The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-08-24
IBY AUTHORITY
Law or THE UNITED STATES.
(coN11Nv ED.)
AN ACT
Regulating the Post Office Esta6tishn,ent.

of letters, with which he shall be entrusted, or
which shall have come to his possession, & which
are intended to be conveyed by post, or ifany such
person shall secrete, embe zzle destroy any let
ter or packet entrusted to him aforesaid, and
which shall not contain any security for, as
surance relating to money. as hereinafter dies
cribed, every such offender being thereof duty
convicted, shall for every such offence be ined,
not exceeding three hundred dollars, or impri
soned, not exceeding six months, or both, &C
cordng to the circumstances and aggravatOns
OF the offence. And if any person employed as
aforesaid, shall secrete embe Gle, or destroy any
letter, packet, bag, mail ofletters, with which
he shall be entrusted, which shall have come
to his possession, and are intended to be convey
ed by post, containing any bank note or bank
post-bili, bill of exchange, warrant OF the Trea
Sury of the United States, note Of assignment of
stock IN the funds. letters of attorney for recev
ing annuties on dividends, or for selling stock in
the iunds or for receiving the interest thereof or
any letter OF credit, note for relating pay
ment OF monies, or any bond warrant, draft,
Dill or promissory note, covenant, contract or
Rreement whatsoever, for relating to the pay
ment OF money, or the delivery of any article of
value, or the performance of any act, matter, or
thing or any receipt, release, acq,littance or dis
charge OF OF from any debt, covenant, or demand,
or any part thereof. or any copy Of any of
any judgment, or decree, in any court Of law, or
chancery, or any execution which may have is
sued thereon, or any copy ofany other record or
senting the same; or ifany such person, employ
ed as aforesaid, shall steal or take any of the
same out OF any letter, packet, bag, mail of let
tiers, that shall come to his possession, he shall,
on conviction, for any such offence be imprison
cd not exceeding ten years. And if any, who
shall have taken charge ofthe mail ofthe United
States, shall quit or desert the same, before he
delivers IT into the post office kept at the termi-
nation OF his route, or to some known mail car
rier, or agent OF the general post office autho-
rlsed 10 receive the same, every such person SO
offending, shall forfeit and pay a sum not eX
seeding FIVE hundred dollars for every such Of
fence. And it any person, concerned in car
Eying the mail OF the United States, shall, col
iect, receive or carry any letter packet or shall
cause OF procure the same to be done, contra
Ey to this act every such offender shall forfeit &
pay,for every such offence, sum not exceeding
hfty dollars
SEC 10. And be it further enacted, That If
any person Shall rob any carrier OF the mail of the
United States or other person entrusted there
with, OF such mail, or of part thereof, such of.
FENDER or offenders shall, on conviction, be i'm
prisoned not exceeding ten years. and if con
vcted second time of like offence, he or they
shall suffer death or if in effecting such rob.
berry ofthe mail, the first time, the offender shall
wound the person having custody thereof, or put
his life IN jeopardy, by the of dangerous wea-
pons, such offender or offenders shall suffer death
And if any person shall attempt to rob the mail
of the United States, by assaulting the person
having custody thereof, shooting at him or his
horse or mule, or threatening him with DANCE
rous weapons, and the robbery is not effected,
every such offender, on conviction thereof, shall
be punished by Imprisonment not exceeding three
years. And If any person shall steal the mail ,
shall steal or take from or out of any mail OF
from or out of any post Office any letter or pack
ct, if any person shall take the mail, or any
letter packet therefrom or from any post of
flee, whether with or without the consent of the
person having custody thereof, and shall open,
emb zzle or destroy any such mail, letter, or
packet, the same containing any article of value,
or evidence of any debt, due, demand right or
clam, any release, receipt, acquittance or dis
charge, or any other article, paper or thing men,
toned and described in the eighteenth section of
this act, or il any person shall, by fraud and de
Ception, obtain'Sfrom any person having custody
thereof, any mail, letter packet, containing a
ny article of value, or evidence thereof, or Ell
ther of the writings referred to or next above
mentioned, such offender or offenders on con-
vction thereof, shall be imprisoned not exceed.
ing seven years. And if any person shall take a.
ny letter or packet, not containing any article of
value or evidence thereof, out of post Office
or shall open any letter packet which shall have
been in post office, or in the custody of mail
carrier, before it shall have been delivered to
the person to whom it is dire cted, with design
TO obstruct the correspondence, to pry into ano-
TIERS business or secrets, shall secrete, EN-.
bezzle or destroy any such mail, letter or pack
ct, such offender, upon conviction shall pay for
every such offence sum not exceeding five hun
dred dollars.
SEC 90. dnd be it further enacted, That if
any person shall rip, cut tear, burn or otherwise
injure any portnantua, valise, or other bag used
or designed to be used by any person acting un-
der the authority of the post master general or a.
ny person in whom his powers are vested in the
conveyance OF any mail, letter, packet, ne wspa-
per or pamphlet, or shall draw or break any sta
ple loosen any part of any lock, chain or strap
attached to or belonging to any such valise port
mantua, or bag, with an intent to rob or steal a.
ny mail, letter, packet, newspaper or pamphlet,
or to render either of the same insecure, every
such offender upon conviction shall for every such
offence pay sum not exceeding five hundred
dollars, or be imprisoned not exceeding three
such conviction is had.
SEC. 81. And be it further enacted, That eve.
gy person who from and after the passage of this
act, shall procure, aid, advise or assist in the do
ing or preparation of any of the acts or crimes
by this act forbidden to be done or performed,
shall be subject to the same penalties and OH
Hishments the persons are subject TO, who
shall actually do or perpetrate any of the said
acts or crimes according to the provision of this
act
4 SEC. %. And be HEarfksy enacted, That Q.
very person who shall be imprisoned by iude
ment of court under and by virtue of the cigh
teenth, nineteenth, twentieth or twenty first
sections of this act, shall be kept at hard labor
during tie period Of his imprisonment
SEC. %. Apd be it further enacted, That the
post masters shall, TespC ctiveIv publisb NJ the