Post Office Act.

The Constitution gave Congress the power to establish not only post offices but post roads as well. With the Post Office Act of 1792 Congress created the U.S. Post Office, and it did so on three fundamental principles. First, the Post Office would be selfsupporting. It would not rely on government subsidies, but would have to generate sufficient income to cover its expenses. Second, if the Post Office generated a surplus, it would invest it in improved service: in other words, it would not keep its profits. Finally, Congress, not the postmaster general, would decide where to put post roads.

English Model.

In England the postmaster general decided where to put post roads. Some members of Congress saw no reason to change the customary practice, while others did not think it would be constitutional to delegate this power to an executive...