Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-09-13
Public Laws OF the United states
4
" ATIrH0RTTY
BY AUTHORITY.
.Acts and Resolutions passed at the FIRST
Session of the Thirtieth Congress.
rPuBI.IC-No. SOL

TPUBLIC-No. bO.
AN ACT to amend the act to provide for the trans
portation of the mail between the United states
and fsreign countries, and for other purposes
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Relresen-
fatipes Of the United States Of America in Congress as
sembled, That the Postmaster General, under the di
rection of the President of the United States,
he is hereby authorised and empowered to charge
upon collect from, all letters and other mailabe
matter carried to or from any port OF the United
States, in any foreign packet ship other vessel,
the same rate rates Of charge for American post
age which the government TO which such foreign
packet or other vessel belongs, imposes upon letters
and other mailable matter conveyed to or from such
country in American packets or other vessels, as
the postage Of such government and at any time to
revoke the same. And it shall be the duty Of all
custom-house officers and other United States Agents
designated or appropriated for that purpose, to
force or carry into effect he foregoing provision,
and to aid or assist in the collection OF such postage
And that end it shall he lawful for such officers
and agents, on suspicion of fraud, to open and
NINE, the presence of two or more per-
sons, being citizens of the United States any pack
age packages supposed to contain mailabe mat
ter found board such packets or other vessels,
or elsewhere, and prevent if necessary, such pack
cts Or other vessels from entering, breaking hulk,
or making clearance, until all such letters other
mailable matter duly delivered into the United
States post office.
SEC. ?. And be further enacted, That all letters
or other mailable matter conveyed to or from any
port of the United States. by any foreign packet or
ship, except such unseaed letters relating to said
ship vessel. any part of the cargo thereof as
may be directed to the owner or owners, consgnee
consignees, of said ship other vessel, shall be
subject to postage charge as aforesaid, whether
ssed to person IN the United States or else
where: Prorised, 1t is done by the packet or other
ship of foreign country imposing postage on letters
or ma:labe matter conveyed to or from such conn
try, by packet other ship of the United States,
carried in foreign packet ships Or other vessels, ex
cept such unseaed letters relating to the ship
sells, or to the owner or owners, conSgnee or con-
slsnees, azores and such letters other mail
liable matter are hereby required be delivered in
to the United States post office by the masters or
commando of all such packets or other vessels
when arrieI ing, and be taken from United States
post office wien departing, aad the postage paid
thereon Justly cha lble by this act: and for reu
sing or falling TO do 81. for conveying said letters
over or across the United states, or any letters in
tended to be conveyed in any ship or vessel or such
foreign country, or any portion ihete"i' .ie part.
Offending shall, on conviction, foiiet ana pay not
exceeding FIVE thousand dollars for esch oHeHce.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That IN case the
pers persons, the directors of any is3c"rpo-
rated company who have entered into any contfact,
or who may hereafter enter into any contract wit!
the Postmaster General for conveying the mail OF the
United States TO any foreign country in pursuance
of the act entitled Gan act to provide FOR the trans
poFtation Of the mail between the United States and
foreign countries, and for other Euri oses, approved
the third day Of March, eighteen hundred ant forty
is stipulation, the part of such Contractor, giving
TO the United states the right to purchase, at an a-
praised value the steamship ships required by
such contract to be employed in convey ing the Ill,
shall decline to sell and deliver to the United States
s1ch ship or shIps or shall refuse to name and ap
point appraisers to value the same, agreeahly to the
provisions of said act, the same having been APP
praised and valued, shall refuse to convey and deli
said ship ships to the United states, on the
payment tender OF payment, by the United States,
of the sum at which the said ship ships may have
been appraised and valued, such person or persons
offending, shall forfeit sum not exceeding one
hundred thousand dollars, to be recovered in any
proper action for the of the treasury OF the Uni
ted States and in of refusal or inability to pay
the same, shall be liable to be imprisoned not ex-
ceedng year, at the discretion of the court rem
dering Judgment for such penalty.
SEc.1. And be it further enacted, That to secure
the regular transmission of the mail to and from for
eign countries the Postmaster General be, and he is
hereby, authorized and required to impose fines on
contractors for, any unreasonable or unnecessary
delay in the departure of such nails in the per-
Torrance of the trip: Prorfded, That the fine for
any default shall not exceed half Of the con-
tract price paid for the trip.
SEC. s. And be further enacted, That it shall not
be lawful for any contractor for transporting the mail
to any foreign country to assign transfer his con-
tracts and all such assignments or transfers shall
be null and void: Provided, That assignments and
transfers which have been made and accepted by the
Postmaster General the Secretary of the Navybe-
fore the passage of this act, shall not be affected by
this section.
Approved June p, 1s4s.