Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/479

 to Germanton. From Fayetteville to Wilmington; the mail to go alternately by Elizabethtown and return by South Washington, the cross roads near Duplin Courthouse and Sampson Courthouse. From Salem, by Bethania, Huntsville, Rockford and Wilkes, to Morganton, in North Carolina; and from Morganton, by Lincolnton: to Pinckney Courthouse, in South Carolina. From Cheraw Courthouse to Georgetown. From Camden, by Statesburg, to Charleston. From Charleston, by Coosawatchy to Sister’s ferry, on Savannah river, and thence to the post road from Augusta to Savannah; and from Coosawatchy to Beaufort. From Columbia, by Orangeburg, to Charleston. From Columbia, to Newbury Courthouse and Laurens Courthouse, to Greenville Courthouse. From Edgefield Courthouse to Cambridge, and thence by Abbeville Courthouse, to Pendleton Courthouse. From Columbia, by Winnsborough, Pinckney Courthouse, Spartan Courthouse and Grenville Courthouse, to Washington Courthouse. From Washington Courthouse, by Pendleton Courthouse, to Hatton’s ford, on Tugeloo river; and thence by Franklin Courthouse, Elberton and Petersburg, to Washington, in Georgia. From Augusta to Washington, thence to Greensborough; and thence, by the great falls of Ogechee and Georgetown, to Augusta.

Provided, That until the Postmaster General shall have made provision for the regular transportation of the mail from Wheeling to Limestone, the present post road from Abington to Danville in Kentucky, shall be continued; and if such provision cannot be made within a reasonable time, then the post road shall be extended from Danville, to Frankfort and Lexington; and thence to Washington.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to provide, by contract, for the carriage of a mail on any road on which a stage wagon or other stage carriage shall be established, on condition that the expense thereof shall not exceed the revenue thence arising.

It shall also be lawful for the Postmaster General to enter into contracts, for a term not exceeding eight years, for extending the line of posts, and to authorize the persons, so contracting, as a compensation for their expenses, to receive, during the continuance of such contracts, at rates not exceeding those for like distances established by this act, all the postage which shall arise on letters, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets and packets, conveyed by any such post: And the roads designated in such contracts shall, during the continuance thereof, be deemed and considered as post roads, within the provisions of this act: And a duplicate of every such contract shall, within sixty days after the execution thereof, be lodged in the office of the Comptroller of the treasury of the United States.

. And be it further enacted, That there shall be established at the seat of the government of the United States, a general post-office; and there shall be one Postmaster General, who shall have authority to appoint an assistant, and deputy postmasters at all such places, as he shall find necessary: And he shall provide for carrying the mail of the United States, by stage carriages or horses, as he may judge most expedient; and as often as he, having regard to the productiveness thereof, as well as other circumstances, shall think proper, and defray the expense thereof, with all other expenses arising on the collection and management of the revenue of the post-office: He shall also have power to prescribe such regulations to the deputy postmasters, and others employed under him, as may be found necessary, and to superintend the business of the department, in all the duties, that are or may be assigned to it, and also to direct the route or road, where there are more than one, between the places above established; which route or road shall be considered as the post road.