The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-21

delinquent
Were the Postmaster General to suppress the
Offices, as it may be presumed he will, where
the iucumbents refuse to comply with the ex-
press injunctons of the law, would it not be a
sufficient answer to neighborhood, complain
ing OF the loss of their office, to say, shall
be re-establiShed l0ten you give me a man a0ho
DiU make up has mind. phen he accepts a pub
lie trust to perform the duties plainly and i'm
peratively enjoined by act of Congress?
POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.
May, 1872
Accompanying the new list of Post Offices re-
ceived this month, several pages OF Instructions
of the Postmaster General of the United States TO the
Postmasters--l842,n from which the following sum-
mary is made, and extracts selected, and published
for the general benefit Of all concerned.
|. Cash for all postage.-' You not authorized
in any case to give CREDIT for postage or receive
any thing but SPECIE OF its equivalent
2. Newspaper Postage At the beginning of every
Post Office quarter you will require the subscribers
and others who may receive newspapers regu-
lary through your Office to pay the quarters post
age thereon in advance and without such payment
you will not deliver them any papers, even though
they tender you the postage on them singly."
3. Route of yMails.-'' Postage should be rated
cordng to the distance on the route by which letters
and papers usually sent"
A. Wrappers Of all Newspapers, Pamphlets, &c.
required to be taken off by the Postmaster the follow
ing positive orders from the Postmaster General di-
reefs -" The wrappers of all newspapers, pamph-
lets, and magazines received by mail for delivery,
should be taken Off Frauds very often attempt
ed by concealing letters memoranda in these ar-
cles. wrapper forms part of the paper or
pamphlet neither is postage paid on it as such, and
it is much the duty of Postmasters to take the
wrappers from transientpaper and examine them in
reference to frauds on the revenue to ascertain
whether letters be single or double, or whether the
postage be correctly charged. Nothing can be more
unjust than to censure Postmaster for vigilance in
this branch of his duty.''
5. .4U loriting Newspapers &c. prohibited ercept
the directon.-Every person is prohibited from writ
ing any thing whatever on a newspaper pamphlet,
or either the inside outside of the wrapper
Even his the initials of it, any thing
else ohateuer is prohibited except the direction under
penalty Of fire dollars. Besides the particular in
structions this head, the following Circular To
the Postmasters throughout the United States" has
| been received.
| 'The multiplied and increasing attempts to violate
the law and defraud the revenue by writing the
wrapper or margin of newspapers and pamphlets
sent by mail, enclosing memoranda or other things
within them, understanding, doting, pricng letters
words, and by various other devices, with the view
to evade the payment of legal postage force upon the
Postmaster General the necessity Of directing to
call the special attention Of Postmasters to the
hinching discharge of their duty in this particular.
The wrappers Of all transient papers and pamph-
let's which have reached their destination should be
removed, and the papers examined Those used in
the manner above alluded to- the vehicles Of
municaton, should be charged, delivery with let
ter POSTAGE if refused not taken out, they should
be returned to the office where first mailed, and the
Postmaster, there should invariably collect the legal
penalty of FIVE DOLLARS, Of the person who
committed the offence. 6ucl papers should be
stamped, when mailed and marked with the rate OF
| postage.
&c The Postmaster General cannot bring himself tc
believe, that public sentiment, when well informed
will fail to sustain you in the faithful discharge OF
| this duty, as imperative upon you any other
"By the law of 1926 any memorandum in writing
newspaper pamphlet subjects it to letter post
age; and in the opinion of the Department any words,
however few, other than the Of the person adj
| dressed, constitute memorandum within the mean
| ing of the law"
g. Vhat letters TO printers may be tianked by Post
| ,nasers.-"A Postmaster may enclose money in a
letter to the publisher of newspaper, to pay the sub
scrpton of third person, and frank the letter if
written signed by himself, but if the letter be
signed by another person the postmaster cannot frank
it. But this is service not required Of him, and he
may perform it as matter of courtesy or decline it,
at his option. Such letters should contain only, and
relate solely to the transmission Of money from in
dvdual subscribers to publishers of newspapers and
not the collections of agents others and they
should not cover correspondence any other sub
| ject whatever.
T. 'Pastage required all Handbils, Circulars, &C..
sent to Post,asters 1t is the practice of many to ad
dress their handbills to Postmasters, by which
they give them extensive circulation free Of post
age. This is an abuse which must be corrected.
In every instance where you receive communication
addressed to you Portmaster, which is of private
character, and designed to promote private interest
with evident intention of giving circulation to it
without paying postage, you will return the same to
the person who sent it, under envelope, with
the charge of letter postage endorsed
g. "For1carding Ietters-Orders to forward letters
should be in writing, and filed by you. This direc-
ton applies in all cases, be the distance small or
great"
9. "Postmasters Clerks, and Assistants are by law
exempt from Militia duty, from serving Jures,
or from any fine or penalty for neglect thereof"
I5@Editors throughout the Union will please copy.