Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-06-18

an instrument to be furnished by the Department
In post offices not so furnished the stamps mus,
be thoroughly cancelled by making several heavy
cross or parallel lines upon each Of them with a
pen dipped in good black ink. The cancelling in
strument should be used auih black printers ink
,ohen that material can, be obtained
! If the canceling have been omitted on the mail
ing of the letter, packet parcel or if the can
collation. be incomplete, the postmaster at the of
flee of delivery will cancel the stamp In the man.
ner directed, and forthwith report the delinquent
postmaster to the Postmaster General, as the law
requires.
Letters, packets, and parcels ehargeable with
letter postage, which shall have been prepaid by
stamps, will be entered the post bills and also
ION the transcripts of mails sent and mails received,
In the appropriate columns, headed ''prepaid by
stamps. "
The postage on newspapers, magazines, and
pamphlets, prepaid by stamps, must in like man
ner be entered on the proper transcript account
of newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, and other
printed matter, in the column headed *prepaid by
stamps
The Department will furnish blanks suitable for
keeping accounts of unpaid printed matter receiv-
ed. and OF prepaid printed matter sent in the mails
The amount Of stamp letters sent will in the COM
putaton of the postmaster's commissions, and for
that purpose only. be added the amount of hostages
received, and commissions wall be charged and al
lowed thereon, as if the postage on the letters had
been prepaid in money instead of stamps.
The postmaster will charge his commission on
the amount OF postage on newspapers, magazines,
and pamphlets, and all other printed matter pre-
paid by stamps, If the same had been prepaid
in money.
All postage stamps, whether attached to letters,
packets, or parcels chargeable with letter postage,
or to newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, or other
printed matter, must be carefully entered by the
postmaster in the appropriate columns of the tran
script belonging to his quarterly returns, that the
Department may know the quantity of stamps used
in the mails and cancelled
A postmaster may not refuse to mail and for
ward letter prepaid because the stamp upon
it was not purchased at his office. If the stamp
be genuine, and have not been used before in pre-
payment it must be respected.
Postage stamps may be used in the prepayment
of postage On letters to foreign countries, in all
cases where such prepayment cen be made in mo-
ney.
When letters to foreign countries are prepaid
by stamps, the mailing postmaster should cancel
the stamps, and be careful to rate and mark the
letters with red ink if prepaid in money.
The Sd section of the 'sact to reduce ard modi-
fly the rates of postage, &c, approved Sd March,
1851, makes it felony for any person to forge or
counterfeit, or knowingly use or sell, or have in
his possession, with intent to SELL any post
age stamp provided or furnished under that or any
former act, and declares that, conviction there
of, the offender shall be punished by fine not
exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprison-
ment not exceeding five years, Or by both such
fine and Imprisonment. And the Attn section of
said act declares that if any person shall use, or
attempt to use. in prepayment 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 name Of the United States in
any court of competent jurisdiction.
The law makes no compensation to postmasters
for the sale of postage stamps, except through the
allowance of commissions on such as are used at
their offices; 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 transmitted. ....
n. X. HALL, Postmaster General