counts of moneys certify quarterly to the Postmaster-General on [an] account of the paid by postmasmoney ters out of the re- paid by postmasters out of the receipts of their offices, and pursuant to appropriations, on account of the expenses of the postal service, designating the heads under which such payments were made.

ceipts of their office;

amount to be

SEC. 53. That upon the certified quarterly statement by the auditor for credited to postal the Post-office Department of the payments by postmasters on account revenues, &c. of the postal service, the Postmaster-General shall issue his warrant to the treasurer to carry the amount to the credit of the postal revenues and to the debit of the proper appropriations upon the books of the auditor.

Postal reve

nues, &c., to be

paid into the treasury.

Duplicate receipts.

Deposits on ac

count of the

postal service, &c.

Transfer of

SEC. 54. That the postal revenues, and all debts due the Post-office Department, shall, when collected, be paid into the treasury of the United States, under the direction of the Postmaster-General; and the treasurer, assistant treasurer, or designated depositary receiving such payment shall give the depositor duplicate receipts therefor.

SEC. 55. That all deposits on account of the postal service shall be brought into the treasury by warrants of the Postmaster-General, countersigned by the auditor; and no credit shall be allowed for any deposit until such warrant has been issued.

SEC. 56. That the Postmaster-General may transfer money belonging money belonging to the postal service between the treasurer, assistant treasurer, and desigto postal service. nated depositaries, at his discretion, and as the safety of the public money and the convenience of the service may require.

Fines and pen

the treasury, except, &c.

SEC. 57. That all fines and penalties imposed for any violation of any alties when, &c., law relating to the Post-office Department, or of any other law where such to be paid into violation affects the revenue or property of the Post-office Department, shall, when collected or recovered, be paid into the treasury, to the credit of the United States, for the use of the Post-office Department, excepting, however, such part thereof as may, by law, belong to the party informing or prosecuting for the same.

Quarterly returns of mails sent, &c., may be disposed of; accounts to be preserved for two

years.

Printed, &c.,

in any post

SEC. 58. That the Postmaster-General may dispose of any quarterly returns of mails sent or received, preserving the accounts-current and all accompanying vouchers, and use such portions of the proceeds as may be necessary to defray the cost of separating and disposing of them; but the accounts shall be preserved entire for at least two years.

SEC. 59. That the Postmaster-General may provide, by regulations, for matter remaining the disposition of printed and mailable matter which may remain in any office, how dis- post-office, or in the department, not called for by the party addressed; but if the publisher of any refused or uncalled-for newspaper or other periodical shall pay the postage due thereon, such newspaper or other periodical shall be excepted from the operation of this section.

posed of.

New bond of

any postmaster; first payments thereafter.

Post-offices

may be established, &c.

Penalty for professing to keep a postoffice without authority.

Appointment,

&c., of postmas

ters of the 4th

and 5th classes;

of all other classes.

SEC. 60. That when any postmaster shall be required to execute a new bond, all payments made by him after the execution of such new bond may, if the Postmaster-General or the auditor shall deem it just, be applied first to discharge any balance which may be due from said postmaster under his old bond.

SEC. 61. That the Postmaster-General shall establish post-offices at all such places on post-roads established by law as he may deem expedient, and he shall promptly certify such establishment to the auditor for the Post-office Department.

SEC. 62. That any person who shall, without authority from the Postmaster-General, set up or profess to keep any office or place of business bearing the sign, name, or title of post-office, shall forfeit and pay, for every such offence, not more than five hundred dollars.

SEC. 63. That postmasters of the fourth and fifth class shall be appointed and may be removed by the Postmaster-General, and all others shall be appointed and may be removed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall hold their offices for four years unless sooner removed or suspended according to law, and all appointments

and removals shall be notified to the auditor for the Post-office Depart

ment.

SEC. 64. That every postmaster shall reside within the delivery of the office to which he is appointed.

Postmasters to

reside where. Bond of post

conditions;

SEC. 65. That every postmaster, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall give bond, with good and approved security, and in such master; penalty as the Postmaster-General shall deem sufficient, conditioned for the faithful discharge of all duties and trusts imposed on him either by law or the rules and regulations of the department; and where an office shall be designated as a money-order office, the bond of the postmaster shall contain an additional condition for the faithful performance of all duties and obligations in connection with the money-order business. On when to be dethe death, resignation, or removal of a postmaster, his bond shall be de- livered to audilivered to the auditor for the Post-office Department. The bond of any tor; married woman who may be appointed postmaster shall be binding upon woman app inted her and her sureties, and she shall be liable for misconduct in office as postmaster. if she were sole.

of married

SEC. 66. That when any of the sureties of a postmaster shall notify New bond may the Postmaster-General of their desire to be released from their surety- be required. ship, or when the Postmaster-General deems a new bond necessary, he shall require the postmaster to execute such new bond, with security, which, when accepted by the Postmaster-General, shall be as valid as the bond given upon the original appointment of such postmaster, and the sureties in the prior bond shall be released from responsibility for all acts or defaults of such postmaster which may be done or committed subsequent to the last day of the quarter in which such new bond shall be executed and accepted.

Sureties in

prior bond when

released from responsibility.

SEC. 67. That if on the settlement of the account of any postmaster Sureties on it shall appear that he is indebted to the United States, and suit there- bond released if for shall not be instituted within three years after the close of such suit for indebtedaccount, the sureties on his bond shall not be liable for such indebted- brought within,

ness.

ness is not
&c.

&c.

SEC. 68. That every postmaster shall keep an office in which one or Postmaster to more persons shall be on duty during such hours of each day as the Post- keep an office, master-General may direct, for the purpose of receiving, delivering, making up, and forwarding all mail-matter received thereat.

SEC. 69. That all letters brought to any post-office half an hour before the time for the departure of the mail shall be forwarded therein; but at offices where, in the opinion of the Postmaster-General, more time for making up the mail is required, he may prescribe accordingly, not exceeding one hour.

Letters brought when to be forto post-office, warded.

Schedule of

SEC. 70. That the Postmaster-General shall furnish to the postmasters at the termination of each route a schedule of the time of arrival and time of arrival and departure of departure of the mail at their offices, respectively, to be posted in a con- mail to be posted spicuous place in the office; and the Postmaster-General shall also give in office. the postmaster notice of any change in the arrival and departure that may be ordered; and he shall cause to be kept and returned to the department, at short and regular intervals, registers, showing the exact times of the arrivals and departures of the mail.

Registers of times, &c., to be

kept.

Record to be kept of stamps, books, receipts,

SEC. 71. That every postmaster shall keep a record, in such form as the Postmaster-General shall direct, of all postage-stamps and envelopes and of all postal books, blanks, and property received from his predeces- &c.; sor, or from the department or any of its agents; and also of all receipts in money for postages and box-rents, and of all other receipts on account of the postal service, and of any other transactions which may be re- to be subject to quired by the Postmaster-General; and these records shall be preserved examination, and and delivered to his successor, and shall be at all times subject to exami- delivered to suc nation by any special agent of the department.

cessor.

SEC. 72. That each postmaster shall render to the Postmaster-Gen- Quarterly ac

count of moneys received, &c., to

be rendered.

Sworn statement may be required.

eral, under oath, and in such form as the latter shall prescribe, a quarterly account of all moneys received or charged by him or at his office, for postage, rent of boxes or other receptacles for mail-matter, or by reason of keeping a branch-office, or for the delivery of mail-matter in any manner whatever.

SEC. 73. That the Postmaster-General may require a sworn statement to accompany each quarterly account of a postmaster, to the effect that such account contains a true statement of the entire amount of postage, box-rents, charges, and moneys collected or received at his office during the quarter; that he has not knowingly delivered, or permitted to be delivered, any mail-matter on which the postage was not at the time paid; that such account exhibits truly and faithfully the entire receipts collected at his office, and which, by due diligence, could have been False swearing collected; and that the credits he claims are just and right. And any therein to be per- false swearing therein shall render him liable to the pains and penalties jury. of perjury.

month after the time, &c.;

if no account has been rendered at time of trial.

Penalty for SEC. 74. That if any postmaster shall neglect to render his accounts, neglect to render for one month after the time, and in the form and manner prescribed by accounts for one law and the regulations of the Postmaster-General, such postmaster and his sureties shall forfeit and pay double the amount of the gross receipts at said office during any previous or subsequent equal period of time; and if, at the time of trial, no account shall have been rendered, they shall forfeit and pay such sum as the court and jury shall estimate to be equivalent thereto, to be recovered in an action of debt on the bond. Public moneys SEC. 75. That postmasters shall keep safely, without loaning, using, collected by post- depositing in an unauthorized bank, or exchanging for other funds, all the masters, how to public money collected by them, or which may come into their possession until it is ordered by the Postmaster-General to be transferred or paid out. Postal reveSEC. 76. That the postmaster at Washington and postmasters at cities nues, &c., to be where there is an assistant treasurer shall deposit the postal revenues and deposited weekly all money accruing at their office with such assistant treasurer as often at, &c. as once a week at least, and as much oftener as the Postmaster-General may direct.

be kept.

Delinquencies,

&c., of contractors, carriers, &c., to be reported.

No postmaster,

SEC. 77. That postmasters shall promptly report to the PostmasterGeneral every delinquency, neglect, or malpractice of the contractors, their agents, or carriers, which may come to their knowledge.

SEC. 78. That no postmaster, assistant postmaster, or clerk employed &c., to be a conin any post-office shall be a contractor or concerned in any contract for tractor to carry carrying the mail. nail;

nor act as

Szc.

SEC. 79. That no postmaster shall act as agent for any lottery-office, agent for lottery, or under any color of purchase, or otherwise, vend lottery-tickets; nor shall he receive or send any lottery scheme, circular, or ticket free of postage; and for any violation of the provisions of this section the person offending shall forfeit and pay fifty dollars.

Compensation of postmasters; city;

at New York

five classes and salary of each class.

The

SEC. 80. That the compensation of postmasters shall be a fixed annual salary, to be divided into five classes, exclusive of the postmaster at New York city, whose salary shall be six thousand dollars per annum. salary of the first class shall be not more than four thousand dollars nor less than three thousand dollars; of the second class, less than three thousand dollars, but not less than two thousand dollars; of the third class, less than two thousand dollars, but not less than one thousand dollars; of the fourth class, less than one thousand dollars, but not less than two hundred dollars; of the fifth class, less than two hundred dollars; Salaries to be and the salaries of the first, second, and third classes shall be in even in even sums. hundreds of dollars; of the fourth class, in even tens of dollars; and of the fifth class, in even dollars.

Salary at new

ly established offices.

SEC. 81. That at all newly established offices, the Postmaster-General may temporarily fix the salary until the returns of such office shall enable him to properly adjust the same, but the compensation shall in no case be

thus temporarily fixed at more than the salary of an office of the fifth class.

re-adjusted once

SEC. 82. That the salaries of postmasters shall be re-adjusted by the Salaries of Postmaster-General once in two years, and in special cases as much oftener postmasters to be as he may deem expedient; and when the quarterly returns of any post- in two years, master of the third, fourth, or fifth class show that the salary allowed is &c.; twenty per centum less than it would be on the basis of commission, the Postmaster-General shall re-adjust the same.

tained.

SEC. 83. That in re-adjusting the salary of a postmaster, the amount amount, how thereof shall be ascertained by adding, to the whole amount of box-rents, to be ascercommissions on the other postal revenues of the office at the following rates: On the first one hundred dollars or less, sixty per centum; on all over one hundred dollars, and not over four hundred dollars, fifty per centum; on all over four hundred dollars and not over two thousand four hundred dollars, forty per centum; on all over two thousand four hundred dollars, fifteen per centum. And in order to ascertain the amount of the Amount of pospostal receipts of each office, the Postmaster-General shall require post- tal receipts, how masters to state, under oath, at such times and for such periods as he may deem necessary in each case, the amount of stamps cancelled, the amount of box-rents received, the amount of unpaid postages collected, and the amount of postage on printed and other mailable matter: Provided, how- When boxever, That whenever, by reason of the extension of free delivery of letters, rents are dethe box-rents of any post-office are decreased, the Postmaster-General may sion of free deliv allow, out of the receipts of such office, a sum sufficient to maintain the ery. salary thereof at the amount at which it had been fixed before the decrease in box-rents.

ascertained.

creased by exten.

SEC. 84. That the Postmaster-General shall make all orders assigning Orders estabor changing the salaries of postmasters in writing, and record them in his lishing salaries journal, and notify the change to the auditor; and any change made in to be in writing; such salaries shall not take effect until the first day of the quarter next following such order: Provided, That in cases of an extraordinary increase or decrease in the business of any post-office, the Postmaster-General may ad- notified; just the salary of the postmaster at such post-office, to take effect from the first day of the quarter or period the returns for which form the basis of re- effect. adjustment.

auditor to be

when to take

SEC. 85. That no postmaster shall, under any pretence whatever, have, Postmasters receive, or retain for himself, in the aggregate, more than the amount of his not to retain more than salary salary and his commission on the money-order business as hereinafter pro- and commission.

vided.

SEC. 86. That the Postmaster-General may designate offices at the inter- Distributing section of mail-routes as distributing or separating offices; and where any offices; such office is of the third, fourth, or fifth class, he may make a reasonable allowance to the postmaster for the necessary cost of clerical services arising from such duties.

allowance to postmasters.

Postmasters of

and at New York

SEC. 87. That the Postmaster-General may allow to the postmaster at New York city, and to the postmasters at offices of the first and second 1st and 2d class classes, out of the surplus revenues of their respective offices, that is to city to be allowed say, the excess of box-rents and commissions over and above the salary for rent, clerks, assigned to the office, a reasonable sum for the necessary cost of rent, fuel, &c. lights, furniture, stationery, 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.

SEC. 88. That 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.

Salary of postmaster, &c., may

be deducted from receipts of office.

Vouchers for desubmitted to

duction to be

SEC. 89. That 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 auditor for the auditor.

Post-office Department, and no such deduction shall be valid unless found to be in conformity with law.

Compensation SEC. 90. That whenever, by reason of the presence of a military or naval for unusual busi- force near any post-office, or from any other cause, unusual business accrues ness at any post-thereat, 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.

office.

Post-offices may

be discontinued.

Auditor to be

notified.

Letter-carriers

for free delivery

of mail matter,

in what places;

their salary;

in San Francisco.

Uniform to be worn by lettercarriers.

Penalty for wearing it when not authorized.

Receivingboxes for deposit of mail-matter;

collections therefrom.

Penalty for wilfully, &c., injuring, &c., any receptacle for deposit of mail-mat

ter;

SEC. 91. That the Postmaster-General may discontinue any post-office where the safety and security of the postal service and revenues are endangered from any cause whatever, or where the efficiency of the service shall require such discontinuance, and he shall promptly certify such discontinuance to the auditor for the Post-office Department.

SEC. 92. That letter-carriers shall be employed for the free delivery of mail-matter, as frequently as the public convenience may require, at every place containing a population of fifty thousand within the delivery of its post-office, and at such other places as the Postmaster-General may direct.

SEC. 93. That the salary of letter-carriers shall be fixed by the Postmaster-General, and shall not exceed eight hundred dollars per annum; but on satisfactory evidence of diligence, fidelity, and experience, he may increase their salary to any sum not exceeding one thousand dollars per annum; and in San Francisco, California, he may pay such additional salaries to carriers as will secure the services of competent persons.

SEC. 94. That the Postmaster-General may prescribe a uniform dress to be worn by letter-carriers, and any person not connected with the letter-carrier branch of the postal service who shall wear the uniform which may be prescribed shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, for every such offence shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both, at the discretion of the court.

SEC. 95. That the Postmaster-General may establish, in places where letter-carriers are employed, and also in other places where, in his judgment, the public convenience requires it, receiving-boxes, for the deposit of mail-matter, and shall cause the matter deposited therein to be collected as often as public convenience may require.

SEC. 96. That any person who shall wilfully and maliciously injure, tear down, or destroy, any letter-box, pillar-box, or other receptacle established by the Postmaster-General for the safe deposit of matter for the mail or for delivery, or who shall wilfully and maliciously assault any letter-carrier, when in uniform, while engaged on his route in the discharge. for assaulting of his duty as a letter-carrier, and any person who shall wilfully aid or letter-carrier assist therein, shall, on conviction thereof, for every such offence, forfeit when in uniform. and pay not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, or be imprisoned not less than one nor more than three years, according to the circumstances and aggravation of the offence.

Letter-carriers

SEC. 97. That each letter-carrier shall give bonds, with sureties, to be to give bond with approved by the Postmaster-General, for the safe custody and delivery of all mail-matter, and the faithful account and payment of all money received by him.

sureties.

Branch postoffices.

Letters not to

be sent there for delivery, it, &c.

Postage on

newspapers and periodicals.

SEC. 98. That the Postmaster-General, when the public convenience requires it, may establish within any post-office delivery one or more branch-offices, for the receipt and delivery of mail-matter and the sale of stamps and envelopes; and he shall prescribe the rules and regulations for the government thereof. But no letter shall be sent for delivery to any branch-office contrary to the request of the party to whom it is ad

dressed.

SEC. 99. That the rate of postage on newspapers, excepting weeklies, periodicals not exceeding two ounces in weight, and circulars when the same are deposited in a letter-carrier office for delivery by the office or