Foot-prints of a letter carrier; or, a history of the world's correspondece

Post-Office

till erect, a column in a scene of ruins, a pleasing example that

point of a more general history, as far as the State is concerned, as also a more extended notice of the system of the general postal department. Agai

as the writer is more familiar with that of Philadelphia, he is enabled to gather more

little from that of another: yet every office has its

could, from the archives of her post-office, give to the world incidents that perhaps would find no parallel in t

the human race, and contain the written records of their vices and virtues; or it may be

ings are unknown to those unconnected with the institution. Very little behind the great city we have named stands that of Philadelphia; and its post-office

E OF THE P

we hear it said that truth is stranger than fiction! The romance of a post-office would be a far more truthful history of the human heart than any other work ever written upon the subject. The post-office is the pulsation of a nation, the beating of a million of hearts, and its records would be the world's volume. "A mail-bag," says a writer, "is an epitome of human life. All the elements which

mmediate notice. We mention this simply to do away with any impression that may arise that our purpose was to exalt one city over another and praise its institutions at the expense of those of other places

and conciliating views with regard to the Indians made his colonization one of holy peace, and gave to the

as Makin, dated 1728. It was found among James Logan's papers many years after

sylvania's m

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WM. PENN'S FI

in point in trade, commerce, and population. The mode of conveying letters and packages, indeed

f transportation until about 1788, when the roads were made accessible for wagons; and even then, when the first wagon made its appear

lony. It was in this year the first Assembly was held in Philadelphia, and law

ngers with horses from Philadelphia to New Castle, or to the Falls. The rates of postage were as follows: "Letters from the Falls, 3d.; to Chester, 5d.; to New Castle, 7d.; to Maryland, 9d.; a

ers was, of course, made by "post-horses:" these were of the slow order and conducted on that principle. It was not until 1756

ng through, at twopence a mile. It was a covered Jersey wagon, without springs, and had four owners or proprietors concerned in its management. The same year the first line of stages, vessels, and wagons is set up from Philadelphia to Baltimore via Christiana and Frenchtown on Elk River, to go once a week from Philadelphia. In 1766 a third line of new stages for New York, modestly called the "Flying Machine," and int

arch 8, 1759, we find the fo

AGE WAGGON AND N

eir stages t

goods being shifted into the waggon of Isaac Fitzrandolph, he takes them to the New Blazing Star to Jacob Fitzrandolph's the same day, where Rubin Fitzrandolph, with a boat well suted, will receive them and take them to New York that night. John Butler r

h 8,

aches-being the first of that character-to run from Philadelphia to New York in two days,

for ten years to Isaac Vanwick and others to run a four-horse stage from

t not only with interest, but showing the enterprise of men under a new mode of government, and the developing of minds which under monarchical r

know the truth

natural and

sence of the so

ow of the hill north of Callowhill Street, descending to Pegg's Run, near Second Street. Butler lived in a low brick house adjoining the northwest corner of Callowhill and Second Streets. Fox-hunting was

any members of the "Old Hunting Club." John Ord, an Englishman, kept bull-dogs for the purpose of the breed. His establishment was at the corner of Second and High Streets. The cruel amusement of bull-baiting-one which gave to Old Spain a character for cruelty only equalled by that of the Inquisition-continued until about 1798, when Robert Wharton, Esq., was elected mayor of the city. He attended one of these

difficulties he had to encounter, nor was he ignorant of the history of those natio

ia; and, from a draft before us, the idea, as far as regularity and order were conc

dazzling, butterfly beauty under a far different system of government, is familiar to all: yet we

1717 a settled post was established from Virginia to Maryland, which went through all the Norther

month in winter, via New Castle, &c., to the Western Shore, and back to the Eastern S

for the Year of the Christian Era 1687; particularly respecting the meridian and latitude of Burlington, but may indifferently suit al

print is in the Ph

his official accounts, was removed, and Benjamin Franklin was appointed in his stead. C

rtant matter, but in time has become a gigantic institution. We look back to that period now with more interest, for two reasons: one is, to co

1729, was the date of No. 40, edited by B. Franklin. It was reduced in name to "Pennsylvania Gazette." The increase and emoluments of his paper were still further aided by the diminishing patronage received by his rival Bradford, the displaced postmaster, who had while in office forbidden his post-riders to distribute any papers but his own. Franklin, speaking of this ungenerous conduct on the part of Bradford, said, "I tho

and a government. Franklin, however, settled the question by making it both a national and commercial feature. It is also interesting to note the difference between the movements of the publi

He had been, up to that period, an active business-man. He was a printer, editor, compositor, publish

on board the ship into the hands of the persons to whom they were addressed; families expecting letters would send a messenger on board for the purpose of receiving letters. Those that were not called for before the sailing of the vessel were taken to the "Coffee-House," where everybody could make inqui

ter-delivery began to vary; and thus the "neighborly pos

ion of a foreign postal system; for in 1639 the Genera

om beyond the seas, or are to be sent thither to be left with him; and he is to take care that they are to be delivered or sent accordingl

d Coffee-House system p

uired by law, passed in 1757, to send a messenger with it to his next neighbor, under a penalty of

d to send letters should bring them to the secretary's office, where, in a "locket-box," they shall be

er went farther east than Boston, or farther south than Baltimore. When Franklin was appointed postmast

inia, "to set out in the beginning of each month, and to return in twenty-four days. To him all merchant

next for the winter season." In 1745 John Dalley, Surveyor of the State, says that he has just made s

Neal postmaster-general of that and other parts of America; but though the Assembly passed an act in favor of this patent, it had no eff

Bradford, at his printing-office, and it is more than probable that Benjamin Franklin's residence, corner of Second and Race, was, or at least a portion of it, used for postal purposes. T

his day many buildings in its immediate vicinity which bear date prior to 1750. As early as 1737 Mrs. Fishbourne kept a store in Water Street below Walnut, expressly for "ladies' goods." In Water Street above Pine Street, in 1755, there was a fashionable furnishing-store for gentlemen's wearing apparel. The "Old London Coffee-Hous

"Looking across the 'Dock Creek,' westward, we see all the margin of the creek adorned with every grace of shrubbery and foliage; and beyond it a gently sloping descent from the line of Second Street, where

as also located here, and "George Wells's place" was much admired. The Loxley House, which stood back of 177 South Second Street (old number), below Little Dock, and only within a few years torn down, is well known for its historical reminiscences to our readers. Near to the Loxley House there was a peculiar spring of water, called "Bathsheba's Spring and Bower." The origin of the name

this then beautiful portion of the

stage and the drama in Philadelphia. True, much has been written upon the subject

g in this city. As this announcement will no doubt startle many, we must, as pioneers in th

s making up the great body politic. This dangerous foe to all social and religious forms was brought over to the colonies by a few decayed branches of the nobility-trees of England, who had established a sort of "West End" fraternity along Front Street below Spruce (in the immediate vicinity of the Loxley House),

, various artisans, shopkeepers, and others had established themselves in business; and it wa

bitions were not publicly announced, and the citizens generally were not aware of their secret place of exhibiting "profane plays." Private as they were, however, s

orks bear date as far back as 1640. In 1639 manuscripts were used in courts. The laws by which the colonies were governed were not printed until 1641. The art of printing was introduced into North America in 1639. The first printing-press established in the States was put up at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1639, by Stephen Day. In 1640 he published the Bay Psalm-Book. The year 1678 may be said to form an era

cal labor bestowed upon their productions. The moment the press was put in operation in Connecticut, poetry, Pallas-like, sprang from its mystic womb, and, if unlike Pallas, completely armed, was at least so decently clad that criticism faltered at the threshold of censure. The next play written and the first published in the colonies was "The Prince of Parthia," by Thomas Godfrey: it was printed in 1768. A copy of it is in the Philadelphia Library. This author was the son of Thomas Godfrey, a glazier, an

at we are now, not only as regards our temporal but our spiritual state. If we differ from our good old friends of the eighteenth century, it is on the subject of the drama and the strange notion they had of its immoral tendency; for we never could imagine that the choicest gems from the British poets-conveyed to us through the medium of the stage-could have any other effect than to exalt the mind, expand the intellect, and open to the view the rich and inexhaustible mental wealth of the mimic world. It would be curious, we say, if it were p

ignorance of the drama and its literature was fully shown by a display of their knowledge and a familiar acquaintance with the living dramatists of that period in England. It is not our purpose to connect the name of Courtland with the organization of this company: indeed, such a thing would be almost impossible, inasmuch as the association was as secret as were the names of its members. One thing, however, was evident: a taste for dramatic reading soon became prevalent, and the plays of Shaks

ar as a hospital. The front portion of this dramatic temple was used as a boot and shoe store; the rear was occupied by the proprietor's family, and the range of rooms over the back building was the scene of the drama's birth. It was here "Richard III." was enacted, and

der then acquainted the board that certain persons had taken upon them to act plays in this city, and, as he was informed, intended to make a frequent practice thereof, which it was feared would be attended with mischievous effect, such as the encouraging of idleness, and drawing great sums of money from weak and inconsiderate people, who are ap

vient to the interests of all concerned, actually stepped out from behind the law and boldly asked permission from the authorities to enact plays

mbers of a West India company arriving here, who immediately joined them; and thus Ric

recollection of the oldest inhabitants, were in a store on Crugar's wharf, near Old Slip, by a company of Thespians, composed of 'choice spirits' of a certain order. They were roystering young men, full of tricks and mischief, who used to play cricket in the fields, and

it is true that under the presidency of Thomas Lee the Philadelphia company, strengthened by the addition made to it in New York,

in Annapolis, and performed "The Beau Stratagem" and the farce of "The Virgin Unmasked:" boxes, 10s.; pit, 7s. 6d. Richard III. was performed twice,-the character of Richa

il September at Williamsburg, there is no doubt that a portion of his compa

company the members of the old became incorporated with it. The Annapolis theatre, which in 1752 was called the New Theatre, was built of brick, and was calculated to hold over five hundred persons. Dunlap says this was the first theatre erected in this country, not being advised of the one e

ratagem:"-Mr. Eyniason, Mr. Bell, Mr. Miller, Mr. Love, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Aitken, Mrs.

BY THE ENGLISH COMPANY AT WILLIAM

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the drama among the élite. At that period the first families in Virginia had not assumed that prerogative. Hallam opened his first place of amusement in the city of New York on the 17th day of September, 1

ELLENCY'S

re in Nassau Street, the present evening, being the 17t

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next move by this company on the

LADELPH

rtainly a most curious locality: yet at that period the neighborhood of its site was almost aristocratical, for "Society Hill," extending all along Front Street to Almond, was the theatre of as much fashionable parade and display as Chestnut Street is now. There stood at that period several finely-built houses, and its proximity to the "Loxley House" and "White Hall" gave it a

he cast of t

o Mr.

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sion.-Box, 4s.;

es. On the 17th of June they played "The Careless Husband" by particular request, the proceeds of which were appropriated to the poor of the city. It is a curious fact in the history of the drama, and one which reflects but little credit upon its opponents, that in almost every case of opposition the belligerent parties were bought over by money, and even this came into their hand

r drama in the Western World. In the pursuit of this object he at once determined to erect temples to the histrionic muses which in after-years would lead to the establishing of others, whose classic beauty and architectural design might emulate the proudest edifices of the land and find their model in Roman superstructure. In doing this, he had to contend against the prejudices of the people, and select such plays as were calculated to disarm opposition and enlist the liberal in hi

the company-at least the chief portion-were Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, Miss Cheer, Mrs. Morris,33 Mrs. Crane, Mrs. Allyn, and Miss Hallam. In additi

he lady whose unfortunate fate we have stated, was the low comedian: his name is to be found in various companies, enacting old men, up to as late a period as 1800. Dunlap says, "Those that can look bac

Allen to suppress the representations. His reply was that "he had got more moral virtue from plays than he had from sermons." As a sequel, it was long remembered

dis agit

ouglas. That no further doubt may exist upon its site, three brick buildings

iod they had "Cherry Garden" on Society Hill; the "Friends' Meeting-House," the "theatre," "George Wells's place." They had also a flag-staff erected on Society Hill, under whi

men, at the corner of South and Front Streets. They continued their antics for twenty ni

his with the one at the corner of Vernon Street. This theatre was erected in 1760. Little attention was paid to design in the building. The view from the boxes was intercepted by large pillars supporting the upper tier and roof. It was lighted by plain oil lamps, without glasses, a row of which was placed in front of the stage. The

r players were near being confounded with the weight of authority against them; for, unfortunately, they could not "quote Scripture for their purpose." Occasionally some one was bold enough to raise his voice in their defence, but it was heard as the small note of the oaten reed amidst the braying of the warlike trumpet. More, however,

m his distaste to the subject of theatres; for had he exercised a twentieth part of his usual judgment in tracing past occurrences, incidents, &c., this would not have occurred. Page 471, first vol

from England in 1767, and made his first appearance at the John Street The

s Aimwell in The Beau Stratagem. Hallam & Henry did not form a partnership until the 21st of November, 1784. Douglas having gone to Jamaica, where he received a judgeship under the British crown, he relinquished the sceptre of the American

ouglas, Hallam, Allyn, Morris, Quelch, Tomlinson, Street, Reed, Tremaine, an

fford a wide range for the display of his genius in that line

TENEBR

rkness co

ollows that every thing else must have a corresponding progressive interest. Reminiscences, however, are but retrogressive shadows that come over us in their gloom, as they conjure up the spirits of those

l he

goes, and doth

the golden m

oon at night.

ng wide his

ver o'er the

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vided they could raise the sum from the net proceeds of their office. The colonial post-office receipts had never been sufficient to pay a shilling of revenue into the English treasury; and to render them productive enough to yield the compensation mentioned, various reforms were

re that the receipts soon yielded the salary of the postmaster, and considerably increased the revenue of the governme

o the original plan what can be better expressed in the language of the Emperor Augustus: "I found Rome all brick, and left it all marble." Thus the

pence a year for fifty miles, and eighteen pence a year for one hundred miles. Post-riders received orders to take all newspapers offered, instead of only those issued by a postmaster. Franklin himself being both post

the same time letters were regularly advertised. Letters from all the neig

k in summer, to New York and Boston, and once a week in winter. To get an answer from Boston a Philadelphian had been obliged to wait six weeks. Franklin reduced the time to three. The rates

oy and Trenton, the very road along which Franklin the runaway apprentice had wearily trudged in the ra

household word from Boston to Charleston, but was also extensively known in Europe. Only two American names were then familiar to the Old World,-Jonathan Edwards in the religious world, and Benjamin Franklin in the circle of science. Jonathan Edwards was born at Windsor, in the province of Connectic

Franklin from office, as being a "factious and troublesome man." As the cause assigned was so trifling, the po

this city. Published by B. Franklin, Postmaster, and D. Hall. All post-office n

r. The letter from the postmaster-general stated simply "that the king had found it

he history of Franklin in connection with the events preceding the Revolution

ts acts, the colonies declared themselves constitutionally exempt from all obedience to the mea

iberty. It was a congress of men who met to decide the question whether one man had the power and the right to rule the million, or the million the right to govern the

e to the Second Continental Congress, which was to convene in Philadelphia four days after. The people of America had everywhere become exasperated beyond all further forb

ry breeze to be lost in the vortex of its revolutions. It set the seal on British rule in the colonies forever! It was the first move morally and ph

ect General George Washington commander-in-chief, and also to adopt a platfor

ans of establishing posts for the conveyance of letters and intelligence throughout the country. Franklin was at home in this employment, having served a long apprenticeship and studied its workings both theoreti

tmaster-general, from Falmouth, in New England, to Savannah, in Georgia, "with as many cross-posts as he shall think fit; that the allowance of the deputies in lieu of salary and all contingent expenses shall be twenty per cent. on the sums they collect and pay into the general post-office, annually, when the whole is under, or not exceeding, one thousand dollars, and ten per cent. for all sums above that amount a year; that the s

njamin Franklin, Esq., postmaster-general for one year, and until another Congress assembled. Eighteen months had passed since his dismissal, when he now found himself reinstated in office with higher rank and augmented authority. Nay, more: he was postmaster

dom where there are arbitrary restraints, they adopted Cice

estas faciendi id

at of its postal department. It forms a chain which links together all private and public interests;

arry the mails, and stationed them at distances of twenty-five miles, to deliver from one to the other and retu

ports as shall be most convenient to the place where Congress shall be sitting," one other between the State of Georgia a

min Franklin? A writer speaking of him and the period says, "With a fame unequalled in brilliancy by that of any other man of those times, not only as a philosopher and sage, but

f Virginia, was put in his place. Mr. Lee and Mr. Dean were both in Europe, the former having been employed several years in England as a colonial agent, and the latter having been sent out in the preceding March by the committee of secret correspondence, with a view to diplomatic as w

nded to the post-office business, and in all r

ceived from Congress a comm

returned to America, and arrived in Philadelphia on the 14th of September, 1785

on shortly after his return home. It is to be regretted that it is a finale which reflects but little credit on our government at that ti

unrequited services

what happened to me! On my return from England, in 1775, the Congress bestowed on me the office of postmaster-general, for which I was very thankful. It was, indeed, an office I had some kind of right to, as having previously greatly enlarged the revenue of the post by the regulations I had contrived and established while I possessed it under the crown. When I was sent to France, I left it in the hands of my son-in-law, who was to act as my deputy. But soon after my departure it was take

t we are not at all surprised at the many editions and variety of style of works written expressly to connect his name with them. We annex a pleasing li

d this was quite as much as it deserved. Extracts from foreign journals generally about six months old, and two or three badly-printed advertisements, formed the substance of the journal. The office of the editor was a sinecure,-at least his pen seems to have been seldom employed, and little information can be derived from the journal concerning the existing condition of Philadelphia. Occasionally a bill of mortality tells us that one adult and one child died during a certain week, and even that is beyond the usual number; for some weeks appear to have passed without a single death. From the following advertisement, which appears in No. 17, something of the customs and state of thin

are so happily and graphically delineated. Franklin, from whom Keimer had stolen the idea of a second newspaper, attacked it in a series of papers published in Bradford's journal and called The Busy-Body.34 The 'Universal Instructor' soon fell into decay, and then into Franklin's hands, by whom it was very skilfully managed, both for his own profit and for the interest and edification of the public. An editorial notice in one of Franklin's papers proves

tly afterwards arose, with various success. In 1760 five newspapers were published in the State, all weekly,-three of them printed in the city, one in Germantown, and one in Lancaster. In 1810 the number had increased to sixty-six, of which thirteen were published in Philadelphia; and in 1824 an official return to the postmaster-general stated the nu

re that any elaborate notice of them should be given here. Referring, therefore, to his own invaluable memoirs for the events of his personal and political history, I shall content myself with a short sketch of the principal features of his literary career. The year 1723 was that in which Franklin first set his foot in Philadelphia. As he landed on Market Street wharf, and walked up that street, an obscure and almost penniless boy, devouring a roll of bread, and ignorant where he could find a lodging for the night, little could he or any one who then saw him anticipate that later advent, when, sixty years afterwards, he landed upon the same wharf, amid the acclamations of thousands of spectators, on his return from an emb

s own composition, for it had never gone through the usual process in this manufacture, of pen and ink, but flowed at once from his brain to the press. The subject of these typographical stanzas was Aquila Rose, an apprentice in the office, whose surname natura

while living and honored when dead,-there was no other department wherein business an

f the postal department would have loomed up before them a splendid subject to descant upon. It would have shown them how out of chaos came forth, under Franklin's control, a form perfect in shape and gigantic in its pro

he cause of letters: he mapped the length and breadth of their extent; brought distant places together by the spe

e us a nation among nations, to be honored, respected, and feared, he carried out his plans,

wish to have his body buried with as little expense or ceremony as might be. But in th

rble stone, to be made by Chambers, six feet long, four feet wide, plain

NJ

N

H } FR

7

ced over

uated at the southeast corner of Arch and Fifth Streets, this

are so arranged by him that unless he died in that very year they would be useless), had calmly and deliberately selected the spot where he wished his corpse to

Franklin and Deborah his wife" more attraction and genuine respectability th

d urn or an

sion call the f

ice provoke th

he the dull, col

ter, as he subsequently compiled the valuable historical collections bearing his name. He held the office of postmaster until the inauguration of Presid