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.