Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-12-18

s9sbstanesef part Qf As ekesyfS 81 J1paas icss to
& the Grand Jury Il ~ 0ssssiit C1aft 81 ~ H9it
tcd States, Nooember zsrm, 1865. ~
Every person employed in the care, custody or
conveyance Of the mail IS required to take an oafh,
that he will faithfully perform al the duties required
of him and abstain from anything forbidden by the
laws in relation to the establishment of the post Of
fees and post roads within the United States The
law authorizes the Postmaster General to give in
structions to Postmasters relative to their duty;
and in pursuance Of this authority, the Postmaster
General has adopted regulations which have been
sent to every Postmaster in the United States.
The duties of Postmaster must be performed per
sonaly by the Postmaster, or by sworn assistant
or assistants; and no other person is permitted to
assume to perform such duties. 1t is forbidden that
any person be employed assistant clerk in any
post Office mail carrier who shall be less than
Ii years old. A Postmaster is not permitted to
suffer any person whatever except his duly sworn
assistants and clerks and letter carriers who have
been also sworn to have to the letters news
papers and packets in his office to whatever con-
stitutes part of the mall to the mail locks or
keys. And mails should not he opened or made up
within the reach of persons not authorized to handle
them.
1t is notorious that these important and necessary
laws and regulations are constantly violated, par
hcularly in the country post-offces. Many persons
seem to think it useless to enforce with rigor these
salutary regulations at the small post-ofices; but
they forget that through these Offices pass the most
valuable correspondence and remittanves and there
as well as any where, these regulations should be
strictly observed. BY others it is thought that
who can read and write, whatever may be his age
or character, can properly attend post Office or
carry mail And how often do we see the United
States mail in the custody charge of boys to
whom we would not confde the most trifing matter
OF business article of the most trivial value.
From the slightest acquaintance with the country
post-oficcs, and many of the towns all know, that
in opening and handling the mail unauthorized per-
sons frequently open and make up the mail and that
Post-masters discharge these important duties in
the presence and within reach often with the assis
lance of persons entirely unconnected with the post
office. These things ought not so to be. The pub
lie have right to require the utmost security the
laws afford These very censurable practices ought
to be reformed. l call your attention particularly
Ito the subject and charge YOU that if you have per-
sonal knowledge of any violation of these highly
useful laws and regulations you should present the
delinquent Postmasters, that they may be properly
dealt with Some examples ought to be made to
correct, if possible, this growing evil If citizens
assume the responsibility of Offices, and such as
post-otfces in which the public are so vitality con-
cerned, they must understand that proper care and
diligence and conformity to law, are expected and
required and that negligence great will be visited
| with certain rebuke and punishment
In this public manner deem it proper to notify
Post-masters and the public generally, of what, in
my opinion, is serious evil in the administration Of
the Post-ofce establishment and that in this Court
when proper case presents ITSELF no infraction Of
these regulations for the security Of the mail viii
be tolerated in the slightest degree but will be pun
| ished with the utmost rigor."