Shreveport daily news., 1861-09-11

provided or furnished under the pro-
visions. Of this or any former act,
whether the same are impressed or
printed on or attached to envelopes ssor
not, or any dies, plato or. engraving
therefor, or shall make, or print, or
knowingly use or sell on have in pos
session, with intent to use or sell, any
such false, forged or counterfeitcd
dies, plate, engraving OF postage
stamp, or who shall make, or print, OF
authorize, or procure to be made or
| printed, any pastage stamps of the
kind provided and furnished by the
Postmaster General as aforesaid, with
out the especial authority and direc-
| ton of the Postotlicc Department, Or
who. after such postage stamps have
been printed, shall, with intent to de-
fraud tie revenues of the Postotiice
Department deliver any postage
stamps to any person or persons other
than such rs shall be authorized 10
receive the same by any instrument
OF writing, duly executed under the
hand ef the Postmaster General and
the. seal of the Postotiice Department
shall, on conviction thereof be deemed
guilty of felony, and be punished by
a fine not exceeding $500, or by i'm
prisonlnent not exceeding FIVE years.
or by both such fine and i,nprison-
ment and the expenses of procuring
and providing all such postage stamps
and letter envelopes as are provided
for or authorized by this ac., shall be
paid after being adjusted by the Au-
ditor of the Postofice Department on
the certificate of the Postmaster Gen
eral out Of any money in the Treasury
arising from the revenues Of the Post
office Department.
Sec. 4. .tnd tie IL furtAer euoCtcd,
That it shall be the duty of every
Postmaster TO cause TO bc deiaced in
such manner as the Postmaster Gen
craI shall direct al postage stamps
of this Confe3er"vy 10 letters aepos-
tied in his office for delivery or to be
sent by mail: and il any Postmaster
sending letters in the mail with such
postage stamps attached, shall omit.
10 tlatace the same, it shall be the
duty of the POSTMASTER to whose
Office such letters shall be. sent for
delivery, 20 deface the stamps and re-
port the delinquent Postna 7tcr to the
Postmaster General. And if any per-
son shall use, or attemp, to use. in
prepayment ofpostage, any postage
stamps which Sllal! ha, been before
used tor like purposes, such persons
shall be subject TO apenalty Il Of fifty
dollars tor every such nticnse, 10 be
recovered in the name Of the Contcd-
crate States of America In any court
of competent Jurisdiction.
Sec ). .1ad bc II .turthcr endctcd,
That from and after tke day when
this act goes into effect, the
tranking privilege shall be abolished:
prori,2cd, that the Postmaster Gener-
al and his chief clerks. and the Audi
tor OF the Treasury for the tostotiicc
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 to their Off
cial duties, or to the business Of tile
Postot1ice Department: hut they
shall in every such ease endorse on
the back Of the letter or packages to
be sent free OF postage over their Own
signatures, the words, Official busi-
ness, and for any such endorsement
falsely made, the person so offending
shall forfeit and pay taxes $500; and
procide3 further, the several Depuy-
postmasters throughoutthe Confeder-
ate Shall shall be and hereby are au-
thorized to send through the mails
free ofpostage all letters and pack
ages which it may be their duty, or
they may have occasion to transmit
70 anx- 1,nrc.n n,. ,,l ,nl Il,