, 1852-10-30
The Now Postage LAW.

laIion to postage, passed at the last session of
Congress 1t will be seen that it reduces
the rates of newspaper postage, particularly
those sent to California and Oregon, and is
great improvement on the old law:
AN ACT to amend the act entitled " An
act to reduce and modify the rates Of
postage in the United States, and for
other purposes" passed March third,
eighteen hundred and fifty-one.
BE It enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, That from
and after the tbirtieth day Of September,
eighteen hundred and ffty-two, the postage
upon all printed matter passing through the
mail of the United States, instead of the
rates now charged, shall be as follows, 10
wit; Each newspaper, periodical, unsealed
circular, or other article of printed matter,
not exceeding three ounces in weight, shall
be sent to any part of the United States for
one cent, and for every additional ounce, or
| fraction of an ounce, one cent additional
shall be charged; and when the postage
upon any newspaper or periodical is paid
quarterly or yearly in advance, at the office
where the said periodical or newspaper is
delivered, or is paid quarterly or yearly in
advance at the Office where the same is
mailed, and evidence of such payment is
furnished to the office of delivery in such
manner as the Post Office Department shall
by general regulations prescribe, one-half
Of the said rates only shall be charged
Newspapers and periodicals not weighing
over one ounce and half, when circulated
in the State where published, shall be eharg-
ed one-half the rates before mentioned
Provided, That small newspapers and peri
odicals, published monthly or oftener, and
pamphlets not Containing more than sixteen
octave pages, when sent in single packages,
weighing at least eight ounces, to one ad-
dress, and prepaid by afixing postage stamps
thereto, shall be charged only half Of a cent
for each ounce or fraction Of an ounce, not
withstanding the postage calculated on each
separate article of such package would e&'
coed that amount. The postage on all
transient matter shall be prepaid by stamps
or otherwise, or shall be charged double the
rates first above mentioned.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That
books, bound Or unbound, not weighing over
four pounds, shall be deemed mailable mat
ter, and shall be chargable with postage Of
one cent an ounce for all distances under
three thousand miles, and two cents an
ounce for all distances over three thousand
miles, 10 which fifty per cent. shall be added
in all cases where the same may be sent
without being prepaid, and all printed mat
ter chargeable by weight shall be weighed
when dry. The publishers of newspapers
and periodicals may send to each other from
their respective offices of publication, free
Of postage, one copy of each publication
and may also send TO each actual subscriber,
enclosed in their publications, bills and re-
ceipts for the same free of postage. The
publishers of weekly papers may send to
each actual subscriber within the county
where their papers are printed and publish
ed one copy thereof free ofposlage.
SEC. g. And be ii further enacted, That
no newspaper, periodical, magazine, or 9TH
er printed paper or matter, shall be entitled
to be sent al the rates of postage in this act
specified, unless the following conditions be
observed:
FIRST. It shall be sent without any cover
or wrapper, or in cover or wrapper open
at the ends or sides so that the character of
the matter contained therein may be deter
mined without removing such wrapper
SECOND. There shall be no word or commu..
nication printed on the same after its publ
cation, or upon the cover or wrapper there
of, nor any writing or marks upon it, nor
upon the cover or wrapper thereof, except
the name and address Of the person to whom
it is 10 be sent THIRD. There shall be no
paper or other thing enclosed in or with
such printed paper and if these conditions
arc not complied with, such printed matter
shall be subject to letter postage and all
matter sent by mail from one part of the
United States 10 another, the postage of
which is not fixed by the provisions of this
act, shall, unless the same be entitled to be
sent free of postage, be charged with letter
postage
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That
if the publisher of any periodical, after be-
ing three months previously notified that his
publication is not taken out Of the office to
which it is sent for delivery, continues to
forward such publication in the mail, the
Postmaster to whose Office such publication
is sent may dispose Of the same for the post
age, unless the publisher shall pay it and
whenever any printed matter of any des-
criptiOn, received during one quarter Of the
fiscal year, shall have remained in the Office
without being called for during the whole
Of any succeeding quarter, the postmaster at
snch Office shall sell the same and credit tho
proceeds of such sale in his quarter ly ae-
counts, under such regulations and after
such notice as. the Post Office Department
shall prescribe.
SEC. 5. And be It further enacted, That
so much Of the second section Of the act en-