Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-06-01

fen sent under lieif frank, in opposition 10 the
..nr,.s letter of the law There Is cause TO
appfehend thai Postmasters have, IN some in-
stances, been guilt, Of this fraud upon the rev.
enue. This efil, unless il shall lind remedy
in the vigilant and energetic cooperation OF
Postmasiers with The head of the Department,
must tend 10 paralyze all lis operations. u Is
therefore expected that you will watch WIN the
utmost care against this unlawful practice !:
and whenever you have cause for suspicion,
use all lawful means to obtain evidence against
the offender. Let no effort be RENTED, let no
dignity OF station deter you but, however ex.
allied may be the rank Of the ofhcer who snail
violate the law IN The abuse oil his ranking
privileges, never fail to enforce The penalty oy
legal process and report each case 10 the DE-
partmeni. Ia all lawful efforts 10 carry into ei'
feet the provisions against such as snail incur
its penalties. you will be sustained by the De-
pariment bur no Postmaster can expect ~ re-
tain the confidence of The Department, who
shall wantonly violate his franking privilege. or
who knowingly shall suffer il in others with I'M
punily.
In many instances Pos'masters have injured
The revenue by extending their privilege be-
You'd the weight prescribedlby law, Whence
yer n letter 10 or from Postmaster exceeds
half an ounce in weight, the Postmaster receiv-
ing or delivering il is bound by the law, and
his oath, to account for the excess. In every
instance that shall come 10 your knowledge OF
Postmaster mailing letter free, with the
frank Of a Postmaster, or receiving one free, ia
virtue Of his pris ilege, which shall weigh more
than half an ounce. youaie TO report the fact 10
the Department, that the remedy may be
promptly applied,
Many persons appear 10 be under the erro-
neous impression, that printed sheets of paper
are not chargesble with letter pUsage. You
will use diligence TO correct this error. Every !
thing that goes in the mail is chargsabe with |
letter postage, except newspapers, pamphlets,
and legislative journals, which are rated az
pamphlets. Proposals for publications, print
ed circulars, special advertisements, and in
deed, every species Of handbills are TO be char |
g. with letter postage. Whenever $ ich print.
ed articles coms TO your Office, without being /
entered on the post bills, and rated with letter
postage, it is expected that you will correc, the
error. and report TO the Department the Post
master who mailed them. Numbers of hand.
bills, printed proposals, and special advertise
nents, have sometimes been sent 10 Postmas-
ers 10 be received and circulated under their
,ri,llrSe. Every such case is required tn be
reported 10 the Department. That such Postmas-
er may be deprived OF the means OF repeating
he abuse In some instances, these articles
ave been headed with the name OF an Office OF
~ editor, and called an extra newspaper, with
he evide ut design OF reducing the postage
such design il is your duty 10 counterfeit. A
supplement- always accompanies the Dewspa-
Der to which II belongs, as part OF the same
PAPER, and an extra newspaper Us sheet, or
part of sheet, issued between the regular
lines Of publishing the paper for the purpose
# an earlier annunciaiion of interesting news.
on will mol send or deliver printed sheets or
bills of any other character as supplements or
Is extra new papers. There has also been a
want of sufficient care in rating letters Many
louble, and sometimes triple, and even quad
uple letters are rated as single. liza letter en-
loses a bank note, il is double; if il encloses
hrce bank notes, II is quadruple. and should he
ated accordingly. Ii may sometimes be diff
,ut TO determine the proper rate but il the let
er has the appearance Of being double, you
viii be careful TO mark il as such and if the
,erson receiving il shall question lis correct.
lcss. he can open il in the presence OF the Post
mas er, or his assistant. The want of proper
attention to these several points has been high
y injurious TO the Department. Each case
nay seem little matter, scarcely worthy of {
egard but il should be remembered that the
whole revenue OF The Department is made M
II these little items aud il is their combination
hat gives lite and energy 10 the whole ma I
;hine. II is at all times, the duty of Post
masters to adhere strictly 10 both the letter and
ipirit of the law, and especially al this crisis,
when the cnrre,t engagements of the Depart
ncnt already entered mo greatly exceed the
amount of lis ordinary revenue.
w. 7. BARRY.