In our modern world, getting a job for the postal service means filling out an application and having the right qualifications for the job. In the early 1800s, getting a job at the postal service meant knowing people in high places. Starting with Thomas Jefferson’s presidency (1801-1809), it became a rather unethical tradition for the winning candidate to fire a majority of federal employees and replace them with those loyal to the winning party.

When Andrew Jackson was elected in 1828, he went so far as to tie his political perks to the postal service, which once accounted for 75 percent of all civilian federal jobs. Jackson made it a tradition for new presidents to fire many postal workers upon election and hand out those positions to supporters instead. This method of handing out postal jobs continued up until 1969 when it was ironically abolished by Richard Nixon. Some forms of corruption are simply a step too far.

Thankfully, no modern president has attempted to reinstate this unethical and partisan way of running the postal service. Today, all that matters when getting a job at the post office is having the right qualifications. Of course, a few connections probably don’t hurt either.