Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-05-26
CIRCULAR.

GENERAL Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
Washington, 18th May, 1929.
10 the Post Master at -
SIR; Inc multiplication ofmail routes and the
great increase of accommodation ON MANY Of the
old routes within the last year, involve an expenSe
considerably beyond the current OF the revenue o,
The Department. This revenue arising exclusivelv
from hostages, IL is hoped will he sufficiently aug
neited 10 cover the deficit, if the p. Office laws
shall be strictly observedeI all its provisions rietI
enforced. On enterng upon the duties OF the De-
partmen' 1t Is subject of no little regret 10 OBJ
serve, that much loss is sustained by an abuse
OF the ranking privilege. IT might be presumed
mat The high character of officers entitled 10 this
privilege would be guarantee for its restriction
within the limits OF the law, but i: is much TO be
lamented for the honor OF cur country, no less
than for The prosperity Of the Department, that
such has rot always been the case Letters IN
others are frequently enclosed 10 persons who are
entited TO me privilege OF trankng, and letters
written by others often sent under their frank
IN opposition TO the express letter OF the law.
there Is cause TO apprehsnd that PostAiasters
nave, IN some instances, been guilty O.! this fraud
upon the revenue. This evil unless il shall find
remedy in the yigiiant and energetic co-Dpera-
ton oil Postmasters with the head ofthe Depart
lnen, must tend TO parayze all It's operations II
Is therefore expected, that you will watch with
the utmost care against this unlawful practices:
aud Wheneyar you have cause for SUSPICION use
all lawful means TO obtain evidence against the
offender. Let no effort be RENTED, let no di0ni
~ OF station deter you; but however exalted nav
be the rank OF the officer who shall violate the
law in the abuse of this frankng privilege, never
TAIL TO enforce the penalty byIegai process, and
report each case TO the Department. In ali law
iu efforts 10 carry into fleet the provisions of the
law against such as shall incur its penalties. Won
will be sustained by the Department.: but mn
Postmaster can expect TO retain the confidence
OF the Department who shall wantony violate
his ranking privilege, or who knowingly shall
suffer 1t in others with impuni,y.
In many instances Postmaslers have injured the
revenue by extending their privilege beyond the
weight prescribed by law, Whenever a letter
TO or hom Postmaster exceeds half an ounce in
weight, the Postmaster rece!ying or DELIVERING il
IS bound by the law and by his oath to account
Tor the excess. In every instance that shall come
to your knowledge, OF Postmaster mailing let.
ter Tree, with the frank OF a Postmaster, or re-
ceiying one free, in virtue OF his privilege which
shall weigh more than half an ounce, you are 10
report the fact TO the Department, that the remey
dy may be promptly applied
Many persons appear to be under the erroneous
Impression, that printed sheets of paper are
not chargeable 10 letter postage; you will use
diligence TO correct this error Every thing tb.,
goes in the mail is chargesbe with letter postage.
except newspapers, pamphlets, and Legislative
journals, which are rated as pamphlets. Propo-
sails for publications, printed circulars special adj
verdsemenis, aud, indeed, every species OF hand.
oils, are TO be charged with letter postage.
Whenever such printed articles come 10 your Of
nee, without being entered on the post bills and
rated with letter postage, il is expected that you
will correct the error, aud report to the Depart.
nent the Postmaster who mailed them. Mum.
bers oil handbili, printed proposals, and special adj
yertisemenis have sometimes been sent to Post
masters to be received and circulated under their
privilege Every such case is required to be re.
ported TO IL" Department, that such Postmaster
mdJ 10 teP'We1 d tBc mems o. - atng the
headed with the name Of the office of an editor,
and called an extra newspaper, with the evident
design Of reducing he postage Such design it is
your duty to counterfeit. 4 supplement- always
accompanies the newspaper to which ii belongs,
as part oil the same paper, and an extra newspa
per Is sheet, or part Of sheet issued between
the regular tines Of publishing the paper, for the
pCTpose Of an earlier anuunci5tion o. interesiin,