to be posted at such public places in their vicinity, as shall appear to them best adapted for the information of the parties concerned; and at the expiration of the next three months, shall send such of the said letters as then remain on hand, as dead letters, to the general post-office, where the same shall be opened and inspected; and if any valuable papers or matters of consequence, shall be found therein, it shall be the duty of the Postmaster General to return such letter to the writer thereof, or cause a descriptive list thereof to be inserted in one of the newspapers published at the place most convenient to the supposed residence of the owner, if within the United States; and such letter, and the contents, shall be preserved, to be delivered to the person to whom the same shall be addressed, upon payment of the postage, and the expense of publication. And if such letter contain money, the Postmaster General may appropriate it to the use of the department, keeping an account thereof, and the amount shall be paid by the department to the rightful claimant so soon as he shall be found.
Public officers by whom letters, &c. are to be received free of postage.Sec. 27. And be it further enacted, That letter and packets to and from the following officers of the United States, shall be received and conveyed by post, free of postage. Each postmaster, provided each of his letters or packets shall not exceed half an ounce in weight; each member of the Senate, and each member 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, (except documents printed by the order of either House of Congress,) shall not exceed two ounces in weight, and during their actual attendance in any session of Congress, and sixty days before and 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, Attorney General, Postmaster General, and the assistants postmaster general, the comptrollers of the treasury, auditors, register, treasurer, and commissioner of the general land office, and such individual who shall have been, or may hereafter be, President of the United States, and each may receive newspapers by post, free of postage:Proviso. Provided, That postmasters shall not receive, free of postage, more than one daily newspaper, each, or what is equivalent thereto; nor shall members of the Senate, or of the House of Representatives, the clerk of the House, or secretary of the Senate, receive newspapers, free of postage, after their privilege of franking shall cease.[1]
Liability of persons franking letters not written by themselves.
Proviso.Sec. 28. And be it further enacted, That, if any person shall frank any letter or 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, and it shall be the especial duty of postmasters to prosecute for said offence: 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 hand-writing 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, five hundred dollars.
- ↑ This section is repealed by the 5th section of the act of March 3, 1845, ch. 43.
