Shreveport daily news., 1861-05-31

/ forge. or counterfeit any postage STAMP
provided or furnished under the pro-
| visions of this or any former act
whether the same are impressed Oh
printed on or attached to envelopes. OF
not, or any dies, plate or engraving
therefor, or shall make. or print, "'
knowingly use or SELL or have III pos
session, with intent to use or sell, any
such false, forged or coun'eric'teo
dies. plate. engraving or p.s'aS>
stamp, or who shatl ana:>c, print, Oh
authorize, or procure 10 IL mAd'' III
printed, any pastasc STAMPS oi 'ht
kind provided and furnished by the
Postmaster General aS afo.es .iu, Win
out the especial authority ana uircc-
ton Of the Postoiiicc Departments. ol
| who, after such p,siag, stamps h!v,
been printed, shall, with intent To de-
| fraud the revenues OF the iost'tilcc
Department deliver a"y post.sgc
stamps to any person or persons o.n.'
than such AS shall be authorized ~
receive the same by any instruncn.
Of writing, duly executed under 'Ae
hand 1T tE- Host,naster- General anu
the seal Of the Host"tiice department
shall, on conviction thereon be uee.ne.
guilty of felony. and be punished by
Il fine not exceeding $500, or Oy l".-
prisonment not exceeding nve ye.I' -
or by. b..th such tipe AMI i.nprlsoI-
ment and the expenses or procuring
and providing all such pps age si.I."p'
and letter envelopes As are provl,Aru
for OF. u;horiz.d by this act. s....li be
paid after being adjusted by ,ile Au
ditor Of the Postoi1icc Department vi.
the certificate ct the Pnsiin .s5cr G:..-
erll out of amy money In the Treasury
arising, from the revenues OF the Post
office Department.
Sec 4. And be 1t further enacted,
That it shall be The ia, y OF .vely
Postmaster to cause to he detacrd in
such manner as the Postmaster Gen
eral shall direct, all postage stamps
of this Contederacy to letters dspos-
tied in his office Tor delivery GU to be
sent by mai; and If any i"stinas,c.
sending letters in the mail with such
postage stamps attached shall omit
to detace the same. it shall be the
duty Of the Postmaster to whose
office such letters shall be sent for
delivery, to d.tace the stamps and re-
port the delinquent Postmaster to the
Postmaster Gersral. Aud ifapy per-
son Shall use. or attempt to use, in
prepayment of postage. any postage
stamps. VIII ch shall have been before
used for like purposes, such persons
shall be subject TO spenalty Of fifty
| dollars for every such otfense, to be
recovered in the .nalro OF the Conted-
crate States OF America in any court
| ofcomprtent jurisdiction.
"Sec.5. Asd he l.. tS,they, enacted,
That from and after the day when
this act goes into effect, the
franking privilege shall be abolished;
prOrided, that the Postmaster Gener-
al and his chief clerks, and the Audi
tor of the Treasury for The Postotiice
Department shall be and they are
hereby. authorized to TRANSMIT
through the mails, free of postage,
any letters, packages, or other mat
ters relating exclusively y to their $oth-
cial duties, or to the business Of. the
Pos: office Department.; but they
shall in every such case endorse on
the back OF the letter Or packages to
be sent free of postage over their own
signatures, the words, Official bust
ness, and for any such endorsement
falsely made, the person 80 offending
shall forfeit and pay taxes $500; and
Epror1ded. further, the several Dep II,
Postmasters throughout the Confeder-
ate Shall shall be and hereby are au-
thorizsd to send, through the mails
free Of postage all letters and pack
ages which it may be their duty, or