§ 7354. (Act March 3, 1885, c. 342, § 1.)

matter.

Postage on first-class

Upon all matter of the first class, as defined by chapter one hundred and eighty of the laws of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, entitled "An act making appropriations for the service of the Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty, and for other purposes," and by that act declared subject to postage at the rate of three cents for each half-ounce or fraction thereof and reduced by the act of March third, eighteen hundred and eightythree, to two cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof, postage shall be charged, on and after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and eighty-five, at the rate of two cents for each ounce or fraction thereof; and drop letters shall be mailed at the rate of two cents per ounce or fraction thereof, including delivery at letter-carrier offices, and one cent for each ounce or fraction thereof where free delivery by carrier is not established. (23 Stat. 386.)

This was a provision following an appropriation for manufacture of postagestamps in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1886, cited above.

Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, § 8, mentioned in this section as defining firstclass matter, is set forth ante, § 7303.

Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, § 9, the provisions of which fixed the rate of postage on first-class matter, as mentioned in this section, is set forth ante, § 7353.

§ 7355. (Act May 19, 1898, c. 347.) Postage on private mailing cards.

From and after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and ninetyeight, it shall be lawful to transmit by mail, at the postage rate of a cent apiece, payable by stamps to be affixed by the sender, and under such regulations as the Postmaster-General may prescribe, written messages on private mailing cards, such cards to be sent openly in the mails, to be no larger than the size fixed by the convention of the Universal Postal Union, and to be approximately of the same form, quality, and weight as the stamped postal card now in general use in the United States. (30 Stat. 419.)

This was an act entitled "An act to amend the postal laws relating to the use of postal cards."

Postal cards were authorized by R. S. § 3916, post, § 7393, and were included in first-class matter by Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, § 8, ante, § 7303; and section 9 of that act, ante, § 7349, fixed the rate of postage on postal cards.

(R. S. §§ 3905-3908. Superseded.)

R. S. § 3905, fixed the postage on newspapers and other periodical publications not exceeding four ounces in weight, when sent from the publisher to regular subscribers, at the following rates per quarter: On publications issued less frequently than once a week, at one cent an issue; issued once a week, 5 cents; and 5 cents additional for each issue more frequent than once a week; and an additional rate was charged for each additional four ounces or fraction thereof.

R. S. § 3906, required such postage to be paid before delivery for not less than one quarter nor more than one year either at the office of mailing or delivery.

R. S. § 3907, authorized the Postmaster-General to provide by regulations

for carrying small newspapers issued less frequently than once a week, in packages to one address, from the publisher to regular subscribers, at the rate of one cent for each four ounces or fraction thereof.

R. S. § 3908, provided that newsdealers were entitled to receive and transmit by mail newspapers at the same rate as regular subscribers.

All these sections were superseded by Act June 23, 1874, c. 456, §§ 5, 6, post, 88 7356, 7357.

§ 7356. (Act June 23, 1874, c. 456, § 5.)

Postage on newspapers, etc., mailed by publisher or news agent to subscribers or news agents.

On and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and seventy-five, all newspapers and periodical publications mailed from a known office of publication or news agency, and addressed to regular subscribers or news agents, postage shall be charged at the following rates: * * (18 Stat. 232.)

The further provisions of this section, omitted here, fixed the rates of postage on newspapers and periodicals, issued weekly or more frequently, at two cents per pound or fraction thereof, and on those issued less frequently, at three cents per pound or fraction thereof, with a proviso that the act should not be held to change Act June 8, 1872, c. 355, § 99, which was incorporated in R. S. § 3872, and fixed the rate of postage on newspapers, etc., at free-delivery offices. These provisions were superseded by Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, § 11, 20 Stat. 359, and by Act March 3, 1885, c. 342, § 1, post, § 7354; but the portion of the section inserted here is necessary to an understanding of section 6 of this act, post, § 7357.

The rate of postage on newspapers of the second class when sent by others than the publisher or news agent was fixed by Act June 9, 1884, c. 73, post, § 7361.

Section 99 of the act "to revise, consolidate and amend the statutes relating to the Post-Office Department," approved June 8, 1872, mentioned in this section was incorporated into R. S. § 3872, and fixed the rate of postage on newspapers at free-delivery offices. See note under R. S. § 3872, ante. Time and manner of

§ 7357. (Act June 23, 1874, c. 456, § 6.)

pay

ing postage on newspapers, etc. On and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and seventy-five, upon the receipt of such newspapers and periodical publications at the office of mailing, they shall be weighed in bulk, and postage paid thereon by a special adhesive stamp, to be devised and furnished by the Postmaster-General, which shall be affixed to such matter, or to the sack containing the same, or upon a memorandum of such mailing, or otherwise, as the PostmasterGeneral may, from time to time, provide by regulation. (18 Stat. 233.)

Provisions authorizing the discontinuance of the special newspaper stamps were made by Act June 13, 1898, c. 446, § 1, post, § 7359.

§ 7358. (Act March 3, 1885, c. 342, § 1.) Postage on second-class matter mailed by publishers or news agents.

All publications of the second class, except as provided in section twenty-five of said act, when sent by the publisher thereof, and from the office of publication, including sample copies, or when sent from a news agency to actual subscribers thereto, or to other news agents, shall, on and after July first, eighteen hundred and eighty-five, be entitled to transmission through the mails at one

cent a pound or a fraction thereof, such postage to be prepaid as now provided by law. (23 Stat. 387.)

This was a provision following an appropriation for the manufacture of adhesive postage-stamps in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1886, cited above.

Section 25, mentioned in this provision, was section 25 of Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, mentioned in the preceding part of this provision, ante, § 7354, and is set forth post, § 7360.

The method of paying postage on newspapers sent by publishers or news agents was prescribed by Act June 23, 1874, c. 456, § 6, ante, § 7357.

§ 7359. (Act June 13, 1898, c. 446, § 1.) Discontinuance of newspaper, etc., stamps; regulations for collecting and accounting for postage on second-class matter; requirement of prepayment not affected.

After the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and ninetyeight, the use of newspaper and periodical stamps may be discontinued, and all postage on second-class matter mailed shall be collected and accounted for under such regulations as the PostmasterGeneral may prescribe: And provided further, That this shall in no manner be construed so as to repeal the present law requiring prepayment of postage upon second-class mail matter. (30 Stat. 443.)

This was a provision following an appropriation for the manufacture of postage and special-delivery stamps in the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1899, cited above.

Special newspaper stamps were authorized by Act June 23, 1874, c. 456, § 6, ante, § 7357.

§ 7360. (Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, § 25.) Postage on newspapers mailed to subscribers in the county of publication and at freedelivery offices.

Publications of the second class, one copy to each actual subscriber residing in the county where the same are printed, in whole or in part, and published, shall go free through the mails; but the same shall not be delivered at letter carrier offices, or distributed by carriers, unless postage is paid thereon at the rate prescribed in section thirteen of this act: Provided, That the rate of postage on newspapers, excepting weeklies, and periodicals not exceeding two ounces in weight, when the same are deposited in a lettercarrier office for delivery by its carriers, shall be uniform at one cent each; periodicals weighing more than two ounces shall be subject, when delivered by such carriers, to a postage of two cents each, and these rates shall be prepaid by stamps affixed. (20 Stat. 361.)

See notes to section 7 of this act, ante, § 7302.

The reference to section 13 of this act, in this provision, was evidently intended for section 11, which fixed the rate of postage on second-class matter, and which was superseded by Act March 3, 1885, c. 342, § 1, ante, § 7358, which expressly excepted from its provisions this section.

The proviso in this section was a substantial re-enactment of R. S. § 3872. § 7361. (Act June 9, 1884, c. 73.) Postage on second-class matter mailed by others than publishers or news agents.

The rate of postage on newspaper and periodical publications

of the second class, when sent by others than the publisher or news agent, shall be one cent for each four ounces or fractional part thereof, and shall be fully prepaid by postage-stamps affixed to said matter. (23 Stat. 40.)

This was an act entitled "An act fixing the rate of postage to be paid upon mail matter of the second class when sent by persons other than the publisher or news agent."

Second-class matter was defined by Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, 10, ante, $7304.

(R. S. § 3909. Superseded.)

This section authorized the Postmaster-General to prescribe the form of affidavits to be taken by publishers of newspapers sent to regular subscribers without prepayment of postage, to the effect that they would not send without prepayment of postage any copies of such newspapers except to regular subscribers, and provided penalties for unlawfully sending newspapers through the mail, and for failing to make the required affidavit. It was superseded by Act June 23, 1874, c. 456, § 9, ante, § 7311.

(R. S. § 3910. Superseded.)

This section fixed the rates of postage on third-class matter at one cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof, and double these rates for books, samples of metals, etc. It was superseded by Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, §§ 17, 21, ante, 88 7315, 7328, which fixed the rates of postage on third and fourth class matter.

The provision of said section 21 which fixed the rates of postage on fourthclass matter was superseded by the establishment of postal zones and the fixing of fourth-class postage rates for said zones contained in the act establishing the parcel post system, Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 8 (2), (3), ante, §§ 7320, 7321.

§ 7362. (Act June 23, 1874, c. 456, § 13.) Postage on Congressional Record mailed at Washington.

The postage on each copy of the daily Congressional Record mailed from the city of Washington as transient matter shall be one cent. (18 Stat. 237.)

Other provisions of this section, omitted here, fixed the postage on public documents. They were superseded by the acts regulating the franking privilege, post, 88 7369-7385.

§ 7363. (Act July 24, 1888, c. 702, § 1.)

Postage on seeds, plants,

cuttings, etc. Hereafter the postage on seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots, scions, and plants shall be charged at the rate of one cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof, subject in all other respects to the existing law. (25 Stat. 347.)

This was a provision of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1889, cited above.

The rate of postage hereby established was not affected by the establishment of the parcel post system, by a provision of Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 8 (8), ante, § 7326.

§ 7364. (Act April 28, 1904, c. 1759, § 2.) Quantities of identical pieces of third or fourth class matter to be accepted for transmission without stamps affixed, if prepaid.

Hereafter, under such regulations as the Postmaster-General may establish for the collection of the lawful revenue and for facilitating the handling of such matter in the mails, it shall be lawful to accept for transmission in the mails quantities of not less than two

thousand identical pieces of third or fourth class matter without postage stamps affixed: Provided, That postage shall be fully prepaid thereon, at the rate required by law for a single piece of such matter. (33 Stat. 440.)

This section was part of the postal service appropriation act for the fiscal year 1906, cited above.

The postage on fourth-class mail matter was required in all cases to be prepaid by distinctive postage stamps affixed, by a provision of the act establishing the parcel post system, Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 8 (3), ante, § 7321.

§ 7365. (R. S. § 3911.) Clothing to soldiers by mail.

Packages of woolen, cotton, or linen clothing, not exceeding two pounds in weight, may be sent through the mail to any non-commissioned officer or private in the Army of the United States, if prepaid, at the rate of one cent for each one ounce or fraction thereof, subject to such regulations as the Postmaster-General may prescribe.

Act June 8, 1872, c. 335, § 164, 17 Stat. 304.

The mail-matter described in this section is within the definition of fourthclass matter contained in Act March 3, 1879, c. 180, § 20, 20 Stat. 360, which also limited the weight of such mail-matter to four pounds, and the rate of postage was fixed at one cent an ounce by section 21 of said act, ante, § 7328. The definition of fourth-class matter in said section 20 was superseded by that of Act June 8, 1896, c. 370, ante, § 7330, and of the act establishing the parcel post system, Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 8 (1), ante, § 7319.

The rates of postage on fourth-class matter, fixed by said section 21, were superseded by the parcel post rates fixed by Act Aug. 24, 1912, c. 389, § 8 (3), ante, § 7321.

§ 7366. (R. S. § 3912.) Postage on foreign mail-matter.

The rate of United States postage on mail-matter sent to or received from foreign countries with which different rates have not been established by postal convention or other arrangement, when forwarded by vessels regularly employed in transporting the mail, shall be ten cents for each half-ounce or fraction thereof on letters, unless reduced by order of the Postmaster-General; two cents each on newspapers; and not exceeding two cents per each two ounces, or fraction thereof, on pamphlets, periodicals, books, and other printed matter, which postage shall be prepaid on matter sent and collected on matter received; and to avoid loss to the United States in the payment of balances, the Postmaster-General may collect the unpaid postage on letters from foreign countries in coin or its equivalent.

Act June 8, 1872, c. 335, § 165, 17 Stat. 304.

The Postmaster-General was authorized to increase or reduce the rates of postage on mail conveyed between the United States and foreign countries, by R. S. § 398, ante, § 587.

§ 7367. (R. S. § 3913.) Postage on irregular sea-letters.

All letters conveyed by vessels not regularly employed in carrying the mail shall, if for delivery within the United States, be charged with double postage, to cover the fee paid to the vessel.

Act June 8, 1872, c. 335, § 166, 17 Stat. 304.