In early years the view was maintained by some that by this grant Congress was given the power only to designate the routes over which the mails should be carried, and the post-offices where it should be received and distributed, and to exercise the necessary protection in relation thereto, and that it did not provide the authority to construct and operate agencies for the carrying and distributing of mails. This was substantially the view taken by Monroe in the paper sent to Congress in connection with his veto of May 4, 1822, of the Cumberland Road bill.

"If we were to ask any number of our enlightened citizens, who had no connection with public affairs, and whose minds were unprejudiced, what was the import of the word 'establish' and the extent of the grant, which controls," says Monroe, "we do not think, that there would be any difference of opinion among them. We are satisfied, that all of them would answer, that a power was thereby given to Congress to fix on the towns, courthouses, and other places, through our Union, at which there should be post-offices; the routes, by which the mails should be carried from one post-office to another, so as to diffuse intelligence as extensively, and to make the institution as useful as possible; to fix the postage to be paid on every letter and packet thus carried to support the establishment; and to protect the post-offices and mails from robbery, by punishing those, who should commit the offense. The idea of the right to lay off the roads of the United States, on a general scale of improvement; to take the soil from the proprietor by force; to establish turnpikes and tolls, and to punish offenders in the manner stated above, would never occur to any such person. The use of the existing road, by the stage, mail-carrier, or post-boy, in passing over it, as others do, is all that would be thought of; the jurisdiction and soil remaining to the State, with a right in the State, or those authorized by its legislature, to change the road at pleasure."