BATES, Barnabas, postal reformer, born in Edmonton, England, in 1785; died in Boston, 11 October 1853. While yet a child he came to the United States, and became a Baptist preacher in Rhode Island, where he was also for some time collector of the port of Bristol under President Adams. He became a Unitarian, and established in New York in 1825 a weekly paper called the "Christian Inquirer." During the administration of President Jackson he received an appointment in the New York post-office, and was for some time acting postmaster. Here he became interested in the cheapening of letter postage, and advocated it in every way for many years, first investigating the subject thoroughly and then writing and speaking on it continually. He finally succeeded in reducing the rate of land postage, and at the time of his death was laboring for a corresponding reduction in ocean postage.