Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-02-13

Of Congress- as they are allowed 10 franl; then,
now. ''''' w -
Seclion olh provides that members delegates
and officers (Secretary of The Senate and Clerk
OF the House, of Congress NAV. from 30 dav,
PRIOR 10 The commencement of the session 10 &c
days alter its end, send and receive, free OF post
age, any matter by mail not weighing more thar
TWO ounces 10 each package; but on all package.
Fscc1rea, relative to official or Legislative business
weighing over Two ounces, the excess OF postage
laccoldlng 10 The rates Of this law) shall be paic
out oil The contingent fund of the House OF which
Inc person receiving il may be a member and a.
now authorised by law, they shall be allowed Il
frank letters written by themselves during the
whole year.
Section 9th provides that there shall be no mi
vale express lines between any points. from and l.
which The United States mail runs, BY which an,
mailable matter may be conveyed, exccpt news
papers, pamphlets, magazines and periodicals.
~ also hxes a penalty of $50 forfeiture, on an,
person convicted OF infringing or aiding and abel
ing ihe lnfractlon OF the letter or spirit Of thi
clause
Section 10Th makes it unlawful for any coach
car, steamboat, vehicle or vessel, or for any one
IN any manner connected with The same, runnin.
regularly between points where there are post Of
hoes, to convey any mailable matter but newspa
pers, &C, (as described in the las, section ex
cepl II refers 10 some part of the cargo or ireigh
OF The conveyance BY which il goes This sec
ton also enacts forfeiture of $780, 10 be recov
cred from the owner or owners of the convey
ance, and Of $50 from the captain or driver, con
ductor or other person, (not an owner,) having
charge oil The same, for each and every violation
of this section.
Section llih enacts forfeiture Of $3.50 TO be
recovered from the owner or owners OF any mode
| u-iIi chall
ing or employed in The transportation OF private
express made illegal by this act, who is al The
time engaged in breaking this law provided
the offence is committed with the knowledge Of
an owner or owners in whole or in part, or OF
the person having charge Of the mode of convey
ance. But nothing in this act shall be construed
to prohibit the transportation Of malabe matter
b" private hand, when no compensation is ten.
dered or received, or with the transportation of
special messenger for the one occasion only
Section l2lh declares, that hereafter if any per-
son shall transmit, in any manner made illegal
by this act, mailable mater, other than newspa-
pers, &c, Gas described above,) or shall deposit
or canse TO be placed fortransportation in an lille
shall deliver such 10 an agent or agents Of IN
lawful expresses for transmission, he shall for
ieit $50 for each offence.
Section 18th provides, that this law shall
not prohibit The transportation olletlers and pack
ages by STEAMBOATS,, as allowed BY The 9th section
OF the Post Office law, approved March Sd, 1926;
Wor;ded that It's requirements be strictly complied
nth. II further enacts that, on mailable matter,
50 delivered 10 local Post Office, except news
papers, pamphlets, magazines and periodicals,
there shall be charged the postage provided by
this law, as if they had been transmitted by the
regular mail But it further declares, that, in
49, ha. pTro ..f ~.
and penalties provided for the violation oil The
18th section of this law shall attach in every case
10 the steamboat or 10 the owners or persons hav-
ing charge Of the same.
This section also prohibits puslmaslcrs from
receiving packages 10 be transmitted weighing
over three pounds.
Section 18th authorizes The Postmaster Ge-
neral 10 contract for the transportation Of the
mail with any steamboat owner or Captain, on
any of the waters OF The United States, for any
time or number Of trips less than the time re-
quired now by law 10 be made, without The pre-
vious advertisements now required by law, when
ever he shall Judge it for the public interest or
onvenience-PrOridcd,th that he shall in no case
pay more for the service than al the average rate
of the last preceding or then existing contract for
the same route.
sSection 18th describes "mailabe matter" and
"matter properly lransmilabe by MALL" oil
letters and newspapers and all magazines and
pamphlets published periodically, or in regular
series, or successive numbers, under the same
tile, though al irregular intervals and all written
or printed matter whereof each copy shall not ex-
coed eight ounces in weight, except bank notes
sent in packages or bundles, without written let
ters accompanying them but bound books OF any
size are moi included within the meaning OF those
terms; and any packet OF packets, OF any weight,
made up OF maiatle mailer, shall subject persons
engaged in the illegal transportation OF the same
as if not made up into packet or packages
But nothing in this act shall be construed 10 in
lerere with the transportation OF any books, ma
gazines, pamphlets or newspapers not marked
directed, or intended for immediate distribution,
but intended for sale as merchandise, and trans
ported in The usual manner of Transporting ner-
chandize over the particular route used, and sent
10 bona Gde dealer or agent for The sale thereof.
Nothing in this law is TO be construed 10 prevent
travellers from having any book, magazine,
newspaper, &C., for his own use.
Section 10th describes newspapers 10 be printed
matter issued in numbers OF not more than two
sheets, AT stated intervals of not more than 4
month, to contain news OF passing events, and
bona fide extras and supplements Of the same.
And further, this section provides, that this law
| shall not interfere with the free interchange of
newspapers between publishers thereof as now
permitted by law.
Section i7th provides, that one-hall of all forfeit
ures collected under this law shall go 10 inform
ers the other half to the Government, TO he paid
over 10 the Postmaster General, and 10 be ac-
counted for by him as other monies OF the De-
partment. Ii further provides for The trial of all
causes OF action arising under this act by the
| Courts of the United States, or OF the States or
Territories competent TO jurisdiction over the par
| ticular case.
Section 18th cnacs tina, in all future lettings The
Postmaster General shall give the contracts TO
the lowest bidder offering good security, without
reference 10 the mode OF transportation, other than
10 ensure due despatch certainly and security ;
nor shall any new contractor be hereafter required
10 purchase the stock or vehicles OF the previous
contractor on the same route And all newspa-
per advertisements OF letters uncalled for, shall
in future be made in the paper or papers OF Inc
place having tho largest circulation, provided
! their conductors agree 10 insert the same for The
price not greater than that fixed BY law: When
dispute arises as 10 which paper has the great
est circulation, the Postmaster shall receive evil
dcnce and decide on the fact.
Section 10Th, provides that to insure an equal
| and inst rate of compensation TO The several Rall-
road Companies in The Union for Transporting the
mail, the Postmaster General shall divide the
rates into three classes, including those In which
L Inc SERVICE 10 VCiIOiiH Pdi'I y "A'
partly by steamboat, according TO the size and
speed of The mails, and the Importance OF the
service performed; and he may contract with any
Railroad Company without advertising for bids:
provided, that for carrying the mail on any rail-
road of the first class he shall not pay more than
the law now allows; nor on railroad OF the Sc
cond class more than 500 per annum per mile;
nor on one of the third class, more than $50 per
mile per annum; and in case The Postmaster
General cannot effect contract on any railroad
roule at price not exceeding the aforesaid max
imum rates, or for fair compensation for the
service required, it shall be lawful for him to sep
aratc the letter mail from the rest and 10 con-
tract, with or without advertising, for is convey
ance on the route, by horse express or otherwise,
at,he greatest speed that can reasonably be OBJ
tanned: and also to contract for conveying the rest
of the mail over the route in any manner al a
slower rate of speed; rorided, that if the
service on a railroad is night work. the Pos,mas-
ter General may pay 25 per cent. in addition TO
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