The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-03-21

IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE POSTAL LAW
The last session of Congress has made many
important changes in the postal law, in some
instances entirely remodeling it,
The following are some of its chief provis-
ions:
The letter carriers are to receive salaries of
not more than $500 per annum, when warran-
ted by the work performed, unless by special
authority, The Postmaster General may in
certain cases make it as high as $40 Post.
age on local or "drop letters" will hereafter
be two cents, when not exceeding half an ounce
and an additional rate for each half ounce or
fraction Of an ounce-in all cases to be prepaid
by postage stamps
The regulations respecting soldiers letters
remain the same as heretofore.
On all mail matter IT euired by law to be pre-.
paid, and which shall reach its destination un-
paid, double the usual rates must be collected
on delivery, and insufficient payment is to be
wholly disregarded
optional with the Postmaster General; but it
is not to exceed twenty cents per letter.
Unsealed circulars, not exceeding three, to
one address, are to be charged with two cents
postage, and in that proportion for greater
number.
NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
Weekly papers FIVE cents per quarter, semi-
weekly ten cents, tri weekly flteea cents, six
times per week thirty cents, seven times per
week thirty FIVE cents. At these rates the
weight must not exceed four ounces-in each
case pay able in advance per quarter or year,
either at the mailing or delivery Office.
No extra charge is to be made for card
printed or impressed upon circular or letter
envelope or wrapper. Circulars to be prepaid
by stamps.
The Postmaster General may from time tc
time provide by order the rates and terms up
on which route agents may receive and deliv-
er, at the mail car or steamer, packages OF
newspapers and periodicals, delivered to them
for that purpose, by the publishers or news
agents in charge thereof, and not received from
uor designed for delivery al any post. ofice.
FRANKING.
Postmasters can only frank official letters 10
other officials the former license to the small
er class of Offices heretofore enjoyed, OF frak-
ing on their own private business, having been
abolished.
COIN FOR FoEIGN LETTERS.
The joint resolution giving the Postmater
General authority to collect the postage on I'M
paid foreign letters in specie was also passed.
The GOVERNMENT PLUNDERERs IN New
YoRK.-Some cynic has said that our honest
men are all fools and our wise men all knaves.
This overstates the truth, but certainly the of.
fetal dishonesty prevalent is most dishearten-
ing, and the worst thing about it is that the
exposure of the knaves does not secure their
punishment. Representative Van Wick Of
New York, member of the committee on gov.
eminent contracts, got leave to print speech
in expose of the wholesale plumber connected
with the New York custom mouse, and his! mi.
nority report on the same subject is also to be
printed. He accuses the rest of the commit.
tee with endeavoring to cover up tue damaging
facts brought to their knowledge, and to pro.
tect the officials implicated. We cannot credi,
this, as Mr.. DAVIS is member ofthe committee
and it is not his way to cover up frauds, whoever
is implicated. Nevertheless we suppose Mr.
VanWick's statements are to be received as tC
the facts, and they are such as make it the du'
ty of the government to be prompt and vigor-
Gus in Furnishing the offenders and reforming
the abuses. The plumber realized by the New
York. custom house officers is variously esti
mated at from SOS, 100000 to $3.50, 900 pei
year above their regular salaries, and the ut.
most ingenuity is exercised in increasing the
amounts. Everything connected with the
service is put under tribute, and evon the
uohJ ldooI VI tHt CCuCeTu Is out anu
made to pay profit of some $4,000 year
tothe cormorants. Mr.. Van Wyck justly and
forcibly says Of ,he..whole army of public plum
derers:-
To-day they have injured the republic
more than the South in arms Had they beer
arrested and placed under the gallows or in
Fort Lafayette, your army would have been
stronger, your people at home more united
No wonder that your soldiery and their friends
are dissatisfied. They cannot appreciate the
patriotism Of stealing. Your army, for mere
monthly pittance, is deprived of all the luxu-
ries and, at times. the necessaries of life, Ell.
during all the privations of camp and the dan.
gers of battle, while they see base men making
mockery Of the misfortunes of the nation, un-
checked and UNPUBLISHED, coming gold from
the tears and signs of the people,"
A REMEDY FOR SMALL Pox.-The German
Reformed Messenger has received letter from
friend in China, in which it is stated great
discovery ia repOrted to have heen recently