1792 George Washington - Postal Service Act (Government-run news delivery)

During colonial America, postal routes were farmed out to contractors who promised to deliver the mail within a certain area for a specified length of time.  The mail was delivered by post riders or men on horseback who carried the mail to a central location in even the most remote towns of America.  These post riders not only delivered letters and business correspondence, but also news papers.  Besides word of mouth, most political news came to the towns via news papers delivered via the post riders.  Newspapers played a vital role in the early history of our country through the revolution and through the defining of our constitutions.  It was in the newspapers that people read of the great battles, and it was in the newspapers where the Federalists and anti-Federalists hashed out their arguments over Democracy.

Then in 1792, George Washington signed the Postal Service act. The Postal Service Act renewed the United States Post Office as a cabinet department led by the postmaster general, and among other things guaranteed the inexpensive delivery of all newspapers.  The postal service act provided the carriage of newspapers to subscribers for the relative low rate of either 1 cent (for up to 100 miles) or 1.5 cents (for more than 100 miles).  Yep, the federal government was taking over the delivery of news papers.  Just imagine today, if federal government announced that it was going to provide a low-cost government run internet service provider.  It would send shock waves through out our nation.   Of course, back then people trusted their government more.  Or did they?  Well, in 1792, people were also skeptical.   They accused the postal service act and it's higher 1.5 cent fee as a scheme to inhibit newspaper circulation to distant areas.   Was President George Washington trying to take away their news?

George Washington in his fourth state of the union address try to dissipate these concerns. Washington promised that if any aspects of the new law acted in a way to limit the "transmission of news papers to distant parts of the country", it would be fixed.   The circulation of political intelligence and information is too important not to be addressed.

"It is represented that some provisions in the law which establishes the post office operate, in experiment, against the transmission of news papers to distant parts of the country. Should this, upon due inquiry, be found to be the fact, a full conviction of the importance of facilitating the circulation of political intelligence and information will, I doubt not, lead to the application of a remedy."

One of the first newspapers to be delivered via the United States Postal Service was the National Gazette.  The National Gazette was first published on October 31, 1792 by Philip Freneau. Over the next two years, Freneau published two issues a week that often criticized the presidential administration of Washington.   Thus, ironically it was Washington's support for a free press, and for the public transmission of the news that helped make the National Gazette possible.

On another interesting note, it was James Madison who was a key proponent of the Postal Service act and one of the key supporters of the National Gazette.  James  Madison knew how vital the deliver of news papers was, especially to the distant country side.  As a young graduate of Princeton, Madison returned home to his family as a tutor of his many brothers and sisters.  During that time he longed for the news of the country and missed the intellectual conversations of the city.   William Bradford, Washington's 2nd Attorney General, fellow graduate of Princeton and a life long friend of Madison would clip articles from newspapers and send them to Madison.    I doubt that Madison would have let Washington sign any act into law that diminished the delivery of news to the distant parts of the country.   Incidentally, most local newspapers were just that, clippings from other newspapers that were sent through the mail.   Much like social media today.

Postal Service Act of 1792 Section 22

 Sec. 22. And be it further enacted, That all newspapers, conveyed in the mail, shall be under a cover open at one end, carried in separate bags from the letters, and charged with the payment of one cent, for any distance not more than one hundred miles, and one cent and a half for any greater distance: And it shall be the duty of the Postmaster General and his deputy, to keep a mail. separate account for the newspapers, and the deputy postmasters shall receive fifty per cent. on the postage of all newspapers: And if any other matter or thing be enclosed in such papers, the whole packet shall be charged, agreeably to the rates established by this act, for letters or packets. And if any of the persons employed in any department of the post-office, shall unlawfully detain, delay, embezzle or destroy any newspaper, with which he shall be entrusted, such offenders, for every such offence, shall forfeit a sum, not exceeding fifty dollars:

Provided, That the Postmaster General, in any to any contract, he may enter into, for the conveyance of the mail, may authorize the person, with whom such contract is made, to carry newspapers, other than those conveyed in the mail.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29434
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_riders
https://about.usps.com/universal-postal-service/universal-service-and-postal-monopoly-history.pdf
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/postal-service-act-regulates-united-states-post-office-department
http://americacomesalive.com/newsletter-archive/newspaper-delivery-before-ipads-january-2011/
http://www.mountvernon.org/research-collections/digital-encyclopedia/article/national-gazette/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Post_Office_Department#/media/File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_the_Post_Office.svg