bonds, with sufficient securities, of suitable persons to perform the same duty as hath heretofore been performed by Post Riders, subject to the regulation and controul of the Committee.

4th That the several mails shall be under lock and key, and liable to the inspection of no person but the respective Postmasters to whom directed, who shall be under oath for the faithful discharge of the trust reposed in them.

5th. That a Postmaster General shall be annually chosen by the written votes of all the Provincial Committees, enclosed and sent to the Chairman of the New-York Committee, who, on receiving all the votes, and giving one month's publick notice in all the New-York papers, of the time and place appointed for that purpose, shall open them in Committee, in presence of all such subscribers as shall choose to attend, and declare the choice, which choice shall be immediately communicated to all the other Provincial Committees by a certificate under the hand of the said Chairman.

6th. That the Postmaster General shall be empowered to demand and receive the accounts from the several Postmasters throughout the Colonies connected with this Post Office, and shall adjust and liquidate the same, and by his order, transfer in just proportion, the surplusages of one office to make good the deficiencies of another, if any such should appear; and in case of a deficiency upon the whole, he shall have power to draw for the same on the several Committees in proportion to the amount of the subscriptions in their departments; and, at the year's end transmit to the said Committees a fair and just account of the whole Post Office under his inspection.

7th. That the several Postmasters shall charge * * * per cent, on all the monies received into their respective offices, for their services; and also, * * * per cent, for the use of the Postmaster General, which they shall remit to him quarterly, with their accounts.

8th. That whatever balances may remain in the hands of the several Postmasters, after all charges are paid, shall, by the direction of the subscribers in the Province or Provinces where such Postmasters reside, be appropriated to the enlargement of the present Institution within their respective Provinces.

tions are set on foot in each of them, and they have already succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectation in all.

The removal of Dr. Franklin from the Post Office had added fresh spirit to the promoters of this salutary plan, as several viewed an opposition to his interest, at a time when he had signally served the cause of America, as a very disagreeable object; but all reluctance from that quarter must now vanish, and all the friends of liberty rejoice that they have now an opportunity of taking up a gentleman, discarded by an unrighteous Ministry for the faithful discharge of his duty, and placing him above a dependence on their caprice, in the grateful arms of his applauding countrymen.

BOSTON, May 5, 1774.—We have the pleasure of assuring the public that the subscription for establishing a new American Post Office, was opened late on Saturday last, April 30th, and hath been patronised by the first gentlemen of character and fortune in town. The second gentleman to whom it was presented generously engaged fifty pounds, lawful money, and many others have done as handsomely in proportion to their circumstances. With this indubitable evidence of the disposition of Bostonians, added to the noble conduct of the patriotick inhabitants of Portsmouth, Newburyport, Salem, &c., Mr. Goddard will set out on his return homeward this week, rejoicing in the great success which has attended his endeavours to rescue the channel of publick and private intelligence from the horrid fangs of ministerial despotism.

NEW-YORK, May 19, 1774.—A report having been industriously propagated, that several of the principal merchants in Philadelphia had withdrawn their subscriptions from the Constitutional Post Office, you are desired to inform the publick, that the said report is entirely false, as appears by letter from thence on that subject.

It may not be improper, at this time, to mention, that the account which was invidiously inserted in some of the papers, that the Constitutional Post Rider between Philadelphia and Baltimore had absconded with a large sum of money entrusted to his care, was a misrepresentation. The person who absconded with the money was not the undertaker of that business, whose name is Stinson, a man of property and character, well known and respected in Philadelphia, but a villain he had the misfortune to hire, whose name is Bryan. And should he escape with his booty, there is no doubt but the friends of the institution will open a subscription for the indemnification of the master, who is known to be a man of integrity.

Accidents similar to the above have often happened to the Government Post Office, particularly one lately in England. But that office refuses to be accountable for money delivered to the riders.

NEW-YORK, June 2, 1774.—On Saturday last, Mr. William Goddard arrived here from Boston, with important despatches for all the Southern Colonies, for which he set out on Monday morning. The plan for establishing a Constitutional American Post Office, having met with the greatest success in all the great commercial towns in the Northern Colonies, it is not doubted, from the encouragement already given to the Southward, but the important design will, in a few weeks, be carried into complete execution.

LONDON, June 16, 1774.—In the Boston papers of 2d May, is inserted a Plan for the establishment of the new American Post Office, in opposition to that established by Government. It is, however, supposed, that as soon as General Gage arrives he will stop the career of the new Post Riders, and their employers; for, by the ninth of Queen Anne, chapter 10th, section 17th, it is decreed, "that no person or persons, body politick or corporate whatsoever, in Great Britain, Ireland, the West Indies, or America, other than the Postmaster General, appointed by his Majesty, shall presume to take up, order, despatch, convey, carry, re-carry, or deliver, any letter or letters, or set up or employ any foot post, horse post, or packet-boat, on pain of forfeiting five pounds British money for every several offence; and also the sum of one hundred pounds of like British money, for every week during the continuance of the offence." Ship-masters are also made liable to a penalty of five pounds British money, if they do not deliver their letters at the General Post Office.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM PHILADELPHIA TO WILLIAMSBURG, DATED JULY 6, 1774.

I confess that no man wishes more for the establishment of a Constitutional Post Office in America, than myself; yet, as I anticipated in a former letter, Mr. Goddard's scheme seems to bear but an indifferent prospect of success. He returned here a few weeks ago. At Boston, and other parts of New England, he told them the Philadelphians had unanimously resolved to establish a Constitutional Post; and, for a confirmation of his assertion, a merchant at Boston wrote to a gentleman in this city. I am not acquainted with the contents of the answer, though I have great reason to conclude them unfavourable to Mr. Goddard. He attended a meeting of mechanicks here one night, pretending to have letters of consequence from Boston, New-York, &c., two or three of which were read, and gave some satisfaction; but the others, mentioning the regulation of the Post Office, they refused to read them through, observing America had enough upon her hands without meddling with the affairs of a Post Office. Mr. Goddard was much chagrined and vexed, and shortly after left the city.

BALTIMORE, July 16th, 1774.—The present Deputy Postmasters General of North America, are, it appears, in great distress, least their unconstitutional Institution, by which America hath been so long fleeced, should be annihilated by the publick spirit and consistent firmness of the people, who, since the infamous dismission of the worthy Dr. Franklin, and the hostile attack of the town and port of Boston, are unalterably determined to support a new Constitutional Post Office, "on the ruins of one that hath for its basis the slavery of America." To frustrate the endeavours of those who are now exerting themselves to bring about an event of this kind, and from a vain hope of reconciling the inhabitants of this place to their Parliamentary establishment, which levies a tax in the very heart of the Colonies, and is, in fact, more oppressive and arbitrary than the tea duty, the high and mighty Deputies in office, from their own free will and more motion, without waiting to be most humbly petitioned, are now about employing an additional Post Rider to come hither weekly from Philadelphia; a measure, by the way, the town could not be indulged in, until these Generals began to tremble for the emoluments of their places. This instance, therefore, of their grace and favour, being so much out of season, will not, it is presumed, gain them much credit with a discerning people, especially as a new Post Office will shortly be opened in this, and every considerable commercial town from Virginia to Casco Bay, and riders, of the most unexceptionable character, be set going with the Provincial mails, when letters, &c., will be carried with the utmost safety, much cheaper than the Ministerial prices of a Foxcroft or a Finlay. Thus much it is thought necessary to mention at this time. On the return of a particular agent, who is just setting off for Virginia, the publick will have further intelligence of the state of the enterprise in question, which the friends of freedom and their country wish to see completed by the first of September next, that being the time appointed for the meeting of the grand Congress at Philadelphia; a body that cannot, with any degree of consistency or safety, entrust or encourage the tools of those who have forged our chains, and are striving to rule us with a rod of iron.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER RECEIVED AT WILLIAMSBURG, FROM BALTIMORE TOWN, IN MARYLAND, DATED JULY 25, 1774.

It is with inexpressible pleasure that I can, at this juncture, from indubitable authority, assure you, and the respectable people of Virginia, that a complete plan of establishing a new American Post Office, has been lately executed throughout the different Governments in New England. It has been liberally encouraged, and warmly patronised, by a very considerable number of our principal gentlemen; and no doubt seems now to remain of its soon being carried into execution all over the Continent. Indeed, under the present dreadful situation of our affairs, the great and general utility of such an establishment must be obvious to every one; for, if we consider the footing on which the present American Post Office is, we must hold it to be a specious, baneful, and unjust taxation; at least equally dangerous with any other that we have opposed. Mr. William Goddard, Printer, here, who has conducted this business hitherto, intends setting out for Williamsburg in a few days, that he may be present at the general meeting of your late House of Representatives, and to lay before your Committee of Correspondence the several approving and recommendatory letters he has received from other Committees on this subject; and if they give their sanction to this scheme, (of which I have little doubt, when we reflect upon the noble struggles in support of their country's freedom,) it will be immediately executed, in a manner, it is presumed, that will give general satisfaction, and rescue American correspondence out of the hands of our wicked and designing enemies,

WILLIAMSBURG, August 11, 1774.—Mr. Goddard's proposals and plan for establishing an American Post Office on constitutional principles, which appears, by Letters from the Committees of Correspondence, and principal gentlemen of many respectable Provinces and towns, to have met with the most generous patronage and warmest approbation, were agitated at the late Convention of the Representatives of this Colony, who justly considered the object Mr. Goddard is pursuing of great importance to America, highly worthy the attention of the general Congress, and, as such, particularly recommended it to the gentlemen appointed Delegates from this Colony.