Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/482

 . And be it further enacted, That if any person, other than the Postmaster General, or his deputies, or persons by them employed, shall be concerned in setting up, or maintaining any foot or horse-post, stage wagon, or other stage carriage, on any established post-road, or any packet boat or other vessel, to ply regularly from one place to another, between which a regular communication by water shall be established by the United States, and shall receive any letter or packet, other than newspapers, magazines or pamphlets, and carry the same by such foot or horse-post, stage wagon or other stage carriage, packet boat or vessel, (excepting only such letter or letters, as may be directed to the owner or owners of such conveyance, and relating to the same, or to the person, to whom any package or bundle in such conveyance is intended to be delivered) every person, so offending, shall forfeit, for every such offence, the sum of fifty dollars: Provided, That it shall be lawful for any person to send letters or packets by a special messenger.

. And be it further enacted, That the deputy postmasters and other agents of the Postmaster General, shall duly account, and answer to him, for all way letters, which shall come to their hands: And for this purpose, the post-riders and other carriers of the mail, receiving any way letter or letters (and it shall be their duty to receive them, if presented more than two miles from a post-office) shall deliver the same, together with the postage, if paid, at the first post-office, to which they shall afterwards arrive, where the postmaster shall duly enter the same, and specify the number and rate or rates in the post-bill, adding to the rate of each way letter, one cent, which shall be paid by the deputy postmaster, to the mail carrier from whom such way letter shall be received. And that letters, directed to persons living between post-offices, may be delivered, and the postage thereof duly collected, it shall be the duty of the carriers of the mail, to take charge of, and deliver all such letters, as shall, for that purpose, be committed to them, by any deputy postmaster, and collect the postage thereof, which shall be paid over to such deputy postmaster, on demand: And for every letter, so delivered, the mail carrier delivering the same, shall be allowed to demand and receive two cents to his own use, besides the ordinary postage. And if any deputy postmaster, or other agent of the Postmaster General, shall neglect so to account, he or they so offending, shall, on conviction thereof, forfeit for every such offence, a sum not exceeding fifty dollars: Provided, That no mail carriers shall make such deliveries at any place not on the post-road: Provided also, That the receipt and delivery of letters on the way, between post-offices, shall not be required of the mail carriers, in cases where, in the opinion of the Postmaster General, the time or manner of carrying the mail, or the speed of conveyance, is incompatible with such receipts and deliveries.

. And be it further enacted, That if any person employed in any of the departments of the general post-office, shall unlawfully detain, delay or open any letter, packet, bag or mail of letters, with which he shall be entrusted, or which shall have come to his possession, and which are intended to be conveyed by post; or if any such person shall secrete, embezzle or destroy any letter or packet entrusted to him, as aforesaid, and which shall not contain any security for, or assurance relating to money, as herein after described, every such offender, being thereof duly convicted shall, for every such offence, be fined, not exceeding three hundred dollars, or imprisoned, not exceeding six months, or both, according to the circumstances and aggravations of the offence. And if any person employed, as aforesaid, shall secrete, embezzle or destroy, any letter, packet, bag or mail of letters with which he shall be entrusted, or which shall have come to his possession, and are intended to be conveyed by post, containing any bank-note, or bank post-bill, bill of exchange, warrant of the treasury of the United States, note of