Franking Letters.

Franking Letters. On the introduction of the uniform penny-postage on all inland letters in 1840, the privilege formerly enjoyed by peers and members of the House of Commons, and many official persons, of franking—i.e. of sending and receiving letters duty free—was finally abolished. The privilege was claimed by the House of Commons in 1660, but the claim was rejected by the Lords, when it came before them as a clause in the Act 12 Charles II. chap. 35. Nevertheless, the indenture deposited with the letters-patent appointing Henry Bishop postmaster-general in that year expressly allowed the free transport of all letters to or from the king, the great officers of state, and single inland letters of the members of parliament for that session only. The practice of franking letters seems, however, to have been carried on until it was expressly granted, and the beneficiaries of the privilege defined, by the Act 4 George III. chap. 24 (1764). By this statute each member of either House of Parliament was entitled to send free ten letters every day, not exceeding an ounce in weight each, to any place in the United Kingdom, and to receive fifteen. As it was not necessary that the letter should be either written by or to the privileged person, the privilege was greatly abused. All that was requisite was that the member should write his name or title on the corner of the letter. But from 1837 till the abolition of the privilege it was required that the whole address should be written by the member; that he should add not only his name, but the name of the post-town, and the day of the month; and that the letter should be posted on the day on which it was written or the following day, and in a post-town within 20 miles of which the person franking was then actually resident.