Kings Dartmouth. OFFICE. Harvey...... Harvey Station. Hillsborough.. Hopewell Cape..... Hopewell Corner Indian Town. Jacksonville. Kingsclear. Kingston. Kingston Lepreaux Memramcook Moncton.. Narrows Newcastle.... Ossekeag. Petit Rocher..... Kiver Louison. Rockland Rothesay St. Andrews. St. George. St. John... St. Martin's St. Stephen Sackville. Salisbury.. Shediac. Sheffield.... Shepigan South Rockland. Springfield.. Sussex Vale. Tracadie.. York Bridgewater............. Lunenburg Albert Canning....... .St. John Cape Sable Island. Guysborough Port Mulgrave.........Guysborough ...Charlotte Cross Roads (C. H.).... Guysborough St. Peter's Westmoreland Guysborough.. Gloucester Halifax. ..Kent Hantsport. Restigouche Hebron. Westmoreland Isaac's Harbour.. Kings Kennetcook.. .Charlotte Kentville.. Westmoreland Little Bras d'Or. Sunbury Lockeport... Westmoreland Lower Horton. Kings Lower Stewiacke. ..Kings Lunenburg.. Gloucester Mabou.... Kings Maccan Queens Mahone Bay..... ..Carleton Margaree Harbour..... Digby .Pictou Digby .Inverness .Annapolis Nants BOUNTY Port Hastings............ Inverness Queens Port Hood ...Inverness Kings Port Medway. Queens .. Shelburne Port Williams Kings Lunenburg Pugwash..... Cumberland Cape Breton Annapolis River Bourgeoise. Richmond Pictou Kings Westport Annapolis Westvilon LETTER OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL TO THE POSTMASTER AT NEW YORK, RESPECTING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TERM "PRINTED COMMERCIAL PAPERS FILLED OUT IN WRITING," AS USED IN SECTION 232, POSTAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS, EDITION OF 1879. WASHINGTON, D. C., June 26, 1879. SIR, -In reply to your communication of the 25th inst. respecting the construction of that part of section 232 of the "Postal Laws and Regulations," edition of 1879, defining negatively personal correspondence, which reads as follows: "To all printed commercial papers filled out in writing, such as papers of legal procedure, deeds of all kinds, way-bills, or bills of lading, invoices, and the various documents of insurance companies, circulars, hand-bills, etc.," I have to say that the desire of the Department in framing regulations under the new law for the classification of mail-matter has been to make the domestic regulations, as far as possible, conform to those adopted in the Convention of Paris for the Universal Postal Union; and the wording of that part of the section quoted above is nearly identical with paragraph 1, article XVI. of the detailed regulations of that convention, with the exception, that under our regulations the word printed had to be used as a qualification of commercial papers, inasmuch as section 8 of the Act of March 3, 1879, defines matter wholly in writing as subject to letter rates of postage. Under article XVII. of the Postal Union Regulations, paragraph 2, it is, provided as follows: "The following are excluded from the reduced postage, viz: Stamps or forms of prepayment, whether obliterated or not, as well as all printed articles constituting the representative sign of a monetary value; " and the former letter to you from the Department, to which you refer, was based upon that provision. This proviso will form the basis of all rulings of the Department upon the character of commercial papers submitted to it for decision. In further explanation I would say that a printed promissory note or an insurance policy filled out ready for signature may be mailed as third-class matter, but when they have been finally executed, or countersigned by the signature of the person who finally approves them, so that they become the representative of a monetary value, they are subject to letter rates of postage, as being in the nature of purely personal correspondence between the two parties interested. The same rule will apply to other printed commercial papers, such as drafts, checks, etc., and as to deeds, bonds, etc., whether drawn by public functionaries or private parties. A partly printed bill filled out in writing may be sent as third-c'ass matter, but when receipted can only be admitted to the mails at letter rates of postage. The written matter under the head of remarks upon the various documents of insurance companies must be confined strictly to the subject-matter of the document. Within the scope of this explanation the Department cannot perceive how postmasters can mistake their duty respecting the admission of these commercial papers to the mails. The Department does not share the apprehensions expressed by you of a decrease in the revenues consequent upon the adoption by Congress, in response to an almost universal demand from the press and the people, of a more liberal postal policy. Similar apprehensions were en tertained and freely expressed, that the introduction of postal cards would materially reduce The revenues of the Department from letter postage. For the year ending June 30, 1872, just prior to the introduction of postal cards, the sale of postage stamps amounted to $15,840,649. For the year ending June 30, 1873, the revenue from the stamps sold was $16,681,189, and from postal cards $310,940. For the year ending June 30, 1874, the first entire year in which postal cards were used, the revenue from postage stamps was $17,275,242, and from postal cards $910,790. From the last report of the Postmaster General it appears that during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, the receipts from postage stamps were $19,468,618, and from postal cards $2,006,300; thus showing that the use of letters has been increased rather than decreased since the introduction of postal cards, and that these latter have created a demand for their use for special purposes in addition to, rather than instead of, letters. In fact, the whole history of postal legislation in this country and abroad shows that any reduction in the rate of postage or liberalizing of the postal regulations in the interest of the people, is always sure to result in an increased use of the mails by the people, and a consequent increase of the revenues of the Department, premising, of course, that the rate of postage should never be reduced below the actual cost of distribution and dispatch transportation, and protection. It is not believed that the Department does incur any loss in the transportation of mail-matter at third-class rates, viz: one cent for each two ounces, or eight cents per pound. In view of the fact that parties interested in the transporting of packages for hire have recently protested against this liberalizing policy of the Department, respecting the rates for the transportation of third-class matter, it might be fair to assume that there was some profit in it. I see no reason why the Post Office Department, more than the Army and Navy or any other department of the government, should be conducted for the purpose of making money. It is supported by the money of the people, and the people have the right to demand from it the utmost facilities at the lowest possible cost, either in the rate of postage or in taxes for its support. Holding these views, wherever it shall appear that the revenues of the Department are exceeding its expenses, I should recommend a still further reduction in the rates of postage, and a more liberal classification of mail-matter, so as to place our domestic postal system in entire harmony with that of the Universal Postal Union. HON. THOS. L. JAMES, Postmaster, Very respectfully, D. M. KEY, INDEX. NOTE. The abbreviation rul. indicates references to "Rulings of the Post Office Department," pp. 53-60 of Back numbers of periodical may be sent in mails at pound rates, 54, rul. 18. Blackfan, Joseph H., 6. Blank Agency, in Department, 4. Blanks, office for supplying, 4, 29. Book manuscript, term no longer used, 53, rul. 5. Books, are third-class matter, 55, rul. 32; what books may be imported free of customs duties, 41; regula- Boxes, collection, caution in using, 9. Boxes, delivery, in private houses, recommended, 9. Brady, Thomas J., 4. Complaint book, postmasters required to keep, 30; Contracts, office for examination, correction, and ap- Conveyance of mails, office in charge of arrangements Copper or nickel coins, limited use of, in purchasing Crawford, James S., 6. Crowell, Robert F., 7. Currency for redemption, registration of, 21. Customs duties, on packages from foreign countries, Dallas, E. J., 5. Davis, Madison, 5. Dead Letters, Division of, in Department, 6. Deceased persons, registered letters to, to whom they Depositing offices, to whom they report, 5. Domestic letters, registration of, 19. Domestic mail-matter, rates of postage on, 13. Drop letters, postage on, where free delivery is estab- 31; ruling on, 60, rul. 85. Establishment of post offices, office for, 4. Exchange offices for foreign mails, 39. Expresses, private, violation of law by, to whom re- Fee for registration of domestic mail-matter, 19; of |