Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-09-22


in California, to ttoelpe GEMS letter stamps,
cut in two'pieces ~obliquely, to pay the rate,
six cents each, on two letters. Many letters
arrive from california with these cut stamps,
and many postmasters have allowed them to
pass as pad. M
BY recent decisi lon Of the First Assistant
Postmaster General, in answer to an enquiry.
by the postmaster at Poughkeepsie, N. Y, It
will be seen that all such fractional parts Of
stamps ureto be treated as nallities, and letters
10 which they are q6fred are to be considered a'-
paid, and the unp4drate q postage eTacted;;'-11
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
First Division Offices,
September 5, 1858.
SIR :--Yours, in relation to 1.-THE legal effca-
cy Of fractional parts of postage stamps, when
used as evidence Of prepayment of postage on
letters or other maiIable matter, is received;
The Act of March 3, 1851, makes 1t the du,
ty of the Postmaster General to provide and
furnish to all persons applying and paying
therefor, suitable postage stamps, OF the de-
nomination of three cents, and OF stch other
denominations as he may think expedient to
facilitate the prepayment of the postage pro-
vided for in Tthat] act; and in the 18th sec
ton of the Act of March 8, l647, 1t had been
enacted, That, to facilitate the transportation
of letters in the mail, the Postmaster General
be authorized to prepare postage stamps, WHICH,
when attached to any letter or packet, shall
be evidence of the payment of the POSTAGE
&c. In sec. 367 of the 'lRegulations we are
informed what denominations and descriptions
cc { nd
furnished by the Postmaster General under
these Acts. These are enumerated as follows
No. 1, printed in black, representing the head
of Washington, of the denomination of tweiue
cents No. 2, printed in red, representing the
head Of Washington in profile, Of the denomi-
nation Of three cents; No. 3, printed in blue,
representing the head Of Franklin in profile, of
the denomination Of one cent; and, in sec 1873,
No other postage stamps than those described IN
the foregoing regulation, No. 367, are author
ized 70 be used in the prepayment of the post
age on any letter or packet mailed at one post
Office in the United States, to be conveyed to
another post Office in the United States. All
other stamps upon letters and packets must be
diSregarded'
From this resume Of the provisions of the
law and the regulations, it is evident that frac-
tional parts of a genuine postage stamp are
not made evidence ofprepayment of postage on
the letter or package to which they are attach
ed. They are not the suitable stamps
which the law directs to be provided, and
i0hich are alone made evidence of prepay
ment nor are they such stamps as have been
provided for that purpose and are particularly
described in sec. 367 of the Regulations. -
Thus. the half or the quarter of the twelve
cent stamp is not one representing the head of
Washington ! nor is it Of the denomination
of twelve cents
You will therefore treat all such fractional
parts of stamps as utilities, and, if there be no
other and entire stamps attached, treat all let
tiers and packages to which they are affixed as
unpaid, and exact postage on them according
ly.
Very respectfully, &c.,
ST. JNO. b. l.. SKINNER,
for First Assistant p. M. Gen1
To A. S. PEAsE, Postmaster,
Poughkeepsie, Duchess Co., N. Y.