Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-06-14
OFFICIAL.
Regulations Concerning Postage Stamps.
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT. June TO- /,

Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT, June 10, 1851.
To facilitate the prepayment of hostages upon letter.
and packages postage Stamps of the following demon
nations provided and furnished by the Postmaster
General, pursuant to the Sd section of the act to
duce and modify the rates of postage in the United
States, and tor other purposes approved March Sd
1851, viz:
No. !, printed in black, representing the head o
Washington, of the denomination OF twelve cents
No. @ printed in red, representing the head OF Wash
ngton in profile, of the denomination of three cents
No. B. printed in blue, representing the head Of
Franklin in profile of the denomination OF cent.
These stamps will be furnished to one more OF
the principal postmasers in each county, who will be
required 10 supply the other postmasers in their re-
specve vicinities, upon being paid tor the amounts
furnished.
All other persons wishing supplies OF stamps can OBJ
tain them from the postmaster at the county seat near
est their residences from the postmaster OF any other
office having them for sale.
Postmasers purchasing stamps from other postmas-
tiers are required to render to the Department any
account of the stamps purchased and sold by them.
Every postmaster receiving stamps tor sale directly
from the Department will al the end of each quarter,
charge hmsen his quarterly account current with any
amount of stamps which remained on hand at the close
of the preceding quarter adding thereto the amounts
ceyed during the quarter Just ended and creditng him
self with the amount then remaining on hand The ba-
lance ofthe account stated will represent the amount
of stamps sold which must be added on his quarterly
account the amount due on the regular return
Of hostages for the quarter.
In case Of resignation, removal or death, the post
master or his representative will not be allowed credit
for any stamps turned to his successor unless such
successor have duly qualified by giving bond unless
his receipt for the shall be forthwith transmitted
to the Auditor for the Post Office Department.
ANY letter or packet with one or more postage
stamps affixed equal in amount to the postage proper
Iy chargeable thereon, may be mailed and forwarded
from any post office prepaid letter or packet; but
if the postage stamps affixed be not adequate to the pro-
per postage the postmaster mailing the letter packet
will admit the prepayment OF as many rates as the
stamps upon it represent, and charge the excess with
the postage at the unpaid rate to be collected at the
office of delivery.
All postage stamps affixed to any letter, packet, or
parcel of any description, must be Immediately and
efectually cancelled in tho office in whichhe letter,
packet, or parcel may be deposited for delivery or
transmission.
At the larger officers they will be cancelled with an
instrument to be furnished by the Department. In post
offices not so furnished, hestamps must bethoroughiy
cancelled by making several heavy cross or paral-
lei lines upon each of them with pen dipped in
good black ink. The caucelling instrument should be
used with black printers ink, when that material can
be obtained.
II the cancelnc have been omitted on the mailing
OF the letter, packet, parcel if ths cancellation be
incomplete, the postmaster at the office OF delivery
will cancel the stamps in the manner directed, and
forthwith report the delinquent postmaster 10 the Post
moster General as the law requires.
Letters, packets, and parcels chargeable with letter
postage, which shall have been prepaid by stamps,
will be entered the post bills. aud also the tram
scripts OF mails sent and mails received, in the appro
pirate columns headed "prepald by stamps"
The postage on newspapers magazines and PAM
phets, prepaid by stamps, must in like manner be en-
tered the proper transcript account newspapers
magazines, pamphlets and other printed matter, in the
column headed "prepaid by stamps"
The Department will furnish blanks, suitable tor
keeping accounts oil unpaid printed matter received,
and of prepaid printed matter sent in the mails.
The amount of stamp letters sent will IN the compu-
taton of the post masters commissions, and for that
purpose only be added to the amount OF hostages re-
ho aho dali yr,od
thereon if the postage the letters had been prepaid
in money instead OF stamps.
The postmaster will charge his commission the
amount of postage on newspapers, magazines and pam
phes and all other printed matter, prepaid by stamps
1.-THE same had been prepaid in money.
All postage stamps, whether attached 10 letters pack
cts parcels chargeable with etter'postage or news
papers, maya, ines, pamphlets other printed matter
must be carefully entered by lhepostmaster the APP
proprate columns OF the transcripts belonging to his
quarterly returns, that the Department may know the
quantity OF stamps used in the mails and cancelled
A postmaster may refuse to mail and forward a
letter as prepaid because the stamp upon it was not
purchased at his Office 1.-THE stamp be genuine, and
have not been used before in prepayment, it must be
respected.
Postage stamps may be used in the prepayment of
postage on letters to foreign countries, in all
where such prepayment can be made in money.
When letters to foreign counri are prepaid by
stamps the mailing postm aster should cancel the stamps
and be careful to rate and mark the letters with red ink,
as it prepaid in money.
The Sd section OF the act 10 reduce aud modify the rates
of POSTAGE, &c., approved Sd March, 1851, makes it
felony for any person to FORGE counterfeit, know
ingy or sell, have in his posse ZION with intent
to or SELL any postage stamp provided or furnished
under that any former act, and declares that,
vcton thereof the of ander shall be punished by fine
not exceeding five hundred dollars or by Imprisonment
not exceeding five ye rs, by both such fine and i'm
prisonmen And the 4th section of said act declares
that il any person shall use or attempt to USE in pre-,
payment of postage. any postage stamp which shall
have been before used for like purposes, such person
shall be subject to penalty Of fifty dollars for every
such offence to be recovered in the of the Unit
ed States in any court of competent jurisdiction.
The law makes no compensation to postmasters for
the sale of postage stamps except through the allow
ance of commissions CHI used at their Off
ces Neither does it allow any discount TO those who
purchase.
Applications by postmasters for postage stamps must
be made TO the Third Assistant Postmaster General to
whom the receipts for them should be promptly trans
mitted.
N. X. HALL Postmaster General
Notice to the Pubc and Instructions to PostasterS