The Postmistress of Watford despatching the Mail.
They also, it would appear, exercised some sort of surveillance over private correspondence. Chambers, in his 'Domestic Annals of Scotland,' to which valuable work we are again indebted, gives a case in point: "In July 1701, two letters from Brussels, having the cross upon the back of them, had come with proper addresses under cover to the Edinburgh postmaster. He was surprised with them, and brought them to the Lord Advocate, who, however, on opening them, found they were of no value, being only on private business; wherefore he ordered them to be delivered by the postmaster to the persons to whom they were directed." Yet zeal for the King's interest did not always have an acceptable reward, as is shown by the Scotch Privy Council Record of 1679. The keeper of the Edinburgh letter-office was accused of "sending up a bye-letter with the flying packet upon the twenty-two day of June last, giving ane account to the postmaster of England of the defeat of the rebels in the west, which was by the said postmaster communicated to the King before it could have been done by his Majesty's Secretary for Scotland, and which letter contains several untruths in matter of fact." For having forestalled his Majesty's Secretary, probably, rather than for the inaccuracy as to facts, the keeper of the post was sent to the Tolbooth, there to meditate upon the unprofitableness of official zeal, during the Council's pleasure.
It does not seem to have been thought prudent to intrust the date-stamping of letters to postmasters generally until some time in the present century. Down to the close of last century, at any rate, according to a Survey report of the year 1800, this was allowed only at the more important offices. The report is as follows:—"In regard to having the Dumbarton letters stamped with the day of the month, as now done at Glasgow, the subject has often been considered, and although it has been approved of with some large commercial towns in England, and Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, it has been much doubted how far it would be proper or necessary to establish it generally with less towns, where the practice might be more subject to irregularity or abuses, besides the very great expense such a supply of stamps would occasion to the revenue."
The smallness of the salaries allowed to the postmasters of former times is referred to in another chapter, and this may, no doubt, have contributed to the lack of interest taken in the work by some of these officials.
But while their pay was small, a good deal of form and circumstance attended their appointment, as will be seen from the following reproduction, on a reduced scale, of the formal appointment of the postmaster of East Grinstead in 1786. From a Post-office point of view the form is interesting, as no such documents are now in use.
Charles Earl of Tankerville, and Henry Frederick Lord Carteret, His Majesty's Postmaster-General of all His Majesty's Dominions in Europe, Africa, and America.
To all People to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. Know ye, that We, the said Charles Earl of Tankerville, and Henry Frederick Lord Carteret, having received good Testimony of the Fidelity and Loyalty to His Majesty, of Mr. Thomas Palmer and reposing great Trust and Confidence in the Knowledge, Care and Ability of the said Thomas Palmer to execute the Office and Duties required of a Deputy Postmaster, have deputed, constituted, authorized and appointed, and by these Presents do depute, constitute, authorize and appoint, the said Thomas Palmer to be our lawful and sufficient Deputy, to execute the Office of Deputy Postmaster of the Stage of East Grinsted in the County of Sussex to have, hold, use, exercise and enjoy, the said Office of Deputy Postmaster of the Stage aforesaid, with all and every the Rights, Privileges, Benefits and Advantages to the same belonging, from the Fifth Day of January last for the Term of Three Years, unless sooner removed by Us, under such Conditions, Covenants, Provisoes, Payments, Orders and Instructions, to be faithfully observed, performed and done by the said Deputy, and Servants, as he or they shall, from Time to Time, receive from Us, or by our Order. In Witness whereof, We the said Charles Earl of Tankerville, and Henry Frederick Lord Carteret, have hereunto set our Hands, and caused the Seal of the said Office, in such Cases used, to be affixed. Dated the Eighth Day of 1786 in the Twentysixth Year of His Majesty's Reign.