American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-03-01

TIE RATES OF PosrAGE-.4bstract of The nolv
Lao, We give below an abstract of the new
law passed by Congress reducing the rates of
postage
After the LIST July, next, in lieu of the rates of
postage now established by law, there shall be
charged the following rates, viz: Fer every sin
gle letter, in manuscript, or paper OF any kind
by or upon which information shall be asked for
or communicated in writing, or by marks and
signs, conveyed in the mail not over three hun
dred miles, FIVE cents; over three hundred miles,
ten cents; and for double letter there shall be
charged double this rate; and for treble letter
treble this rate; and for guadrupe letter quad
ruple this rate; and every letter or parcel not
exceeding half an ounce in weight shall be
deemed single letter; and every additional
weight of half an ounce, or additional weight
less than half an ounce, shall he charged with
additional single postage. And all drop let
ters or letters placed in any post office, not for
transmission by mail, but for delivery only,
shall be charged with postage at the rate oftwo
cents each. And all letters which shall here
after be advertised remaining over in any
post office shall, when delivered out, be charged
with the costs of advertising the same, in add-
aion to the regular postage, both to be account
ed for as other hostages now are.
Newspapers, of no greater size than nineteen
hundred square inches, may be transmitted
through the mail to within 80 miles of where
they are published, free of postage if sent over
thirty miles the same postage charged as at pre-
sent
Private circular letters, unsoalcd, are subject
to a postage of two cents.
The Thanking privilege, as it now exists, is
utterly abrogated and repealed; and officers of
the Government of the United States, hereto
fore having the ranking privilege, are required
TO keep an account of the business-letters which
they receive, the postage On which is to be paid
by the department to which they are attached.
The assistant postmasters general are allowed
10 frank, but must endorse their letters or pack
age "official business" and if they should not
be on official business, they are liable to PEN
atty of three hundred dollars for each offence
Deputy postmasters are to have all the postage
they pay on business letters refunded, and if
their commissions do not amount to twenty
five dollars per annum, then the Postmaster
General is allowed to increase them.
Governors of States are allowed to transmit
through mail, free of postage, certain books ahd
documents; and members of Congress, the Sc
cretary of State, and Clerk of:he House of Re-
personalities can frank all public printed do
cuments, and leaves the franIing privilege OF
the Senators and Representatives, on all let
ters and packages not exceeding two ounces IN
weight the same as it now Isl and they are al
SO allowed to receive letters ard packages du-
ring the session, as we'll as for thirty days be-
fore and after the same. The Postmaster Ge-
neral is to keep an account Of the charge on all
matter that goes through the mail free, which
is to be refunded from the contingent fund or
from the Treasury.
Newspapers pamphlets, books and periodi-
Gals, can be sent out Of the mail, over the mail
routes, by publishers, agents, Or others, with
out hindrance from the Department.
Private expresses, to perform regular trips
on mail routes, and transport mailable matter
are expressly prohibited under penalty Of one
hundred and fifty dollars for each offence
Stage coaches steamboats,, railroad cars, pack
ct boats, &C., with their owners, managers, SER
wants, crews, &c., performing regular trips on
post routes, are prohibited from carrying letters
or maiiable matter, excepting newspapers,
pamphlets, or magazines, unless they relate to
the cargo or some part of it, or te the articles
conveyed in the stage COACH car, or other veh-
Gle, under penalty of one hundred dollars for
each offence, to be paid by the owner and fifty
dollars BY the captain, driver, or other person
in charge, not being an owner in whole or in
part.
Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars is
appropriated from the Treasury to be applied
70 the Department, in case of any deficiency
in its income caused by the general reduction of
postage made by this act.
Newspapers are defined to be any printed
publication, issued in numbers, consisting of
not more than two sheets, and published at
short stated intervals of not more than month,
conveying intelligence of passing events, and
bona 6de extras and supplements of any such
publication.
Nothing in the act shall be construed to re-
peal the laws heretofore enacted, granting the
Thanking privilege to the widows OF ex-Pres-
dents Madison and Harrison.
The remaining sections provide for carrying
the law into effect, etc.
CAUSES OF DEFALCATIoN.-Ih vHc.Niatg
Case. We find the following, in relation to
MIR. McNulty's accounts, in the N. Y. Sun.
The examination of McNulty's accounts We
IL L