Chapter XX. *to reduce and modify the Rates of Postage in the United States, and for other Purposes.*(*b*)(*b*) See note in vol. ii. 592, & acts of 1845, ch. 43 & 69; 1846, ch. 25, § 3; 1847, ch. 63; 1848, ch. 79; ch. 121, § 10; ch. 175, § 3; 1849, ch. 104; 1850, ch. 75, § 2
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Chap. XX.— An Act *to reduce and modify the Rates of Postage in the United States, and for other Purposes.*(*b*)(*b*) See note in vol. ii. 592, & acts of 1845, ch. 43 & 69; 1846, ch. 25, § 3; 1847, ch. 63; 1848, ch. 79; ch. 121, § 10; ch. 175, § 3; 1849, ch. 104; 1850, ch. 75, § 2.March 3, 1851. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* That from and after Rates of postage on letters. the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-one, in lieu of the rates of postage now established by law, there shall be charged the following rates, to wit:—For every single letter in manuscript, or paper of any kind, upon which information shall be asked for, or communicated, in writing, or by marks or signs, conveyed in the mail for any distance between places within the United States, not exceeding three thousand miles, when the postage upon such letter shall have 588 been prepaid, three cents, and five cents when the postage thereon shall not have been prepaid; and for any distance exceeding three thousand miles, double those rates.
For every such single letter or paper when conveyed wholly or in part by sea, and to or from a foreign country, for any distance over twenty-five hundred miles, twenty cents, and for any distance under twenty-five hundred miles, ten cents, (excepting, however, all cases where such postages have been or shall be adjusted at different rates, by postal treaty or convention already concluded or hereafter to be made;) and for a double letter there shall be charged double the rates above specified; and for a treble letter, treble those rates; and for a quadruple letter, quadruple those rates; and every letter or parcel not exceeding half an ounce in weight shall be deemed a single letter, and every additional weight of half an ounce, or additional weight of less than half an ounce, shall be charged with an additional single postage.
And all drop letters, or letters placed in Drop letters. any post-office, not for transmission, but for delivery only, shall be charged with postage at the rate of one cent each; and all letters Advertised letters. which shall hereafter be advertised as remaining over or uncalled for, in any post-office, shall be charged with one cent in addition to the regular postage, both to be accounted for as other postages now are. Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted,* That all newspapers not exceeding Rates of postage on newspapers sent from the office of publication to subscribers. three ounces in weight, sent from the office of publication to actual and bona fide subscribers, shall be charged with postage as follows, to wit:—All newspapers published weekly only, shall circulate in the mail free of postage within the county where published, and that the postage on the regular numbers of a newspaper published weekly, for any distance not exceeding fifty miles out of the county where published, shall be five cents per quarter; for any distance exceeding fifty miles and not exceeding three hundred miles, ten cents per quarter; for any distance exceeding three hundred miles and not exceeding one thousand miles, fifteen cents per quarter; for any distance exceeding one thousand miles and not exceeding two thousand miles, twenty cents per quarter; for any distance exceeding two thousand miles and not exceeding four thousand miles, twenty-five cents per quarter; for any distance exceeding four thousand miles, thirty cents per quarter; and all newspapers published monthly, and sent to actual and *bona fide* subscribers, shall be charged with one fourth the foregoing rates; and on all such newspapers published semi-monthly shall be charged with one half the foregoing rates; and papers published semi-weekly shall be charged double those rates; tri-weekly, treble those rates; and oftener than tri-weekly, five times those rates.
And there On other newspapers, and on circulars, periodicals, &c. shall be charged upon every other newspaper, and each circular not sealed, handbill, engraving, pamphlet, periodical, magazine, book, and every other description of printed matter, which shall be unconnected with any manuscript or written matter, and which it may be lawful to transmit through the mail, of no greater weight than one ounce, for any distance not exceeding five hundred miles, one cent; and for each additional ounce or fraction of an ounce, one cent; for any distance exceeding five hundred miles and not exceeding one thousand five hundred miles, double those rates; for any distance exceeding one thousand five hundred miles and not exceeding two thousand five hundred miles, treble those rates; for any distance exceeding two thousand five hundred miles and not exceeding three thousand five hundred miles, four times those rates; for any distance exceeding three thousand five hundred miles, five times those rates.
Subscribers to all periodicals shall be required to pay one quarter’s postage in advance, and in all such cases the postage shall be one half the foregoing rates. Bound books, and parcels of printed matter not weighing over thirty-two ounces, shall be deemed available matter under the provisions of 589 this section. And the postage on all printed matter other than newspapers and periodicals published at intervals not exceeding three months, and sent from the office of publication, to actual and *bona fide* subscribers, to be prepaid; and in ascertaining the weight of newspapers for the purpose of determining the amount of postage chargeable thereon, they shall be weighed when in a dry state.
And whenever any printed matter on which the postage is required by this section to be prepaid, shall, through the inattention of postmasters or otherwise, be sent without prepayment, the same shall be charged with double the amount of postage which would have been chargeable thereon if the postage had been prepaid; but nothing in this act contained Matters free from postage. shall subject to postage any matter which is exempted from the payment of postage by any existing law.
And the Postmaster-General, Rates to foreign countries may be reduced or enlarged. by and with the advice and consent of the President of the United States, shall be, and he hereby is, authorized to reduce or enlarge, from time to time, the rates of postage upon all letters and other available matter conveyed between the United States and any foreign country, for the purpose of making better postal arrangements with other governments, or counteracting any adverse measures affecting our postal intercourse with foreign countries; and postmasters at the office of delivery are hereby authorized, and it shall be their duty, to remove the wrappers and envelopes from all printed matter and pamphlets not charged with letter postage, for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is upon or connected with any such printed matter, or in such package, any matter or thing which would authorize or require the charge of a higher rate of postage thereon.
And all publishers of Exchange. pamphlets, periodicals, magazines, and newspapers, which shall not exceed sixteen ounces in weight, shall be allowed to interchange their publications reciprocally, free of postage: *Provided,* That such interchange Proviso. shall be confined to a single copy of each publication: *And provided, also,* That said publishers may enclose in their publications Proviso. the bills for subscriptions thereto, without any additional charge for postage: *And provided, further,* That in all cases where newspapers Proviso. shall not contain over three hundred square inches, they may be transmitted through the mails by the publishers to *bona fide* subscribers, at one fourth the rates fixed by this act.
Sec. 3. *And be it further enacted,* That it shall be the duty of the Postage stamps, and Postmaster-General to provide and furnish to all deputy postmasters, and to all other persons applying and paying therefor, suitable postage stamps,(*a*)(*a*) For previous provision as to stamps, see act of 1847, ch. 63, § 11. of the denomination of three cents, and of such other denominations as he may think expedient, to facilitate the prepayment of postages provided for in this act; and any person who shall forge or Penalty for forging or counterfeiting, &c., stamps. counterfeit any postage stamp provided or furnished under the provisions of this or any former act, whether the same are impressed or printed on, or attached to, envelopes or not, or any die, plate, or engraving therefor, or shall make or print, or knowingly use or sell, or 1845, ch. 69, § 5. have in his possession with intent to use or sell, any such false, forged, or counterfeited die, plate, engraving, or postage stamp, or who shall make or print, or authorize or procure to be made or printed, any postage stamps of the kind provided and furnished by the Postmaster-General as aforesaid, without the especial authority and direction of the post-office department, or who, after such postage stamps have been printed, shall, with intent to defraud the revenues of the post-office department, deliver any postage stamps to any person or persons other than such as shall be authorized to receive the same by an instrument of writing, duly executed under the hand of the Postmaster-General and the seal of the post-office department, shall, on conviction 590 thereof, be deemed guilty of felony, and be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment; and the expenses of Expenses of stamps and envelopes. procuring and providing all such postage stamps and letter envelopes, as are provided for or authorized by this act, shall be paid, after being adjusted by the auditor of the post-office department, on the certificate of the Postmaster-General, out of any money in the treasury arising from the revenues of the post-office department.
Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted,* That it shall be the duty of every Stamps to be defaced by postmasters. postmaster to cause to be defaced, in such manner as the Postmaster-General shall direct, all postage stamps attached to letters deposited in his office, for delivery, or to be sent by mail; and if any postmaster sending letters in the mail with postage stamps attached shall omit to deface the same, it shall be the duty of the postmaster, to whose office such letters shall be sent for delivery, to deface the stamps and report the delinquent postmaster to the Postmaster-General.
And if any person Penalty for using, or attempting to use stamps already used. shall use, or attempt to use, in prepayment of postage any postage stamp which shall have been before used for like purposes, such person shall be subject to a penalty of fifty dollars for every such offence, to be recovered in the name of the United States in any court of competent jurisdiction. Sec. 5. *And be it further enacted,* That lists of letters remaining uncalled Advertisement of uncalled for letters. for in any post-office, in any city, town or villiage [village] where a newspaper shall be printed, shall hereafter be published once only in the newspaper which, being issued weekly or oftener, shall have the largest circulation within the range of delivery of said office, to be decided by the postmaster at such office, at such times, and under such regulations as the Postmaster-General shall prescribe, and at a charge of one cent for each letter advertised.
And the postmaster at such office is hereby directed to post in a conspicuous place in his office, a copy of such list, on the day, or day after the publication thereof; and if the publisher of any such paper shall refuse to publish the list of letters as provided in this section, the postmaster may designate some other paper for such purpose. Such lists of letters shall be published once in every six weeks, and as much oftener, not exceeding once a week, as the Postmaster-General may specially direct: *Provided,* That the Postmaster-General German and other foreign letters. may, in his discretion, direct the publication of German and other foreign letters in any newspaper printed in the German or any other foreign language, which publication shall be either in lieu of or in addition to the publication of the list of such letters in the manner first in this section provided, as the Postmaster-General shall direct.
Sec. 6. *And be it further enacted,* That to any postmaster whose Pay of postmasters. commissions may be reduced below the amount allowed at his office for the year ending the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-one, and whose labors may be increased, the Postmaster-General shall be authorized, in his discretion, to allow such additional commissions as he may deem just and proper: *Provided,* That the whole Proviso. amount of commissions allowed such postmaster during any fiscal year shall not exceed by more than twenty per centum the amount of commissions at such office for the year ending the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-one.
Sec. 7. *And be it further enacted,* That no post-office now in existence Post-offices not to be discontinued, nor mail service diminished, on account of any diminution of revenue arising from this act. Increase. shall be discontinued, nor shall the mail service on any mail route in any of the States or Territories be discontinued or diminished, in consequence of any diminution of the revenues that may result from this act; and it shall be the duty of the Postmaster-General to establish new post-offices, and place the mail service on any new mail routes established, or that may hereafter be established, in the same manner as though this act had not passed. 591 THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 21. 1851. Sec. 8. *And be it further enacted,* That there shall be paid to the Appropriation for government postage. post-office department, in further payment and compensation for the mail service performed for the two houses of congress and the other departments and officers of the government in the transportation of free matter, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars per year, which shall be paid quarterly, out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, and the moneys appropriated to the post-office department by the twelfth section of the act “to establish certain post routes and for other purposes,” approved March third, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, 1847, ch. 63.Former appropriations made subject to drafts. and remaining undrawn in the treasury, shall continue subject to the requisition of the Postmaster-General for the service of the post-office department, notwithstanding the same may have so remained undrawn for more than two years after it became subject to such requisition.
Sec. 9. *And be it further enacted,* That there is hereby appropriated Appropriation for deficiencies. out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars, to supply any deficiency that may arise in the post-office department. Sec. 10. *And be it further enacted,* That it shall be in the power Letter carriers. of the Postmaster-General, at all post-offices where the postmasters are appointed by the President of the United States, to establish post routes within the cities or towns, to provide for conveying letters to the post-office by establishing suitable and convenient places of deposit, and by employing carriers to receive and deposit them in the post-office; and at all such offices it shall be in his power to cause letters to be delivered by suitable carriers, to be appointed by him for that purpose, for which not exceeding one or two cents shall be charged, to be paid by the person receiving or sending the same, and all sums so received shall be paid into the post-office department: *Provided,* The amount of compensation Proviso. allowed by the Postmaster-General to carriers shall in no case exceed the amount paid into the treasury by each town or city, under the provisions of this section.
Sec. 11. *And be it further enacted,* That from and after the passage New coin of value of 3 cents. of this act, it shall be lawful to coin at the mint of the United States and its branches, a piece of the denomination and legal value of three cents, or three hundredths of a dollar, to be composed of three-fourths silver and one fourth copper, and to weigh twelve grains and three-eighths Weight.Device. of a grain; that the said coin shall bear such devices as shall be conspicuously different from those of the other silver coins, and of the gold dollar, but having the inscription United States of America, and its denomination and date; and that it shall be a legal tender in Made a tender. payment of debts for all sums of thirty cents and under.
And that no ingots shall be used for the coinage of the three-cent pieces herein authorized, of which the quality differs more than five thousandths from the legal standard; and that, in adjusting the weight of the said coin, Weight. the following deviations from the standard weight shall not be exceeded, namely, one half of a grain in the single piece, and one pennyweight in a thousand pieces.(*a*)(*a*) For acts respecting U. S. coins, see note in vol. i. p. 248 ; Stat. 1849, ch. 109.
Approved, March 3, 1851.