per centum on all sums over eighty thousand dollars and not exceeding one hundred and sixty thousand dollars; four-tenths of one per centum on all sums over one hundred and sixty thousand dollars and not exceeding three hundred and twenty thousand dollars; three-tenths of one per centum on all sums over three hundred and twenty thousand dollars and not exceeding six hundred and forty thousand dollars; two-tenths of one per centum on all sums over six hundred and forty thousand dollars and not exceeding one million two hundred and eighty thousand dollars; and one-tenth of one per centum on all sums exceeding one million two hundred and eighty thousand dollars; and in order to ascertain the amount of the postal receipts of each office, the Postmaster-General may require postmasters to furnish duplicates of their quarterly returns to the Auditor at such times and for such periods as he may deem necessary in each case: Provided, That at offices where the letter-carrier system is now, or may hereafter be, established, the box-rents, in fixing the compensation of the respective postmasters at such offices, shall be estimated at not less than one thousand dollars per annum; but at all such offices where the compensation is now four thousand dollars, they shall be estimated at an amount which, with the commissions and percentages hereby allowed, will make the salaries of the postmasters thereat not less than three thousand dollars. (Act July 12, 1876, § 7, 19 Stat., p. 80.) Sec. 117. Salaries of Fourth-Class Postmasters.-The compensation of post. masters of the fourth class shall be the whole of the box-rents collected at their offices and commissions upon the amount of the canceled postagedue stamps, provided for in sec. 270, on amounts received from wastepaper, dead newspapers, printed matter, and twine sold, and on postagestamps, stamped envelopes, postal cards, and newspaper and periodical stamps canceled on matter actually mailed at their offices, at the following rate, namely: On the first one hundred dollars or less per quarter, sixty per centum; on all over one hundred dollars and not over three hundred dollars per quarter, fifty per centum; and on all over three hundred dollars per quarter, forty per centum; the same to be ascertained and allowed by the Auditor in the settlement of the accounts of such postmasters, upon their sworn quarterly returns: Provided, That when the compensation of any postmaster of this class shall reach one thousand dollars per annum, exclusive of commissions on money-order business, and when the returns to the Auditor for four quarters shall show him to be entitled to a compensation in excess of that amount under the [preceding] section (seven of the act of July twelfth, eighteen hundred and seventy-six,) the Auditor shall report such fact to the PostmasterGeneral, who shall assign him to his proper class, and fix his salary as provided by said section: Provided further, That in no case shall there be allowed to any postmaster of this class a compensation greater than two hundred and fifty dollars in any one quarter, exclusive of money. order commissions. (Act June 17, 1878, 20 Stat., p. 142, and act of March 3, 1879, § 26, 20 Stat., p. 361.) See sections 270-274. Sec. 118. Penalties for False Returns, Unlawful Sales of Stamps, etc.-In any case where the Postmaster-General shall be satisfied that a postmaster has made a false return of business, it shall be within his discretion to withhold commissions on such returns, and to allow any compensation that under the circumstances he may deem reasonable: Provided, That the form of affidavit to be made by postmasters upon their returns shall be such as may be prescribed by the PostmasterGeneral; and any postmaster who shall make a false return to the Auditor, for the purpose of fraudulently increasing his compensation under the provisions of this or any other act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined in a sum not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year, or punished by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court; and no postmaster of any class, or other person connected with the postal service, intrusted with the sale or custody of postage-stamps, stamped envelopes, or postal cards, shall use or dispose of them in the payment of debts or in the purchase of merchandise or other salable articles, or pledge or hypothecate the same, or sell or dispose of them except for cash, or sell or dispose of postagestamps or postal cards for any larger or less sum than the values indicated on their faces, or sell or dispose of stamped envelopes for a larger or less sum than is charged therefor by the Post-Office Department for like quantities, or sell or dispose of postage-stamps, stamped envelopes, or postal cards otherwise than as provided by law and the regulations of the Post-Office Department; and any postmaster, or other person connected with the postal service, who shall violate any of these provisions shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined in any sum not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars, or be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year. (Act June 17, 1878, 20 Stat., 142.) Sec. 119. Biennial Readjustment of Salaries.-The salaries of postmasters of the first, second, and third classes shall be readjusted by the Postmaster-General once in two years, and in special cases, on the application of the postmaster, as much oftener as the Postmaster-General may deem expedient. (Act July 12, 1876, § 9, 19 Stat., p. 82.) Sec. 120. Orders affecting Salaries to be Reported to the Auditor. The Postmaster-General shall make all orders assigning or changing the salaries of postmasters in writing, and record them in his journal, and notify the change to the Auditor; and any change made in such salaries shall not take effect until the first day of the quarter next following such order: Provided, That in cases of not less than fifty per centum increase or decrease in the business of any post-office, the Postmaster-General may adjust the salary of the postmaster at such office to take effect from the first day of the quarter or period the returns for which form the basis of readjustment.* (Act July 12, 1876, § 10, 19 Stat., p. 82.) Sec. 121. Allowance for Clerks at Separating Post-Offices.-The Postmaster-General may designate offices at the intersection of mail-routes as distributing or separating offices; and where any such office is of the third or fourth class, he may make a reasonable allowance to the postmaster for the necessary cost of clerical services arising from such duties. (Act of July 12, 1876, § 11, 19 Stat., p. 82.) Sec. 122. Limit of Salaries.-No salary of any postmaster (under this act) shall exceed the sum of four thousand dollars per annum, except in the city of New York, which salary shall remain as now fixed by law [to wit, $8,000]; and no salary of any postmaster where the appointment is now presidential shall be reduced by the compensation herein established until the next readjustment below the sum of one thousand dollars per annum. (Act of July 12, 1876, § 12, 19 Stat., p. 82. Sec. 123. Applications for Readjustment of Salaries.-Applications for special readjustment of salary must be made to the First Assistant Postmaster-General, and must state fully the facts upon which such application is based, and if found to come within the rule prescribed by the law, an order will be made readjusting the salary of the postmaster. Sec. 124. Allowance for Clerks and Incidental Expenses.-The PostmasterGeneral may allow to the postmaster at New York City, and to the postmasters at offices of the first and second classes, out of the surplus revenues of their respective offices, that is to say, the excess of boxrents and commissions over and above the salary assigned to the office, a reasonable sum for the necessary cost of rent, fuel, lights, furniture, stationary, printing, clerks, and necessary incidentals to be adjusted on a satisfactory exhibit of the facts, and no such allowance shall be made except upon the order of the Postmaster-General. (R. S., § 3860.) Sec. 125. Allowances for Extraordinary Business.-Whenever unusual business accrues at any post-office, the Postmaster-General shall make a special order allowing reasonable compensation for clerical service, and a proportionate increase of salary to the postmaster during the time of such extraordinary business. (R. S., § 3863.) Sec. 126. Allowances to be Fixed by Order.-Expenditures for clerk-hire, rent, fuel, and light, in the case of the post-office at New York city, and of post-offices of the first and second classes, will be fixed by an order, and shall remain until otherwise ordered; and other items of expense for furniture, stationery, &c., under this section, in the case of the same class of post-offices, must be made only under special authority from the Postmaster-General. Sec. 127. Allowances cannot Exceed Surplus Revenue.-Allowances for expenses at first and second class post-offices are made out of the surplus revenue of the post-office, that is to say, the excess of box-rents and commissions over and above the salary assigned to the post-office. And in no case will an allowance be made in excess of such surplus revenue. *The language of this section to the proviso is the same as the first sentence of section 3856 of the Revised Statutes. The remainder of that section reads as follows: "But in cases of an extraordinary increase or decrease in the business of any postoffice, the Postmaster-General may adjust the salary of the postmaster at such postoffice, to take effect from the first day of the quarter or period the returns for which form the basis of readjustment." Sec. 128. Receipts Required for Pay of Clerks employed.-Application for allowance for clerk-hire at separating post-offices must be made to the First Assistant Postmaster-General. Such allowance must not be understood as an increase of the salary of the postmaster, but as a compensation for clerical services arising from the duties of separating the mails for other post-offices. The amount of such clerk-hire will not be allowed by the Auditor unless the receipt of the person employed as such clerk shall accompany the quarterly account-current. Sec. 129. Extra Allowances to first and second class Post-Offices.-Rent, lights, fuel, and stationery are allowed only to post-offices of the first and second class. See. 130. Appointment of Clerks in Post-Offices.-Except as provided in section 413, all clerks and employés in post-offices are appointed by and are under the direct supervision of the postmaster, and all postmasters are held responsible for the acts of their subordinates. Sec. 131. Roster of Clerks; their Duties and Salaries.-The power will be exercised by the Postmaster-General to fix the number and grades of clerks and their compensation in all post-offices where an allowance for clerk-hire is made. The postmaster at each post-office of the first and second class must submit to the First Assistant Postmaster-General for approval the plan of the organization of his post-office, with a list of all the clerks and other persons employed, showing their respective compensations and the duties performed by each. The approval by the First Assistant Postmaster-General of this roster will be necessary before any allowance for clerk-hire will be made for the ensuing fiscal year. After the roster of clerks and other persons employed has once been approved at the Department the number or compensation of those employed must not be changed without authority from the Department, and postmasters must report all removals and new appointments as soon as made to the First Assistant Postmaster-General. The rosters must be submitted annually, on the first day of January. Sec. 132. Salaries and Expenses may be Deducted from Receipts.-The salary of a postmaster, and such other expenses of the postal service authorized by law as may be incurred by him, and for which appropriations have been made, may be deducted out of the receipts of his office, under the direction of the Postmaster-General. (R. S., § 3861.) Sec. 133. Vouchers for Deductions to be sent to the Auditor.-Vouchers for all deductions made by a postmaster out of the receipts of his office, on account of the expenses of the postal service, shall be submitted for examination and settlement to the (Sixth) Auditor [of the Treasury for the Post-Office Department], and no such reduction shall be valid unless found to be in conformity with law. (R. S., § 3862.) Sec. 134. No Postmaster to Retain more than his Salary, etc.-No postmaster shall, under any pretense whatever, have, receive, or retain for himself, in the aggregate, more than the amount of his salary and his commission on the money-order business as hereinafter provided. (R. S., § 3857.) See section 968. Sec. 135. Compensation of Postmasters pro tem.-Any person performing the duties of postmaster, by authority of the President, at any post-office where there is a vacancy for any cause, shall receive for the term for which the duty is performed the same compensation to which he would have been entitled if regularly appointed and confirmed as such postmaster; and all services heretofore rendered in like cases shall be paid for under this provision. (Act of March 3, 1879, § 31, 20 Stat., p. 362.) Sec. CHAPTER THREE. POSTAGE-STAMPS, STAMPED ENVELOPES, AND POSTAL CARDS. 136. Postage-stamps for prepayment of postage. 139. Stamped-envelopes, of how many kinds. 141. Postal-cards for use in Postal Union correspondence. 142. Exclusive issue of postal-cards by the Department. 143. Letter-sheets, envelopes, double-postal-cards, etc. 144. Improvements in stamps and envelopes. 146. Postmasters to keep a supply of stamps. 148. Requisitions, when to be made. 149. Requisitions for special-request-envelopes. 151. Postmasters to count supplies when received. opes. 154. Postmaster to charge himself with stamps, etc. 155. No quarterly returns, no stamps. 156. Postage-due-stamps; newspaper and periodi cal-stamps. 157. Moneys received for sale of stamps, how paid over. 158. Postage-due-stamps, how used, etc. 159. Newspaper and periodical stamps, how used. Sec. 160. When supplies exhausted, how to proceed. 161. Postmasters to report postage collected from publishers. 162. Monthly report of supplies by postmasters at presidential offices. 163. Postmaster to turn over supplies to succes sor. 164. Discontinued post-office; disposition of sup. plies. 165. No percentage to postmasters for sale of stamps, etc. 166. Rates governing sale of stamps, etc. 167. Affidavit claiming credit for stamps de stroyed. 168. No credit allowed where post-office is robbed 169. Exchange of postage-stamps prohibited. refunded, etc. 171. Postal cards, when spoiled, to be redeemed. 172. Stamps, etc., rédeemed, to be sent to Depart 'ment with letter. 173. Postmasters held to strict accountability for stamps. 174. Stamped envelopes, etc., to be sold at cost. 175. Postage-stamps sold at discount to designated agents. For provisions respecting cancellation of stamps, see Chapter nine, Title II. For provisions respecting misuse of stamps, see Title IX. Sec. 136. Postage-stamps for Prepayment of Postage.-The PostmasterGeneral shall prepare postage-stamps of suitable denominations, which, when attached to mail-matter, shall be evidence of the payment of the postage thereon. (R. S., § 3914.) Sec. 137. Postage-stamps, Denominations of-Of postage-stamps, three kinds, each consisting of various denominations, are provided, viz: Ordinary stamps, which are used to prepay postage on ordinary mail-matter of the first, third, and fourth classes; postage-due stamps, which are used for the collection of unpaid postage; and newspaper and periodical stamps, which are used to pay postage on secondclass matter. Sec. 138. Stamped-envelopes to be Provided.-The Postmaster-General shall provide suitable letter and newspaper envelopes, with such water-. marks or other guards against counterfeits as he may deem expedient, and with postage-stamps with such device and of such suitable denominations as he may direct impressed thereon; and such envelopes shall be known as "stamped envelopes," and shall be sold, as nearly as may be, at the cost of procuring them, with the addition of the value of the postage stamps impressed thereon; but no stamped envelope furnished |