Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 5.djvu/785



of the United States’ mail between any of the ports of the United States and a port or ports of any foreign power, whenever, in his opinion, the public interest will thereby be promoted; and it shall be his duty to report to the next ensuing Congress a copy of each of said contracts, with a statement of the amount of postage derived under the same, as far as the returns of the department will enable him to do. And such contracts may be made, if it shall appear to the Postmaster General to be required by the public interest, for any greater period than four years, and not exceeding ten years.

. And be it further enacted, That all such contracts shall be made with citizens of the United States, and the mail to be transported in American vessels, by American citizens. Each contract entered into under the provisions of this act, besides the usual stipulations for the right of the Postmaster General to discontinue the same, shall contain the further stipulation that it may, at any time, be terminated by a joint resolution of the two houses of Congress.

. And be it further enacted, That the rates of postage to be charged and collected from all letters, packages, newspapers, and pamphlets, or other printed matter, between the ports of the United States and the ports of foreign governments enumerated herein, transported in the United States mail under the provisions of this act, shall be as follows: Upon all letters and packets not exceeding one-half ounce in weight, between any of the ports of the United States and the ports of England or France, or any other foreign port not less than three thousand miles distant, twenty-four cents, with the inland postage of the United States added, when sent through the United States mail to or from the post office at a port of the United States; upon letters and packets over one-half an ounce in weight, and not exceeding one ounce, forty-eight cents; and for every additional half ounce or fraction of an ounce, fifteen cents; upon all letters and packets not exceeding one-half ounce, sent through the United States mail between the ports of the United States and any of the West India islands, or islands in the gulf of Mexico, ten cents; and twenty cents upon letters and packets not exceeding one ounce; and five cents for every additional half ounce or fraction of an ounce; upon each newspaper, pamphlet and price current, sent in the mail between the United States and any of the ports and places above enumerated, three cents, with inland United States postage added when the same is transported to or from said port of the United States in the United States mail.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any person to carry or transport any letter, packet, newspaper, or printed circular or price current, (except newspapers in use, and not intended for circulation in the country to which such vessel may be bound,) on board the vessels that may hereafter transport the United States mail, as provided for in this act; and for every violation of this provision, a penalty of five hundred dollars is hereby imposed, to be recovered by presentment, by information, or qui tam action―one half for the use of the informer, and the other half for the use of the Post Office Department.

. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall forge or counterfeit, or shall utter or use knowingly, any counterfeit stamp of the Post Office Department of the United States issued by authority of this act, or by any other act of Congress, within the United States, or the post office stamp of any foreign Government, he shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and, on conviction thereof in any court having jurisdiction of the same, shall undergo a confinement at hard labor for any length of time not less than two years, nor more than ten, at the discretion of the court.

. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster General, or