The Weekly comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1853-1855, 1855-04-08
,rhe New Postage Law.

The Following 10 the new ostage
Law. passed the last day Of the SEES
sion Of Congress
"Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives Of the Uni
ted States of America In Congress AS
sembled, That in lieu Of the rates Of
postage now established by law, there
shall be charged the following rates,
to wit
For every single letter in manu-
script, or paper Of any kind in which
information shall be asked for or COM
municated in writing, or by marks or
signs, conveyed in the mail for any
distances between places in the Uni
ted States, not exceeding 5000 miles,
three cents and for any distance ex-
ceeding 5000 miles. ten cents.
"And for double letters there shall
be charged double the rate above spec
flied and for treble letter, treble
those rates, and every letter or parcel
not exceeding half an ounce, in weight
shall be deemed q single letter !; and
every additional weight Of half
an ounce, shall be charged with
an additional single postage and up
on all letters passing through or in the
mail Of the United States, excepting
such as are to or from a foreign coun-
try, the hostages as above specified
shall be prepaid, except upon letters
and packages addressed to the officers
of the Government On official business,
which shall be so marked on the en-
velope. And from and after the first
day of January, eighteen hundred and
fifty six, the Postmaster General may
require Postmasters to place postage
stamps upon all prepaid letters upon
which such stamps may not have been
placed by ths.writers. ,.
And all drop letters, or letters
placed in any post Office, not for trans.
mission Though the mail, but for de-
livery only, shall be charged with pos
tage at the rate Of one cent each and
all letters which shall hereafter be adj
vertised as remaining over, or uncall-
ed for, in any Post Office, shall be
charged with one cent each, in addi-
ton to regular postage, both to be ac-
counted for as other hostages now are.
"Sect. 2. And be it further enac-
ted, That it shall not be lawful for'any
Postmaster or other persons to sell
any postage stamp or stamp envelope
for any larger sum than that indica-
ted upon the face of such postage
stamp, Or for u larger sum than that
charged therefor by the Post Office
Department: and any person who
shall violate this provision, shall be
deemed guilty of a miedemeanor, and
on conviction thereof, shall be fined in
any sum not less than ten, nor more
than five hundred dollars, This Act
to take effect and be in force from
and after the commencement of the
next fiscal quarter after its passage.
Provided, That nothing herein con.
tanned shall be SO constructed as to al
ter the laws in relation to the franking
privilege. u .l5
Sect. 3. And be it further enact
ed, That, for the greater security of
valuable letters posted for transmits
sion in the mails of the United States,
the Postmaster General be and here
is, authorized to establish uniform
plan for the registration Of such let
tiers, on application of parties posting
the same, and TO require the prepay.
ment Of the postage, as well as d reg
lstration fee Of five cents on every such
letter or package, to be accounted for
by Postmasters receiving the same in
such manner as the Postmaster Gener-
eral shall direct Provided, however,
That such registration shall not be
compulsory; and it shall not render
the Post Office Department or its rev.
enue liable for the loss OF such letters
or packages, or the contents thereof
'::Approyed march 3, 1856.
The Senate of the Louisiana Legis-
lature has passed the bill allowing the
Citizens Bank to establish branches