“Considering that maintenance of speedy correspondence is good for trade and is best carried on by public post, Be it enacted, that there be a General Letter Office erected and established in Philadelphia to send letters to colonies planted in America or in any of the King’s Kingdoms in foreign lands.” Rates were regulated by bulk, as well as by distance, a sheet of paper being accounted as a single letter and a packet equal to three letters, at the least; the post of a single letter from Philadelphia to Boston or Rhode Island was 18d., to Piscataqua and other parts east of Boston 2s., to New York 8d., to Maryland and Virginia 18d. if by post, if by private person to the office 4d., all letters for the proprietary or for the governor to be free. The fine for a neglectful ferryman was £5, for any one who should presume to carry letters for hire or set up or employ any post, £40.
“Whereas, letters to merchants were often delayed and given to untrustworthy persons who may open them and get trade secrets,” shipmasters were ordered to give letters only to the postmaster or to his assistants.
In 1701 (June 23d), in response to a petition from Patrick Robinson in behalf of Col. Andrew Hamilton, “Postmaster General in America and Govr of the Jerseys,” praying for the payment from the “publick stock” of the £20 per year for three years, which had been allowed him by the act of 1697, the treasurer was ordered to pay the sum as soon as there was sufficient money in his hands.
April 11th, 1706,[70] a grant was given a certain Hugh Huddy to establish stages from Burlington to Perth Amboy, and April 4th, 1709, an act for the encouragement of the post office was passed by the New Jersey assembly. The masters of the offices were to be appointed from time to time by the postmaster-general. No other persons were to receive, dispatch or deliver letters or packets except such as were sent by masters or merchants in ships of which, or of the cargo of which, they were entirely or in part owners, or “except letters to be sent by any private Friend or Friends in their ways of journey or Travel, or by any Messenger or Messengers sent of purpose for or concerning the private affairs of any person or persons.”[71] The rates were fixed according to bulk as well as distance, the post of every single letter from Europe, the West Indies and other parts beyond the seas, was four pence half-penny, all letters to be accounted single if they did not exceed one sheet of paper. The postage on each “pacquet” of letters from these places was 9d. a “pacquet” being accounted three sheets, at the least. The post of every letter from Boston not exceeding one sheet of paper, was 1s. 3d., the post of every letter not exceeding two sheets, 2s. 6d., and the post of every “pacquet of letters or other things whatsoever, 2s. 6d. for every ounce, Troy weight, and for the post of every letter not exceeding one sheet of paper, for any place not exceeding one hundred and fifty miles, 9d., and so in proportion to the bulk.” Carrying letters for hire, or setting up or employing any foot, post, horse or paquet boat for carrying letters or paquets or providing and maintaining horses or furniture for the horsing of any through post, was punishable by a fine of £100 current money for every several offence, one-third to go to the governor, one-third to the use of the colony and the remaining third to the informer. Any ferryman neglecting, delaying or refusing to convey posts forfeited £5.
As late as 1791 there were only six post offices in the colony, and none south of Trenton.[72]
The Maryland archives contain no reference to a post before 1710.
In March, 1661/2, the following act[73] was passed by the Virginia assembly: “Whereas the remotenesse of diverse places in the country from James Citty and the necessity of communicating diverse businesses to the utmost lymitts of itt, would (if messengers were purposely prest) put the country to an annuall greate expense for prevention whereof, Be it enacted that all letters superscribed for the service of his Majesty or publique shall be imediately conveyed from plantation to plantation to the place and person they are directed to under the penalty of 350 pounds of tobacco to each defaulter.”
March 2d, 1692/3,[74] an act was passed for encouraging the erection of a post office in each county of the colony, Thomas Neale and his deputies to settle and establish the post at their own cost. Rates were to vary according to bulk and distance, state letters and public orders of the governor and council were to be sent free, and merchants were not to be prohibited from sending letters by the masters of vessels or others. The act was to be in force during the term granted by their majesties’ letters patent to Thomas Neale.
Cooper’s Statutes at Large of South Carolina[75] records an enactment regarding the post, of September 10th, 1702, by John Grenville, Esq., Pallatine, and the other lords and proprietors of the province of Carolina with the consent of the other members of the General Assembly. A certain Ed. Bourne was appointed postmaster and ordered to fix an exact list of letters received and dispatched in some public place in his house for thirty days, for each packet or letter receiving one-half royal, and for any neglect of duty forfeiting 40s. July 12th, 1707, an act[76] to erect a general post office was ratified and continued for two years.
The first act regarding a post office in North Carolina was in 1787.[77]