The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-27
OFFICIAL.
r Avs OF THE UNITED STATES PASSED
IL AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE
FORTY-SECOND CONGRESS.

II Avs OF THE UNITED STATES PASSED
u AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE
FORTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
GGENEkAL NAruRE--No. ISL
AN ACT to revise, consolidate, and amend the
statutes relating to the Post-Ofice Depart
ment
[Continuedl
Sxc. 275. That the Postmaster General or the
Secretary of State is hereby authorized to EN-
power the consuls of the United States to pay the
foreign postage ON such let ers destine for the
United States as may be detained at the ports OF
foreign countries for the non-payment Of postage
which postage shall be by the consul marked as
paid by him. and the amount thereof shall be
collected in the United States as other postage
on the delivery of the letters, and repaid TO said
consul, or credited on his account at the State
Department.
Snc 27e That the Postmaster General, under
the direction of the President of the United
states, is hereby authorized and empowered to
charge upon, and collect from, all letters and
other mailable matter carried to or from any
port of the United States, in any foreign packet
charge for American postage which the govern.
ment to which such foreign packet or other yes.
sci belongs imposes upon letters and other n:aila-
BILE matter conveyed to or from such foreign
country In American packets or other vessels as
the postage of such government, and at any time
to revoke the same; and it shall be the duty OF
all custom-hou officers and other United States
agents designated or appointed for that purpose
to enforce or carry into effect the foregoing pro-
vision, and to aid or assist in the collection OF
such postage; and to that end it shall be lawful
for such officers and agents, on suspicion OF
fraud to open or examine in the presence of two
or more respectable persons, being citizens of the
United States, any package or packages sup
posed to contain mailable matter found on board
such packets other vessels or else where, and
to prevent, If necessary, such packets or other
vessels from entering, breaking bulk, or making
clearance until such letters or other mailable
matter are duly delivered into the United States
post office.
SEC. 277. That all letters or other mailable mat
ter conveyed to or from any part OF the United
States by any foreign packet or ship, except such
sealed letters relating to said ship vessel, or
any part of the cargo thereof as may be directed
to the owner or owners, consgnee or consign-
ees, of said ship or other vessel shall be SO sub
ject to postage charge as aforesaid, whether adj
dressed to any person in the United States or
elsewhere, provided it is done by the packet or
other ship of foreign country imposing postage
on letters or mailable matter conveyed to or
from such country by any packet or other ship of
the United States; and such letters or other mail
able matter carried in foreign packet-ships or
other vessels, except such unsealed letters reat-
ing to the ship vessel, any part of the cargo
thereof, as may be directed to the owner or own
ers, consignee or consignees, as aforesaid, are
her eby required to be delivered into the United
States post-efIice by the master or commanders
of all such packets other vessels when arriving
and to be taken from a United States post-offce
when departing and the postage paid thereon just
ly chargeable by this act and for refusing or fail
tiers intended to be conveyed in any ship or yes.
sci of such foreign country over or across the
United States or any portion thereof, the party
offending shall, on conviction, forfeit and pay
not exceeding one thousand dollars for each Of
Tense.
SEC. 275 That any person who shall willfully
or maliciously injure, deface, or destroy any
Matchmaker, deposited in any letter box, pillar
box or receptacle established by authority of the
Postmaster General for the safe deposit of mat
ter for the mail or for delivery, or who shall will
fully aid or assist in injurng such Matchmaker,
shall, on conviction thereof, for every such
offense, forfeit and pay not more than five hun
dred dollars, or be imprisoned not more three
years, ut the discretion of the court.
SEC. 279. That any person employed in any de-
partment of the postal service who shall secrete,
embezzle, or destroy any letter, packet, bag or
mail of letters intrusted to him, or which shall
come nto his possession, and which was intended
to be conveyed by mall or carried or delivered
by any mail-carrier, mail-messenger, route.
agent, letter carrier, or other person employed
in any department of the postal service, or for
warded through or delivered from any post.office
or branch post office established by authority of
the Postmaster General, and which shall con-
tain any note bond, draft, check, warrant, reve
nIe-stamp, postage-stamp, stamped envelope.
postal card, money-order certificate of stock, or
other pecuniary obligation or security Of the gov
eminent, or of any officer or fiscal agent thereof,
of any description whatever; any tank-note,
ment of stock in the funds; any letter of attorney
for receiving annuities or dividends, selling stock
III the funds, or collecting the interest thereof
any letter of credit, note, bond, warrant, draft
bill, promissory note, covenant, contract, or
agreement, whatsoever for or relating to the pay
ment OF money, or the delivery of any article of
value, or the performance OF any act, matter,
or thing; any receipt, release, acquittance or
discharge of or from any debt, covenant, or de-
mand, or any part thereof; any copy of the
record of any judgment or decree in any court of
law Or chancery, or any execution which may
have issued thereon; any copy of any other re-
cord, Or any other article of value, or writing
representing the same; any such prison who
shall steal or take any of the things aforesaid
out of any letter, packet, bag. or mail of letters
which shall have come into his possession, either
In the regular course of his official duties, or in
any other manner whatever, and provided The
same shall not have been delivered to the party
to whom it is directed, every such person shall,
on conviction thereof, for every such offense, be
imprisoned at hard labor not less than one nor
more than five years.
SEC $50 That the fact that any letter. packet,
bag, or mail of letters shall have been deposited
in any postofice or branch post-ofice established
by authority of the Postmaster General, or in
any other authorized depository for matchmaker,
or in charge of any postmaster, assistant clerk.
carrier, agent, or messenger employed in any
department of the postal service, shall be taken
and held to be evidence that the same was in
tended to be conveyed by mal'' within the mean
ing of this statute.
SRc2sl That any person who shall steal the mail,
or steal or take from or out of any mall or post
Office branch post-office, OF other authorized
depository for Matchmaker, any letter or packet;
any person who shall take the mail or any let
ter or packet therefrom, or from any post-of1ce,
branch postoftice, or other authorized depository
for mail matter, with OF without the consent OF
the person having custody thereof, and open,
embeZzle or destroy, any such mail. letter, or
package which shall contain any note, bond,
draft, check, warrant, reyenue-stamp, POSTAGE
stamp, stamped envelope, money order, certid-
cate OF stock, or other pecuniary obligation or
security of the government, or of any officer or
fiscal agent thereof of any description whatever;
any banknote, bank 'post-bill, bill of exchange,
or note of assignment of stock in the funds; any
letter of attorney for receiving annuities or
dividends selling stock in the funds, or collecting
the interest thereof; any letter of credit, note,
bond, warrant draft, bill, promissory note, cove
relating to the payment or the delivery of any
article of value, or the performance OF any
act, matter, or thing; any receipt, release,
acquittance, or discharge OF or from any
debt, covenant, or demand, or any part thereof
any copy of the record of any judgment
execution which may have issued thereon; any
copy of any other record, or any other article OF
value, or any writing representing the same
any person who shall, by fraud or deception, OBJ
tain from any person having custody thereof,
any such mail letter or packet containing any
son. not being employed in any department OF
the postal service, SHALL on conviction thereof,
for every such offence, be imprisoned at hard Ia
ber not less than one nor more than five years.
SEC. 2s2. That any person who shall be acces-
sorry after the fact to the offence of stealing or
taking any letter, postal card; or other mail mat
ter or any enclosure therein, or to any other
offence against the postal laws, shall, on convic
tion thereof forfeit and pay not exceeding
one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned
not exceeding five years; and any such
accessory after the fact may be tried, CON
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