The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-08-10

" wrapping paper office furniture"
" advertising" mail bags" 4" blanks,
mail locks and stamps" " mail depreda-
tons aud specia. agents." " clerks for
Offices" and 4" miscellaneous"
SECTION l3. And be it further enacted,
That the bonds and contracts of post
masters, mail contractors, and other
agents of the Post Office Department,
shall hereafter be made 10 and with the
United States of America aud all suits to
be commenced for the recovery o. debts
or balances due by postmasters and Others
or upon bonds or contracts made to or
with the present or any former Pos,mas-
ter General, or for any fines, penalties,
or forteltures, imposed by the laws res
pecting the Post Office Department., or
by the Postmaster General, pursuant
thereto, shall be instituted in the name of
the United Statos of America; aud the
demands in such suits shall have all the
privileges and priorites in adjudication
and payment secured to other claims of
the United States, by the existing laws:
PrOcided, That actions and suits which
may have been instituted in the name of
the Postmaster General, previous to the
passage of this act, shall not be effected
by the provisions of this section.
SECTION ii. And be IL further enacted,
That the auditor of the Post Office De-
parlmcnt shall superintend the collection
of all debts due to the Department shall
superintcnd the callection Of all debts due
to the Department, and all penalties and
forfeitures imposed on postmasters, for
failing to make returns, or pay over the
proceeds of their offices /; he shall direct
suits and legal proceedings, aud take all
such measures as may be authorized by
law, to enforce the prompt payment of
moneys due 10 the Department.
SECTION 5. ARd be IL further enacted,
That copies of the quarterly returns of
postlnasters, aud of any papers pertain
ing to the accounts in the office of the
auditor for the Post Office Department,
certified by him, under, his seal of Office,
shall be admitted as evidence in the
courts of the United States aud in every
case of delinquency of any postmaster or
contractor, in which suit may be brought
the said auditor shall forward tn the at
torney of the United States certified copies
of all the papers in his office, tending to
sustain the claim and in every such
case, a statement of the account, certified
as aforesaid, shall be admitted as evidence
and the court trying the cause shall be
thereupon authorized to give judgment
and award execution, subject to the pro-
visions of the thirty-eight section Of the
4 Il.
tablisbing and regulating the Post Office
Department, approved March third,
eighteen hundred and twenty five. No
claim for a credit shall be allowed upon
the trial but such as shall have been pre-
scnted to the said auditor, aud by him
disallowcd in whole or III part, unless IT
shall be proved TO the satisfaction of the
court that the defendant is at the time of
the trial in possession of vauchers not
before in his power to procure, and that
he was prevented from exhibiting to the
said auditor "A claim for such credit, by
some unavoidable accidant. In suits for
balances due from postmasters, interest,
at the Iate of six per cent, per annum,
shall be recovered from the time Of the
default until payment.
SIC. l6. and be further enacted, That
the attorneys of the United States, IN tiIc
prosecution of suits for moneys due on
account of the Post Office Department,
shall obey the directions which may,
from time to time, be given To them by
The auditor for the Post Office Depart
men and it shall be the duty ot each
ofihe said attornys, Immediately after the
end Of every term of any court IN which
any Of the suits aforesaid shall have been
pending, to forward 10 the said auditor a
statement Of all the judgements, orders,
and steps which have been made or Ia
ken in the same, during the SAID term,
accompanied by certificate of the clerk
showing the parties 20, and amount OF,
each judgment, with such other informa-
ton us may be required by the said au-
ditor. The said attorneys shall direct
speedy and cflectuaI process of execution
upon the said judgments; and 1t shall
be the duty of the marshals of the United
States to whom the same shall be direc-
ted, to make TO the said auditor, at such
times as he may direct returns of the pro-
ceedIngs which have taken place upon
the said process of execution.
SEC. II. Aad be II further enacted,
That in all cases where any or sums OF
nancy have been paid out of the Post
Office Department 10 any individual or
individuals, under preience that service
has been performed therefor when IA fact
such service has not been performed, or
by way of additional allowance for ~
creased service actually rendered, when
the additional allowance exceeds the sum
which, by the provisions Of law, mi-ht
rghtiully have been allowed therefore,
aud ~ all other cases where the moneys
IL fl.III