New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-01
[GENERAL NArURE-No. SOL


be, and the same are hereby, confirmed.
Approved April "a, 1872.
GENERAL NATURE-NO. 50.
An act relating to proposals and contracts
for transportation of the mails, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, That any
person or persons bidding for the trans
pOrtatiOn of the mails upon any route which
may be advertised to be let and receiving
an award of the contract for such service,
who shall wrongtulIy refuse or fail to enter
into contract with the Postmaster General,
in due form, and perform the service
described in his or their bid or proposal,
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanOr,
and, on conviction thereof be punished by
a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars,
and by imprisonment for term not exceed
ing twelve months.
SEC. 3. That each bid for carrying the
mail shall hereafter have affixed to it
the oath of the bidder, taken before an Off
Ger qualified to administer Oaths, that he has
the ability pecuniarily to fulfill his Obliga-
tions, and that the bid Is made In good
faith and with the intention to enter into
contract and perform the service, IN case
his bid shall be accepted; and that the sig
natures of mis- guarantOrs are genuine, and
that he believes said guarantOrs pecuniarily
responsible for and able to pay all damages
the United States shall suffer by reason OF
the bidder failing to perform his obligations
as such bidder.
SEC. 3. That any postmaster or other Off
Ger of the POstOffice Department who shall
affix his signature to the certificate of suti-
cheney of guarantOrs or sureties before the
guaranty or contract is signed by. the
guarantOrs or sureties, or shall knowingly
make any false or illusOry certificate, shall
be forthwith dismissed from Office, and shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanOr, and
shall, on conviction thereof, be punished
by fine not exceeding one thousand dol
lars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one
year, or both.
SEC. A. That no bidder for carrying the
mails shall be released from his obligation
under his bid or proposal, notwithstanding
an award made to a lower bidder, until q
contract for the designated service shall
have been duly executed by such lower bad
der and his sureties, and accepted, and the
service entered upon by the contractor to
the satisfaction of the Postmaster Gen.
eral
SEC. 5. That after any regular bidder OF
| contractor for the transportation of the
mail upon any route shall have failed to en-
| terintO contract and commence the perform
ance thereof as herein provided, the Post
| master General shall proceed to contract
| with the next lowest bidder for such ser
! vice, who will enter into contract and per
form the same, unless the Postmaster Gen
| eral shall consider such bid too high; il
which case he shall re-advertise such ser
vice. And in all cases of regular contracts
| hereafter made, the contract may, in the
| discretion of the Postmaster General, bt
| continued in force beyond its express terms
| for period not exceeding six months, unit
| a new contract with the same or other con
| tractors shall be made by the Postmaster
| General.
SEC. 6. That hereafter all bidders upOr
| every mail route for the transportation o.
| the mails upon the same, where the annua
! compensation for the service on such route
| at the time exceeds the sum of five thou
! sand dollars. shall accompany their bid
| with a certified check or draft, payable Il
! the order of the Postmaster Gen
/ eral, upon some solvent natiOna
! bank, which check or draft shall not be lest
! than five per centum on the amount of thu
annual pay on said route at the time sucl
| bid is made, and in case OF new service, no
! less than five per centum of the amount o
! one years pay proposed in such bid, if thu
| bid exceed five thousand dollars per an
! mum. In case any bidder, on being awarded
any such contract, shall fail to execute thu
| same with good and sufficient sureties
| according to the terms on which such biz
was made and accepted, and enter upol
! the performance of the service to the sa tbs
| faction of the Postmaster General, such bid
| der shall forfeit the amount so deposited tt
| the United States, and the same shall forth
| with be paid into the treasury for the use o
| the POstOtfice Department; but If such con
| tract shall be duly executed and the servlc'
| entered upon as aforesaid, such draft o
| check so deposited shall be returned to tn
! bidder.
SEC. Z. That in case of the sickness, or IN
avOidable absence from his office, of tn
postmaster of any mOney-Order pOstotfice
! he NAV, with the approval of the POstmas
ter General, authorize the chief clerk, o
| some other clerk employed therein, to &C
in his place, and to discharge all the dutie
required by law of such postmaster; pre-
vided, that the official bond given by tn
principal of the Office shall be held to cove
and apply to the acts of the person ap
pointed to act in his place in such cases
and provided, further, that such acting OH
Ger shall, for the time being, be subject t
| all the liabilities and penalties prescribed
by law for the official misconduct, in lik
cases, of the postmaster for whom ne shal
act.
SEC. g. That the Postmaster General
| whenever he may deem it consistent Will
the public interest, may accept new suret,
upon any contract existing, or hereafte
made, for carrying the mails, in substitr
ton for and release of any existing surety
SEC. 9. That the Postmaster General
hereby authorized to cause to be placed
the credit of the Treasurer of the Unitet
States, for the service af the POstOfice D.
partment, the net proceeds of the money
order business; and that the receipts of tn
Postofice Department, derived from thl
source, during each quarter, shall be Ell
tered by the Auditor of the Treasury fo
the Postoffice Department, in the account
of said Department, under the head
Revenue from money-order business"
Approved April u, 1872.
GENERAL NATURE-NO. 81.
An act to amend section second, act of Al
gust thirtieth, eighteen hundred and tifty