Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-23
IMPORTANT Posr oFsscE srEr.

| rrem the New 4 ork Iimos.I slr .
A very important bill was reported 10 Che
Senate this afternoon by Senator Dixon from
the Committee on Postoflices and Postr0ads.
The bill Is intended 10 prevent the perver-
sion Of the mails to fraudulent and Illegal
| purposes, and has been carefully drawn, 40
rs to avoid the objections to granting ques-
tionable powers 70 Postmasters in the matter
OF extended inquiry into the private affairs
Of citizens who send or receive letters lly
mail II authorizes the Postmaster Generai
10 prevent the delivery of letters or packages
sent through the mail to fictitious addresses
whenever he shall be satisfied that such &c
titious address is adopted BY any persons
with the intent TO deceive and defraud. Such
letters shall be sent to the dead letter ofiiee,
and the Postmaster General shall prascrib.i
the necessary regulations for having theni
returned 70 the writer's The bill also pro,
yides that If any persons shall attempt b,i
means Of circulars, or handbills transmitted
through the mails, TO induce persons 70 in.
vest money in any lottery, gift enterprise, or
other scheme Of chance, which Is carried ON
with the intent TO deceive and defraud
their correspondents, and il any persons
shall, by the same means have de-
ceived or defrauded their correspondents,
by inducing them 10 invest money in any
lottery, gift enterprise, or other scheme Of
chance which is carried en- with intent 10 de-
ceive and defraud, he or they shall, en- con-
viction, pay a fine and be imprisoned. The
bill also provides that any person who sliail
falsely and fraudulently, with intent TO de-
ceive and defraud, alleys or declare the non
reception Of money or. valuable articles
through the mails, or the deposit in the mail
Of money or valuable articles intended ior
transmission through the mails, shall, on
conviction, pay fine and be imprisoned.
As 10 the powers conferred ON the POST
maSteT, Attorney General Black gave his
written opinion in July, 1860, al the request
Of Postmaster General Holt, upon a cage
arising in Baltimore. where, under the regu-
lations Of the Department, the Posfmaster
refused to deliver a letter 10 one Z. n. Carr,
claiming 10 do business under the hrm "
Emory & Co. The Attorney General says
the right 10 make a rule which viii prevent
the service from being prostitufed TO pur-
poses Of fraud has never been denied Fraud
ulent intent ought 10 be very clear, however,
70 warrant interference.
Accompanying the bin introduced to-day
by Senator Dixon Is statement from Jos.
III. Ware, Esq, Solicitor Of the Post Office
Department, who relates number Of in
stances Of villainy and fraud committed By
individuals 70 make use Of the facilities OF
the mails for their roguery. The Solicitor
mentions New York firm engaged In a gin
scheme known 10 be frauduIens
and their branch in Brooklyn, against whom
are made BY hundreds per day.
While the firm pretend that they do not re-
ceive the remitsances they sayin their hand
bills 10 their victims: eDon't send regis
iered letters nor money orders, we never
lose money sent by the usual mailD A son
1f Postmaster in New Jersey was al one
time, while Assistant Postmaster, IN the
habit Of sending circulars 70 persons saying
: have package 70 your address, which
viii transmit on the receipt Of 30 cents 70
ST. He received large amount OF money
N response 10 these circulirss and never
any squivalent
He has nov located in a town in New
Jersey ON the Pennsylvania line. he sends
put under his own name large numbers Of
,ircrlars and receives letters, each Of which
sontain from 50 70 s., at the rate of two or
Ihree hundred per day. AZ the address Is
not fictitious the letters cannot be stopped,
yet the fraud il committed and solely BY
1sing the mails, and the situation Of the Of
ice enables the persons engaged in the fraud
. escape the operation OF the State laws Of
New Jersey by crossing ths river into Penn
ylvania. Other ofIicez, situated similarly,
re also used By this class Of rogues. The
ernedy afforded by The pursuit. Of crimi-
lal under a requisitian by the Governor OF
ne State upon the Governor OF another i,
> b well known, slow, expensive snd un-
ertain; but what mskes !. Intre difficult 20
Teak " these frandulent practices, Is the
act that in scarcely any Of the States are
here any laws which cover the Offences
lnder the various State laws for obtaining
honey under false prctenees, no eonvictios
an be had for obtaining money by means of
promise which has not been fnlflled.