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25. No newspapers shall be received by the postmasters to be conveyed by post, unless they are sufficiently dried and inclosed in proper wrappers, on which, besides the direction, shall be noted the number of papers which are inclosed for subscribers, and the number for printers.

26. The postmaster-general, in any contract he may enter into for the conveyance of the mail, may authorize the person with whom such contract is to be made, to carry newspapers, magazines and pamphlets other than those conveyed in the mail.

27. When the mode of conveyance, and the size of the mails will admit of it, magazines and pamphlets may be transported in the mail at one cent a sheet for any distance not exceeding fifty miles, at one cent and an half for any distance over fifty and not exceeding one hundred miles, and two cents for any greater distance.

28. SECT. XXI. The postmaster-general shall be authorized to allow to the postmasters, respectively, such commission on the monies arising from the postages of letters and packets, as shall be adequate to their respective services and expenses: Provided, That the said commission shall not exceed thirty per cent. on the first hundred dollars collected in one quarter, and twenty-five per cent. on a sum over one hundred, and not more than three hundred; and twenty per cent. on any sum over four hundred and not exceeding two thousand dollars; and eight per cent. on any sum collected, being over two thousand four hundred dollars; except to the postmasters, who may be employed in receiving and dispatching foreign mails, whose compensation may be augmented, not exceeding twenty-five dollars, in one quarter, and excepting to the postmasters, at offices where the mail is regularly to arrive between the hours of nine o'clock at night, and five o'clock in the morning; whose commission on the first hundred dollars, collected in one quarter, may be increased to a sum not exceeding fifty per cent. The postmaster-general may allow to the postmasters, respectively, a commission of fifty per cent. on the monies arising from the postages of newspapers, magazines and pamphlets; and to the postmasters, whose compensation shall not exceed five hundred dollars, in one quar ter, two cents for every free letter delivered out of the office, excepting such as are for the postmaster himself; and each postmaster, who shall be required to keep a register of the arrival and departure of the mails, shall be allowed ten cents for each monthly return which he makes thereof to the general-post-office. [See postea 42.]

29. SECT. XXII. If any postmaster, or other person authorized to receive the postages of letters and packets, shall neglect or refuse to render his accounts, and pay over to the postmaster-general the balance by him due at the end of every three months, it shall be the duty of the postmaster-general to cause a suit to be commenced against the person or persons so neglecting or refusing: And if the postmaster-general shall not cause such suit to be commenced within six months from the end of every such three months, the balances due from every such delinquent shall be charged to and recoverable from the postmas ter-general.

30. All suits which shall be hereafter commenced for the recovery of debts or balances due to the general-post-office, whether they appear by bond or obligations made in the name of the existing or any preceding postmaster-general, or otherwise, shall be instituted in the name of the "postmaster-general of the united states."

31. Certified copies under the seal of the general-post-office, of the accounts current of the several postmasters, after the same shall have been examined and adjusted at that office, shall be admitted as evidence in all suits brought by the postmaster-general for the recovery of bal ances or debts due from postmasters, and in like manner copies of such accounts current as are lodged in the office of the register of the treasury, certified by the register under the seal of his office, shall be admitted as evidence.

32. SECT. XXIII. If any postmaster, or other person, who shall receive and open, or dispatch mails, shall neglect to render accounts thereof for one month after the time, and in the form and manne prescribed by law, and by the postmaster-general's instructions conformable therewith, he shall forfeit double the value of the postages which shall have arisen at the same office in any equal portion of time previous or subsequent thereto; or in case no accounts shall have been rendered at the time of trial of such case, then such sum as the court and jury shall estimate equivalent thereto, to be recovered by the postmaster-general in an action on the case.

33. SECT. XXIV. All pecuniary penalties and forfeitures incurred under this act, shall be, one half for the use of the person or persons informing and prosecuting for the same, and the other half to the use of the united states.

34. SECT. XXV. It shall be lawful for the postmaster-general tơ make provision, where it may be necessary, for the receipt of all letters and packets intended to be conveyed by any ship or vessel beyond sea, or from any port in the united states to another port therein; and the letters so received shall be formed into a mail, sealed up, and directed to the postmaster of the port to which such ship or vessel shall be bound. And for every letter or packet so received, there shall be paid, at the time of its reception, a postage of one cent, which shall be for the use of the postmasters respectively receiving the same. And the postmaster-general may make arrangements with the postmasters in any foreign country, for the reciprocal receipt and delivery of letters and packets through the post-offices.

35. SECT. XXVI. The postmasters, and the persons employed in the transportation of the mail, shall be exempt from militia duties, and serving on juries, or any fine or penalty for neglect thereof.

36. SECT. XXVII. Letter-carriers shall be employed at such postoffices as the postmaster-general shall direct, for the delivery of letters in the places respectively where such post-offices are established; and for the delivery of each such letter, the letter-carrier may receive of the person to whom the delivery is made, two cents: Provided, That no letter shall be delivered to such letter-carrier for distribution, addressed to any person who shall have lodged at the post-office a written request that his letters shall be detained in the office. And for every

letter lodged at any post-office, not to be carried by post, but to be de livered at the place where it is to be so lodged, the postmaster shall receive one cent of the person to whom it shall be delivered.

37. SECT. XXVIII. All causes of action arising under this act, may be sued, and all offenders against this act may be prosecuted, be fore the justices of the peace, magistrates, and other judicial courts of the several states, and of the several territories of the united states, they having competent jurisdiction by the laws of such states or territories, to the trial of claims and demands of as great value, and of prosecutions where the punishments are of as great extent; and such justices, magistrates, or judiciary, shall take cognizance thereof, and proceed to judgment and execution as in other cases.

38. SECT. XXIX. In all suits for causes arising under this act, the court shall proceed to trial, and render judgment the first term after such suit shall be commenced: Provided always, That whenever service of the process shall not have been made twenty days at least previous to the return day of such term, the defendant shall be entitled to one continuance, if the court on the statement of such defendant shall judge it expedient: Provided also, That if the defendant in such suits shall make affidavit that he has a claim against the general-post-office, not allowed by the postmaster-general, although submitted to him conformable to the regulations of the post-office, and shall specify such claim in the affidavit, and that he could not be prepared for the trial at such term for want of evidence, the court in such case, being satisfied in those respects, may grant a continuance until the next succeeding

term.

39. SECT. XXX. It shall be the duty of the postmaster-general to report annually to congress every post-road which shall not, after the second year from its establishment, have produced one third of the expense of carrying the mail on the same.

SECT. XXXI. repeals part of two former laws with the proviso, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to exonerate any person who shall not have performed the duty, or who shall have violated any of the prohibitions contained in the said acts, from suits or prosecutions; but as to all bonds, contracts, debts, demands, rights, penalties, punishments, which have been made, have arisen, or have been incur red, or which shall be made, arise, or be incurred previous to the first day of May next, the said acts shall have the same force and effect as though this act had not been made. Provided also, That the postmaster-general, deputy postmasters, contractors for carrying the mail, and others employed under the aforesaid acts, shall continue to hold their several offices, appointments and trusts, until they are otherwise removed; any thing herein contained that might be construed to the contrary notwithstanding; and also the bonds which they, or either of them, have or may give for the faithful execution of their several duties and offices, shall continue to have the same force and effect, to all intents and purposes, after the said first day of May next, as though this

act had not been made.

ACT of May 3, 1802. (Vol. VI. p. 164.) SECT. I. II. relate to the discontinuance of certain post-roads, and establishment of others. [See list at the end of this title.]

40. SECT. III. For the better and more secure carrying of the mail of the united states, on the main post-road between Petersburgh, in Virginia, and Louisville, in Georgia, the postmaster-general shall be and hereby is authorized and directed to engage and contract with private companies, or adventurers, for carrying the mail of the united states, for a term of time not exceeding five years, in mail coachees or stages, calculated to convey passengers therein: Provided, That the expense thereof shall not exceed a sum equal to one third more than the whole of the present expense incurred for carrying the mail on such road, on horseback. And the said postmaster-general may, hereafter at his discretion, require as a stipulation in the contract for carrying the mail from Suffield, in Connecticut, by Windsor, in Vermont, to Dartmouth college in New-Hampshire; that the same shall be conveyed in a carriage or line of stages: Provided, The expense thereof shall not exceed more than one third the sum heretofore given for carrying the mail on the last mentioned route by a post-rider.

41. SECT. IV. From and after the first day of November next no other than a free white person shall be employed in carrying the mail of the united states, on any of the post-roads, either as a post-rider or driver of a carriage carrying the mail: And, every contractor or person who shall have stipulated or may hereafter stipulate to carry the mail, or whose duty it shall be to cause the same to be conveyed, on any of the post-roads as aforesaid, and who shall, contrary to this act employ any other than a free white person as a post-rider or driver, or in any other way to carry the mail on the same, shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of fifty dollars, one moiety thereof to the use of the united states, and the other moiety thereof to the person who shall sue for, and prosecute the same, before any court having competent jurisdiction thereof.

42. SECT. V. All letters, packets and newspapers to and from the attorney-general of the united states shall be conveyed by post free of postage: Provided, That all letters by him sent be franked in the manner required by the seventeenth section of the act to establish the postoffice. [See antea 19.]

43. SEC1. VI. The postmaster-general shall be authorized to allow the postmasters at the several distributing offices, such compensation as shall be adequate to their several services in that respect: Provided, That the same shall not exceed in the whole five per cent. on the whole amount of postages on letters and newspapers received for distribution, and that the said allowance be made to commence on the first day of June, in the year one thousand eight hundred: Provided also, That if the number of mails received at, and dispatched from, any such office is not actually increased by the distributing system, then no additional allowance shall be made to the postmaster. [See antea 28, and postea 44.]

44. SECT. VII. There shall be allowed to the deputy postmaster at the city of Washington, for his extraordinary expenses incurred in the discharge of the duties of his office, an additional compensation, at the rate of one thousand dollars per annum, to be computed from the first day of January last,

45. SECT. VIII. This act shall not be so construed as to affect any existing contracts for carrying the mail.

[See Militia 3. Public Officers 21, 22.]

Poft Roads in the United States.

The post-roads having undergone various alterations, the following list is taken from the different acts upon the subject. [See Vol. III. pages 36, 177, 414-Vol. V. pages 101,313—Vol. VI. p. 164.]

MAIN POST ROAD.

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The post-road from Bluehill to Penobscot, Frankfort and Belfast, is discontinued, and the following established in its place, viz. From Bluehill thro' Castine, Penobscot, Buckston, Frankfort and Profpect to Belfast. See vol. III. P. 414,

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