Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-06-10
Newspaper Postage.
1MPoRTANT VIOLATIONS OF THE LAWS, BY THE
POSTMASTER GENERAL.


Being sure that The Postmaster General wat
violating the Post Office 4.aw in the instruc
tions he had gvento his suhordlna;es we have
awaited with some anxiety rhe official pubca-
of The Laws of the United States The pampb
lie, came 10 hand yesterday and we take ,his,
The first opportunity, therefore, to show wha,
The law is IN the matter Of newspaper postage
and 70 advise tie public no longer 10 submit u
an imposition. THAT par of The new Post OF
fee I4aw which rslaes to newspapers is off.
ciaIly published, as follows, .puactuatim tliteI-
dfsm:-
SECTION 49, And be il f,irilier enacted, that
ii shall not be lawful 10 dtrosire in any posi- Of
fee, 10 be conveyed in the iaaih ;wo or. nor.
letters directed TO different pSrs8as enclosed in
the same envelope or packer ard sny person
so offending shall forfeit the sum tf ZEN dollars,
To be recovered by action qui taa., one half for
the use of the informer, and the other half lor
the use of the Post Office Department: Pro-
UiIe2, that this prohibition shall not apply to
any letter or packet directed 10 any foreign
country; and all newspapers conveyed in the
mail shall be subject 10 postage, except those
sent by way of exchange between the publish
ers Of newspapers, and except franked by per:
sons enjoying the frarfking privilege, and news
papers not sent from The Office of publication
and all bandbIls or circulars printed or litho-
grrpifed. exceeding one shee' shall be subject
10 three cents postage, each, except those frank
ed by persons enjoying he franking privilege,
and newspapers not sent from the Office OF pub
Iicalion and ali handbiis or circulars printed
or lii4lographed, net exceeding one sheet, shall
be suhjes. ~ three cenrs postage, each, 70 be
paid when deposited in any post Office to be
conveyed IN the msii This is the official law
published by authority, with the punctuation
preserved in every respect II viii he seen, Ii
enacls that all newspapers are fteeexcepr those
senl from lire Office of publication that in nj
case can prepayment be demanded except for
circulars and handbIllS of one sheet each No
provision Of the old law is changed except for
such circulars and .4ndblls as are composed
of ore sheet each.
This law, as we have mentioned, has Just
been published. 10 show 70 what extent The
Pos, Master General has carried his outrageous
violations of this law, before its publication, We
copy The following froha his circular OF instruc-
tions issued on The l2'h Oi March, four days al
ter The adjournment Of Congress- /, will be
remembered that he had the law before him
officially al thar ,iale 3
s. Transient newspapers (he says or those
not sent from the office of pubiica ION ID sui=
scrlbers, handblls or circular letters, printed or
autographed, not exceeding one ci.eet in size,
will pay CENTS ueon da'i very al The office,
and all such vii. be charged by The deputy
postmasters as prepaid matters in The way bills,
and upon their accounts Of mails sent, and
stamped or marked :" paid," with the name OF
the Office from which sehl.
The Postmaster General here directs the
following gross violations:
isr. That transient newspapers. or hose not
sent frorA the office Of publication 10 subscribers,
shall be subject TO three cents postage The
law says, that newspapers not sent from tho
office of publication are exempt from payment
of postage; and IN no case demands prepay
men, ef postage upon 44aem, whether sent by
publishers or orhers.
2nd The Postmaster General directs Ihe
postmasters 10 demand postage on all papers
not sent 10 Subscribers lrom ,he office of publ
cation.
This rs another asurparion. The law does
not require, viii be seen above, that news
papers shall be sent to Subscribers Neither
the word nor The substance of the law aurhOri-
zes any such exacrion. II is graruirous usur-
patton, then. Let The reader compare the law
and the instructions, and he will justify our
conclusions
And now the public will ask for a remedy
and if they will act, they will have it speedily.
Let every postmaster who wilhholds paGer
Ho sen, from the office of publication, be re~-
euired TO deliver the paper free, and in case Of
REFUSAL lei him be prosecuted before Justice
of the Peace, and we shall soon see whether
Mr. Gave Johnson is to make laws, or whether
they are In he ed hv
Eapress