The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-10-23
Orders to Postmasters,

WASHINGTON, Oct. lin order to Sc
cure uniformity in the distribution and dis
patch Of mail matter and in the treatment OF
matter declared unavailable under the order
Of Sept. 20, the Postmaster General has
issued the following order:
Frst.-The attention of all Postmasters
is especially called to section 467, Postal
Laws and Regulations, edition of 1873,
which must in all cases be strictly complied
with. After letter is mailed, it is the
property of the person to whom it is adj
dressed, and must be sent to the post office
to which it is directed, if there be such an
Office. But, whether there be such post
Office or not, the Postmaster or his subordi-
ates have no authority, in law or otherwise,
to change the direction or address of the
letter without the express authority Of the
party or parties, entitled to the letter.
Should the Postmaster or his employees
change the address or direction of letter or
package, and should such letter or package
In consequence fail to reach the addressee,
the Postmaster would, in law, be liable for
the value of the package. A Postmaster
| may complete or perfect an address already
made, but he cannot change its direction to
different person or different office or differ
emit State without authority.
Second.-The following additional regula-
ton is announced, to be inserted after 1853:
Misdirected matter received at any post office
for delivery should not be held for advertis
ing, but should be Immediately returned to
the sender, if his name or address appears
thereon, marked smisdirected, nand stamped
with the postmark OF. the Office OF receipt.
If the name Of the sender, or some desig-
mated place, such as box number. or street
and number, does not appear upon misdi-
rected matter, it should be sent immediate
ly to the Dead-letter Office. Misdirected
turned to the sender, if known, Immediate
ly, or, II the sender's name does not appear
thereon, should be sent at or ce to the Dead
letter Office, as directed in ruling No. lO2,
ssUnited States Official Postal Guide" Octo-
Der, 1879. The provisions OF section 435
must, in all cases, be strictly complied with.
Third-The General Superintendent Of
Railway Mail Service is charged with the
duty of seeing that the provisions OF this
order, and of chapters 9 and 10, Il and II
Of article 2 of the Postal Laws and Regula-
tions, edition of 1879, sections 367 to 43O
inclusive, are observed by all Postmasters.
He will instruct Disvlsion Superintendent
to inspect in person the post Offices in their
divisions, and report to him, for the iniorma-
ton o: the Postmaster. General, any viola
ton of this order or OF any OF the provisions
Of the chapters mentioned OF the regula-
lions, or Of any orders which may be issued
from his office, in accordance with sections
1888 Postal Laws and Regulations, edition OF
1879.
Fourth. -Postmaster are required to
comply with all instructions from Division
superintendent OF Railway Mail Service,
given in pursuance of this order, as implic-
lily as though emenating directly from the
department.
Fifth-This order to take effect immedi-
ately upon its receipts by Division superin.
tendents and Postmasters.
D. M. KEY, Postmaster-General.