Newspapers

NEWSPAPERS. Papers for conveying news, printed and distributed periodically.
     2. To encourage their circulation the act of congress of March 3, 1825, 3 Story's L. U. S. 1994, enacts, Sec. 29. That every printer of newspapers may rend one paper to each and every other printer of newspapers within the United States, free of postage, under such regulations as the postmaster general shall provide.
     3.-Sec. 30. That all newspapers conveyed in the mail shall be under cover, open at one end, and charged with the postage of one cent each, for any distance not more than one hundred miles, and one and a half cents for any greater distance: Provided That the postage of a single newspaper, from any one place to another, in the same state, shall not exceed one cent, and the postmaster general shall require those who receive newspapers by post, to pay always the amount of one quarter's postage in advance; and should the publisher of any newspaper, after being three mouths previously notified that his paper is not taken out of the office, to which it is sent for delivery, continue to forward such paper in the mail, the postmaster to whose office such paper is sent, may dispose of the same for the postage, unless the publisher shall pay it. If any person employed in any department of the post office, shall improperly detain, delay, embezzle, or destroy any newspaper, or shall permit any other person to do the like, or shall open or permit any other to open, any mail, or packet of newspapers, not directed to the office where he is employed, such offender shall, on conviction thereof, forfeit a sum, not exceeding fifty dollars, for every such offence. And if any other person shall open any mail or packet of newspapers, or shall embezzle or destroy the same, not being directed to such person, or not being authorized to receive or open the same, such offender shall, on the conviction thereof, pay a sum not exceeding twenty dollars for every such offence. And if any person shall take, or steal, any packet, bag, or mail of newspapers, from, or out of any post office, or from any person having custody thereof, such person shall, on conviction, be imprisoned, not exceeding three mouths, for every, such offence, to be kept at hard labor during the period of such imprisonment. If any person shall enclose or conceal a letter, or other thing, or any memorandum in writing, in a newspaper, pamphlet, or magazine, or in any package of newspapers, pamphlets, or magazines, or make any writing or memorandum thereon, which he shall have delivered into any post office, or to any person for that purpose, in order that the same may be carried by post, free of letter postage, he shall forfeit the sum of five dollars for every such offence; and the letter, newspaper, package, memorandum, or other thing, shall not be delivered to the person to whom it is directed, until the amount of single letter postage is paid for each article of which the package is composed. No newspapers shall be received by the postmasters, to be conveyed by post, unless they are sufficiently dried and enclosed in proper wrappers, on which, besides the direction, shall be noted the number of papers which are enclosed for subscribers, and the number for printers: Provided, That the number need hot be endorsed, if the publisher shall agree to furnish the postmaster, at the close of each quarter, a certified statement of the number of papers sent in the mail, chargeable with postage. The postmaster general, in any contract he may enter into for the conveyance of the mail, may authorize the person with whom such contract is to be made, to carry newspapers, magazines, and pamphlets, other than those conveyed in the mail: Provided, That no preference shall be given to the publisher of one newspaper over that of another, in the same place. When the mode of conveyance, and size of the mail, will admit of it, such magazines and pamphlets as are published periodically, may be transported in the mail, to subscribers, at one and a half cents a sheet, for any distance riot exceeding one hundred miles, and two and a half cents for any greater distance. And such magazines and pamphlets as are not published periodically, if sent in the mail, shall be charged with a postage of four cents on each sheet, for any distance not exceeding one hundred miles, and six cents for any greater distance. By the act of March 3, 1851, c. 20, s. 2, it is enacted, That all newspapers not exceeding three ounces in weight sent from the office of publication to actual and bona fide subscribers, shall be charged with postage is follows, to wit weekly only, within the county where published, free; for any distance not exceeding fifty miles out of the county, five cents per quarter; exceeding fifty, and not exceeding three hundred miles, ten cents per quarter; exceeding three hundred and not exceeding one thousand miles, fifteen cents per quarter; exceeding one thousand and not exceeding two thousand miles, twenty cents per quarter exceeding two thousand and not exceeding four thousand, twenty-five cents per quarter; exceeding four thousand miles, thirty cents per quarter; newspapers published monthly, sent to actual and bona fide subscribers, one- fourth the foregoing rates; published semi-monthly, one-half the foregoing rates; semi-weekly, double those rates; tri-weekly, treble those rates; and oftener than tri-weekly, five times those rates; Provided, That newspapers not containing over three hundred square inches may be transmitted at one- fourth the above rates. See, as to other newspapers, Postage.