Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-12

by the laws IN relation 10 the establishment OF
post ofhces and post-T pads within the United
States; and that / will honestly and truly sc-
count for and pay over any money belonging TO
the said UniteO States which may come into my
possession or control. So help me God,
By section 1s of the act Of June 6, 1872, every
person employed in the postal service is subject
10 eli the pains, penalties, and fOrfeitures for
violation OF the laws relating TO such service,
whether he has taken the above oath or afir-
nation or Lot.
SECTIONS OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS GRO RR-
WISE, CohsoLlpATE, AND AMEND THE STAT
UTRs RELATING TO THE POST OFFICE DE-
PARTMRST,' APPROVED JUNE &, 1872.
The Postmaster General requests that bid
deTs, guar sntors, sureties, and all persons con-
cerned, or intending to be concerned in mail
contracts, will carefully read and critically ex-
anime the abstract of laws here preseH ted, aud
also the forms and instructions at the end of
this advertisement, in order that bids may be
made az liabilities assumed understsndiDgly,
and that all misspprehensiOns or cause of COM
plant hereafter may be avoided.
POstm ssters are required to make themselves
familiar with these laws and instructions, that
they may be able to inform and direct others.
rosTMAsTERs, CLERKS, &c, CANNOT BR CON-
TRACTORS.
SIC. 5S. That no postmaster, assistant post
master, or clerk employed in any post office,
shall be contractor or concerned III a contract
for caTrytI tie mall
DEPARTMENT. CNCLUDIHG PosTMAsTERs)
CANNOT BECOME INTERESTED IN A MAIL COM
TRACT, NOR ACT as AGENT OF CONTRACTORS
OR BIDDERS.
SEC. II. That no person employed in the Post
Office Department shall become interested in
any contract for carrying the mail, or act as
agent, with or without compensation, for any
contractor or person Offering 10 become a con-
tractor in any business before the Depart
Inent; and any person so offending shall be inn
nediately dsa Used from office, and shall be
much would have been
realized from said contract, to be recovered in
an action Of debt, for the use Of the Post Office
Department.
By regulation OF the Department, no carrier
should be eDI lCyed who is under sixteen years
Of age; and 10 bidder will be accepted who is
under twenty one years Of age, or who is mar
red woman.
! CONVEYANCE OF LETTERS OUT OF THE MAIL.
PRIVATE EXPRESS IS, ETC.
SIC. OF. Pbatany person concerned in carry
ing the mail who shall collect, receive, OF carry
any letter or packet, or cause or procure the
same TO be done, contrary to law, shall, On con-
victiOn thereof, for every such otfense, forfeit
| and pay not exceeding fifty dollars.
! SIC. 22S. That no person shall establish any
private express for the conveyance of letters or
| packets, OF in any manner cause or provide for
| tie conveyance OF the same by regular trips or
at stated periods, over any pO5t-rOute, which is
! or may be established by law, or from any city,
town, or place to any other city, town, or place
| between which the mail is regularly carried;
| az every person so Offending, or aiding or as
sistiDg therein, shall, for each Ofiense, forfeit
| ard paw one hundred and fifty dollars.
| SIC. 229. That the owner OF every stege-coach,
| raIlWey-Csr, steamboat, or other vehicle or yes
! sci, which shall, with the knowledge OF any
| owner, in whole or In part, or with the knOwl-
| edge or connivanCe of the driver, conductor,
| master, or other person having charge OF the
! same, convey any person actiEg or employed as
| private express tor the conveyance of letters
! or packets, and actually in possession OF the
same for the purpose OF conveying them con.
trary to the spirit, true intent and meaning OF
| this law, shall, tor every such Offense, forfeit
| and pay enc hundred and fifty dollars.
SRC. go. That no person shall transmit by
! private express or other unlawful means, or de-
/ liver TO any agent of such unlawful express, OF
! deposit, or cause to be deposited, at any ap-
! pointed place, for the purpose OF being trans
mittl d, any letter or packet, and for every such
otfense the party 60 offending shall forfeit and
lay fifty dellars.
SEC. 81. That no stsge-coach, railway car,
| steamboat, or other vehicle or vessel which
regularly performs trips at stated periods on
any pCst-route, or from any city, town, or place
TO any other city, town, or place between which
the mail IL regular iy carried shall carry, other
wise than in the mail, any letters or packets
except such as relate to some part OF the cargo
OF such steamboat or other vessel, or to some
| RrtiCle carried at the same time by the same
stage coach, rallwsy-car or other vehicle ex-
cept as provided in section two hundred and
| thirty nine; and for every such ottense the
| owner of the stage-cOach, Tsiwav-car, steam
boat or other vehicle or vessel shall forfeit and
pay one hundred dollars; and the driver. con
| ductCr, master, OF other person having ch srge
| IL ereOf, aud not at the time owner of the whole
! or any part thereof, shall in like manner forfeit
! and pay for every such otlense fifty dollars.
| (SeciiOn ?, 9 permits conveyance of letters in
| stamIe ed envelopes otherwise than by mail)
| TIE MAEGEE II WHICH PROPOSALS SHALL BE
| MADE, AND THE LIABILITY OF PosTM AsrRRs
SEC. 90. That every proposal for carrying
| the mail shall he accompanied by the bond OF
l bidder. euT6tle5 anDFOVpH
| master, and in cases where the amount OF the
| bond exceeds five thousand dollars, by post.
| master of the first, second. or third class in a
| sum 10 be designated by the Postmaster General
in the adve' tisemento of each route to which bond
| condition shall be annexed, that ii the said
| bidder shall, within such tine after hts bid is
| accepted as the Postmaster General shall pre-
| scribe, enter into a contract with the United
| States of America, with good and suffic Client
su1etes, to be approved by the Postmaster
| General, to perform the service proposed in his
| said bid, and further, that he shall perform the
| said service according to his contract, then the
said obligation to be void, otherwise to be in
| full force and obligation in law; and in case of
failure of any bidder to enter1nto such contract
| TO perform the service, or, having executed a
| contract, in case of failure TO perform the SER
! vice according to his contract, he and his
| suretiee shall be liable for the amount of said
| bond as liquidated damages, 70 be recovered in
! al acton Of debt on the said bond. No propo-
| sal shall be considered unless it shall be accom-
! panied by such bond, and there shall have been
affixed to said proposal the oath OF the bidder,
! taken before an officer qualified to administer
| oaths, that be has the ability, pecuuiariIy, to
| fulfill his obligations, 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 is accepted.
| SEC. GAG. That before the bond of a bidder
provided for the aforesaid section Is approved,
| there shall be Endorsed thereon the oaths of the
suIetles therein, taken before an officer qualified
TO administer oaths, that they are owners of real
| estate worth, In the aggregate, sum double the
| amount OF the said bond, over and above all
| debts due and owing by them, and all judg-
| ments, mortgages, and executions against them,
after allowing all exemptions Of every character
| whatever.
! SIC. 2i7. That any postmaster who shall afix
| his signature to the approval Of any bond of a
| bidder, or TO the certificate of suffceucy or
suret1es in any contract before the said bond or
| contract is signed by the bidder or contractor
and his suTeties, or shall knowingly, or without
| the exercise OF due diligence, approve any bond
| OF bidder with insufficient sureties, or shall
| knowingly make any false or fraudulent certif-
| cate, shall be forthwith dismissed from Office
| ard be thereafter disqualified from holding the
| Office of postmaster, and shall also be deemed
| guilty of mlsdemeanor, and, on conviction
| thereof, be punished by fine not exceeding
five Thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not