In the Georgia Declaration of Causes issued when the state seceded, one of the things listed is this:
"... These interests, in connection with the commercial and manufacturing classes, have also succeeded, by means of subventions to mail steamers and the reduction in postage, in relieving their business from the payment of about $7,000,000 annually, throwing it upon the public Treasury under the name of postal deficiency. ..."
[See http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/Georgia_Declaration_of_Causes for the entire document]
"These interests" appear to be "The navigating interests" of the North in context.
I know that there was a large stink over the Post Office in the days before the Mexican War; there was a great controversy about private mail services. One such venture was the American Letter Mail Company that had been established by the Lysander Spooner. Spooner's company charged 5 cents/letter on their routes: substantially less than the government did. Spooner was forced out of business, but the US Mail lowered their rates as a result.
Is this what the Georgians are complaining about? Do they really see this as one of the issues justifying secession? Or am I missing some other US-Mail-related events in there?
Regards,
Tim
"... These interests, in connection with the commercial and manufacturing classes, have also succeeded, by means of subventions to mail steamers and the reduction in postage, in relieving their business from the payment of about $7,000,000 annually, throwing it upon the public Treasury under the name of postal deficiency. ..."
[See http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/Georgia_Declaration_of_Causes for the entire document]
"These interests" appear to be "The navigating interests" of the North in context.
I know that there was a large stink over the Post Office in the days before the Mexican War; there was a great controversy about private mail services. One such venture was the American Letter Mail Company that had been established by the Lysander Spooner. Spooner's company charged 5 cents/letter on their routes: substantially less than the government did. Spooner was forced out of business, but the US Mail lowered their rates as a result.
Is this what the Georgians are complaining about? Do they really see this as one of the issues justifying secession? Or am I missing some other US-Mail-related events in there?
Regards,
Tim
Bringing the