According to the Postal Laws and Regulations of 1843, only a free white person could carry the mail and any contractor who employed or permitted any other than a free white person to convey mail was subject to a penalty of $20.
At post offices where the mail arrived between 9.00 o’clock at night and 5.00 in the morning, the postmaster was allowed a commission not to exceed 50 per cent on the first $100 collected in any one quarter (Act of March 3, 1825), but the commission was afterwards increased to 70 per cent. (Act of June 22, 1854.) No allowance on this account was, however, to be made unless accompanied by a certificate signed by postmaster upon a prescribed form.
Post riders and other carriers of mail collecting way letters on which postage had been paid, were allowed 1 cent each for such service by the postmaster when such letters were delivered at the post office.
“Express mail service” could be established by the Postmaster General if deemed expedient, for the purpose of conveying slips from newspapers in lieu of exchanges, or letters, except such as contained money, not exceeding ½ ounce in weight, and public dispatches, marked as above, at triple rates of postage.