Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-04-19
BY AUTHORITY.1

A. ACT 10 reduce into one the several Acts
establishing and regulating the Post Office
Department.
BE il enacted By The Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States
2fdmerica IN Congress assembled, That
there be established, at the Seat Of the
Government of the United States, Ge-
neral Post Office, under the direction OF
Postmaster General. The Postmaster
General shall appoint two Assistants,
and such Clerks as may be necessary
for the performance Of the business OF his
Office, and as are authorized by law
and shall procure, and cause to be kept,
Seal for toe said Office, which shall be
affixed to commissions of Postmas,ers,
and used to authenticate ali transcripts
and copies which may be required from
the Department. He shall establish
Post Of.ces, and appoint Pos,masters,
at all such places as shall appear to him
expedient, on the post roads that are, or
may be, established by law. lie shall
give his Assistants, the Postmasters, and
all other persons whom he shall employ,
or who may be employed, in any of the
departments of the General Post Office,
Instructions relative to their duty. lie
mall provide for the carriage of the mail
On all post roads that are, or may be, es-
tblisbed by law, and as often as he, hav-
7fe regard to the productivcness thereof,
and other circumstances, shall think pro-
per. He may direct the route or road,
where there are more than one, between
places designated by law for post road,
which route shall be considered the post
road. He shall obtain, from the Post
masters, their accounts and vouchers for
their receipts and expenditures, once in
three months, or oftener, with the ba-
lances thereon arising, IN favor of the
General Post Office. He shall pav all
expenses which may arise in conde citing
the Post Office, and in the conveyance
>oi the mail. and all other necessary ex-
penses arising on the collection OF the re-
venue, and management of the General
Post Office. He shall prosecute offences
against the Post Office Establishment.
lie shall, once in three months, render,
TO the Secretary of the Treasury, quar-
serly account of all the receipts end ex-
pendilures in the said Department, to be
adjusted and settled as other public &C.
counts. He shall, also, superinteud The
business Of the Department, in all the
duties that are. or may be, assigned to it
Provided, That, in case OF the death,
resignation, or removal from office, of
the Postmaster General, all his duties
shall be performed by the Senior AS
distant, until successor snail be ap-
pointed, and arrive at the General Office,
10 perform the business.
Sec. 2. .And he il further enacted,
That the Postmaster General. and all
other persons employed in the General
Post Office, or in the care, custody, or
conveyance of the msil, shall, previous
10 entering upon the duties assigned 70
them, or the execution Of their trust, and
before they shall be entitled to receive
any emolument therefor, respectively
take and subscribe the following oath, or
affirmation, before some magistrate, and
cause certificate thereof to be fled in
The General Post Office: 81, A b, do
swear or affirm, Gas the case may be,)
that will faithfully perform all the du-
ties required Of me, and abstain from
every thing forbidden by the laws in re-
}ation 10 the establishment of the Post
Office and Post Roads within the United
States" Every person who shall be,
in any manner, employed in the care,
custody, conveyance, or management Of
the mail, shall be subject to all pains,
penalties, and forfetures, for violating
the injunctions, or neglectipg the duties,
required of him by the laws relating to
The establishment of the Post Office and
Post Roads, whether such person shall
have taken the oath or affirmation, above
prescribed, or not.
Sec. 8. Ind be it further enacted,
That it shall beIhe duty ofthe Ros,mas.
ser General, upon the appointment, of
any Postmaster, to require, and take, of
such Postmaster, bond, with good and
approved security, in such penalty as he
may judge sufficient, conditioned for the
faithful discharge ofall the duties OF such
Postmaster, required by law, or which
m y be required BY any instruction, nr
general rule, for he government of the
Department: Provided ho7veper That,
If default shall be made by the Postmas-
.er aforesaid, at any time, and the Post
master General shall fail 10 institute suit
against such Postmaster, and said sure
Sfes, for TWO years from and after such