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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1787.
Congress assembled. Present as yesterday and from Maryland Mr [Uriah] Forrest.
Mr Uriah Forrest a delegate for Maryland attended and took his Seat. The Credentials for the delegates for
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Maryland1 having been were read whereby it appears that on the 2d December 1786 the Honble William Harrison, William Hindman, Uriah Forrest, David Ross and Nathaniel Ramsay were appointed delegates to represent that State for one whole year from the 2d Monday in Decr.
[Note 1: 1 The original credentials, indorsed as delivered December 16, 1786, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, Maryland Credentials. They state the term as one year from the second Monday of "December next" instead of "December instant", which gave rise to a doubt. See February 16. The second corrected credentials were read May 3, 1787, where they are printed.]
The post master general to whom were referred sund motions respecting cross posts having reported thereon
[Report of Postmaster General on sundry motions2]
[Note 2: 2 Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 61, pp. 397--398, read February 15, 1787. See February 13, 1787.]
General Post Office, February 15th. 1787.
Sir: I have now the Honor to report upon the Motions made yesterday respecting the Transportation of Letters between Fort Pitt and the Falls of the Ohio, and, for the farming of Cross Posts: and I beg leave to observe,
That, as it appears to me, the Plan proposed by the former will be attended with an Uncertainty incompatible with every Idea of a Post Office;
That it will furnish no Mode of Conveyance which the People do not already possess;
That, as the writers will generally be on the Spot, they will be as likely to know of Opportunities of sending their Letters as a Postmaster would, and could choose such as they themselves had Confidence in; which they will, doubtless, prefer to lodging them in the hands of another Person, and paying him for sending them; which, I apprehend, is the Construction they will put upon the Charge of Postage, for it will be difficult for them to conceive of Postage where no Post is employed.
In Case of an Establishment at such a Distance as at the Falls of the Ohio, Chance must direct in the Choice of a Postmaster; the Chance is against his being a suitable Person; and it will be difficult,
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if not impracticable to procure Returns and Remittances; and, indeed, the customary Allowance to Postmasters would be no Compensation for the Trouble of making them, and much less for the Responsibility of the Officer.
For these Reasons I am of Opinion that the proposed Plan would not be eligible; and I beg leave to add, that, from a Circumstance now taking Place, the Business probably may be effected without being subject to so many Inconveniences. A Contract is nearly compleated for the Cross Road from Alexandria to Bedford and Fort Pitt, so that a Postmaster at the latter Place will be appointed of Course; if the Postage on Letters sent by this Rider, to go beyond Fort Pitt, is paid at the Office in which the Letters are first lodged, there will be no Impediment to prevent the Postmaster's forwarding them by the first good Conveyance he can meet with, and it will be his Duty to do it.
The Proposal for the Establishment of Cross Posts cannot, in any way, be injurious to the Public; but, on the contrary, may be the means of making many Establishments which would not otherwise be made, accommodating the Citizens of many Parts of the Union who now derive no Benefit from Posts, and, eventually, of greatly encreasing the Revenues of the General Post Office.
All which is respectfully submitted, etc.
Eben Hazard
His Excellency
The President of Congress
On motion of Mr [William] Grayson seconded by Mr S[tephen] M[ix] Mitchell
Resolved, That the post master general be and he is hereby authorised and empowered to grant for a term not exceeding seven years to any person or persons who will give satisfactory security for the performance of his or their contract the exclusive priviledge of carrying letters and packets for hire upon the cross roads within the State of Virginia from the City of Richmond to Staunton in the County of Augusta and from Winchester in the County of Frederick to Staunton; provided that the postage to be charged by such person or persons for the carriage of letters and packets shall in no
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case exceed the rates charged pursuant to the Acts of Congress for similar letters and packets carried the same distance upon the main post road and provided also that such contract shall not occasion any expence to the general post Office.1
[Note 1: 1 February 15, 1787. According to the Committee Book, Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 190, p. 137, the following committee was appointed:
Mr. Rufus King, Mr. James Madison, Mr. Lambert Cadwallader, Mr. Charles Pinckney and Mr. Abraham Clark on a motion for repealing the Ordinance of October 13, 1786, for establishing a Board to liquidate and settle all accounts between the United States and individual States. Cf. Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 59, III, pp. 431--432. Mr. Pinckney was replaced by Mr. James Mitchel Varnum on March 12, 1787. See March 29, 1787.
According to indorsement, an extract of a letter from a gentleman in Kentucky to a friend in Philadelphia, dated December 12, 1786, giving an account of the conduct of General Clarke, was communicated to Congress by the President and referred to the Secretary for transmission to the Governor of Virginia. The copy is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 49, pp. 323--324.]
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