The Early History of the Colonial Post-Office

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Papers from the Historical Seminary of Brown University
Edited by J. Franklin Jameson, Ph. D., Professor of History
by Mary E. Woolley
Reprinted from the Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society
PROVIDENCE, R. I. 1894

The first post messenger started from New York, January 22, 1672/3, with sworn instructions to behave civilly, to inquire of Winthrop how to form the best post road, and to mark the trees for the direction of passengers.
All postmasters were freed from excise and all public services, with the exception of the postmaster of the city of New York, who was exempt only from public services. Any persons or “body politick or corporate others than the P. M. Gen. aforesaid” presuming to “carry, recarry or deliver letters for hire, other than as before excepted, or to set up or imploy any foot-post, horse-post or pacquet boat whatsoever” for the carrying of letters or pacquets, or providing “horses and furniture for the horses of any through posts, or persons riding post with a guide and horn,” should forfeit £100 current money, one-half going to the governor and the other half to the postmaster-general. All letters and pacquets brought by ship or vessel were to be delivered to the postmaster of New York or to his servants, provided “that no letters going up or coming down Hudson’s river and going to or from Long Island shall be carried to the post-office, everything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding,” this clause, together with that regarding exemption from public service and excise, being amendments by the council to the bill as presented by the house.
The letters of this period throw light upon the condition of the post with regard to regularity and frequency.
Campbell’s memorandum of 1703 (July 19) is interesting as showing the cost of maintaining the office between Philadelphia and Piscataqua. The annual outlay was £680, and the receipts little more than £400, leaving a deficit of £275.