On February 20, 1792, President George Washington signed legislation confirming the United States Post Office as a cabinet department led by the postmaster general. This guaranteed inexpensive delivery of all newspapers, stipulating the right to privacy and granting Congress the ability to expand postal service to new areas of the nation. Patriot printer William Goddard sketched out the plan for the national service, and Benjamin Franklin heralded it and became the first postmaster general.
