Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-21
Postal ArraIrs.-.mportant cnang..


Hortricnlturists and pomologsts win be glad to
learn that by the new postal arrangements passed
at the late session of Congress- seeds or cuttings arc
ciassed as mailable matter in packages md are to
be charged with postage at the rate of one cent an
ounce when sent under fifteen hundred miles. and
two cents an ounce when sent over that distance
The packages must not exceed eight ounces.
The postage on letters conveyed in the mails from
any point east of the Rocky Mountains to any State
or TerritOry on the Pacific coast and from any
State or Territory on the Pacific coast to any uont
east OF the mountains, has been fixed by the recent
law at ten cents. Heretofore letters conveyed bv
the lsthmus route have been subject to the ten cent
ate, while those carried overland between Missouri
rate.
The act empowers the Postmaster General to
procure and furnish letter Sheets with postage
stamps impressed thereon, combining in one both a
sheet and an envelope.
Another section requires that letters which have
been advertised shall be returned to the Postoffce
Department if unclaimed, two months after the
date OF the advertisement; except in cases
where letters are directed to seaports for per-
sons on board designated vessels expected
10 arrive; and, also, in cases where letters
are especially marked to be retained for longer
period. This provision shortens the time during
which dead letters detained at the Office of de-
hyerya bout one month. The unclaimed money OBJ
tanned from dead letters is to be applied hereafter
to promote the efficiency of dead letter Office by
providing for more careful examination and the
return of large number to the writers
We observe, also change in the rates of pos
tage on what are technically caedshp letters-fh
is letters that come byoccasonal packets or vessels
and not BY the regular mail lines. Heretofore
through lapse in the law, the postage on single
letter of this kind delivered within the port where
the vessel arrived was siz cents while on similar
letter by the vessel to be forwarded thousands
OF miles further through the mails the postage was
but five cents. The rate is to be five cents when
delivered at the port of arrival and the ordinary
postage, when two cents added when the letter is
to be forwarded
To newspapers publishers and their customers in
the Interior the most important section is that which
makes It, lawful for persons known as regular deal
ers IN newspapers and periodicals to receive by mail
such quantities of either they may REQUIRE and to
pay the passage thereon as they may be received at
the same rates regular subscribers to such pub
Ications" This is to give the benefit to the reduc-
ed quarterly rates to newspaper dealers who on ae
count of the irregularity in the number of papers
and periodicals they order find it impossible to pay
postage quarterly in advance.
Two other sections enlarge the scope of nathalie
matter, to be paid for according the weight of the
package, by including maps engravings Autographs
or photographic prints on rollers or paper covers:
books, bound or unbound, photographic papers and
all of which are to be rated at one cent
an ounce for any place within the United States not
over l 200 miles, and two cents an ounce for any
distance over 500 miles, prepaid by postage stamps
The packages must not exceed four pounds Cards.
blank or printed in packages weighing at least eight
ounces, made mailable matter at the same rates
prepared in the same way.