The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-03-24
An Interesting Fact
POSTAL SERVICE ESTABLISHED

POSTAL SERVICE ESTABLISHED
In the years 1661-1662 there were
instituted two important progressive
movements destined to materially aid
in the development of the Colony of
Maryland and the education and add
to the convenience of the inhabitants.
In the former year (1661) the As
sembly passed can Acte for Convey
ance of all Letters Concerning the
State and Publike Affairs" These
letters were to be sent from house to
house by the most direct way until
they should reach their destination.
1t was provided that each householder
was to see that the letters should be
dispatched to the next house within
half an hour after its receipt, except
at nightfall or in extremely bad
weather, where water courses were to
be crossed.
1t was not until 1895 that a public
post was established from the Poto-
mac through Annapolis to Philadel-
phia. The postman was required to
traverse this route eight times a year
and received for his services fifty
pounds sterling. This post route con-
tinued for about three years. 1t was
not until about fifteen years later
that the British Government estab-
lished its inter-colonial post routes.
Even in these early days complaints
were frequent that letters were stolen
and their contents embezzled.
Before Benjamin Franklin was APP
pointed first Postmaster General by
Congress, William Goddard, a printer
of the then recently established Mary
land Journal and Baltimore Adver-
tiser had established an independent
postoffice system, which was called
constitutional Post Office" and on
July 2, 1774, announced in the Mary
land Journel that
"The printer of this paper, with
great pleasure, acquaints the public
that his proposal for establishing an
American postoffice, on Constitutional
principles, hath been warmly and gen
erously patronized by the Friends of
Freedom in all the Great Commercial
Towns in the Eastern Colonies, where
Ample Funds are already secured,
Postmasters and Riders engaged, and,
indeed, every necessary arrangement
made for the reception of the South
ern mails, which, it is expected, will
soon be extended further"
Goddard's chain of post offices were
successfully operated and Congress
appropriated, with few changes, Cod
dard's plan and turned over to Benja-
min Franklin the results of Goddard's
labors. Thus Franklin received the
credit and a position paying $1,000 a
year, while Goddard was rewarded
by appointment to an inferior posi-
tion.
In 1862, the General Assembly, TAX
ing cognizance of the fact that when
settlers were compelled to meet at
any place for the transaction of public
business, or when compelled to travel
on their private business, suffered the
inconvenience of finding food wherever
they could, or impose on private hos
pitality, passed an "Act for the en-
enlargement Of Ordinary Keepers, -
probably the first act passed in Amer
lea in relation to inns and hotels. 1t
seems, however, that by 1866 the inn
keepers had turned extortioners, par
ticularly in charging eXorbitant prices
for all kinds of "spirritts," such as
Canary, Madeira, Malligoe and Clar-
rett Wines and Ales," SO that the
charges on each kind was fixed by
special act of the Assembly.
1t is indeed far cry from the hum
BILE beginnings of these two enter.
prises to the efficient postal system OF
the government and the palatial and
super-service operated hotels of the
present day.