Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/338

 322 by a reolution of the commons, declaring, that the office of pot-mater is and ought to be in the ole power and dipoal of the parliament. This office was afterwards farmed by one Manley in 1654. But, in 1657, a regular pot-office was erected by the authority of the protector and his parliament, upon nearly the ame model as has been ever ince adopted, with the ame rates of portage as were continued till the reign of queen Anne. After the retoration a imilar office, with ome improvements, was etablihed by tatute 12 Car. II. c. 35. but the rates of letters were altered, and ome farther regulations added, by the tatutes 9 Ann. c. 10. 6 Geo. I. c. 21. 26 Geo. II. c. 12. and 5 Geo. III. c. 25. and penalties were enacted, in order to confine the carriage of letters to the public office only, except in ome few caes: a proviion, which is abolutely neceary; for nothing but an excluive right can upport an office of this ort: many rival independent offices would only erve to ruin one another. The privilege of letters coming free of portage, to and from members of parliament, was claimed by the houe of commons in 1660, when the firt legal ettlement of the preent port-office was made ; but afterwards dropped upon a private aurance from the crown, that this privilege hould be allowed the members. And accordingly a warrant was contantly iued to the pot-mater-general, directing the allowance thereof, to the extent of two ounces in weight: till at length it was exprely confirmed by tatute 4 Geo. III. c. 24; which adds many new regulations, rendered neceary by the great abues crept into the practice of franking; whereby the annual amount of franked letters had gradually increaed, from 23600𝑙. in the year 1715, to 170700𝑙. in the year 1763. There cannot be devied a more eligible method, than this, of raiing money upon the ubject: for therein both the government and the people find a mutual benefit. The government acquires a large revenue; and the Rh