The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-14
OFFICIAL.
T Avs OF THE UNITED STATES PASSED
IL AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE
FORTY-SECOND CONGRESS. usfr .H.Er ~. .Hr

AN ACT to revise, consolidate, and amend the
statutes relating to the Post-Office Depart
ment. FET
Continued a'.8l
SEC. 80. That the rate of postage on newspa.
pers, excepting weeklies, periodicals not exceed
ing two ounces in weight, and circulars when
deposited in lettercarrier office for delivery by
the Office or its carriers, shall be uniform at
cent each but periodicals weighing more than
two ounces shall be subject to postage of two
cents each, and these rates shall be prepaid by
stamps.
SEC. 100. That no extra postage or carriers
fees shall be charged or collected upon any mall
matter collected or delivered by carriers.
SEC. 10l. That all expenses of letter-carriers,
branch-ofiices and receiving boxes, or in cident
thereto, shall be kept and reported in a sepa-
rate account, and shall be shown in comparison
with the proceeds from postage on local mail
matter at each office, and the Postmaster General
shall be guided in the expenditures for this
branch of the service by the income derived there
from aN.'-. .'
SEC. lol That to promote public convenience
and to insure greater security in the transfer OF
money through the mail, the Postmaster Gene
raj may establish under such rules and regula-
lations as he may deem expedient o uniform
money -order SYSTEM at all suitable postofiices,
which shall be designated as " money-order
Offices" Lt
SEC l0S That the Postmaster General may
conclude arrangements with the post depart
ments of foreign governments, with which postal
conventions have been or may be concluded, for
the exchange, by means of postal orders, of small
sums of money, not exceeding fifty dollars in
amount, at such rates of exchange, and compen-
satons to postmasters, and under such rules ana
regulations as he may deem expedient; and the
expenses of establishing and conducting such
system of exchange may be paid out OF the
proceeds of the money-order business.
SEC. 104. That the postmaster at money
order Office shall issue, in such manner and form
as the Postmaster General may prescribe, an Or
der for a specified sum of money, payable by the
postmaster at any other money-order office which
The person applying therefor may select but no
money order shall be delivered until the amount
thereof, and the proper fee therfor, have been
deposited with the postmaster issuing it, Pro
uided, That the postmaster of every city where
branch post offices or stations are established
and in operation, subject to his supervision,
is hereby authorized, under the direction
of the Postmaster General to issue, or to
cause to be issued, by any of his assistants or
clerks in charge of branch post-of1ices or
stations, postal money-orders payable at his
own or at any other meney-order office, or at
any branch post oflice station of his own, or
of any other money order office, as the remtters
thereof may direct; and that the postmaster
and his sureties shall in every case be held
accountable upon his official bond fof all moneys
received by him or his designated assistants or
clerks in charge of stations from the issue OF
money orders under the provisions OF this act,
and for all moneys that may come into his or
their hands, or be placed in his or their custody
by reason of the transac ion by them OF
money order business. And all the provisions of
law now in force respecting the issue and pay
payment of money orders, and the di- posat of
money order funds in the custody of postmasters,
shall apply to all money'orders issued under the
authority given by this act, and to all moneys
received from the issue thereof.
SIC. lO5 That any postmaster who shall issue
q money-order without having previously re-
ceiyed the money therefor sh al be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof,
shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than
five hundred dollars. t-tnaE
SEC. l06. That in case Of tn sickness or una
votdable absence from his office OF the postmas-
ter of any money-order post-office, he muy, with
the approval of the Postmaster General, author
ize tho chief clerk or some other clerk empoyed
therein to act in his place, and to discharge all
the duties required by law of such postmaster
Proeided That the official bond given by the
princpal of the office shall be held to cover and
apply TO the acts of the person appointed to act.
IN lis place in such cases, And aropided further,
That such acting officer shall for the time being,
be subject TO tall the liabilities and penal
ties prescribed by law for the official misconduct
in like cases of the postmaster I whom no
shall act.
SEC 10Y. That no money order shall be issued
for H. ore than fifty dollars, and the fees therefor
shall be, for orders not exceeding. ten dollars,
five CENTS; exceeding ten and not exceeding
twenty dollars ten cents exceeding twenty and
not exceeding thirty dollars, fifteen cents; ex-
ceeding thirty and not exceeding forty, twenty
cents exceeding forty dollars, twenty-five
cents. a4 E - ,rtlE
SEC. los. That the Postmaster General shall
supply money order offices with blank forms of
application for money-orders, which each appli.
cant shall fill up with his name, the name and
address of the party to whom the order is to be
paid the amount and the date of applications,
and all such applications shall be preserved by
tile postmaster receiving them for such time as
the Postmaster General may prescribe.
SEC, 100. That the Postmaster General shall
furnish money-order offices with printed or en-
erayed forms for money-orders, and no orders
Shall be valid unless 1t be drawn upon such
form. ~ ..Is a.
SEC. no. That the postma ster issuing a money
order shall send u notice thereof by mail, with
,,,t Hall IN "a t,nSf whom
draWn. ~ .
SEQ. III That no money-order shall be valid
and payable unless presented to the postmaster
on whom it is drawn within one year after
its date but the Postmaster General, on the
application of the remitter or payee of any,
snch order, may cause n new order 10 De issuea
in lieu thereof r
.@SEc. l12 That the payee of a money order
may, by his written Endorsement thereon,
di rect It to be paid to any other person,
and the postmaster on whom 1t Is drawn
shall pay the same to the person thus
designated, provided he shall furnish such
proof as the Postmaster General may prescribe
that the Endorsement is genuine and that ne IS
the person empowered to receive payment but
more than one endorsement shall render an Or
der invalid and not payable, ana the holoer, 10
Obtain payment, shall be required 10 Apply IN
writing to the Postmaster General for a new
order in lieu thereof returning the original
order and making such proofof the genuIneness
of the endorsements as the postmaster Geherai
may require. 5slils, -,
issned If the Purchaser desires to have 1t modi
lied or changed, the Postmaster who issued the
order shall take it back and ssus Gnother In heu
of it, for which new fee shall be exaeted
SEC. ia That the Postmaster issuing money
order shall repay the amount OF 1t upon the APP
plicatio of the person who obtained 1T, and the
return of the order, but the fee paid fort shall
not be returned. ~
Ssc 49, That whenever a money-order has
been lost the Postmaster General upon the ap-
ptication ofthe reritter or payee OF such order,
may cause duplicate thereof to be issued, With
ont charge, providing the party losing the origl-
nal shall furnish certificate from the postmaster
by whom it was payable that it had not boen,
and would not thereafter be, paid, and a similar
certificate from the postmaster by whom IT was
issued that it had not been, and would not there
after be, repaid. na ~
SIC lie. That any person who shall with in
tent to defraud falsely make, forge, counterfeit,
engraye, or print, or cause or procure ito be
falsely made, forged, counterfeited, engraved. or
printed or willingly aid or assist in falsely max
ing forging, counterfeiting, engraving, or print
ing any order in imitation of or purporting to be
a money-order issued by the Post-Office Depart
ment, any of its postmasters or agents, or any
material signature or Endorsement thereon; any
person who shall falsely alter, or cause or pro-
cure to be altered, or willingly aid or assist in
falsely altering any such money order; any per-
son who shall, with Intent to defraud, pass, ut
ter or publish, attempt TO pass, utter, or pub
lish, as true any such false forged, counterfeit
ed OF altered money order, knowing the same, or
any signature or Endorsement theron, 10 be false,
forged, counterfeited, or altered, every such per
son shall be deemed guilty of felony, and, on
conviction thereof shall be Imprisoned at hard
years, and be fined not exceeding Ave thousand
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