American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-03-18


one half cent for each newspaper, conveyed in such
mail.
Sec. 6. find be ii further enacted That it shall be
the duty OF every master or manager Of any steam
boat which shall pass from one port or place to an
other port place in the United States, where a
Post Office is established, deliver, within three
hours after his arrival, il in the day time and within
two hours after the next sunrise, if the arrival be in
the night, all letters and packets addressed TO- des
tined Tor such port or place, TO the Postmaster there
tor which he shall be entitled to receive, of such
Postmaster, two cents for letter or packet
delivered, unless the shall be carried
lveyed under cont, act with the Postmaster General;
and II any master or manager OF a steam boat shall
tail SO to deliver any letter or packet, which shall
have been brought by him, shall have been in his
icare or within his power, he shall incur penalty of
thirty dollars for every such failure. And every
sperson employed on board any steam boat, shall de-
liver every letter and packet of letters, entrusted to
such pei son, to the master or manager oil such sleam
boat and before the said vessel shall touch at any
other port place; and for every failure neglect
so to deliver, penalty OF ten dollars shall be incur
red for each letter or packet.
Sec. z find be 1t further enacted, That no other
than free white person shall be employed in
veyng the mail and any contractor who shall en-
ploy, or permit, any other than free white person
10 convey the mail, shall for every such offence,
incur penalty of twenty dollars.
| Sec. 8. Mud be II further enacted, That. when
ever it shall be made appear, to the satisfaction OF
The Postmaster General, that any road established,
or which may hereafter be established post
Dad, is obstruced by fences, gates, or bars, OF
other than those law fully used the turnpike roads
to collect their toll. and not kept in good repair,
with proper bridges and ferries, where the same
may be necessary, II shall be the duty OF the Post
master General to report the same TO Congress
with such information can be obtained, to enable
Congress to establish some other road instead OF It,
in the same man direction
Sec. 9. md be it further enacted, That. if any
person shall, knowingly and wilfully. obsruct o.
retard the passage of the mall OF any driver or
carrier, OF any horse carriage, a'ryng the
same, he shall upon conviction, Tor every such OF
fence, pay fine not exceeding one hundred dollars
andi any feryman shall by wiliul negligence, or
refusal to transport the mail across any terry, della,
the same, ne shall forfeit and pay Tor every ten
minutes tha; tie same shall be SO delayed, sum
not exceeding ten dollars.
| Sec. 10. .1nd be At further enacted That it shall
be the duty of the Postmaster General to give pub
tic notice, in one newspaper published al the seat oil
government of the United States and in one or more
of the newspapers published in the state or states OF
TERRITORY, where the contract is to be performed, iot
lat least twelve weeks before entering into any con-
tract for ca ryng the mail, that SUI, contract is In
tended to be made and the day on whlfh It is to be
concluded, describing the places from and to which
such mail is TO be conveyed, the time at which
it is to be made up, and the day and hour at which
it is to be delivered. He SHALL moreover, within
ninety days after the making of any contract, lodge
a duplicate thereof, together with the proposals
which he shall have received respecting it, in the
Office of the Comptroller of the Treasury OF the
Il United States: Provided, That no contract shall
be entered into for longer term than tour years.
j, Sec. IL. find be 1t further pnactpd, That every
Il Postmaster shall keep an Office, in which one OF
more persons shall attend ON every day on which q
mail shall arrive, by land or water as well as on
other days, at such hours as the Postmaster General
shall direct, for the purpose of performing the du-
ties thereof; and il shall be the duty of the Post
master, at all reasonable hours, every day OF the
week, to deliver, ON demand any letter. paper, or
y Packet to the person entitled to. or authorized TO
J, receive, the and all letters brought 10 any
j post Office half hour before the time OF making
up the mail at such office, shall be forwarded there
in except at such post Offices where, in the opinion
of the Postmaster General, it requires more time
for making up the mail, and which he shall &C
t cordingly prescribe; but this shall, in no case
4 exceed one hour.
Sec. 10. find be it further enacted, That no fees
or perquisites shall be received by any persen en
poyed in the General Post Office, on account OF the
duties to be performed by virtue OF his appointment
\ Sec. IS. find be it further enacted, That the
following rates Of postage be charged upon all let,
tiers and packets, excepting such as are excepted
l|by law conveyed in the mail OF the United States
n viz. For every letter composed OF single sheet O
II paper, conveyed not exceeding thirty miles, SLY
cents Over thirty, and not exceeding eighty, ten
cents. Over eighty, and not exceeding one hun
bred and fifty, twelve and half cents. Over one
hundred and fifty, and not exceeding four hundred
eighteen and three quarters Of cent. Over four
hundred, twenty FIVE cents.
S And for every double letter, or letter composed
of two pieces of paper, double those rates. and tor