Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 12.djvu/736

 706 THIRTY—SEVENTH CONGRESS. Sess. III. Ch. 71. 1863. except certified soldiers and naval letters, the·same shall be charged with double rates of postage. to be collected on delivery. • Letters, when Sec. 28. And be it further enacted, That vrhen any writer of la letter ”’“7 l’° '°*“m°d on which the postage is prepaid shall indorse m writing or in print upon t° Wim"` the outside thereof his name and address, with a request that the same be returned to him if not called for or delivered within any number. of days, (not to exceed thirtydays,) any such letter shall not be advertised nor treated as a dead letter at the office addressed, but shall. be returned as requested, charged with the proper postage at the prepaid rate, to be collected on the return delivery; and if not then delivered, shall be treated as e. dead letter. Postage on Srcc. 29. And be it further enacted, That the postage on returned dead d°“d l°°°°'s‘ letters, not registered as valuable, shall be three cents for the single rate; on returned dead letters, registered as valuable, double rates shall be char ed. F,,,.wa,d;,,g S50. 30. And be it further enacted, That all letters directed to any percf letters. son not found at the office addressed may be forwarded to any other office where he may be found, with additional charge of postage therefor. Ship, &c_,1eg- S20. 31. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster-General shall tm- have authority to pay, or cause to be paid, 2. sum not exceeding two cents each for all letters conveyed in any vessel or steamboat, not employed in carrying the mail, from one port or place to any other port or place in the United States, or from any foreign port to any port within the United States, subject to such regulations as the Postmaster-General may prescribe, but all such letters shall be deposited in the post—office at the port of arrival, for mailing or delivery; and if for delivery within the United States shall be rated with double rates of postage, which shall cover the fee paid to the vessel ; no tees shall be allowed for letters collected by a carrier on a mail route. Rwmmion of Sec. 32. And be it further enacted, That, for the greater security of vamfbie letters. valuable letters posted for transmission in the mails of the United States, the Postmaster-General is authorized to establish a uniform plan for the registration of such letters on application of parties posting the same, and F¢¢¤· to require the payment of the postage, as well as a registration fee not exceeding twenty cents, on every such letter or packet, to be accounted for by postmasters receiving the same in such manner as the Postmaster- Department not General shall direct: Provided, however, That such registration shall not mad° l“‘bl°‘ be compulsory, and it shall not render the Post-Oilice Department or its revenue liable for the loss of such letters or packets, or the contents thereof'; and provision shall be made by regulation for a return receipt to the writer, showing to whom and when such registered letter was delivered, which receipt shall be received in the courts as prima facie evidence of such delivery. _l*E?>f Sec. 33. And be iifurt/wr enacted, That the maximum standard weight §Q§{;3;°a;°m_ for the single rate of postage on matter classed as printed matter, and also on that classed as miscellaneous matter, is four ounces avoirdupois, subject to the exception in the next following section provided. Pvswge <>¤ Size. 34. And be it further enacted, That the rate of postage on trantransient matter. · - sient mailable matter of the second class, and also on all miscellaneous mailable matter of the third class, (except circulars and books,) shall be two cents for each four ounces or fraction thereof contained in any one package to one address; and such postage shall in all cases be fblly prepaid by stamps, plainly affixed to the wrapper thereofi Double these rates shall be charged for books. Unsealed circulars not exceeding three in number shall pass at the single rate of two cents, and in that proportion for a greater number, adding one rate for three circulars, or less number thereoh directed to one address. No extra postage shall be charged To be prepaid for a. card·printed or impressed upon an envelope or wrapper. These by Sump; rates must m all cases be prepaid by stamps.