BANKING. On purchase of stocks, bonds, and all kinds of securities, including the drawing of bills for payment of same.. .per cent On sale of stocks, bonds, and all kinds of securities, including remittances in in bills and guaranty... On purchase or sale of specie and bullion. Remittances in bills of exchange..... Remittances in bills of exchange with guaranty.. Drawing or indorsing bills of exchange.... ..... Collecting dividends on stocks, bonds, or other securities. Receiving and paying moneys on which no other commission is received. GENERAL BUSINESS. On sales of merchandise, whether for cash or on credit, including guarantee... Collecting delayed and litigated accounts. Effecting marine insurance, on amount insured... No amount to be charged for effecting insurance on property consigned Landing and re-shipping goods from vessels in distress, on value of invoice... on specie and bullion... 64 16 Receiving and forwarding merchandise entered at custom-house, on invoice value 1 per cent, and on expences incurred... On consignments of merchandise withdrawn or reshipped, full commissions are to be charged, to the extent of advances or responsibilities incurred, and onehalf commission on the residue of the value. On giving bonds that passengers will not become a burthen on the city-on the amount of the bonds... The risk of loss by robbery, fire, (unless insurance be ordered,) theft, popular tumult, and all other unavoidable occurrences, is in all cases to be borne by the owners of the goods, provided due dilligence has been exercised in the care of them. SHIPPING. On purchase or sale of vessels.... Procuring freight and passengers for Europe, East Indies, and domestic ports. for West Indies, S. America, and other places. Chartering vessels on amount of freight, actual or estimated, to be considered as due when the charter-parties are signed... .. 21 But no charter to be consid red binding till a memorandum, or one of the copies of the char er has been signed. On giving bonds for vessels under attachment in litigated cases-on amount of liability..... 24 The foregoing commissions to be exclusive of brokerage, and every charge actually incurred. ROYAL PHELPS. POSTAL DEPARTMENT. INSTRUCTIONS TO POSTMASTERS, AND INFORMATION FOR LETTER-WRITERS. The following instructions to postmasters contain a great variety of information of interest to all who communicate with correspondents in any way through the mails of the United States. They are issued by the Department, and are therefore authentic decisions : No. 1. A postmaster, whose compensation for the last preceding year did not exceed $200, can send through the mail. free of postage, all letters written by himself, and receive letters addressed to himself, on his own private business, the weight of each letter not to exceed half an ounce. He cannot receive free nor frank printed matter of a private nature; nor letters addressed to his wife or any other member of his family; nor can he frank letters to editors or publishers, containing money in payment of subscription. But every postmaster, whatever may have been his annual compensation, can send and receive, free, communications, whether written or printed, relating exclusively to the business of his office or of the Post-office Department. If a postmaster, having the franking privilege, franks matter which exceeds half an ounce in weight, and which does not relate exclusively to the business of his office, or of the Post-office Department, the excess is chargeable with postage; and if not so charged at the mailing office, the charge should be made at the office of delivery. Postmasters' assistants are forbidden by law to exercise the franking privilege under any circumstances. It being impracticable in all cases to determine what postmasters are entitled to receive their private communications free, a manuscript letter addressed to a postmaster should not be detained in the mailing office for the reason that the postage on it is not prepaid, except in cases where it is known that the postmaster addressed is not entitled to receive his private letters free. And if letters to any postmaster are known to relate exclusively to "post-office business," being so superscribed, they should be mailed free. The law, fixing the penalty for violation at fifty dollars, provides "that no postmaster or assistant postmaster shall act as agent for lottery offices, or under any color of purchase or otherwise vend lottery tickets ;" and that "no postmaster shall receive free of postage or frank lottery schemes, circulars, or tickets." Therefore, all such lottery schemes, circulars, or tickets addressed either to a postmaster or assistant postmaster, must hereafter be excluded from the mail, together with all other transient matter of this kind addressed simply to an office and not to any individual. No. 2. All letters placed on a mail steamboat, on which the mails are in charge of a route agent, should go into the hands of such agent; and on these letters the master of the vessel is not entitled to receive any compensation. None but prepaid letters should be received on such steamboat, and these should be duly mailed. But should any chance to be unpaid, they should be deposited by the route agent in the post-office at or nearest the point at which they are received, and the postmaster should post up a list of them, with the unpaid letters dropped into his office, adding that they were put on board the steamboat unpaid. In like manner, when practicable, all letters should be prepaid which are received by steamboats or other vessels not in the mail service, or carrying the mail with no route agent on board. When prepaid, the master of the vessel, if under contract to carry the mail, may receive one cent "way," and if not under contract with the Department, two cents each from the postmaster in whose office he deposits them; and they should be delivered to their address without any charge beyond the amount prepaid. But if unpaid, they should be treated as ship letters, and are chargeable as such with a postage of six cents if delivered at the office at which the vessel shall arrive, and with two cents in addition to the ordinary rate of postage if destined to be conveyed by post to another place. On all such letters the master of the vessel is entitled to receive two cents each. No. 3. Letters enclosed in stamped envelops may be carried out of the mail, provided such stamps are equal in value and amount to the rates of postage to which such letters would be liable if sent in the mail; and provided, also, that the envelops are duly sealed, &c. No. 4. A letter bearing a stamp cut or separated from a stamped envelop cannot be sent through the mail as a prepaid letter. Stamps so cut or separated from stamped envelops lose their legal value. Stamped envelopes, as well as postage stamps on prepaid letters, should be canceled immediately on the letters being placed in a post-office. No. 5. When a letter is delivered, and the postage paid thereon, the postage should not be returned after the letter has been opened, except in cases where the postmaster is satisfied it has been opened by the wrong person through mistake; in which event the letter should be resealed, and a memorandum of the mistake made thereon in writing. No. 6. To enclose or conceal a letter, or other thing, (except bills and receipts for subscription,) in, or to write or print anything after its publication upon, ary newspaper, pamphlet, magazine, or other printed matter, is illegal, and subjects such printed matter, and the entire package of which it is a part, to letter postage; and if done in order that the same may be carried by post free of postage, subjects the offender to a fine of five dollars for every such offense; and in such cases, if the person addressed refuse to pay such letter postage, the package should be returned to the postmaster from whose office it came, to prosecute the offender for the penalty. Printed slips or circulars stitched or pasted in with the body of periodicals or magazines with which they have no legitimate connection, are attempts to evade the law; and all such matter which does not form, and was not intended and originally printed to form, a regular part of the contents of any given number of a periodical or magazine and its cover, must be considered as extraneous matter, subjecting the whole copy with which it is thus sought to be incorporated to letter postage. All transient printed matter should be distinctly postmarked and rated at the mailing office. No. 7. Any word of communication, whether by printing, writing, marks, or signs, upon the cover or wrapper of a newspaper, pamphlet, magazine, or other printed matter, other than the name and address of the person to whom it is to be sent, subjects the package to letter postage; and such postage should be, like all other letter postage, prepaid, or the matter should not be mailed. If, however, it reaches the office of delivery unpaid, and the party addressed shall refuse to pay letter postage thereon, further proceedings should be waived, their being no concealment or attempt at fraud, and the package placed with the other refused matter in the office. A pen or pencil mark, made for the sole purpose of attracting the eye to a particular article or portion of printed matter, does not subject such matter to letter postage. No. 8. Contractors and mail carriers may carry newspapers out of the mails, for sale or distribution among regular subscribers; but when such papers are placed in a post-office for delivery, postage must be charged and collected. Contractors and other persons may also convey books, pamphlets, magazines, and newspapers, (not intended for immediate distribution,) done up in packages as merchandise, and addressed to some bona fide agent or dealer. No. 9. It is proper to forward a letter when duly requested. When forwarded, no additional postage should be charged, if the letter, contrary to its address, has been missent. If it has been sent according to its address, and then forwarded, it must be charged with additional postage, at the prepaid rate, according to distance, established by the act of March 3, 1855. No. 10. Books, not weighing over 4 pounds, may be sent in the mail, prepaid, at 1 cent an ounce, any distance in the United States under 3,000 miles, and at 2 cents an ounce over 3,000 miles, provided they are put up without a cover or wrapper, or in a cover or wrapper open at the ends or sides, so that their character may be determined without removing the wrapper. If not prepaid, the postage under 3,000 miles is 14 cents, and over 3,000 miles in the United States, 3 cents an ounce. No. 11. Publishers of newspapers may, without subjecting them to extra postage, fold within their regular issues a supplement, provided the weight of the whole does not exceed 1 ounces, within the State where printed, or 3 ounces when sent out of the State. But in all such cases the added matter must be a genuine supplement or appendage to the newspaper in question, and of the same essential character, conveying intelligence of passing events of general interest. No. 12. Money and other valuable matters sent by mail are at the risk of the owner. No. 13. Payment of postage on newspapers, periodicals, and magazines, quarterly or yearly in advance, may be made either at the office of mailing or office of delivery. When made at the mailing office, it is the duty of the postmaster to send to the office of delivery evidence thereof. The receipt of the postmaster of the mailing office is sufficient evidence of payment. No. 14. Postmasters, assistants, and clerks, regularly employed in post-offices, are exempt from militia duty and from serving on juries, but not from working on roads, nor from cbeying a summons to appear in court as witnesses, or to testify before a grand jury. Justices of the peace, unless excluded by their own State laws, may serve also as postmasters. No. 15. Daguerreotypes, when sent in the mail, should be rated and charged with letter postage by weight. No. 16. Letters mailed in the cars can be prepaid only by using postage stamps or stamped envelops; and when not thus prepaid, it is the duty of postmasters to treat all such letters as unpaid, although marked " paid," no route agent being permitted to receive prepayment in money. No. 17. Unsealed circulars, advertisements, and business cards, not weighing over 3 ounces, sent in the mail to any part of the United States, are chargeable with 1 cent postage each when prepaid, or 2 cents when not prepaid. Where more than one circular is printed on a sheet, or a circular and letter, each must be charged with a single rate. This applies to lottery and other kindred sheets assuming the form and name of newspapers; and the miscellaneous matter in such sheets must also be charged with one rate. A business card on an unsealed envelop of a circular subjects the entire package to letter postage. If sealed, all printed matter is subject to letter postage, and whenever subject to letter postage, all printed matter must be prepaid. No. 18. Postmasters are allowed one cent for the delivery of each free letter, except such as come to themselves, and two mills each on newspapers (to subscribers) not chargable with postage. They are not allowed any commission on printed matter made free by the frank of a member of Congress. No. 19. Properly franked mail matter, or mail matter addressed to a person enjoying the franking privilege, is entitled to be carried free in the mail, when "forwarded" to the person elsewhere, as well as in its transportation simply to the office to which originally addressed. No. 20. Postmasters receiving letters referring to business not connected with the Department, but designed to promote private interest, without payment of postage, must return said letters to the parties, sending them under a new envelop, charged with letter postage. No. 21. The postmaster who collects the postage on newspapers, periodicals, magazines, etc., quarterly or yearly in advance, is entitled to the commissions on the same, although he may go out of office immediately thereafter, and the paper or periodical be delivered by his successor. He should, however, leave in the office a record of all such payments. No. 22. Bona fide subscribers to weekly newspapers, can receive the same free of postage, if they reside in the county in which the paper is printed and published, even if the office to which the paper is sent is without the county, provided it is the office at which they regularly receive their mail matter. No. 23. Bills of lading and unsealed letters relating exclusively to the whole, or any part of the cargo of a vessel or steamboat, may be sent on such vessel or steamboat outside of the mail, unless they are placed in an envelop with other matter. In the latter case, the whole package is subject to letter postage. No. 24. When newspapers or periodicals are not taken out of the post-office by the persons to whom they are addressed, the postmaster will, under his frank, give immediate notice to the publisher, stating the cause thereof, if known. No. 25. Postmasters cannot deliver letters from their respective offices, which may be addressed to, and deliverable from, other offices. No. 26. Postage cannot be prepaid on regular newspapers or periodicals for a less term than one quarter; and, in all cases, postage must be paid on such matter at the commencement of a quarter. No. 27. Under no circumstances can a postmaster open a letter not addressed to himself. No. 28. Exchange newspapers and periodicals cannot be remailed, without being chargable with postage. No. 29. The same person cannot act as a mail contractor or mail carrier, and as postmaster or clerk in a post-office, at the same time. No. 30. Postmasters will apply for blanks as follows:-Those in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, California, and Oregon, will apply to the Blank Agent at New York, N. Y. Those in the District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, will apply to the First Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, D. C. Those in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas, will apply to the Blank Agent at Cincinnati, Ohio. Blank Registers, for arrival and departure of the mails, however, are sent out by the Inspection Office, Washington, D. C. No. 31. A pamphlet is a printed, but unbound publication, relating solely to some subject of local, ephemeral, or temporary interest, or importance; or, if upon a subject of general interest or importance, called forth, like a lecture or an address, by, or for some local event, or as appropriate to some particular occasion. Hence, with the exception of those not containing more than sixteen octavo pages each, for which, under certain conditions, the act of August 30, 1852, has made special provision, no publication, although folded and unbound, can be permitted to pass in the mail as a "pamphlet," instead of a "book," unless its scope and subject are such as to bring it fairly within the distinctive definition above given. No. 32. By the act of March 3, 1855, requiring from and after April 1, 1855, prepayment, either by stamps, stamped envelops, or in money, of all letters not entitled to go free, to places within the United States, the single rate, under 3,000 miles, is three cents, and over 3,000 miles, ten cents. It does not change the then existing franking privilege, which, by another act, is extended to ex-Vice-Presidents of the United States. By the act of March 3, 1855, also, the PostmasterGeneral may require postmasters from and after January 1, 1856, to "place postage stamps upon all prepaid letters, upon which such stamps may not have been placed by the writers." The Postmaster-General requires postmasters to comply with, and carry into effect this provision of the law, They will take care, if not already done, to supply themselves with postage stamps accordingly, by sending orders for them, addressed to the Third Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, D. C.; and, until a supply reaches them, will continue to forward all prepaid letters in the same manner as they have done before January 1, 1856. On drop letters prepayment is optional. |