Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 5.djvu/771



the same shall forfeit and pay three thousand dollars. And when the commissions of any postmaster amount to less than twenty-five dollars per annum, it shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to increase the rate of his commissions, provided that they do not exceed fifty per cent. on letter postage accruing at such office, and the Postmaster General is hereby required to cause accounts to be kept of the postage that would be chargeable at the rates prescribed in this act upon all matter passing free through the mail according to the provisions of this act; and the sums thus chargeable shall be paid to the Post Office Department from the contingent funds of the two Houses of Congress and of the other Departments of the Government for which such mail service may have been performed, and where there is no such fund, that they be paid out of the Treasury of the United States.

. And be it further enacted, That the act of Congress entitled “,” approved June the thirtieth, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, shall remain and continue in full force, any thing hereinbefore to the contrary notwithstanding; and the Members of Congress, the Delegates from Territories, the Secretary of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, shall be, and they are hereby, authorized to transmit, free of postage, to any post office within the United States, or the Territories thereof, any documents which have been or may be printed by order of either House of Congress, any thing in this law to the contrary notwithstanding.

. And be it further enacted, That each member of the Senate, each member of the House of Representatives, and each Delegate from a Territory of the United States, the Secretary of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, may, during each session of Congress, and for a period of thirty days before the commencement and thirty days after the end of each and every session of Congress, send and receive through the mail, free of postage, any letter, newspaper, or packet, not exceeding two ounces in weight; and all postage charged upon any letters, packages, petitions, memorials, or other matters or things, received during any session of Congress, by any Senator, Member or Delegate of the House of Representatives, touching his official or legislative duties, by reason of any excess of weight, above two ounces, of the matter or thing so received, shall be paid out of the contingent fund of the House of which the person receiving the same may be a member. And they shall have the right to frank written letters from themselves during the whole year, as now authorized by law.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to establish any private express or expresses for the conveyance, nor in any manner to cause to be conveyed, or provide for the conveyance or transportation by regular trips, or at stated periods or intervals, from one city, town, or other place, to any other city, town, or place in the United States, between and from and to which cities, towns, or other places the United States mail is regularly transported, under the authority of the Post Office Department, of any letters, packets, or packages of letters, or other matter properly transmittable in the United States mail, except newspapers, pamphlets, magazines and periodicals; and each and every person offending against this provision, or aiding and assisting therein, or acting as such private express, shall, for each time any letter or letters, packet or packages, or other matter properly transmittable by mail, except newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, periodicals, shall or may be, by him, her, or them, or through his, her, or their means or instrumentality, in whole or in part, conveyed or transported, contrary to the true intent, spirit, and meaning of this section, forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars.