he is to take care
that they are to be delivered or sent ac-
cording to the directions, and he is
allowed for every letter a penry, and
he must answer all miscarriage 'l~or~h
his neglect in this kind"
Here was a move towards placing the
responsibility for the safety Of mail.
1t was step forward in the handling of
mail, but the radical aspect of the ad-
vance must have impressed certain
"mOssbacks" of the colony, for it was
further explained, as if in Difference to
the wishes of certain fearful souls, that
"nO man shall be compelled to bring his
letters thither except he please"
But in time even this authorized post
office failed to satisfy the people, and in
1877 sundry merchants petitioned the
General Court, then sitting in Boston,
as follows: I'VE, whose names are
underwritten, hearing many complaints
made by merchants and others, and
several Of US being sensible Of the loss
of lette,s, whor by merchants especial
ly with their friends ard employee u
foreign parts, are g.eatly dammit !;
many times the letters imposted ar I
I lrown upon the exchange 50 thai who
will may take them up; no person with
out satisfaction being willing to trouble
their houses Herewith; so that letters
of great moment are frequently lost;
our humble r 4uesf there.o.e, 10 this
honorable coy It's that thy will please
depute some pc. son to take in and con-
vey letters according to direction"
Prior to 1861 the transportation Of
mail in the Colory Of Maryland was con-
Quoted in free-and-easy manner. The
letters-delived to some recognized place
of deposit in any of the earlier towns
were there open to the gaze and exami-
nation of the curious as well as the dis
honest. There was passed in 1861 an
act which sought to improve the con-
veyance of le,,e,s n :e.niag the State
and public affairs; but private mail still
hobbled 9'-lg in its haphazard way.
In the year 1865, hover er, q regular
post was established between the Poto-
mac and Philadelphia The first post
rider appointed was JOIN Perry, who
was paid the salary p, perhaps, it
should be termed honorarium-cf s.
year. He had route pre- scribed, VII ch
he was 10 cover at least eight times
year. When the dangers end inccn-
c of tcavel in those days are
ldercd and the 5rlI .-ne. h Of this
postal route is taken into account,
Letter Carrier Perry was not literally
ranumerated for his services.
He began his journey at New on's
Point. on the Potomac, from which
place he travelled to Allan's Mil, then
Benedict on the Patuxent, Leonard
town, on Briton's Bay, George Lingan's ;,
William Lawkins', South River, Annap-
oils, Kent, Williamstadt, Daniel Toads.
Adam Peterson's then to New Castle,
and from there to Philadelphia.
When it is borne in mind that MIR.
Perry received just $50 each for one of
these trips through the length of the
State and to Philadelphia, travelling a
large part of the way through wild
country infested with beasts and per-
haps, scalp coyeting Indians, then he
appears much more in the light of an
underpaid public servant than the com
planning letter carrier of today, who re-
ceives about 1000 for covering little
city route.
Just how satisfactorily this pioneer
letter carrier Of Maryland performed
his work is unknown, but in TIA the
Assembly was prompted to pass an act
for the more speedy conveyance of let
ters and also to correct abuses of open
ing letters. 1t appears that upon the
most trivial grounds permission was
granted to open letters intrusted to the