The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-26
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WEDNESDAY, Feb, 26, lS45,

Before the House adjourned yesterday, lat seven
O'Clock the Committee of the Whole on the state of
the Union was discharged from the further conside-
ration Of the bill from the Senate reduce the rates
Of pusta &C. to limit the and correct the abuse Of
the frankIng privilege, and for the prevention OF
frauds on the revenues of the Post Office Depart
msnt
The SPEAKER, this morning, announced that
the use having ordered the main question 10 be put
the first question woulI now be agreeing to the
first amendment of the COMMITTEE viz that this act
shall go into operation the first of July next. And
II was c0ncurred in.
The question was taken on the amendment regu-
lating The rates Of postage: instead OF general
charge Of five cents, provided for in the bill IRON
the Senate, there shall be charged for letters CON
yeyed in the mail under three hundred miles, five
cents over that distance, ten cent! And the
amendment was agreed to-yea4 ITO, nays IS
The question was taken ON the anne ndment to the
sixth section: that after the first day Of July next,
nstead Of immediately after the passage OF the act
all officers of the Government of the United States,
heretofore having the ranking privilege, shall be
thoIzed and required to Keep account of all post
rye charged 10 and payable by them, respectively,
upon letters, packages, or other matters, received
through the mail, touching the duties or business OF
their respective offices, etc. And 1t was decided in
the negauve-ayes ID, noes i2l.
The amendments having been ordered to be en-
crossed for o third reading,
Mr.. RATHBUN moved the previous question,
which was secoDded-ayes "a, noes So.
The main question was ordered to be put,
And the bill was passed--yeas l2S, nays IA.
is to go into effect the first of July next Fol
every single letter, in manuscript, or paper of any
kind by or upon which information shall be asked fo
or communicated in writing or by marks and signs
conveyed in the mall for any distance under three
hundred miles, five cents and for any greater distance
ten cents; double treble, and quadrupe letters &c
be charged proportionaby every letter or parcel
tex in Aalf An N w n ~ deemed
single letter And every additional weight of half ar
ounce, or aaditionI weight less than half an ounce
shall be char led with additional postage. DROP
letters--that is, those delivered in the city where
they deposited in the post ofice-are to be charg
ed Two cents. If letters advertised, they Il
be charged with the cost of advertising (two cents
IN addition to the postage when delivered.
Newspapers, Of no greater size than nineteen hun
dred square inches, may be transmitted through the
mail to within thirty miles Of where they are pub
s6ed free Of postage if sent over thirty miles the
same postage charged as at present.
Private circular letters, unseaed, are subject 10
postage Of two cents
The franking privilege II now exists, is ulterl,
abroga,ed and repealed; and officers Of the Govern
ment of the United States, heretofore having the
ranking privilege, are required to keep an accoun
of the letters which they receive the post
age on which is to be paid by the department t
which they are att ached. The assistant postmaster
general allowed 10 frank, but must endorse thei
letters packages "oflicsl business" and if the,
should not be on official business, they are liable to
penalty Of three hundred dollars for each offence -
Deputy posma sters are 10 have all the postage the
pay on business letters refunded, and if their commits
sions do not amount to twenty-five dollars per an
mum, then the Postmaster General IS allowed TO in
crease them. '.
Governors Of States are allowed to transmit
through mall free Of postage, certain books and doc
uments; and me pbers of Congress, the Sec etary o
atp andG le,E IF he Of Ran nta fiyae
frank all public printed documents, and leave
the Thanking privileges Of the Senators and Represen
tatives, on all letters and packages not exceedin
Two in weight, the same as II now is; and the
also allowed to receive letters and packages du
ring the session. as we'll for thirty days before ant
alter the same. The Postmaster General is to kee
an account of the charge all matter that goe
through the mail Free which is to be refunded iron
The contingent fund or from the Treasury.
Newspapers, pamphlets, books and periodicals.
can be sent out Of the mail, over the mail routes,
publishers, agents. or others, without hlndrance fror
1 the Department.
Private expresses, TO perform regular trips on ma
routes, and transport msilabe matter, are expressl
prohibited under penalty of one hundred and hfI
dollars for each offence. Stage coaches, steamboat
railroad cars, packet boats, &c with their owner
managers, servants, crews, &C., performing regul'
trips on post routes, are prohibited from carryir
4 letters or msilable matter, excepting newspaper
4 PAMPHLETS or magazines, unless they relate to II
cargo or some part Of it, or To the articles conveyt
10 the stage coach, car, other vehicle, under p
i naly Of one hundred dollars for each ofance, To
PAID by the owrrI and fifty dollars by the capital
driver, or other person in charge, not being an own
IN whole or in part
Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars is sppr
prated from the Treasury to he applied 10 the ID
psnment, in case Of any deficiency in its lncou
caused BY the general reduction Of postage made
this act
Newspapers are defined to be any printed public
ion, issued in numbers consisting OF not more thu
two sheets, and published at short stated intervals
not more than one month, conveying intelligence
passing events, and bona 6de extras and supplement
aany such publication,