America that are directed to Europe or from one part of America to
another but from the respective Post Offices in the ports where they
load or from whence they saile which said Post Offices shall put the
letters in a Maile and take a Receipt of the Master that he shall
deliver them in to the first Post Office where he shall arive free of
charge, for which he shall be allowed in America a penny a letter for
his Care excepting such letters as concerne the ship or cargoe which the
freightors or owners if they think fit may commit to the care or charge
of the Master or friend.
Excepting also such letters of Merchants as may Contain Bulky accounts
which no Master is intended to be hindered of carrying as also excepting
such letters which the agents or proprietary governments may send to the
Respective Governors whose agents they are. It being only hereby
intended that the bulke of letters w^{ch} hitherto have gone very
loosely, to the great Loss of Merchants may for the future be conveyed
in Mailes to prevent frauds or inconveniencys which have often hitherto
happened.
That the said Master shall under a Penalty be obliged to call at the
respective post offices where he shall load for the Maile and if none be
ready to be sent that he bring with him a Certificate for his
Justification that he called.
The method at present used to get letters transported to America is
this--
The Masters bound thither put up bags in Coffee houses wherein the
letters are put and for which one penny a letter is usually paid and 2d.
if it exceeds a single letter.
This is Lyable to several abuses.
First any one under pretence that he wants to have his letters up again
may come to those bags and take out other mens letters and thereby
discover the secrets of Merchants and tis in their power intirely to
w^{th}draw them.
2^{dly.} Severall Masters upon their arrivall often keep up letters till
they have disposed of their Loading and are ready to saile again, and
then Drop them to the great hurt of those that are concerned, which
inconveniencys would be prevented if letters were delivered from the
Post Offices in Mailes and likewise delivered by them in Mailes into the
Post Office where they arrive. Offices may be erected in London and
other sea Port Townes in England that Trade with America and so they may
be in Ireland and the same penny a letter which is paid into the Coffee
houses would support such offices in England and Ireland to receive such
letters.
Such offices will be a great convenience to lodge such letters as may
concerne his Majestys affairs in America.
If Masters were obliged to receive letters to and from America from the
Post Office only, in Mailes and delivered them so at the first post
office they arrive at; there would be saved to the King a penny a
letter, which now Masters of shipps and passengers Receive, for every
American letter they deliver at the respective Offices and whereas now
many letters are delivered by Masters and passengers themselves to the
persons concerned, all those letters would then be brought into the Post
Office to the encrease of that Revenue.
That it be provided that the Post and his horse shall go fferry ffree.
That the rates following may be set upon letters--
To or from Europe or to the West Indies to North America six pence p.
single letter 12d. p. double 18d. for a packet if a packet contain
nothing but Invoices, accts. Gazetts &ca. to be accounted but as a
single letter.
Upon Inland letters as followes--
d.
Where the distance from New Yorke to Boston is within 80
miles the postage 6
Where the distance exceeds 80 miles and within 150 9
Postage to and from Boston to New Yorke being 300 miles 12
To and from Boston to Jersey 370 miles 18
To and from Boston to Philadelphia 390 miles 20
To and from Boston to Annapolis in Maryland 550 miles 36
To and from Boston to James Towne in Virginia 680 miles 42
To and from New Yorke to Annapolis 250 miles 24
To and from New Yorke to James Towne 380 miles and many
broad and dangerous Bays and Rivers to be Ferryed over 30
If it be objected y^{t}. there is no reason to grant a postage upon
forrensic letters where the Postmaster is at no charge of Conveyance,
It is answered first that it remidies the evills that letters are
subject to by the present Method of Conveyance.
2^{dly}. It encreases the Revenue of the Post Office in England.
3^{dly}. That those Colonys having but little Correspondence with an
other if the Reale Expence of Conveying letters from Coliny to Colony
were charged upon Inland letters it would discourage all Correspondence.
Exa: The Charge of a letter from New Yorke to Boston at present is after
y^{e} rate of 12d. a letter and considering the fewness of y^{m}. and
the extraordinary charge and trouble of keeping up the Post in time of
Wintor taking it one Post with an other a single letter would not be
Carryed for 5^{d}.
The Charges of settling a Post throughout Virginia and Maryland will
cost at least 500^{d}. p. ann. & 100 letters in a year will not come
from those Collonys to the neighbouring Colonys their Correspondence
being chiefly w^{th}. Europe. All which is humbly submitted by
May it please your Lordshipps
Your Lordpps most obedient servant
AND: HAMILTON.
I humbly beg leave of your Lordspps to add y^{t}. w^{n}. his Majesty
shall at any time be inclinable to take this Post Office under his
Immediate direction I humbly make a proffer to make a Surrendor of
y^{e}. pattent upon payment of 5000^{d} or 1000^{d}. p. ann. for life
for the remaining Tearme of y^{e}. Pattent.
THO: NEALE.
A Calculation what Charge will carry ye Post from Newcastle in
Pensilvania to James City in Virginia about 400 Miles.
There being a great many broad & dangerous rivers to be Crossed makes it
difficult to procure men to Ryde ye Stages and will cost at least to
carry ye Post from Newcastle through Maryland to James City in Virginia
300_l._ P Ann. I Reckon yt in 2 or 3 yeares & may be less this Charge
will be defrayed by what may Arise by Postage upon letters. The Post
from Newcastle to New England now at last defraying att last its own
Charge there will remain only ye Sallery to be allowed to ye Deputy
Postmaster Generall which by ye Increase of ye Post will in 2 yeares
more in probobility alsoe be defrayed.
As I have laid ye first foundation of ye American Post soe if ye King
think fitt to continue me on this trust I will take upon me ye
managem^{t} of ye whole from Piscatway 70 Miles eastward of Boston to
James City in Virginia w^{ch} is 800 & odd miles for 300_l._ p Annum and
will keep exact Accts. of ye produce.
Soe yt 1200_l._ will in all probability be ye utmost Charge ye King will
be att to bring ye American Post to support it Self vizt. 600_l._ for
two yeares Carrying it through Maryland & Virginia and 600_l._ more for
2 yeares salery to ye Manager or Deputy Postmaster Gen^{ll} and will
thereafter bring in A Revenue All which is most humbly Submitted.
AND: HAMILTON,
Dep^{t} Postm^{r} of North America.
_Aprill 26th 99_
No. 1 (_c_).
COCK PIT TREASURY CHAMBERS.
The L^{ds}. Com^{rs}. of his Majties Treary are pleased to refer this
petition and ye account annexed to S^{r}. Robt. Cotton Kn^{t}. & S^{r}.
Tho. Frankland Barr^{t}. his Majties Postm^{rs}. Generall who are
desired to examine ye particulars and report to their Lopps a true state
thereof together w^{th}. their opinion what is fit to be done therein.
W^{M} LOWNDES.
The account annex'd to y^{e} petition makes y^{e} charges of Erecting
y^{e} post in North America from May 1693 to May 97 3817 6 11-3/4
--------------
The produce of s^{d} post 1456 18 3-1/4
--------------
M^{r}. Neale out of pocket at May 97 2360 8 8-1/2
--------------
3817 6 11-3/4
No. 1 (d).
To the right Honble the Lords Com^{rs}. of his Maj^{tys}. Treary.
May it please your Lordspps.
In obedience to yo^{r}. Ld.spps. Order of Refference upon y^{e}
Memoriall of Thomas Neale and Andrew Hamilton Esq^{rs}. Wee have
Considered the same and do find that the said A: Hamilton hath
Established a regular Post to pass weekly from Boston to New Yorke in
New England and from New York to Newcastle in Pensilvania which must
undoubtedly be of great benefit and advantage to the People and tend to
the encreasing of Trade in those Plantations; Wee have likewise examined
the accounts given in by the said Hamilton of the Proffit and charge
arising by this Post and do find that the Proffits have every yeare
encreased, so as to defray all charges, excepting the sallary paid to
the said Andrew Hamilton for his care in managing and settling the Posts
in North America and it may be hoped that upon the severall Governors
giving all reasonable encouragement to this usefull undertaking, and a
due care in the management thereof, It may in some years bring in a
Considerable proffit.
Wee have Consulted his Majestys Attorney and Solliciter Generall whether
his Majesty can settle the rates and Postage between England and any of
the Ports in America, and for the port of letters to and from New Yorke
to or from any part of the said plantations; and they are of opinion his
Majesty May settle such rates in both respects as shall be thought
reasonable (regard being had to the proportions and rates settled by the
Act), for letters carried beyond sea, so y^{t} it doth not seeme
necessary there should be any additionall Act of Parliam^{t}. for the
settling of rates upon all such letters.
To prevent any Collections of letters that may be made by any Masters of
Ships or Seamen Wee are humbly of opinion it may be proper to appoint an
Officer here whose business it should be to take Care of all letters
directed to any of his Majestys Plantations, and upon going off of ships
to those parts to put them up in severall and distinct bags, sealed with
the Seale of the Office and sent to y^{e} Ma^{r}. of such Vessell who
shall deliver y^{m}. to y^{e} Deputy Postm^{r}. in the first Port where
he shall arrive such Deputy paying him one penny for each letter
Contained in y^{e} said bag as a recompence for his Care: and y^{e} same
method may likewise be observed in England for all such letters as shall
come from America: and upon such Officers being Established it may be
fit to give Publick Notice that no other person presume to make
Collection of letters for those parts.
Wee have Considered of the severall rates mentioned in Mr. Hamiltons
Memoriall for the Inland Post of letters between one place & an other in
America and are humbly of opinion some of them are too high. It having
been found by Experience in this Office That y^{e} easy and cheap
Corresponding doth encourage people to write letters and that this
Revenue was but little in proportion to what it now is till the postage
was reduced from sixpence to 3d.
Wee have advised with Mr. Hamilton who hath settled and managed this
Post under Mr. Neale and is recomended to Us by the Governor of Virginia
to be well acquainted with that Country about enlarging the Post through
Virginia & Maryland and by his Competation hereunto annexed do find that
it will require 1200^{d}. further Charge than w^{t} has already been
expended to Establish and bring the whole to perfection there.
Upon the whole it appears to Us that as the Establishing this American
Post whereby the several Colonys have a regular way of Corresponding
with each other is of great advantage to the Trade of his Maj^{tys}.
Subjects in those parts so it may in few years bring in a cleare proffit
over and above what may be required to defray y^{e} necessary Charges
but it is to be apprehended that considering the same is in the hands of
a private person the severall Governors will not give that
encouragem^{t}. to it they would do if the profit and advantage arrising
thereby were to accrew to his Maj^{ty}. All which is humbly submitted to
your Lordsps. Consideration. Gen^{l}. Post Office 27th April 1699.
R: COTTON THO: FRANKLAND.
No. 1 (_e_).
To the Right Honble &c^{a}.
The humble Memoriall of Tho: Neale Esq^{r}.
May it please your Lordsps.
Though after Strugling with many difficultys in the first settling the
American Post I have now at last at a great Charge made it a regular
Post and brought it to such a pass that where settled it supports it
self and will in a very few yeares bring in a fair Revenue, Yet since
the Postm^{r}. Gen^{l}. in their Report to your Lordsps Conserning y^{e}
Post have declared their opinion that it will not receive so due
encouragement nor so soon attain to perfection in the hands of a private
person for the good of the publick, as it would, were it in the hands of
the King; I humbly offer to lay my Pattent of that Post office at his
Majestys feet rather then an undertaking so usefull & beneficiall to his
Majestys subjects in America and to those that trade thither should want
the least advantage for its support and to leave my selfe to his
Maj^{tys} Justice and goodness for a Recompence of my risque and
disbursments by a yearly Pention or otherwise.
And Whereas in y^{e} Memoriall annexed to the Report, the abuses
hitherto practiced in Conveying letters to America and the method for
preventing them for the future are set forth I humbly beseech yo^{r}
Lordsps. y^{t} the said Method if approved of by your Lordps. or such
other as your Lordsps. shall think more proper may be put in Execusion
for the benefit of the Publick and mine till his Maj^{ty}. shall declare
his pleasure conserning the surrender of my Patent.
All which is most humbly submitted to yo^{r}. Lordsps.
Great Wisdom &c^{a}. by
My Lords
Your ever obedient
THO: NEALE.
_April 28, 1699._
No. 1 (_f_).
To the Kings most Excellent Ma^{ty}.
The humble Petition of Andrew Hamilton, and Robert West.
SHEWETH
That your Maj^{tie}. and the late Queen of Blessed Memory in the fourth
Year of your Raigne, by Letters Patent granted to Thomas Neale Esq^{r}.
full power and Authority to Erect a Post, and Post office in North
America, To hold for one and Twenty yeares without any Account, And by
the same Letters Patent directed the Post Master Generall of England to
Issue Deputations from time to time to such Persons as Mr. Neale or his
Assignes should Nominate, to Execute the same power.
In pursuance of which Grant, the Post Master Generall at Mr. Neales
nomination, Deputed Your Peticoner Hamilton, who hath Setled a Post from
New Yorke Southward as far as Virginia, and Eastward Seventy Miles
beyond Boston in New England, which proves of great Advantage to the
Trade of those Coloneys, and of no lesse Service to your Maj^{tys}.
Governm^{t}. there.
In the Setling and Supporting w^{ch} Post, your Pet^{r}. West, above
seven yeares agoe upon the request and Credit of Mr. Neale, advanced Two
hundred pounds, and your Petitioner Hamilton hath since disbursed Eleven
Hundred Pounds more, and brought it to such Perfection, that it allready
defrays Its own Charge, and will in time be a Considerable Revenue.
That Mr. Neale being unable to pay your Pet^{rs}. or to give them other
Satisfaction, in August 1699 Assigned all his Interest in the said Post
to your Petitioner West for secureing all the Monys due to both your
Petitioners and all such other sumes as your Pet^{r}. Hamilton should
expend in further enlarging the said Post, with Common Interest for the
whole Moneys.
That Mr. Neale Dying before payment of any part of the said Debts, and
all persons declining to Act either as his Executor, or Administrator,
Your Pet^{rs}. will be necessitated to dispose of the said Post for
Satisfaction of their Debts, but being Sensible It is more for your
Maj^{ties}. Interest and Service, to have such Post Under the management
and Controll of some Officer to be appointed by your Ma^{tys}. than of
any Private Person.
Your Petitioners humbly tender the same to your Maj^{tie}. and if your
Maj^{tie}. shall not thinke fit to Accept It, They humbly pray that your
Maj^{tie}. will Gratiously encourage the Continuance and Enlargement of
the said Post, by granting them a further terme of years therein, and
such additional Priviledges as are necessary for the Improvement of it.
And your Petitioners shall ever pray &c^{a}.
At the Court.
No. 2.
LONDON _Feb^{ry}. 8th 1779._
SIR,
My present disagreable Situation as an Officer under the Crown without
Employment, and without a Salary, occasioned by the Rebellion in
America, induces me to give you the Trouble of this Adress, and to
request your advice and Assistance in procuring that Relief which my
present Circumstances require.
You are not a Stranger to my Appointment to the Office of Deputy
Postmaster of Philadelphia in the year 1776 by the Deputy postmasters
General of North America, and that I continued to act in that Office,
and as I trust to the entire Satisfaction of all concerned, until the
Confusion and Sedition in that Country rendered it impossible for me to
be of any kind of service.
In the Spring 1775 having good Reason to believe from a variety of
Information that there was a Danger of breaking up the Post Office at
Philadelphia under the Crown, and seizing upon all the Monies in my
Custody, I immediately made up my Accounts, and remitted the Balance in
my Hands to the Comptroller in New York up to the 5^{th} April of the
same year.
About this time the disaffected Merchants in Philadelphia set up by
Subscription a post Office in opposition to Government, appointed
William Bradford Postmaster and compelled many of the well effected
Merchants and others to send their Letters to it for Conveyance; and in
May following the Mail was seized in New England under a public Avowel
of the Rebels.
Under these Circumstances finding not only my person was in danger, but
that I could be of no further service to the Crown by my continuing in
Philadelphia, I left it and came into New York where my Conduct being
approved, I procured leave of Absence, and returned to London in order
to represent the true State of the Offices in America, which on my
arrival I did. You will also recollect that as soon as possible after
hearing that the City of Philadelphia was in possession of the Kings
Troops I again embarked under an Expectation that the War would be
settled by the Commissioners, and to take care of the post Office
Affairs in that City. But on my arrival finding that All Letters by the
packets &c^{a}. were taken up by the Commander in Chief, and delivered
not only to the Army and Navy but even to the Merchants, the City being
evacuated soon after, I was obliged to return again to this place for
safety. When in the Execution of my Office my Salary amounted to Two
Hundred and Twenty five pounds Sterl^{g}. p. Ann. out of which I paid
Clerks Wages and Office Rent. This I received up to the 5 of April 1775.
Since that time I have subsisted on my own means (except Two Hundred
pounds at the Post Office by Warrant from the Treasury) without
receiving any other part of my Salary from Government.
In these Circumstances it is with reluctance I find myself under the
necessity of applying for the same Allowance from the Crown, which has
been made to other persons in Office under it, in the like Situation.
I am Sir &^{ca}.
THOS. FOXCROFT.
Anth. Todd, Esq^{r}.
Treasury authorized [L]100 a year from 5th April, 1775, "until he may be
reinstated in the office or otherwise provided for."
No. 3.
GENERAL POST OFFICE,
_February 15th, 1793._
SIR,
In your letter dated the 1st instant which we did not receive till the
8th, We have the honor to inform you that after much difficulty We have
but lately obtained Mr. Finlay's accounts as Deputy Post Master General
in America the first Statement of which was for the period between the
5th of April 1786 and the 10th of October 1790 and exhibited a balance
due to the Office up to that date of [L]1809.19.4 Sterling but the Account
was inadmissible in point of form for reasons hereafter mentioned.
We are satisfied Sir that you will form no Opinion without having read
the full state of the question on both sides and the proofs and
documents by which Our Conduct towards Mr. Finlay may be judged and that
you will form no hasty conclusion from his statement of his own case,
which you will find to be greatly misrepresented.
In support of this assertion We have ordered Copies of the letters that
We have lately written to Mr. Finlay upon the Subject of his Debt to be
laid before you, And We shall if you will permit us Order our Deputy
Accountant General and desire Mr. Callender to wait upon you and to
explain the particulars of all that have passed.
Mr. Callender is Mr. Finlay's Agent without whose knowledge and
concurrence, We have taken no one step of late in this business, nor
sent out any dispatch to Mr. Finlay that Mr. Callender has not
previously seen and approved.
He will be able to satisfy you Sir, whether our conduct towards Mr.
Finlay has been grounded upon severity or upon forbearance, more than
perhaps our duty strictly speaking, would justify.
In the mean time that we may do away any erroneous impression, which Mr.
Finlay's letters may have made upon your mind, as well as upon Gov^{r}:
Clarke's, We shall shortly put together the points which Our
correspondence will prove, and We shall rely upon your justice to
transmit copy of that correspondence to Gov^{r}: Clarke, that He may
have full and correct information upon the subject.
There is and has long been a considerable balance due from Mr. Finlay,
to this Revenue, for the payment of which he has given no security,
which balance We have repeatedly but in Vain called upon him to pay.
He is in possession from us not as He tells Governor Clarke, of a Salary
of [L]300 per Annum, but of a Pension of [L]150 p. Annum, a Salary of [L]150
more, and a Commission of [L]20 per Cent on the net produce of letters
within the province of Canada, which he assured us in May 1789 produced
to Him a nett receipt of [L]130 p. Annum, but previous to his receiving
any net produce, all charges, dead letters, under Deputies Salaries, and
other allowances are by the Words of his Commission, to be first
deducted.
Instead of this he has charged the Office [L]20 per Cent upon the Gross,
the dead letters only deducted, and not upon the net produce and claimed
to be allowed for sundry of those Articles of Management, which by His
Commission on the Articles which are to be deducted before the Net
Produce is paid to him.
He also charges his Pension for several quarters, which he must know,
was paid to his Agent in this Country during a part of the time he
claims it in Canada.
In an account amounting to several Thousand Pounds and for several
Years, He has sent us home the particulars of no one Article of
expenditure whatever, & one Voucher only which is but for [L]27.
His accounts from the length of time and the manner in which they have
at different periods been stated, are in a confused and contradictory
state, and radically wrong, from his having taken considerable credit
for Money received by his Agent here on Account of his Pension, and the
whole of the Articles of his disbursements being destitute of Vouchers,
up to the Period of the 10th of October 1792, without which they cannot
pass this, or the Auditors' Office, together with his having taken a
Credit for his [L]20 p. Cent on false principles, and contrary to the
words of His Commission, which says it shall be on the Net and not on
the Gross Produce. The Accountant General therefore thought it more
adviseable, and Mr. Finlay's own Agent strongly recommended the measure,
of Mr. Finlay's coming to England to adjust in person, the whole, and
render an Account capable of being incorporated in the Annual Accounts
of this Office, for the Auditors in which the true balance must be
ascertained.
As far as depends upon us We have given him the option to come or not,
just as He pleases, provided We have an intelligible Account and his
Balance paid.