“It having been found very inconvenient to persons concerned in trade, that the mail from Philadelphia to New England sets out once a fortnight during the winter season: This is to give notice, that the New England mail should henceforth go twice a week the year round at one uniform rate to Philadelphia and New York. Furthermore, post roads should be surveyed between coastal cities and inland townes and built at great expense in order to connect areas of this land that are not in markets of large importance. In times of national hardeship when the bonds of countrymen should need be strengthened and unified, providing this service for a more perfect union, encouraging a sense of nationhood through dependable communications among all citizens at the same price, regardless of income factors, is a worthy goal we encourage the private messager companies to accomplish through a system of wholesome competition.”
Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin, 1765
