The republic., 1851-01-27
The Postage Bill,
A Il passsd he Houss qf Representatives..

Psss~~o $ASSss sS~s~sSssS~~'
AN ACT to reduce and modify the rates Of post
age in the United States, and to provide for the
coinage of three cent piece.
Be Il enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatioes Of the United States Of Amsrtca IN Con-
gress assembled, That from and after the thirtiet
day of June, eighte hundred and fifty one, all
letters carried in the mail shall be charged with
postage as follows:
Upon each letter not weighing over one hall
ounce, three cents and for each additional hall
ounce, or fraction OF half an ounce, three cents
Pr0cidsd, That post office now in existence shall
be discontinued, nor shalt the mail service any
mail route any of the States Territories be dis
continued or diminished in consequence of any
dimnution of the revenues that may result from
this act And prouided further, That it shall be the
duty Of the Postmaster General to establish new
poet Offices, and place the mail service on new
mail routes established, that may hereafter be
established, in the same manner though this
act had not been passed. And ided further. That
the compensation ot no postmaster shall be dmin-
ished in consequence of the passage of this act.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall
be charged upon each newspaper, pamphlet, Pc
rodical, magszine, book, and every other dcscrip-
ton OF printed matter, which shall be unconnected
with any manuscript written matter, and which
it may be lawful to transmit through the mail, OF
no greater weight than two ounces, one cent and
for each additional ounce, traction of ounce,
cent. Bound books not weighing over thirty
ounces shall be deemed mailable matter under the
provisions Of this section Provided That newspa-
pers delivered in the State Territory where
printed, shall be chargeable with only half the
foregoing rates Provided further, That postage
shall be charged upon any newspaper mailed and
delivered within the county where printed, or with
in thirty miles OF the place where printed Pro
vided further, That the free circulation of news
papers within the county where printed, the dis
tance Of thirty miles of the place where printed, as
hereinbefore provided shall be confined to actual
subscribers receiving their papers from the office
where printed: And propided further, That fifty per
cent. shall be deducted from the postage on maya
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall
be lawful to coin at the mint of the United States
and its branches, piece OF the denomination and
legal value OF three cents thrce-hundredths Of
dollar, to be composed of three fourths silver and
one fourth copper, and TO weigh twelve grains and
three eighhs OF grain; that the said coin shall
bear such devices as shall be conspicuously differ
ent from those oil the other silver colns and OF the
gold dollar, but having the inscription "United
States OF America and its denomination and dnte
and that it shall be legal tender in payment of
debts for all sums Of thirty cents and under
Seq d. And be IL further enacted, That it shall be
the duty Of the Postmaster General to provide and
furnish to all deputy postmasters, and other per-
sons applying and paying therefor, suitable stamps
of the denomination Of three cents to facilitate the
prepayment Of the postages provide for in this act
And any person who shall counterfeit, alter.
forge, any letter stamps, or shall knowingly have
in his possession any false, forged, or altered
letter stamps, with intent to sell the same
genuine. shall be deemed to be guilty of felony,
and be punished by fine not exceeding five hun
dred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding
five years.
SEC. s. -And be it further enacted, That there is
hereby appropriated out of any money in the trea-
sury not otherwise appropriated, the sum Of one
million five hundred thousand dollars to supply any
deficiency that may arise IN the Post Office Depart
ment
SEC. 6. And be IL further enacted, That lists Of
letters remaining uncallcd for in any post Office for
the space OF two weeks, in any city, town, or viii
lage, where newspaper shall be printed, shall
Tta, he.
which being Issued ne frequently any other, shall
have the largest circulation within the range of de-
livery of said office, TO be decided by the Postlnas-
ter General under such regulations as shall be pre-
scribed byhim, at charge not exceeding three cents
on each letter called for. And the postmaster at
such office is hereby directed to post, in conspcu
place in his office, copy of such list the day
or day after the publication thereof Probdtd ho,o.
eve, II the publisher OF any paper herein specified
shall refuse to publish the list OF letters provided
in this section, the postmaster shall designate some
other paper in which such list shall be published;
and such publisher, refusing, shall be deprived
of all the benefits of this act, and the free exchange
now provided by law.
SEC. Z. And be it. further enacted, That it shall be
in the power Of the Postmaster General, at all post
offices where the postmasers are appointed by the
President of the United States, to establish post
routes within the cities towns, to provide for con-
veying letters to the post office by establishing
suitable and convenient places OF deposit, and by
employing carriers to receive and deposit them in
the post office; and at all such offices it shall be in
his power cause letters to be delivered by suita
BILE carriers, to be appointed by him for that pur-
pose, for which not exceeding one or two cents
shal be charged, be paid by the person receiving
sending the same, and all sums received shall
be paid into the Post Office Department: Prouided,
The amount of compensation allowed by the Post
master General to carriers shall in caso exceed
the amount paid into the treasury by each town
or city under the provisions of this section.
BRAzIL AND BuENos AyREs.--A letter in the
Philadelphia Bulletin, dated Pcrnambuco, Dec. T.,