Georgetown weekly news., 1855-05-31
Post Office Regulations under the New
Law.

rleS are daily made, relative to the late Act
of Congress making very important changes
in the Post Office Laws, we publish the fol-
lowing from the instructions of the Post
master General, They are copied from the
Times and transcript of the 24th inst:
Books not weighing over four pounds
may be sent in the mail. prepaid, at one
cent an ounce any distance in the United
States under three thousand miles. and
at two cents an ounce over three thousand
miles. provided they are put up without
cover or wrapper. or in cover or wrapper
open at the ends or sides, SO that their char
acter may be determined without remov-
ing the wrapper. If not prepaid, the post
age under three thousand miles is one cent
and half, and over three thousand miles
in the United States three cents and half
Letters enclosed i'll stamp envelopes may
be carried out of the mail, provided such
stamps are equal in value and amounts to
the rates of postage to which such letters
would be liable if sent in the MALL and pro-
vlded, also, that the envelopes are duly seal
/ ed, &c.
A letter bearing a stamp, cut or separa-
ted from stamped envelope, cannot be sent
through the mail as prepaid letter. Stamps
/ so cut or separated from stamp envelopes
lose their legal value. Stamped envelopes,
as well as postage stamps on prepaid letters,
should be cancelled Immediately on the let
tiers being placed in the post-office
! Contractors and mail carriers may carry
newspapers out of the mails, for sale or dis
tributlon among regular subscribers bat
when papers are placed in a post-of1ice for
delivery, postage must be charged and COL
lected. Contractors and other persons NAV
also convey books, pamphlets, magazines
and newspapers (not intended for immediate
dlstribution) done up in packages as mer-
chandise. and addressed to some bona fde
agent or dealer
Publishers OF newspapers may, without
sublectlng them to extra postage, fold with
in their regular issues a supplement, pro-
vided the weight of the whole does not eX-
ceed one and half ounces, within the State
where printed. or three ounces when sent
out of the State. But in all cases, the adj
ded matter must be genuine supplement
or appendage to the newspaper in question,
and OF the same essential character, convey
ing intelligence of passing events of general
interest.
Money and other valuable matters sent
by mail, are at the risk of the owner. Da-
guerreotypes, when sent in the mail, should
be rated and charged with letter postage by
weight
Payment of postage on newspapers, pc
riodicals, and magazines, quarterly or year
ly in advance, may be made either at the
office mailing or Office of delivery.
1t is violation of law to enclose or con-
ceal letter or other thing, Except bills
and receipts for subscription,) or to make
any memorandum i'll writing. or to print
any work OF communication after its publi-
cation upon any newspaper, pamphlet, mag
azlne; or other printed matter. In all such
cases legal letter postage should be demand
ed, and if the person addressed should re-
fuse to pay such letter postage, the pack
age should be returned to the Postmaster
from whose Office it came; to prosecute the
sender for the penalty of S.; and all trans
tent printed matter Should be distinctly post
marked at the mailing office.
POstmaSters are allowed one cent for the
delivery of each free letter, except such as
come to themselves, and two mills each on
newspapers Ito subscribers not chargeabe
with postage.
Letters mailed in the cars can be prepaid
only by using postage stamps or stamped
envelopes; and when not thus prepaid, it is
the duty of PCstmastcrs to treat all such
letters as unpaid, although marked paid
no route agent being permitted to receive
prepayment in money.
Circulars, advertisements, and business
cards, not weighing over three ounces, sent
any distance in the United States, are charg-
able with one cent postage each when pre-
paid, and two cents each when not prepaid
The same rates apply when sent in pack
ages, unless the package be sealed, so as to
prevent the contents from being ascertain
ed. Ii sealed, they are chargable with let
ter postage by weight.
Properly tranked mail matter, or mail
matter addressed to person enjoying the
ranking privilege, is entitled to be carried
free in the mail when forwarded" to the
person elsewhere as well as in transporta-
tlon simply to the office to which originally
addressed.
POstmasters receiving letters referring to
business not connected with the Depart
ment, but designed to promote private in
terest without payment of postage, must
return said letters to the parties sending
them under new envelope charged with let
ter postage.
Bona fide subscribers to weekly newspa-
pers can receive the same free OF postage,
ii theyreside in the county in which the pa
per is printed and published, even if the
Office to which the paper is sent is without
the county, provided, it is the cffce at which
they regularly receive their mail matter.
Postage cannot be prepaid on regular
newspapers or periodicals for less term
than one quarter; and in all cases postage
must be paid on such matter at the corn-
] mpnnnnannt Of tLo 1.1,n II