CHAPTER VI. Par. THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 1 Par. 257. Establishment of the Post- 265. Official envelopes to be pro Office Department. 258. Oath of office. 259. Oath, before whom taken. vided. How franked. 266. Senators, members, etc., may send documents free. 260. Classes of mail matter. First 267. Extension of franking privi 264. Letters on official business 268. Postmaster-General to con may be sent free. Penalty for using official envelopes to avoid payment of post-268a. tract for all envelopes for Executive Departments. Establishment of postoffices at military camps. Establishment of the Post-Office May 8, 1794, c. June 8, 1872, c. 257. There shall be at the seat of Government an Executive Department to be known as the Post-Office Depart- Department. ment, and a Postmaster-General, who shall be the head 23, s. 3, v. 1, p. 357; thereof, and who shall be appointed by the President, by 335, ss. 1, 2, v. 17, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who P. 283. may be removed in the same manner; and the term of the Postmaster-General shall be for and during the term of the President by whom he is appointed, and for one month thereafter, unless sooner removed. Sec. 358, R. S. Oath of office. June 8, 1872, c. 287. Sec. 391, R. S. 258. Before entering upon the duties of his office and before he shall receive any salary the Postmaster-General 335, s. 15, v. 17, p. and each of the persons employed in the postal service shall respectively take and subscribe before some magistrate or other competent officer the following oath: "I, A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully perform all the duties required of me, and abstain from everything forbidden by the laws in relation to the establishment of postoffices and post-roads within the United States; and that I will honestly and truly account for and pay over any money belonging to the said United States which may come into my possession or control; and I also further swear that Oath, before whom taken. I will support the Constitution of the United States; so help me God." Act of March 5, 1874 (18 Stat. L., 19). 259. Any officer, civil or military, holding a commission June 8, 1872, c. under the United States is authorized to administer and certify the oath prescribed by the preceding section. 335, s. 15, v. 17, p. 287. First class. Rates of post age. vol. 23, p. 386. First, written matter; Second, periodical publications; Third, miscellaneous printed matter; Fourth, merchandise. Mailable matter of the first class shall embrace letters, postal cards, and all matters wholly or partly in writing, except as hereinafter provided.' RATES OF LETTER POSTAGE. 261. That on mailable matter of the first class, except Mar. 3, 1885, postal cards and drop letters, postage shall be prepaid at the rate of two cents for each ounce or fraction thereof; postal cards shall be transmitted through the mails at a postage charge of one cent each, including the cost of manufacture; and drop letters shall be mailed at the rate of two cents per ounce or fraction thereof, including deliv ery at letter carrier offices, and one cent for each ounce or fraction thereof where free delivery by carrier is not estab lished. The Postmaster Genera! may, however, provide, by regulation, for transmitting unpaid and duly certified let ters of soldiers, sailors, and marines in the service of the United States to their destination, to be paid on delivery. Act of March 3, 1885 (23 Stat. L., 386). Soldiers' let ters. Special-deliv. ery stamps. 1885, vol. 23, p. 386. SPECIAL DELIVERY. 262. That a special stamp of the face valuation of ten Sec. 3. Mar. 3, cents may be provided and issued, whenever deemed advisable or expedient, in such form and bearing such device as may meet the approval of the Postmaster-General, which, when attached to a lettter, in addition to the lawful postage thereon, the delivery of which is to be at a free delivery office, or at any city, town, or village containing a population of four thousand or over, according to the Federal census, shall be regarded as entitling such letter to immediate delivery within the carrier limit of any free For description of matter embraced in the second, third, and fourth classes see the act of March 3, 1879 (20 Stat. L.. 358). 2 Amended as noted by the act of March 3, 1885 (23 Stat. L., 386). delivery office which may be designated by the PostmasterGeneral as a special delivery office, or within one mile of the post office at any other office coming within the provisions of this section which may in like manner be designated as a special delivery office. Sec. 3, act of March 3, 1885 (23 Stat. L., 386). Specially stamped letters Sec. 4, ibid. 263. That such specially stamped letters shall be delivered from seven o'clock ante meridian up to twelve o'clock to be delivered. midnight at offices designated by the Postmaster-General under section three of this act. Sec. 4, ibid. OFFICIAL LETTERS. official business Sec. 5 Mar 3, 1879 19. p 355. 264. That it shall be lawful to transmit through the mail, Letters etc. on free of postage, any letters, packages, or other matters re- may be sent free. lating exclusively to the business of the Government of the United States: Provided, That every such letter or package to entitle it to pass free shall bear over the words "Official business" an endorsement showing also the name of the Department, and, if from a bureau or office, the names of the Department and bureau or office, as the case may be, whence transmitted. And if any person shall make Penalty for us. use of any such official envelope to avoid the payment of opes to avoid postage on his private letter, package, or other matter in age. the mail, the person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and subject to a fine of three hundred dol lars, to be prosecuted in any court of competent jurisdiction.' Sec. 5, act of March 5, 1879 (19 Stat. L., 355). ing oflicial envel payment of post Official envel opes to be pro Sec. 6, ibid 265. That for the purpose of carrying this act into effect, it shall be the duty of each of the Executive Departments vided of the United States to provide for itself and its subordi nate offices the necessary envelopes; and in addition to the endorsement designating the Department in which they are to be used the penalty for the unlawful use of these envel opes shall be stated thereon. Sec. 6, ibid. Indorsement thereon. Senators, members ete. may free 266 That Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress, the Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the send document's House of Representatives, may send and receive through Sec. 7 bid the mail, all public documents printed by order of Con gress; and the name of each Senator, Representative, How franked. Delegate, Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the House shall be written thereon, with the proper de ignation of the office he holds; and the provisions of this section shall apply to each of the persons named therem until the first For regulations respecting the use of penalty envelopes in the transmission of official correspondence, see paragraphs 813-817 Army Regulations of 1895 These envelopes are for use in domestic correspondance only, and will not cover the trans portation of letters to foreign countries upon which postage stamps must be used *Extended to letters addressed, officially, to any officer of the Government by seetion 3, act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. L.. 1981) Official mail matter of Smith sonian tion. envelopes. day of December following the expiration of their respective terms of office. Sec. 7, ibid. Sec 3, July 5, 267 The provisions of the fifth and sixth sections of the 1884. v. 23, p. 158. Extension of act entitled "An act establishing post-routes, and for other franking privi lege purposes" approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, for the transmission of official mail-matter, be, and they are hereby, extended to all officers of the United States Government, not including members of Congress, the envelopes of such matter in all cases to bear appropriate indorsements containing the proper designation of the office from which or officer from whom the same is transmitted, with a statement of the penalty for their misuse. And the provisions of said fifth and sixth sections are hereby likewise extended and made applicable to all official mail-matter of the Smithsonian Institution: ProInstitu vided, That any Department or officer authorized to use Return penalty the penalty envelopes may inclose them with return address to any person or persons from or through whom official information is desired, the same to be used only to cover such official information, and indorsements relat:ng thereto: Mail matter of Provided further, That any letter or packet to be regis partments, etc., tered by either of the Executive Departments, or Bureaus may be regis. thereof, or by the Agricultural Department, or by the Public Printer, may be registered without the payment of any registry fee; and any part-paid letter or packet addressed to either of said Departments or Bureaus may be delivered free; but where there is good reason to believe the omission to prepay the full postage thereon was intentional, such letter or packet shall be returned to the sender: Provided further, That this act shall not extend or apply to pension agents or other officers who receive a fixed allowance as compensation for their services, including expenses of postages. And section thirty nine hundred and fifteen of the Revised Statutes of the United States, so far as the same relates to stamps and stamped envelopes for official purposes, is hereby repealed. Sec. 3, act of July 5, 1884 (23 Stat. L., 158). Executive De tered free Postmaster. General to con velopes for Ex PURCHASE OF ENVELOPES FOR USE OF THE EXECUTIVE 268. The Postmaster-General shall contract for all envel tract for all en opes, stamped or otherwise, designed for sale to the public, ecutive Depart or for use by his own or other Departments, and may con tract for them to be plain or with such printed matter as 1895, v 28, p 624 may be prescribed by the Department making requisition ments Sec 96 Jan. 12, therefor: Provided, That no envelope furnished by the Government shall contain any business address or adver tisement. Sec. 96, act of January 12, 1895 (28 Stat. L., 624). Establishment of post-offices at ESTABLISHMENT OF POST-OFFICES AT MILITARY CAMPS. 268a. During the continuance of the existing war the Postmaster-General may, 13 his discretion, establish a temporary post-office at any military post or camp for the pur- military camps. pose of supplying the officers and troops there encamped June 6,1898, v.30. with mails, the location of which post-office may at any time be changed to any other post or camp. On the establishment of such post-office he shall cooperate with the Secretary of War or officer commanding such post or camp for the purpose of securing the detail of an officer of the Regular or Volunteer Army of suitable rank to act as postmaster, who shall, when the exigency will permit, execute a bond to the United States as such, and of a sufficient number of noncommissioned officers and privates to act as clerks in said post-office, who shall serve as such without additional salary, pay, or compensation other than that attaching to their rank and position in the Army. Each of said persons shall, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, take the oath' prescribed for persons employed in the postal service. In any case where it is deemed impracticable by the military authorities to detail persons from the Army to act as postmaster or clerks the Postmaster-General is authorized to appoint a civilian as postmaster, and also to make a special order allowing to him reasonable compensation for clerical services and to meet the necessary expenses of said office, as well as a proportionate increase of salary to the postmaster during the period of such extraordinary business as may attach to his office, under the provisions of section thirty-eight hundred and sixty-three, Revised Statutes, payable out of the appropriations for the postal service. He may also provide for the issue and payment of money orders at any post-office established under the provisions of this act, after the postmaster shall have given bond as required by law. Act of June 6, 1898. Stamps, envel opes, etc., to be ibid. The Postmaster-General shall supply to post-offices referred to in the preceding section all necessary postage supplied. Sec. 2, stamps, stamped envelopes, postal cards, and other supplies of whatever description. He may also prescribe regulations for the conduct of the business at such postoffices in conformity, so far as the same may be applicable, to the regulations relating to the ordinary postal service. Section 2, ibid. offices. Sec. 3, ibid. In any case where, in the judgment of the Postmaster- Branch postGeneral, any military post or camp can be better and more economically supplied by a branch post office, he may, without reference to its distance from the main office, establish the same, and meet the expenses thereof by special order, as in the case of post-offices referred to in the preceding section. Section 3, ibid. 1 For form of oath see paragraph 258, ante. This oath may be administered by any military officer. See section 392, Revised Statutes, paragraph 259, ante. |