merican
Postmasters-General, and for that reason the office was much sought
after by publishers. Both Franklin and Hunter, who were joint
Postmasters-General (Franklin from 1753 to 1774, and Hunter from 1753
to his death in 1761), were printers, and Franklin's dismissal is
sometimes attributed to a desire on the part of the British Government
to hamper the distribution of his publications, and so restrict their
influence. Great efforts were at this time made by the Crown authorities
in America to prevent the dissemination of ideas contrary to the British
ascendancy. As early as 1757 the Governor of Pennsylvania endeavoured to
prevent the publication of improper intelligence in newspapers, and
suggested that special instructions should be given to the
Postmasters-General. The feeling against the newspapers grew with the
developments of the years that followed, and by 1774 much trouble was
being caused by the Crown Postmasters to the publishers of newspapers.
Many were toning down their comments in order to retain the privilege of
free transmission, but some began to look for other means of
distributing their papers. William Goddard of Baltimore, publisher of
the _Maryland Journal_, suggested the establishment of "an _American_
Post Office on constitutional principles," and visited various colonies
in the early part of the year 1774 with the object of enlisting support
for his project. He received a good measure of approval, and on the 30th
April 1774 subscriptions were invited from the public towards the
establishment of an American Post Office. The scheme of this Post Office
was that subscriptions should be invited for its establishment and
maintenance, and "for the necessary defence of post officers and riders
employed in the same"; and that the subscribers in each colony should
appoint a committee from among themselves, whose business should be to
appoint postmasters at places where offices had hitherto been kept or
might be judged necessary, "and to regulate the postage of letters and
packets, with the terms on which newspapers are to be carried."[146]

Meantime the committees of safety and the Assemblies of the various
colonies made certain provision for the transmission of mails, both
within and between the colonies. In May 1775 the New York Committee
appointed a sub-committee to inquire of the postmaster, Mr. Foxcroft,
the reason for the recent discharge by him of the post riders. The
postmaster's explanation was