The federal enclave of Florida is admitted as a slave State into the voluntary Union.  This brings the balance, in the Senate, of free States and slave States to 13 free and 13 slave—excluding the federal enclave of Ohio.

       [updated 3/13/2022]

       Independent Democrat (constitutionalist) President Tyler—without a constitutional amendment—signs the Uniform Postal Rate Act, making it illegal to compete with the united States Postmaster in the delivery of the mail.  This drives Lysander Spooner’s fledgling private postal delivery company out of business.  This is the first grant of a monopoly postal franchise in the voluntary Union.

       NOTE: Article I, Section 8 [Clause 7] does not require Congress to administer a post office.  The clause only calls for the “establish[ment, i.e. chartering] of Post Offices and post Roads.”  Nor does it authorize the exclusive granting of a monopoly franchise.  This is no different from Article I, Section 8 [Clause 5], which requires Congress to “coin Money, regulate the value thereof … and [to] fix  the Standard of Weights and Measures;” (emphasis added)

       [restored 1/22/2022]