The republic., 1851-01-30
THIRTY.FIRST CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
wxDsrsDAY. JAsvAnr 20. 1851.
SENATE.

SENATE.
MIR. CLAY presented the petitions Of clerks in
the post ffices at Maysville and Louisville Ken
sucky, praying that some provision may be made
ia the post Office Till FOR increase of their
Mr.. WINTHROP presented similar memorials
from the clerks in the post Office at Boston.
pouSTlEs TO SOLDIERS OF THE wAR 1912.
MeFsrs. CLAY and STURGEON presented pc
htions from persons engaged in the war of 1912,
may be allowed the same bounties those engaged
il the recent war with Mexico.
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.
= Mr.. HALE presented two petitions from the State
oi Pennsy ivapia praying the repeal oi the Fugitive
Slave Law, and one from New Hampshire praying
The abolition Of slavery in the District Of Columbia;
which were laid on the table.
VIRGINIA. wooLLEN COMPANY.
MIR. DAVIS, of Mississippi, from the Committee
on Military Affairs, to whom had been referred the
bill from the House for The relief OF the Virginia
wooilen company. reported the same back. The
biil was then considered by unanimous consent. Il
refunds TO this company some six thousand dollars
retained by the Government Manages for fail
10 perform contract; theMilure TO perform the
contract arising from unavoidable occurrences.
The bill debated by Messrs. PAWS, MA
son. PEARCE, HALE, and CLEMENS; and, ON
the motion OF The latter, 1t was postponed.
ELL TO REDUCE THE RATES OF POSTAGE.
MIR. RUSK, from the Committee on the Post Office
and Post Roads, reported back the bill from the
IJuse .sto reduce and modify the rates of postage
in the United States, and provide for the coinage
of a three cent piece," with several amendments
The following is the bill as 1t passed the House,
and ns it is proposed by the committee Of the Sen
ate TO amend il. The parts in brackets they
commend TO strike out, and they propose to insert
the words in italice:
Be II enacted by the Senate and House IF Repre-
senfatu.s Of The United States Of Amaica in Con-
srsss assembied That from and after the thirielh
day Of June, eighte hundred and fifty one, all
letters carried III the mail shall be charged with
postage as follows:
Upon each letter. upon trhich the postage shall
haze tefn prepaid, not weighing over halt
ounce, three cents and for each additional halt
ounce fraction OF half an ounce, three cents
upon each letter cch postage shall moi h0rs btn
Jpspa,d, CHING hdy ounce and for each
ad0ifiona al Lay fraction ~ half ounce fu,
cenfs P,0rided That post office now in existence
shall be discontinued, shalt the mail service on
any mail route in any of the States Territories be
discontinued diminished in consequence Of any
q minutiun Of The revenues that may result from
tLis dnd prorided fDfh,r, That shall be the
duty Of the Postmaster General to establish new
post Offices, and place the mail service on new
mail ruutes established, that may hereafter be
establish, d. in the came manner though this
act ha not been passed. And pro idsd further, That
the compensation OF no postmaster shal be oImin
isbcd in cunsequsnc OF the passage Of this |
TO any postmaster trhose c0mpea sutton m0y be re
dcsd beio,r The amount aiiotrtd rim for tie year end
iny June 80, 1851, the Postmaster General shall BE-
dsthIixef TO make such additional aiiopance as he
may deem jnsf and 0per not 10 trcetd Ne Of
cOrJ t,naIion for the year ending 3Ufh june 1851.
SIC q And be nJvfhtr e'lncied, That there shall
be charged upon each newspaper, pamphlet, Pc
rio~cai, magazine. book, and every other descrip-
ton OF printed matter, which shall be unconnectcd
with any manuscript or written matter, and which
itmay be lawful to transmit through the mall OF
no greater weight than two ounces one cent ana
for each additional ounce, or fraction of ounce,
one cent Bound books not weighing over thirty
ounces shall be deemed mailable matter under tn,
provisions OF hs section Provided. That newspa-
prrs delivered in the State or Territory where
~ inted, shall be char rgeabc with only half the
foregoing rates. Iroaided further, That no postage
shall be charged upon any newspaper mailed aud
delivered within the county where printed, or With
in thirty miles OF the place where printed Pro.
pldtd fnrfAtr, That the free cir, uaiion of news
papers vi hin the county here printed or the dis
tan, of thirty miles OF the place where ptned, ar
hereinbeiore provided, shall be confined to actual
Subscribers receiving their papers from the effice
where print d. And p, oo,ded further, That fifty per
cent. sball be deducted from the postage on maga-
zines, when that Postage shall be prepaid PRO
plded Iat in ascrtaini,g the amount TO be charged
on newspapers, they shall be ,oe,shed rhen IN drs
SEC. 3 And be it further enacted. That it shall
be lawful coin, at the mint OF the United States
and ita branches piece of the denomination anc
legal value Of three cents. three hundredths OF
dollar To be composed Of three fourths silver
one fourth copper and to weigh twelve q aims
three, eis-Lths of a grain; that the said shall
ent from tbose o the other silver coins, and the
gold dollar, bat having the inscription limited
States of America, and its denomination and dat.
aud that it shall he legal tender in payment vi
dobs Tor all suins of thirty cents and under.
Sac. a. 4ad b. further enacted, That it shall be
the duty OF the Postmaster General provide and
furnish To all deputy postmasters, and other per
sous applying and paying therefor, suitable stamps
OF the denomination u three cents. TO facilitate the
prepayment Of the postages provided for in this act
And amy person who shall counterfeit alter, OF
forge, auy letter stamps, aball know iogly have
In ili5 pusss ssion any false, forged, altered
letter stainps, with intent to sell the me
genuine, shall be deemed to be guilty of felony,
ami be punished by fine not exceeding five hun
d"d d..liars, or by imprisonment not exceeding
five years.
sac. 5. And be il further enacted, That there is
hereby appropriated out of any money in the trea-
sury not otherwise appropriated the sum of one
iniiun live hundred thousand dollars, to supply any
deficiency that may arise the Post Office Depart
ment.
SEC. 6. And be il further enacted, That lists OF
letters remaining uncalled for in any poet Office for
the space OF sir (two] weeks, in any city, town
village, where newspaper shall be printed, shall
hereafter. be published once only in a newspaper,
which being issued as frequ' nty any other, shall
have the gest circulation within the range of dc
livery Of said office be decided by the Postmaster
General under such regulations shall be prescr-
bed 10y him, at charge not exceeding one [lhreel
cents each heter called for. And the postmaster
such office is hereby directed to post, in conspicu-
"
or day after the publication thereof Propid d. ho,o
eper, II the publisher of any paper herein specified
shall refuse TO publish he st OF letters provided
in this ction, the postmaster shall designate some
other paper in which su' h list shall be published;
land such publisher, refusing shall be deprived
a. all 'h benefits OF this act and the free excnange
no v provided by law
The committee further recommend that the whole
OF the following section be stricken out
Ssc. T. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
in the power Of the Postnaser General, at all post
o hces where the postnasters appointed by the
President of the United States, to establish poet
routes within the cties or towns to provide for
veying ietters TO the post office by establishing
suitable and convenient places Of deposit, sand by
employing carriers TO receive and deposit them in
the post offico and at all such Offices shall be IN
his power to cause letters TO be delivered by suila-
be carriers, to be appointed by him for that pur-
pose, Tor which not exceeding two cents
shall be charged, To be paid by The person receiving
or sending the same aud all sums 30 received ehai
be paid lnto the Post Office Department. Propided,
The amount Of compensation allowed by the Post.