The Postal Service of the country is the oldest branch of the Government. As early as the year 1792, a proposition was introduced into the General Assembly of Virginia, to establish the office of Postmaster-General of Virginia and other parts of America. The proposition became a law, but was never carried into effect. In 1710, during the reign of Queen Anne, the British Parliament established a General Post-Office for all Her Majesty’s dominions. By this act, the Postmaster-General was permitted to have one chief letter office in New York, and other chief letter offices at some convenient place or places in each of Her Majesty’s provinces or colonies in America. When the colonies threw off their allegiance to the Crown, especial care was given to preserving, as far as possible, the postal facilities of the country. When the Federal Constitution was adopted, the right was secured to Congress “to establish Post-Offices and Post-Roads.” In 1789, Congress created the office of Postmaster-General, and defined his duties. Other laws have since been passed, regulating the increased powers and duties of the Department, which is now, next to the Treasury, the most extensive in the country. The Postmaster-General, the head of the Department, is a member of the President’s Cabinet, and is in charge of the postal affairs of the United States. The business of the various branches of the Department is conducted in his name and by his authority. He has a general supervision of the whole Department, and issues all orders concerning the service rendered the Government through his subordinates. During the first administrations of the Government, the Postmaster-General was not regarded as a Cabinet Minister, but simply as the head of a Bureau. In 1829, General Jackson invited Mr. Barry, the gentleman appointed by him to that office, to a seat in his Cabinet. Since that time, the Postmaster-General has been recognized, as _ex-officio_, a Cabinet Minister. The first Postmaster-General was Samuel Osgood, of Massachusetts. The present Postmaster is Marshall Jewell, of Hartford, Connecticut.