tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">[48] In a petition to the governor, the council and the assembly, soon after the act of 1693, Duncan begged that a fine be imposed for failure to deliver letters from ships to the postmaster. In 1694 the request was repeated, and in answer to this petition a bill was presented ordering all persons not bringing letters which ought to be delivered into the post office, to pay four times as much as was due on the letters, damages to be made good to the party injured. The house voted in the affirmative May 8, 1694/5, but the council seems to have taken no action in the matter. In 1696 (May 27) Campbell sent a similar petition, asking also that the rates on foreign letters might be advanced from two to three pence, and the payment to masters of ships from an half penny to 1d., “which,” he adds, “will be a great encouragement to masters not to deliver news to other persons.”

In 1703, John Campbell offered a memorial to the general court, complaining “that every body carrying of letters to and from towns where post offices are settled, is a very great hindrance and discouragement to said office,” letters from Connecticut colony being carried to Piscataqua, and after lying in the office there some weeks and months, at last come to Boston, the office being blamed for the delay without a cause, and that one-half the letters from Europe and West Indies and other places by sea, were not brought to the office at all. The ferrymen also came in for their share of blame, as being very backward in carrying those employed in the post office, sometimes even demanding money for ferriage. The petition was granted (July 22, 1703), and £20 for the year past and £40 for the one ensuing allowed to Campbell. Again in 1706 (April 12 and October 30) £50 was granted to him. In 1709 (November 18) he wrote to the Governor that six months after his appointment by Hamilton in 1701, he had represented to the General Assembly that he could not serve, since the salary was so small, and two members of the upper house had then suggested a salary of £40, which, reduced by the vote of the lower house to £20, had been paid until within three years. He recalled the fact that the post office saved the country above £150 per annum, which it would be obliged to pay for express, if there were no office. The public letters, passed free, had cost more than the postmaster’s allowance, besides the charge of sending the governor’s letters weekly to Roxbury “in times of snow or rain.” The queen, unwilling to augment the charge of the office to what it was in Hamilton’s time, was then at above £200 sterling charges yearly, to support it between New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, and if the several offices had half salary allowed them, it would cost her majesty £100 sterling more. Accordingly he thought it but just that public letters for the time past should be paid for, the postmaster recompensed for sending the governor’s letters to Roxbury, and some provision made for conveying them in the future. Otherwise, he would be obliged to represent the case to the postmaster-general of Great Britain, which he had foreborne to do, hoping that the general court would prevent it.

The council took no cognizance of the petition, as we learn from its renewal in 1711.[49]

The action of New Hampshire relative to a post, occurred at about the same time as that of Massachusetts. John Usher,[50] writing to the New Hampshire council, from Boston, March 25, 1693, said that the postmaster-general in Boston was desirous of knowing what salary would be allowed or how much a letter for a post from Piscataqua to Boston, adding that it might be an advantage to gain news from England and the West Indies, and that they would like a post weekly or once in two weeks. The council (March 27, 1693) was of the opinion[51] that a post was necessary, and that there should be an allowance per letter, according to other places in like circumstances, proportionate to the distance from Boston, “Every one to pay for his own Lett^r.” A record[52] in the “Journal of the Council and Assembly” of July 29, 1693, says: “Maj. Vaughan and Mr. Waldron were appointed to prepare and drawe up a Bill for settling a Post Office in this Province,” and on the fourth of August the council concurred with the bill which had been passed by the lower house.

It was enacted that[53] “a Poste Office and officers be henceforth appointed and settled in some Convenient place within the Towne of Portsmouth for Receiveing & dispatching awaye according to direction all letters and packetts that shall be brought thereinto & no Person or Persons whatsoever shall presume to Carry or recarry any letter or letters for hire but only such as belongs to the Poste Office dureing their power and authority from the aforesaid Thos. Nele Except such letters of Merchants and Masters which shall be sent by any Master of any Ship Boat or other vessel of Merchandise or by any other Person employed by them for the carrying of such letters aforesaid According to the Respective Direction And also Except letters to be sent by any private friend or friends in their way of Journey or Travill or by any Messenger or Messengers sent on purpose for or concerning the private affaires of any Person or Persons.” Whoever offended against this Act should “forfeit the sum of ten pounds one halfe to their Majesties Towards the support of the Governor of this province The other halfe to the Postmaster Genrl.” All “Letters & Packetts” were to be delivered by the importer at the post house or to the post officer, receiving in return a half-penny for each, the person to whom directed paying two pence for each letter, and for a “Packett no lesse than 3 letters besides Bills Loading Invoyces Gazette etc four pence. And for each letter brought from Boston in to this Province not exceeding five pence and Doble for a Packett and so proportionately for Letters on this sid Boston shall be paid with the customary allowance in the Government from whense they come.” Neglect of duty in keeping constant post or in delivering letters was punishable by a fine of £5, “The one halfe to their Majesties the other halfe to the party agreved.” All letters concerning their majesties’ service were to be received and dispatched with all possible speed free from charge. It was “further enacted and ordained that the officer of the Post House haveing Licence granted to Retaile Beer Sider & Ale within Doors according to Law shall have his Excise free and no officer of the Excise shall demand anything of him for the same and his Person to be excused from watching and warding.” The foregoing Act was to continue in force for three years from the publication, but in 1694 (May 12th), an additional act for the encouragement of the post office was passed,