distribution of newspapers by post, analogous, though
not identical, with that which grew up in Great Britain, existed from an
early period in America. There the privilege of franking newspapers was
a perquisite, but it was not the perquisite of one officer, as in
England. All postmasters exercised the privilege as part of their
general privilege of franking all their correspondence, the arrangement
being part of their emoluments as postmasters; and post-masterships were
much sought after by newspaper publishers, who were thereby enabled to
obtain free of charge the advantage of the distribution of their
publications by what in most cases was the best, if not the only,
available means.

The most notable example was Benjamin Franklin, who was for nearly forty
years connected with the Post Office in North America, first as
Postmaster of Philadelphia, and afterwards as joint Postmaster-General
for the northern part of North America, and who, throughout this period,
was able to circulate his publications by post free of charge. The Post
Office, especially in regard to the exercise of this privilege, is
regarded by Americans as having been an important factor making for a
general understanding between the colonies, and a conception of the
possibility of common action.[331] As early as 1757 the Crown
authorities in the colonies were looking with a jealous eye on the
unrestricted distribution of newspapers, and were contemplating measures
for preventing the dissemination of objectionable ideas.[332]

As the friction between the colonies and the Mother Country grew in the
years that followed, the Crown postmasters became more and more active
in their endeavours to hamper the distribution by post of newspapers
which published improper intelligence, or proclaimed improper political
doctrines. In 1774 Franklin was dismissed, and his dismissal has been
ascribed to a desire to impede the distribution of his
publications.[333]

There is no doubt that the Crown authorities attempted through the
postmasters to prevent the distribution of colonial newspapers, and it
was this action which led in the first instance to the suggestion for
the establishment of an independent American Post Office.[334] The
resolutions of the Continental Congress by which the American office was
established in 1775 did not provide for the transmission of newspapers.
Nor does the ordinance of the 21st October 1782 prescribe any rates for
their transmission;