106
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 64. 1825.
postage of let-ters as may beadequate to hisservices.
Proviso.
Kates.
Exceptions.
Allowances topostmasters onnewspapers,
&c.
Proviso,
Every letteror packet car-ried from oneport to another,in any privatevessel, chargedwith six cents,&c.
Any personreceiving,through fraud,more than thepostage of a let-ter, &c. to befined for everyoffence $ 100.
No ship orvessel arrivingat any port ofthe UnitedStates , wherea post-office isestablished,shall be permit-ted to report,&c.
Duties of thecollector.
and expenses: Provided, That his commission shall not exceed the follow-ing several rates on the amount received in one quarter, viz :
On a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars, thirty per cent.
Onanysumoverand abovethe first hundred dollars, and not exceedingfour hundred dollars, twenty-five per cent.
On any sum over and above the first four hundred, and not exceedingtwo thousand four hundred dollars, twenty per cent.
On any sum over and above the first two thousand four hundreddollars, eight per cent.
Except to the postmasters who may be employed in receiving anddespatching foreign mails, whose compensation may be augmented, notexceeding twenty-five dollars in one quarter ; and excepting to the post-masters at offices where the mail is regularly to arrive between thehours of nine o’clock at night, and five o’clock in the morning, whosecommission on the first hundred dollars collected in one quarter may beincreased to a sum not exceeding fifty percent. The Postmaster Generalmay allow to the postmasters, respectively, a commission of fifty per cent,on the moneys arising from the postage of newspapers, magazines, andpamphlets ; and to the postmasters whose compensation shall not exceedfive hundred dollars in one quarter, two cents for every free letter de-livered out of the office, excepting such as are for the postmaster himself;and each postmaster, who shall be required to keep a register of thearrival and departure of the mails, shall be allowed ten cents for eachmonthly return which he makes thereof to the general post-office. ThePostmaster General may allow to the postmaster at New Orleans , at the rateof eight hundred dollars a year, in addition to his ordinary commissions.The Postmaster General is hereby authorized to allow to the postmaster ofthe city of Washington, in addition to the allowance made by this act,for postage collected, and for free letters received by him for delivery, acommission of five per cent, on the amount of mails distributed at hisoffice : Provided, nevertheless, That the whole annual emolument of the saidpostmaster, including the extra compensation of eight hundred dollarswhich is hereby allowed him, shall be subject to the restrictions im-posed by the forty-first section of this act.
Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That every letter or packet,brought into the United States , or carried from one port therein toanother, in any private ship or vessel, shall be charged with six cents, ifdelivered at the post-office where the same shall arrive; and if destinedto be conveyed by post to any place, with two cents added to the ordi-nary rates of postage.
Sec. 16. And be it further enacted, That, if any postmaster, or otherperson, authorized by the Postmaster General to receive the postage ofletters, shall fraudulently demand, or receive, any rate of postage, orgratuity, or reward, other than is provided by this act, for the postage ofletters or packets, on conviction thereof, he shall forfeit, for every suchoffence, one hundred dollars.
Sec. 17. And be it further enacted, That no ship or vessel, arriving at anyport within the United States where a post-office is established, shall bepermitted to report, make entry, or break bulk, until the master or com-mander shall have delivered to the postmaster all letters directed to anyperson or persons within the United States , or the territories thereof, which,under his care, or within his power, shall be brought in such ship or vessel,except such as are directed to the owner or consignee of the ship or vessel.And it shall be the duty of the collector or other officer of the port em-powered to receive entries of ships or vessels, to require from every mas-ter or commander of such ship or vessel, an oath or affirmation, purport-ing that he has delivered all such letters, except as aforesaid, and if anycommander or master of any such ship or vessel shall break bulk before