To the Kings most Excellent Ma^{ty}. The humble Petition of Andrew Hamilton, and Robert West. SHEWETH That your Maj^{tie}. and the late Queen of Blessed Memory in the fourth Year of your Raigne, by Letters Patent granted to Thomas Neale Esq^{r}. full power and Authority to Erect a Post, and Post office in North America, To hold for one and Twenty yeares without any Account, And by the same Letters Patent directed the Post Master Generall of England to Issue Deputations from time to time to such Persons as Mr. Neale or his Assignes should Nominate, to Execute the same power. In pursuance of which Grant, the Post Master Generall at Mr. Neales nomination, Deputed Your Peticoner Hamilton, who hath Setled a Post from New Yorke Southward as far as Virginia, and Eastward Seventy Miles beyond Boston in New England, which proves of great Advantage to the Trade of those Coloneys, and of no lesse Service to your Maj^{tys}. Governm^{t}. there. In the Setling and Supporting w^{ch} Post, your Pet^{r}. West, above seven yeares agoe upon the request and Credit of Mr. Neale, advanced Two hundred pounds, and your Petitioner Hamilton hath since disbursed Eleven Hundred Pounds more, and brought it to such Perfection, that it allready defrays Its own Charge, and will in time be a Considerable Revenue. That Mr. Neale being unable to pay your Pet^{rs}. or to give them other Satisfaction, in August 1699 Assigned all his Interest in the said Post to your Petitioner West for secureing all the Monys due to both your Petitioners and all such other sumes as your Pet^{r}. Hamilton should expend in further enlarging the said Post, with Common Interest for the whole Moneys. That Mr. Neale Dying before payment of any part of the said Debts, and all persons declining to Act either as his Executor, or Administrator, Your Pet^{rs}. will be necessitated to dispose of the said Post for Satisfaction of their Debts, but being Sensible It is more for your Maj^{ties}. Interest and Service, to have such Post Under the management and Controll of some Officer to be appointed by your Ma^{tys}. than of any Private Person. Your Petitioners humbly tender the same to your Maj^{tie}. and if your Maj^{tie}. shall not thinke fit to Accept It, They humbly pray that your Maj^{tie}. will Gratiously encourage the Continuance and Enlargement of the said Post, by granting them a further terme of years therein, and such additional Priviledges as are necessary for the Improvement of it. And your Petitioners shall ever pray &c^{a}. At the Court. No. 2. LONDON _Feb^{ry}. 8th 1779._ SIR, My present disagreable Situation as an Officer under the Crown without Employment, and without a Salary, occasioned by the Rebellion in America, induces me to give you the Trouble of this Adress, and to request your advice and Assistance in procuring that Relief which my present Circumstances require.