M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-23
New Postage Law.


the law in relation to letter postage,
passed by the late session of Congress.
and signed by the President
AN ACT further 10 ammend an act
entitled can Act to reduce and mod
Elfy the rates of postage in the United
States, and for other purposes" pas
sed March 3, 1851.
Senate and House of Representa-.
Hces of the United States of Ameri-
ca in Congress assembled, That, in
leu OF the rates Of postage now estab-
bshed by law, there will be charged the
iollowing rates, to wit;
For every single letter in manuscript,
d paper OF any kind in which infor-
Imation shall be asked for or commu-
nicated in writing, or by marks or
signs, conveyed ia the mail for any
distance, between places in the UnileJ
States, not exceeding three thousand
miles, three cents, and for any distance
exceeding three thousand miles, ten
cents.
And for double letter there shall be
charged double the rate above specified;
and Tor treble letter, ,treble those rates; !;
and TOR every letter or parcel not ex-
ceeding half an ounce in weight shall
be deemed single letter; and every ad-
ditional weight OF less than halt an
ounce, shall be charged with an addi-
tional weight OF less than half an ounce,
shall be charged with an additional
single postage; and upon all letters pas
Ising thro' or IN the mail OF the United
States, excepting such as are to or from
aioreign country, the postage as above
specified shall be prepaid, except upon
letters and packages addressed to otfic-
ers ofthe Government on official bus
mess, which shall be so marked on the
envelope. And from and alter the lst
day OF January, eighteen hundred and
tilty-six, the Postmaster General may
require the postmasters TO place postage
stamps upon all prepaid letters upon
which stamps may no: have been placed
lby the writers.
And all drop-letters, or letters placed
in any post.otice not Tor transmission
through the mai, but for delivery only,
shall be charged with postage at the
rate OF one cent each; and all letters
which shall hereafter be advertised as
remaining over, or uncaIled for, in any
post.office, shall be charged with one
cent each, in addition to the regular
postage, both to be accounted for a,
other Postages now are.
SEcTIoN 2. And be Hfurther en-
acted. That it shall not be lawful fol
an! postmaster or other person TO sci
any postage stamp or stamped enveloI
Tor any larger sum than that indicated
upon the face OF such postage stamp OIL
tor larger sum than that charged there
lor by the PoSt-Otfice Department; anc
any person who shall violate this pro
vision shall be deemed guilty OF mis-
demeanor, and, on conviction thereof
shall be fined IN any sum not less thar
ten, nor more than five hundred dollars
This act to take effect and to be il
force from and alter the commencement
OF the next fiscal quarter after its pas
sage Provided, That nothing herein
contained shall be construed as to alte
the laws in relation 10 the frankinl
privilege. - .I. ....'
SEC. 3. And be il further enacted
That Tor the greater security of valua
BILE letters posted for transmission in th
mails OF the United States, the Post
master General be and hereby is au
thorized TO establish a uniform plaI
for the registration OF such letters OIL
duplication OF parties posting the same
and TO require the prepayment OF tn
postage, as well as registration fee o
five cents on every such letter or packe
to be accounted for by postmasters re
ceiving the same in such manner as tn
Postmaster General shall direct, Pro
; wded, howerer, Tha, such registra
; ton shall not be compulsory; and
shall not render the Post. Office Depar
ment or its revenue liable Tor the los
, OF such letters orpackets or the content
thereof.