of his letters or packets shall not exceed half an ounce in weight; each member of the Senate, and each member and delegate of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States; the secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House of Representatives, provided each letter or packet shall not exceed two ounces in weight, and during their actual attendance in any session of Congress, and twenty days after such session, and in case of excess of weight, that excess alone shall be paid for; the President of the United States; Vice President, the secretaries of state, of the treasury, of war, of the navy; the attorney-general; the comptroller; treasurer; auditor; register; supervisor of the direct tax for the district of South Carolina; superintendent of Indian trade; purveyor; the inspector and paymaster of the army; accountants of the war and navy departments; postmaster-general; and the assistants postmaster-general; John Adams, a former President of the United States; and Thomas Jefferson, late President of the United States; and they may all receive their newspapers by post, free of postage: Provided, that the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House of Representatives, shall receive their newspapers, free of postage, only during any session of Congress, and twenty days after the expiration of the same: And provided, that no letter or packet from any public officer shall be conveyed by post, free of postage, unless he shall frank the same, by writing his name and office on the outside of such letter or packet, and until he has previously furnished the postmaster of the office where he shall deposit the same, with a specimen of his signature.
Penalties upon franking other letters than their own.
Proviso.Sec. 25. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall frank letters other than those written by himself, or by his order on the business of his office, he shall, on conviction thereof, pay a fine of ten dollars: Provided, that the Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of State, Secretary of War, Secretary of the Navy, and Postmaster-General, may frank letters or packets on official business, prepared in any other public office, in the absence of the principal thereof. And if any person, having the right to receive his letters free of postage, shall receive enclosed to him any letter or packet addressed to a person not having that right, it shall be his duty to return the same to the post-office—marking thereon, the place from whence it came, that it may be charged with postage. And if any person shall counterfeit the handwriting or frank of any person or cause the same to be done, in order to avoid the payment of postage, each person so offending shall pay for every such offence fifty dollars.
Regulation concerning newspapers.Sec. 26. And be it further enacted, That every printer of newspapers may send one paper to each and every other printer of newspapers within the United States, free of postage, under such regulations as the Postmaster-General shall provide.
Further regulations concerning newspapers, &c.Sec. 27. And be it further enacted, That all newspapers conveyed in the mail shall be under cover, open at one end, and charged with a postage of one cent each, for any distance not more than one hundred miles, and one and an half cents for any greater distance: Provided, that the postage of a single newspaper from any one place to another in the same state, shall not exceed one cent; and that the Postmaster-GeneralAn act authorizing the governors of the several states to transmit by mail certain books and documents, June 30, 1834, chap. 168.
An act to provide for the appointment of solicitor of the treasury, May 29, 1830, chap. 153, sec. 11.An act to carry into effect the convention between the United States and his majesty the king of the French, &c., July 13, 1832, chap. 199, sec. 8.An act to continue the office of the commissioner of pensions, March 3, 1835, chap. 44, sec. 3.An act to promote the progress of the useful arts, &c., July 4, 1836, chap. 357, sec. 1.An act to authorize the chief clerk in the office of the Secretary of State, to frank public and official documents, sent from the office, February 15, 1843, chap. 3.An act authorizing the transmission of letters and packets to and from Mrs. Harrison, free of postage, September 9, 1841, chap. 19. See act of March 3, 1845, chap. 43.