The royal mail of the Indies: a law of inviolable letters and a service bought back from its owner

A title of the Recopilación makes letters between Spain and the Indies free and inviolable, and orders the Indian foot-couriers paid into their own hands. Two centuries later the crown bought the post office of New Spain back from its private owner, joined it to the new maritime packets, and opened offices in towns where the traffic did not pay. The report saying so also records the villages hurt by furnishing horses, and proposes saving money on Indian runners who earned less.