Prevision in

following conditions, that is to say: First, That all the arrears of interest on the land purchased to the end of one year, from and after the day on which the last payment on account of such purchase should, according to former laws, have become due, shall have been paid at or before the end of such year: Second, That the residue of the sum due on account of the principal of such purchase shall be paid with interest thereon, in two equal annual payments, viz: One half of the said residue with the interest, which may then be due thereon, within one year; and the other half of the said residue, with the interest which may then be due thereon, within two years after the expiration of one year, from and after the day on which the last payment on account of such purchase should, according to former laws, have become due. And in case of failure in paying either the arrears of interest, or each of the two instalments of principal, with the accruing interest, at the time and times above mentioned, the tract of land shall be forthwith advertised and offered for sale in the manner and on the terms and conditions now prescribed for the sale of lands, purchased from the United States, and not paid for within the limited time; and shall revert, in like manner, to the United States, if the sum due with interest, be not at such sale bidden and paid.

And in cases where any tract or tracts of cases where land, not in the whole exceeding six hunthe lands dred and forty acres, which have since the to the United first day of January last, reverted to the United

have reverted

States.

States, for default of payment, the original purchaser may again enter the same tract or tracts. And all monies which such original purchaser may have paid shall be replaced to his credit, by the receiver of public monies

of the respective land offices, and such repurchasers shall be allowed the same benefits of the extension of the time of payment, created by this act, as though no such reversion had occurred: Provided, Such origi- Proviso. nal purchaser shall make to the proper land officer such application for such re-entry, as is required by law for the entry of lands, on or before first day of June next, and the land so reverted shall not have then been previously re-sold.

J. B. VARNUM,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

JOHN GAILLARD,

President of the Senate, pro tempore.

April 30, 1810.

APPROVED,

JAMES MADISON.

CHAPTER LIV.

AN ACT regulating the post-office establishment.

B

E it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That there General postbe established, at the seat of government of office estabthe United States, a general post-office, un- seat of goder the direction of a post-master general. vernment. The post-master general shall appoint two as

lished at the

Duties of the

post-master general.

sistants, and such clerks as may be necessary, for performing the business of his office. He shall establish post offices and appoint post masters, at all such places as shall appear to him expedient, on the post roads that are or may be established by law. He shall give his assistants, the post masters, and all other persons whom he shall employ, or who may be employed in any of the departments of the general post-office, instructions relative to their duty. He shall provide for the carriage of the mail on all post-roads that are or may be established by law, and as often as he, having regard to the productiveness thereof, and other circumstances, shall think proper. He may direct the route or road, where there are more than one between places designated by law for a post road, which route shall be considered the post road. He shall obtain from the post masters their accounts and vouchers for their receipts and expenditures once in three months, or oftener, with the balances thereon arising in favor of the general postoffice. He shall pay all expenses which may arise in conducting the post-office, and in the conveyance of the mail, and all other necessary expenses arising on the collection of the revenue and management of the general postoffice. He shall prosecute offences against the post-office establishment. He shall once in three months render to the secretary of the treasury a quarterly account of all the receipts and expenditures in the said department, to be adjusted and settled as other public accounts. He shall also superintend the business of the department in all the duties that are or may be assigned to it: Provided, That in case of the death, resignation or removal

from office of the post-master general, all his duties shall be performed by his senior assistant, until a successor shall be appointed and arrive at the general post-office to perform the business.

Oath of office

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the post-master general, and all other persons employed in the general post-office, or in the care, custody or conveyance of the mail, shall, previous to entering upon the duties assigned to them, or the execution of their trusts, and before they shall be entitled to receive any emolument therefor, respectively take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation, before some magistrate, and cause a certificate thereof to be filed in the general postoffice; "I, A. B. do swear, or affirm (as the case may be) that I will faithfully perform all the duties required of me, and abstain from every thing forbidden by the laws in relation to the establishment of the post-office and post roads within the United States." Every person who shall be in any manner employed in the care, custody, conveyance or management of the mail, shall be subject to all pains, Violations of penalties and forfeitures for violating the in- their trusts to be punished, junctions, or neglecting the duties required of as if the perhim by the laws relating to the establishment sons concernof the post-office and post roads, whether ed therein such person shall have taken the oath or af- ken it. firmation above prescribed or not.

had not ta

provide for

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the post-master general to Post-master provide by contract, for the carriage of the general may mail on any road on which a stage waggon or the carriage other stage carriage shall be established, on of the mail. condition that the expense thereof shall not exceed the revenue thence arising. It shall

Free white

ed in the car

mail.

also be lawful for the post-master general to enter into contracts for a term not exceeding eight years, for extending the line of posts, and to authorise the persons so contracting, as a compensation for their expenses, to receive during the continuance of such contracts, at rates not exceeding those for like distances established by this act, all the postage which shall arise on letters, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets and packets, conveyed by any such posts; and the roads designated in such contracts shall, during the continuance thereof, be deemed and considered as post roads within the provision of this act: And a duplicate of every such contract shall, within sixty days after the execution thereof, be lodged in the office of the comptroller of the treasury of the United States.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That no other than a free white person shall be empersons only ployed in carrying the mail of the United to be employ- States, on any of the post roads, either as a riage of the post rider or driver of a carriage carrying the mail; and every contractor or person who shall have stipulated or may hereafter stipulate to carry the mail, or whose duty it shall be to cause the same to be conveyed on any of the post roads as aforesaid, and who shall, contrary to this act, employ any other than a free white person as a post rider or driver, or in any other way to carry the mail on the same, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum of fifty dollars; one moiety thereof to the use of the United States, and the other moiety thereof to the person who shall sue for and prosecute the same, before any court having competent jurisdiction thereof.

Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the