<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The Constitution’s Postal Clause granted Congress power to “establish Post Offices and post Roads.” This Article examines founding-era legal and historical materials to determine the original meaning and scope of the Postal Clause. It concludes that the Clause authorized Congress to pass all legislation necessary to create, operate, and regulate a unified transportation, freight, and courier system, although it also limited congressional authority in some respects. The founding-era reasons for the postal system were revenue, promotion of commerce, and political control. The Article also corrects some inaccurate claims about the Clause previously advanced by commentators.</p></abstract>

The Constitution’s Postal Clause granted Congress power to “establish Post Offices and post Roads.” This Article examines founding-era legal and historical materials to determine the original meaning and scope of the Postal Clause. It concludes that the Clause authorized Congress to pass all legislation necessary to create, operate, and regulate a unified transportation, freight, and courier system, although it also limited congressional authority in some respects. The founding-era reasons for the postal system were revenue, promotion of commerce, and political control. The Article also corrects some inaccurate claims about the Clause previously advanced by commentators.

Founding-Era Socialism: The Original Meaning of the Constitution’s Postal Clause

British Journal of American Legal Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Constitution’s Postal Clause granted Congress power to “establish Post Offices and post Roads.” This Article examines founding-era legal and historical...

Founding-Era Socialism: The Original Meaning of the Constitution’s Postal Clause

Published Online: May 30, 2018

Page range: 1 - 70

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjals-2018-0001

Keywords
Postal Clause, Post Roads, Original Meaning U.S. Constitution, Benjamin Franklin, British Royal Post Office

© 2018 Robert G. Natelson, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Founding-Era Socialism: The Original Meaning of the Constitution’s Postal Clause

Published Online: May 30, 2018

Page range: 1 - 70

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjals-2018-0001

KeywordsPostal Clause, Post Roads, Original Meaning U.S. Constitution, Benjamin Franklin, British Royal Post Office

© 2018 Robert G. Natelson, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Postal Clause, Post Roads, Original Meaning U.S. Constitution, Benjamin Franklin, British Royal Post Office