The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-07

II " PiNaIS oAptcsrI VI Vtcf means Dy
'hs act declared TO be unlawful any letter OF letters
package or packages, or other mailable matter ex-
lceptng newspapers, pamphlets, magazines aud peri
odicals, or who shall place TO be deposited
} at any appointed place, for the purpose OF being
transported by such unlaw full means any matter or
thing properly tIansmiitabe, by mail, excepting news
papers pamphlets, magazines and periodicals. or who
shall deliver any such matter, excepting
pamphlets, magazines aud periodicals. for ira asmis
sion to any agent agents Of such unlawful express
Sos, SHALL for each and every offence, forfeit and pay
the sum of fifty dollars
Sac. 10. find be Il further enacted, That nothing in
this act contained shall have the effect, or DO con
srued, To prohibit the conveyance transport alton
OF letters by steamboats,, authorized by the sixth
section OF the act entitled IAN act reduce into one
the several acts for establishing and regulating the
Post Ofhee Department approved the third of March
one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five" Pro-
pded, That the requirements Of said act be strictly
complied WITH by the delivery, within the time spe-
ehed by said act Of all letters conveyed not re-
latng TO the cargo part thereof 10 The p,st
master or other authorized agent of the Post Office
Department at the port or place TO which said letters
may be directed, or Intended TO be delivered over
from said boat and the postmaster or other cent of
The Post Otce Department shall charge and collect
upon all letters or other maable matter 80 delivered
10 MIN, except newspapers pamphlets, magazines
and periodicals. the same rates of postage as would
have been charged upon said letters had they been
transmitted by mail from the port or place at which
they were placed on board the steamboat from which
'hey were received but II is hereby expressly pro-
Vlded, mat all the pains ard penalties provided by
this act, for any violation of the provisions Of tieH
eleventh section of this act shall attach in every case
10 any steamboat or 10 the owners and persons hay
ing charge thereof the captain other person having
charge oil which shall not as aforesaid comply with
the requirements of the sixth section of the said law
OF one thousand e ght hundred and twenty five And
no postmaster shall receive TO be convened by the
mail, any packet which shall weigh more than three
| pounds.
SIC. IA find be Il further enacted, That the Post
master Geneihl shall have power, and he Is hereby
authorized, to contract with the owners or com
manders OF any steamboat plying upon the Western
or other waters of the United States for the trans
portatlon OF the mail for eny length Of time or num-
Der OF trips, less than the time for which contracts
for transporting the mail OF the United States are
now usually made under existing laws and without
the previous advertisements now required before en-
tering into such contracts, whenever IN his opinion
the public interest and convenience will be promo
ted thereby Providsd That the price to be paid for
such service shall In no case be greater than the
average rate paid for such service under the last pre-
cedng or then existing regular contract for trans
porting the mail upon the route he may so for less
time contract for the transportation Of the mail
upon.
! SIC. Is. .qnd be further enacted, That malta
BILE matter" and matter properly transmittable by
mail, shall be deemed and AIKEN to mean, all letters
and newspapers, and all magazines and pamphlets
periodically published which may be published 10
regular series or in successive numbers under the
same title, though at irregular intervals and all
other written or printed matter whereof each copy
or number shall not exceed eight ounces in weight
4 except bank notes, sent in packages bundles
without written letters accompanying them; but
bound books of any size, shall not be held TO be in
cluded within the meaning of these terms And any
packet or packets, of whatever size or weight being
made up of any such maable matter, shall subject
all persons concerned in transporting the all
the penalties Of this law, equally If it or they ere
n not so made up into packet or packages. But
thing IN this act contained shall be construed as to
prohibit any person whatever from trans sporting, or
! causing to be transported, over any mail route or
any road or way parallel thereto any books maya
zines, or pamphlets, or newspapers, not marked d.
reced, or intended for immediate distribution 10 sub
scrbers others, but intended for sale mercban-
disc, and transported in the usual mode of transport
ing merchandise over the particular route used and
sent or consigned TO some bona ide dealer agent
for the sale thereof; shall any thing herein be
construed to interfere with the right of any traveller
to have and take with him or her, for his or her
use, any book pamphlet, magaz or newspaper.
Sec. l6. find be ii further enacted, That the term
newspaper, hereinbetJre used, shall be, and the
same hereby defined to be, any printed publication
issued in numbers Consisting of not more than two
sheets, and published at short stated intervals of
more than one month"; conveying intelligence of pas
sing events, aud bona fde extras and supplements of
{ any such publication. And nothing herein contained
shall be SO construed as to prevent the free exchang
of newspapers BET ween the publishers thereof pro-
vded for under the twenty ninth section of the act
entitled IAN act to reduce into the several
for establishing and regulating the Post Office Depart
ment, approved the third day of March, thousa nd
eight hundred and twenty Five"
Sec II. find be further enacted That all pecuna.
ry penalties and foreltures incurred under this act
shall be one half for the of the person persons
informing and prosecuting for the same and the other
half to the Of the United States and shall be paid
over to the Postmaster General and accounted for by
him as other moneys of the department; and all
causes of action arising under this may be sued
and all offenders against this act may be prosecuted
before the justices Of the peace gs rates or other
judicial courts of the several States and of the seve
raj Territories of the United States, they having
competent jurisdiction, by the laws of such States
Territories to the trial OF claims and demands of as
great value, and Of the prosecutions where the pun
lshmens are of as great extent; and such justices
gis,rates Judiciary shall take cognzance thereof
aud proceed toJudgment and execution, in other
: cases.
Sec IL. fad be IL further enacied That it shall be
the duty of the Postmaster General in all future let
tings Of contracts for the transportation of the mall
to let the same in every Case to the lowest bidder,
rendering sufficient guarantees for faithful perform
ance without other reference to the mode of such
transportation than may be necessary ito provide for
the due CELEBRITY certainty, and security of such trans
poItaon; nor shall any new contractor hereafter be
required to purchase out, take at valuation, the
stock or vehicles of any previous contractor fol the
: same route. And all advertisements made under the
orders of the Postmaster General in newspaper or
newspapers, of letters uncalled for in any post office,
shall be inserted in the paper or papers, of the town
or place where the office advertising may be situated,
having the largest circulation, provided the editor or
editors Of such paper papers shall agree to insert
the ne for price not greater than that fxed
by laws and in of question Or dispute to the
amount of the circulation of any papers, the editors
: of which may desire this advertising, it shall be the
: upon the fact.
o Sec 49, And be further enacted, That to insure,
i as far as may be practicable, equal and just rate
of compensation, according to the service performed