Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-02-22
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY l7-h continuation.
REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.

postage in the United States and provide for the coinage
Of three cent piece.
Mr.. RUsK. propose, with the assent of the committee,
that the amendments which they have offered the House
bill be rejected and then will offer substitute the whole
bill.
The question taken the amendments all together
and they rejected.
Mr.. RUSK then offered an amendment Us substitute for
the BILL viz.
Strike out all after the euscine clause, and insert
That from after the treth day june eighteen
dred and in lieu Of the rates OF postage now esab
lshed by law there shall be charged e following rates.
wit For every single letter in manuscript paper OF any
kind upon which information shall be asked for commune
Gated writiag by marks signs conveyed in the mails
distance wiu the United States three cents, when
the postage upon such letter shall have prepaid and
when the postage thereon shall not have been prepaid
every sch single letter or paper when conveyed wholly
in part sea- TO- om through foreign country for
any distance enty undred miles, fifteen and
any distance under twenty-five hundred miles, cents
however, where such hostages have
or shall be adjusted different by postal treaty
venoa already concluded hereafter TO be made and for
double letter there shall be charged double the rates above
specified and for treble Letter. treble those rates. and for
quarupe letter. quaduple those and every letter
parcel exceeding half in weight shall be deemed
or additional weigh OF lesshan half ounce shall be charged
with additional single postage and all droPetters or let
placed any oce not for transmission but for de-
livery only shall be charged with postage at the rate of
each andaE letters which shall hereafter be advertised
as remaining uncalled for post Office shall be
charged with addition to the regular postage both
accounted asoher hostages and the Post
General shall be and he hereby authorized when
Inc Of the Post Office Department shall have
eeeded the expenditures by than five cent for
fiscal year, reduce the postage letters conveyed dis
within the United States cents the single rate
when such postage shall be prepaid
Sec ald De 10 further enacted That all newspapers not
exceeding two weight sent from the office of publ
cation actual and bona de subscribers shall be charged
with postage follows to witt The postage the regular
numbers newspaper published weekly for any distance
not exceeding my miles, shall FIVE per quarter
distance exceeding fifty miles, and exceeding three
ing three hundred miles, exceeding thousand miles,
fifteen per quarter any distance exceeding thou
sand miles and not exceeding two thousand niles twenty
per quarter for any distance exceeding thousand
miles, and not exceeding four thousand miles,
per quarters for any distance exceeding four thousand miles
thirty cents per quarter and papers published semweeky
shall be charged double those rates r-weeky treble those
rates and otener than iweeky FIVE times those And
there shall charged every other newspaper and each
circular not sealed, handb engraving pamphlet periodical
magazine hook andevery description printed natter
which shall be unconnected with manuscript written
NATTER and which may be lawful transmit through the
mail Of greater weight than for any distance
exceeding three hundred miles and add-
dtonal fraction of cent; any dis
exceeding three hndred miles, and exceeding
thousand miles, double chose any distance exceed
ing thousand miles, and exceeding thousand miles,
treble those for any distance exceeding thousand
miles, and not exceeding three thousand miles, four times
those any distance exceeding three thousand miles,
and exceeding four thousand miles, five times those rates
for distance exceeding four thousand miles times those
rates. Bound books not weighing thrtywo shall
be deemed mabe matter under the provisions OF this
And the Postmaster General shall require regular
scrbers periodicals. who receive the by mall and
which the postage shall have been prepaid pay the
amount Of quarters postage advance and the postage
all printed NATTER other than newspapers and periodicals.
published intervals exceeding three months and sent
from the Office OF publication to actual and bona de sub
scrbers to be prepaid and in asceraning the weight of
newspapers for the purpose OF determining the of
postage chargeabie thereon they shall be weighed when in
dry state. And Whenever any printed matter which the
postage is required by this section be prepaid shall
through the nattenton Of postmaers otherwise, be
without prepayment the shall be charged with double
the of postage which would have been chageabe
thereon the had been prepaid but nothing in this
act contained shall subject postage matter which is
emped from the payment OF postage by any existing law
And the Postmaster General with the advice
the President Of the United States shall be- and he
the postage upon letters and other maabe matter
conveyed between the United States and any foreign country
for the purpose of making better postal arrangements with
ecng postal intercourse with foreign countries and
posmaste the Office Of delivery hereby authorized
and shall be their duty, the wrappers and
opes from all printed matter and pamphlets charged with
letter postage for the purpose of scernng whether there
upon with any such printed matter or in such
package, any matter thing which would authorize
que the charge OF higher of postage thereon. And all
publishers of pamphlets periodicals. magazines and
be allowed to interchange their publications recprocaly free
of postage Provided That such interchange shall be
Of
for subscriptions thereto without any additional charge for
postage.
Sec 5. 7nd belt further enacted That it shall be lawful to
coin at the mint Of the United States and branches piece
of the denomination and legal of three cents or three
hundredths OF dollar to be composed of hreeouhs silver
and fourth "copper" and to weigh twelve grains and three
eghhs Off grain that the said coin shall bear such devices
shall be conspcuousy different from those Of the other
COINS and of the gold dollar, but having the inscription
United States of America, and its
and that it shall be leg tender in payment of debts for all
sums of thirty and under.
Sec A. And be further enacted That It shall be the duty
OF the Postmaster General provide and furnish all deputy
and to all other applying and paying there
tor suitable postage stamps denomination
and OF such denominations he may think expedent
ciltae the prepayment OF hostages provided for this
and any person who shall forge counterfeit any
stamp provided furnished under the provisions Of this or
former act whether the impressed printed
on or attached to- envelopes not die, plate,
craving therefor shall make print knowingly or
SELL have in his possession with intent SELL any
postage stamp, who shall make print authorize or
procure to be made printed postage stamps ohe kind
provided and furnished by the Postmaster General aore
said without the especial authority and direction of the Post
Once Department. who after such postage stamps have
been printed, SHALL with intent deraud the
person other than such shall be authorized to
receive the by instrument of writing duly executed
under the hand of the Postmaster General and the seal of
fos Oce Department. SHALL conviction thereof be Deem
ed guilty OF felony and be punished by fine exceeding
e hundred dollars, by imprisonment exceeding five
years. or by both such fine and imprisonment and the
Pehse procuring and providing all
letter envelopes provided for authorized by this
De pd after being adjusted by the Auditor Of the Post
oce department, the certificate the Postmaster Gene
nues OIL the PoN Office Department.
oec' D ana De further enacted That the Postmaster
shall be and he is hereby authorized provide and
70 All posmasers and other applying pay
one or more suitable postage stamps of such
ana Vsue as he deem expedient printed or