JEFFERSON, Thomas (1743-1826). Document signed ("Th: Jefferson") as Secretary of State, New York, 4 August 1790.

One page, 383 x 240mm (mild toning in a few places well clear of text, left margin bears a few very minor losses).

Jefferson transmits an act of Congress to provide for continued funding of the United States Post Office. Although the United States Post Office had been in existence prior to independence—founded by the Second Continental Congress on 26 July 1775—it had yet to be formally organized as a department within the executive branch of government when the Constitution came into force in 1789. The present document, detailing "An Act to continue in force for a limited time, an Act, intituled 'An Act for the temporary Establishment of the Post Office,'" was one of several continuing resolutions allowing Congress to fund the existing system until it passed the Post Office Act of 1792. Although that act established the Post Office as a department with its head nominated by the President and confirmed by Congress, the Postmaster General would not serve in the President's cabinet until 1829.