mail matter by them received. By a report from the City Post-Office in Washington it appears that, during the year ending June 30, 1849, the number of free written mail matter sent was 484,210; number received, 819,293, making in all, 1,303,503. There were 397,630 printed Senate speeches, and 170,715 Senate, and 3,448,250 House documents sent during the year, making a total of 5,320,098 free written and printed matter, which, if not franked, would have been subject, as computed, to a postage of $792,709.

The commissions allowed postmasters are as follows, viz.:

1. On the amount of letter postage, not exceeding $100 in any one quarter,

2. On any sum between $100 and $400 in any one year,
3. On any sum between $ 400 and $ 2,400 in a year,
4. On any sum over $2,400 in a year,

5. On the amount of letters and packets received for distribution at offices designated by the Postmaster-General for

that purpose,

6. On all sums arising from the postage on newspapers, magazines, and pamphlets,

40 per cent. 331

66

30

12

66

7. Box rents not exceeding $2,000 per annum. The postmasters at New Orleans and Washington have special allowances for extra labor. To the postmasters at offices where the mail is regularly to arrive between the hours of 9 o'clock at night and 5 in the morning, the commission on the first $100 collected in one quarter may be increased by the Postmaster-General to a sum not exceeding 50 per cent. To postmasters whose pay does not exceed $2,000 per annum, two cents are paid for the delivery of each free letter or document.

The term letter postage includes all postages received, except those which arise from newspapers sent from the offices of publication to subscribers, and from pamphlets and magazines.

4. Rates of Postage within the United States.

For a letter not exceeding half an ounce in weight (avoirdupois), sent not exceeding 300 miles,

A letter over half an ounce in weight, but not exceeding an ounce, is rated with two charges of single postage; over one ounce, but not exceeding two ounces, with four charges; over two ounces, but not exceeding three ounces, six charges of single postage, and so on: there being two additional charges for each succeeding ounce, or fraction of an ounce, beyond the first ounce. When advertised, two cents additional are charged on each letter, or four cents, if the advertising costs so much.

The postage of a single letter to Oregon or California, via Chagres and Panama, is 40 cents, to be prepaid or not, at the option of the sender.

5 cents.

. 10 66

For drop-letters (not to be mailed), each For all letters or packages, conveyed, by any vessel not employed in carrying the mail, from one post or place to any other post or place in the United States,

For any pamphlet, magazine, periodical, or other matter of every kind that is transmittible by mail, and has no written communication on it, of one ounce or less, or for a newspaper exceeding 1,900 square inches of surface, sent from the office of publication,

For each additional ounce, or an excess greater than a halfounce,

For newspapers of 1,900 square inches or less, sent from the office of publication, not more than 100 miles, or any distance within the same State, .

Sent over such distance,

On each newspaper sent to Oregon or California, the postage is 4 cents; to be prepaid, except when sent from the office of publication.

Transient newspapers, i. e. those not sent from the office of publication, are subject to the general newspaper-postage rates; but the postage is in all cases to be prepaid.

For handbills, or circular letters, printed or lithographed, not exceeding one sheet in size (sent any distance), to be paid upon delivery at the office and before they are put in the mails,

3 cents.

As the postage on these articles is chargeable on each copy, postmasters will carefully examine all packets, and rate the postage accordingly. When the article to be mailed is a circular, pamphlet, or newspaper, it should be so enveloped or folded that it can be distinctly seen at the office to be such, and also that it contain no writing, marks, or signs, to serve the purpose of written communications. If not done up so as to open at the end, it is to be charged as a letter, by weight.

No packet can be mailed which weighs more than three pounds. Bound books of any size are not included in the term "mailable matter," except books sent by Governors of States, and those included under the term "Public Documents."

The establishment of private expresses for the conveyance of any letters, packets, or packages of letters, or other matter transmittible in the United States mail (newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, and periodicals excepted), from one city, town, or other place, to any other city, town, or place in the United States, between which the United States mail is regularly transported, is prohibited. Contractors may carry newspapers out of the mails for sale or distribution among subscribers. A penalty of $ 5,000 is imposed on any person taking letters through or over any part of the United States for the purpose of being sent out of the United States without the payment of postage.

Letters addressed to different persons cannot be inclosed in the same

envelope or package, under a penalty of ten dollars, unless addressed to foreign countries.

5. Privilege of Franking.

1. The President, ex-Presidents, Mrs. Harrison, Mrs. Adams, and Mrs. Taylor, have the franking privilege, as regulated by former laws.

2. Members from Congress and Delegates from Territories, from thirty days before the commencement of each Congress until the meeting of the next Congress, the Vice-President, and the Secretary of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, during their official terms, may send and receive free letters or packages not exceeding two ounces in weight, and public documents not exceeding three pounds in weight.

3. The Governors of States may send free the laws, records, and documents of the Legislature to the Governors of other States.

4. The Secretaries of State, Treasury, War, and Navy; AttorneyGeneral; Postmaster-General and Assistants Postmaster-General; Comptrollers, Auditors, Register, and Solicitor of the Treasury; Treasurer; Commissioners of the different Officers and Bureaus; Chiefs of Bureaus in the War and Navy Departments, General-in-Chief, and Adjutant-General, may send and receive free all letters and packages upon official business, but not their private letters or papers.

5. The chief clerk in the State Department may send free public and official documents.

6. Deputy postmasters may send free all such letters and packages as relate exclusively to the business of their respective offices; and those whose compensation did not exceed $200 for the year ending the 30th of June, 1846, may also send free, through the mails, letters written by themselves, and receive free all written communications on their own private business, not weighing over one half-ounce, but not transient newspapers, handbills, or circulars.

7. Exchange newspapers between editors pass free.

Public documents are those printed by the order of either House of Congress, and publications or books procured or purchased by Congress, or either House, for the use of the members.

6. RATES OF FOREIGN POSTAGE, AND OF POSTAGE TO Oregon and

CALIFORNIA.

Great Britain and Ireland.

Between the United States and Great Britain and Ireland, letters are rated, by weight, as in the United States. Between any office in the United States (Oregon and California excepted), and any office in Great Britain and Ireland, the entire postage is 24 cents the single letter, which may be prepaid or sent unpaid. Between the offices of California and Oregon and those of Great Britain and Ireland, the entire postage is 59 cents the single letter, which may be prepaid or sent unpaid. Payment of

any thing less than the entire postage goes for nothing, and such letters will be treated as wholly unpaid.

Foreign Countries and Cities, via England.

TABLE 1. On all correspondence between the United States and the following-named countries, the United States postage, and that only, MUST be collected in the United States, by prepayment when sent, and on delivery when received, at the rate of 5 cents the single letter when conveyed by British packet (unless from or to Oregon or California, then 40 cents), and 21 cents the single letter when conveyed by United States packet (unless, as aforesaid, from or to Oregon or California, then 56 cents), to wit:*

TABLE 2.- On all correspondence between the United States (Oregon and California excepted) and the following-named countries through the United Kingdom, and by the routes here specified, there must be prepaid when sent, and collected when received, the following rates, for the single letter of half an ounce in weight:

*This does not supersede the American line to Bremen. See post, p. 155.

†Via Marseilles.

Via Southampton.

§Via Southampton and India.

Via Southampton and Lisbon.
TVia Falmouth.

The places marked thus (a) are by French packet, via Marseilles; those marked (b) are via France; and the others are by closed mail, via Marseilles. On British, sea, and American inland postage, the single letter is oz.; on foreign postage, the single letter is less than oz. Letters weighing oz. and under oz. are charged two rates; oz. and under 2, three rates, &c.; an additional rate being charged for each quarter of an ounce. Thus, a letter directed to the East Indies by a British steamer, and weighing less than oz., will be charged 65 cents postage; if oz. or more, and less than 75 cents must be paid, the foreign postage only being doubled for each oz. The American inland postage is either 5 or 10 cents, as the distance in the United States is less than, or over, 300 miles.

oz.,

Where the correspondence with the countries in the foregoing tables is from or to Oregon or California, the single-letter rate, to be collected by prepayment or on delivery, is to be in each instance 35 cents more than the amounts given.

* Via Southampton. † Via Southampton and India. || Via Falmouth.

§ Via France.

↑ Via Southampton and Lisbon.

¶ Via London.