Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-25

., OF enacted for atensporhry purpose.
-. o. GcoNrINURD.
Sec 80. AR2 be At further enacted. That if
any person or persons shall forge or counter
felt, Or shall utter or use knowingly, any coun.
terfeit stamp of the Post Office Department. of
the United States issued by authority of this
same act, or by any other act Of Congress,
Titbin the United States, or the post Office
stamp of any foreign Governments, he shall be
adJudged guilty OF felony, and on conviction
thoreof in any court having Jurisdiction of the
same, snail undergo confinement at hard
labor for any length of time not less than two
years, nor more than ten, ut the discretion of
the court Sec. 5, act Of lsi5.
Sec: w. And BE- st Jnrtte- enacted, That
tic Postmaster General shall be. and he Is
hereby authorized to provide and furnish to
al postmasters and other persons applying
and paying therefor suitable letter envelopes,
with such water marks or other guards against
countcrfeits az he may deem expedient, and
with one or more suitable postage stamps, with
such device and Of such denominations and
value as he may direct, printed or impressed
thereon, which envelopes shall be sold at a
cost OF procuring and furnishing the same as
near as may be, with the addition of the value
Or denomination of the postage stamps so
printed or impressed thereon or attached
thereto as aforesaid; and letters, when en-
closed In such envelope, with postage sta1nps
printed or impressed thereon, (the postage
stamp or stamps in every such case being of
tae value, denomination. or amount required
to prepay the postage which would be charge
able on such letters and envelopes if sent BIZ
mail to the place Of their destination under
the provisions OF the laws then in force, and
such stamps and envelopes rot having been
before uEed,) shall pass in the mails as pre-
paid letters; and all letters enclosed in such
envelopes as shall be provided and furnished
by the PoStnaster General, as first in this scc-
ton prescribed, and with postage stamps
thereon as aforesaid, land such postage stamps
On such envelopes being equal in value and
amount 70 the rates OF postage to which such
letters would be liable if sent BIZ mail: ard
such postage stamps and envelopes not having
been before used,) may be sont. convened
and delivered otherwise than by post or mail,
Notwithstanding any prohibition thereof un-
DER any existing law ProUided, That the
said envelope shall be duly scaled, or other
wise firmly and securely closed, So tha. such
letter cannot be taken therelrom without tear
ing or destroying such envelope and the
same duly directed and address ed, and the
date OF such letter, or the receipt or trans.
mission thereof, to be written or stamped, or
otherwise appear on such envelope. See 8,
act Of Angmst 81, 1852.
Bee. VI. iltd be 1t further enacted, That
any person who shall forge CT counterfeit any
postage stamp printed or impressed upon any
letter envelope authorized By the Sth section
OF an act entitled An Act to establish Ger.
tam post roads and for other purposes" ap-
proved August 3lst, 1852, or by any other Act,
or who shall counterfeit any die, plate, or en-
craving therefor, or who shall make or print,
or knowingly use or sell, OF have in his DOS.
session with intent to uss or sell, any such
false, forged, or counterfeitsd die, plate, en-
CRAVING, or stamped envelope, or who shall
IN IKE or knowingly use or sell, or have in bis
p 'ssesslon with intent to use Or sell, any paper
bearing the water marx of such letter enye-
iopes, or any fraudulent imitation thereof. or
who shall make or. print, or authorize or pro-
cure to be made or printed, any stamped or
printed letter envelope of the kind provided
ny the Postmaster General under the authoIi-
ty aforesaid, without the especial direction of
the Post Office Department, or who after such
letter envelopes have been prepared or print
ed, shall, with intent TO defraud the revenues
of the Post Office Department, deliver any such
letter envelopes to 2py person OF persons other
than such as shall be authorized to receive the
same by instrument of writing, duly executed
under the hand Of the Postmaster General and
the seal Of the Post Office Department, shall.
on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of fel-
0ny, and be punished by fine not exceeding
five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not
exceeding i've years, or by both such fine
and imprisonment Sec. 7, act Of MaYeh 3,
1853. -.t t-- a--s'
Sec. s2. And be ii further enacted, That
1t shall be the duty of every postmaster to
cause to be deiaced, in such manner as the
postmaster General may direct, all letter en-
veiopes with postage stamps thereon which
may be deposited in his Office Cor conveyance
In the mail; and If any postmaster sending
such envelopes In the mail shall omit to deface
the same, it shall be the duty Of the postmas-
ter to whose Office such envelopes shall be sent
Tor delivery to deface them, and report the de-
itnquent postmaster to the Postmaster Gener-
al. And II any person shall use, or attempt
10 use. Tor the conveyance Of any letter or 9TH
er lnallable matter OF thing, over any most
road Of the United States, either by mail or
Otherwise, any such stamped letter envelope
"hien mas been before used for 4 like purpose,
sucn person shall be liable to a penalty of fifty
collars, to be recovered, in the name of the
cHiteu otates, In any court having competent
jurisdiction Sec. 8, act of MareI 3, 1853.
Dec. 95. Ama DC 1t furthsr enacted, That IL
siali not be lawful for any postmaster or other
person 10 sell any postage stamp or stamped
envelope Tor any larger sum than that indi-
Gated upon the face Of such postage stamp. or
for larger SUM than that charged therefor by
the rost Otce Department, and any person
VINO snail violate this provision shall be deem
ea guilty OF misdemeanor, and on eonyiction
thereof, shall be fined in any sum not less than
ten nor more than five hundred dollars. This
act 70 take effect and be in force from and
aIter the commencement OF the next fiscal
quarter alter its passage PyoOiaed, That
hotnins herein contained shall be SO construed
as to alter the laws in relation to the frank.
ing privilege. Sec, 2, act Of MarcA 3, 1855.
8G CHAPTER xI.
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