Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/639



Postmaster-General to make provision, where it may be necessary, for the receipt of all letters and packets intended to be conveyed by any ship or vessel beyond sea, or from any port in the United States, to another port therein; and the letters so received shall be formed into a mail, sealed up and directed to the postmaster of the port to which such ship or vessel shall be bound. And for every letter or packet so received, there shall be paid at the time of its reception, a postage of one cent, which shall be for the use of the postmasters, respectively receiving the same. And the Postmaster-General may make arrangements with the postmasters in any foreign country, for the reciprocal receipt and delivery of letters and packets through the post-offices.

. And be it further enacted, That the postmasters and the persons employed in the transportation of the mail shall be exempt from militia duties, and serving on juries, or any fine or penalty for neglect thereof.

. And be it further enacted, That letter carriers shall be employed at such post-offices as the Postmaster-General shall direct, for the delivery of letters in the places respectively, where such post-offices are established; and for the delivery of each such letter, the letter carrier may receive of the person to whom the delivery is made, two cents: Provided, that no letter shall be delivered to such letter carrier for distribution, addressed to any person who shall have lodged at the post-office a written request that his letters shall be detained in the office. And for every letter lodged at any post-office, not to be carried by post, but to be delivered at the place where it is to be so lodged, the postmaster shall receive one cent of the person to whom it shall be delivered.

. And be it further enacted, That all causes of action arising under this act may be sued, and all offenders against this act may be prosecuted, before the justices of the peace, magistrates and other judicial courts of the several states, and of the several territories of the United States, they having competent jurisdiction by the laws of such states or territories, to the trial of claims and demands of as great value, and of the prosecutions where the punishments are of as great extent; and such justices, magistrates or judiciary, shall take cognizance thereof and proceed to judgment and execution, as in other cases.

. And be it further enacted, That in all suits or causes arising under this act, the court shall proceed to trial, and render judgment the first term after such suit shall be commenced: Provided always, that whenever service of the process shall not have been made twenty days at least previous to the return day of such term, the defendant shall be entitled to one continuance, if the court on the statement of such defendant, shall judge it expedient: Provided also, that if the defendant in such suits shall make affidavit that he has a claim against the general post-office, not allowed by the Postmaster-General, although submitted to him conformably to the regulations of the post-office, and shall specify such claim in the affidavit, and that he could not be prepared for the trial at such term for want of evidence, the court in such case, being satisfied in those respects, may grant a continuance until the next succeeding term.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Postmaster-General to report annually to Congress, every post road which shall not after the second year from its establishment, have produced one third of the expense of carrying the mail on the same.

. And be it further enacted, That there shall be allowed to the deputy postmaster, at the city of Washington, for his extraordinary expenses, incurred in the discharge of the duties of his office, an additional compensation, at the rate of one thousand dollars per annum, to be paid out of the funds of the post-office establishment.

. And be it further enacted, That the adjutant-general of the