ed of three pieces of paper, triple those rates, and for every packet composed of four or more pieces of paper, or other thing, and weighing one ounce avoirdupois, quadruple those rates, and in that proportion for all greater weight. But no packet of letters conveyed by the water mails can be charged with more than quadruple postage, unless it actually contain more than four distinct letters.

Letters and packets brought into the United States, or carried from one port therein to another, in a private vessel, are charged with six cents, if delivered at the post-office where they arrive, and with two cents in addition to the ordinary rates of postage, if destined to be conveyed by post to any other place. No vessel arriving at any port in the United States where a postoffice is established, is allowed to report, make entry, or break bulk, until all the letters brought by the vessel for persons in the United States are delivered to the postmaster, except letters to the owners or consignees of the vessel, and letters directed to be delivered at the port of delivery to which the vessel may be bound. The captains of all vessels, except foreign packets, are allowed two cents for each letter thus delivered at the post-office. Postmasters are allowed one cent for every letter lodged at the post-office, which is not to be carried by post, but delivered in the place where the post-office is situated, or sent by sea.

It is the duty of post riders and other carriers of the mail to receive and deliver way-letters, if more than two miles from any post-office, excepting in cases where, in the opinion of the postmaster-general, the time or manner of carrying the mail, or the speed of conveyance, render it incompatible. The way-letters received must be delivered at the first post-office, and one cent is added to the rate of postage. The mail carrier is allowed to charge two cents for each way-letter delivered.

The charge for newspapers is one cent for any distance not more than a hundred miles, and a cent and a half for any greater distance. But the postage of a newspaper from any one place to another, in the same state, is only charged one cent, whatever may be the distance. Newspaper printers are allowed to send one paper to the printer of every other newspaper within the United States, free of postage.

When the mode of conveyance and the size of the mails will admit of it, magazines and pamphlets may be transported in the mail at one cent a sheet for any distance not exceeding fifty miles, a cent and a half for any distance over fifty and not exceeding a hundred miles, and two cents for any greater dis

tance.

Newspapers and pamphlets must be dry when sent to the postoffice, and they must be enclosed in wrappers open at one end, on which must be written the number of sheets it contains. If a letter or memorandum in writing be enclosed in any newspaper or pamphlet, the person sending it is liable to a fine, and the person to whom it is sent is charged with single postage for each article of which it is composed.

Letter carriers are employed at places where it is so directed by the postmaster general, for the delivery of the letters in such places, for each of which they are allowed to charge two cents in addition to the postage. The postage marked on a letter is conclusive evidence of the lawful postage on it, unless the letter be opened in presence of the postmaster or his clerk.

Letters and packets are conveyed free of postage to and from the following officers of the United States: postmasters, provided the letter or packet does not exceed half an ounce in weight; members of congress, and the secretary of the senate and clerk of the house of representatives, during their actual attendance in any session of congress, and twenty days after; but if either of their letters or packets exceed two ounces in weight, the excess must be paid for; the president, vice-president, heads of departments and their principal officers; Mr. Adams, and Mr. Jefferson. The adjutant general of the militia in each state is also allowed to correspond free of postage with the major and brigadier generals of the state militia, provided the subject relate wholly to the militia. The United States agent for the distribution of the vaccine matter, is allowed the same privilege he may correspond with any individual on the subject of vaccination, and may transmit the vaccine matter, free of postage, all over the union; a fine of ten dollars for each offence is imposed on every person who shall frank letters other than those written by himself, or by his order, on the business of his office. The secretaries of the departments and postmaster general, however, may frank letters or packets on official business, prepared in any other office, in the absence of the principal.

A list of unclaimed letters is published at each post-office at regular periods, from once a month to once a quarter. At the expiration of three months after such publication, the letters still remaining unclaimed are sent to the general post-office as dead letters, where they are opened and inspected, and if any valuable papers or matter of consequence be found therein, it is the duty of the postmaster general to transmit it to the writer, or cause a description of it to be inserted in one of the newspapers published at the place most convenient to the supposed residence of the owner. Should any letter still remain unclaimed for two years

after being thus advertised, the contents are applied to the use of the United States, until reclaimed.

The salary of the postmaster general is $ 3000 per annum ; that of the assistant postmaster general $ 1700, and that of the additional assistant postmaster general $ 1600 per annum. The postmasters are allowed a commission of from eight to fifty per cent. on the receipts of the office, at the discretion of the postmaster general, according to their respective services and expences. Every postmaster, the receipt of whose office exceeds $1000 per annum, must annually transmit a statement of the expences of his office to the postmaster general, and when his annual emoluments, after deducting his expences, amount to more than $ 2000 per annum, the surplus must be accounted for and paid to the postmaster general.

A penalty of fifty dollars for each offence is imposed on every person engaged in setting up or maintaining any foot or horse post, stage-waggon, &c. for the conveyance of letters between towns between which there is a United States post; or packet boats for the same purpose between places where a regular water communication is established by the United States.

The number of post-offices in the United States amounts to nearly 2400.

$11. There are two principal surveyors in the service of the United States, each of whom has under him a number of deputy surveyors. One of those principal surveyors is called the surveyor general, the other the surveyor of lands south of Tennessee. Their salaries are each $2000 per annum, with an allowance of $1200 per annum for clerks. Their duty consists in surveying the public lands, and preparing plats for the land

offices.

There are a number of land-offices in the country lying north and west of the river Ohio, and in the Mississippi territory, each of which is under the direction of an officer called the register of the land-office. In each place where a land-office is established there is another officer, who is called the receiver of public monies for lands of the United States. The receiver is allowed one per cent. on the money received, as a compensation for clerk hire, and for receiving, safe keeping, and transmitting it to the treasury of the United States. The register is allowed a half per cent. on the amount of sales, besides certain fees for applications, receipts, &c.

The United States' lands are all divided into townships of six miles square, the lines of which run directly north and south and east and west. These townships are subdivided into square sections of, as nearly as may be, 640 acres each, and these are again

divided into quarter sections of 160 acres. Section No. 16, which is generally about the centre of the township, is reserved for the support of schools, and the remainder of the land is sold in quarter sections at $ 2 an acre, on a credit of four years, or $164 in cash. Mines and salt springs are always reserved for the benefit of the United States, and generally one or two of the central sections of each township.

§ 12. The mint of the United States was established in Philadelphia in 1792. It is conducted by a director, an assayer, a melter, a refiner, a chief coiner, an engraver, and a treasurer.

The director of the mint has the chief management of the business, and superintends all the other officers and persons employed in it.

The treasurer receives the metals brought to be coined, and from every parcel so received delivers a few grains to the assayer, for the purpose of ascertaining their respective qualities, the remainder being delivered, by an order from the director, to the melter and refiner, to be reduced into bars and ingots fit for the rolling mills. The treasurer likewise receives the coins as they are struck, from the chief coiner, and pays them over to the persons to whom they belong. He also receives and keeps all the monies for the use of the mint, which are disbursed upon warrants signed by the director.

Every officer and clerk of the mint must take an oath or affirmation before some judge of the United States, before he enters on the execution of his office, faithfully to perform its duties; and the assayer, chief coiner, and treasurer must give bond with securities.

The following are the salaries as fixed by law: the director $2000, the melter and refiner, assayer, and chief coiner each $1500, and the engraver and treasurer each $1200 per an

num.

:

13. The following coins are struck at the mint, viz.; Eagles of the value of ten dollars or units, containing 247 grains of pure, or 270 grains of standard gold. Half eagles: of the value of five dollars, and containing 1239 grains of pure, or 135 grains of standard gold. Quarter eagles: of the value of two dollars and a half, and containing 6 grains of pure, or 67 grains of standard gold. Dollars or units: of the value of a Spanish milled dollar, and containing 371 grains of pure, or 416 of standard silver. Half dollars: of half the value of the dollar or unit, and containing 18548 grains of pure, or 208 grains of standard silver. Quarter dollars: of one fourth the value of the dollar or unit, and containing 924 grains of pure, or 104 grains of standard silver. Dismes: of the value of one

grains of pure, or of the value of one grains of pure, or

tenth of a dollar or unit, and containing 37 41 grains of standard silver. Half dismes: twentieth of a dollar, and containing 18 20 of standard silver. Copper coins, called cents and half cents, of the value of a hundredth and a two hundredth part of a dollar respectively, the weight of which is regulated from time to time by the president.

Upon one side of all the coins of the United States there is an impression emblematic of liberty, with an inscription of the word LIBERTY, and the year of the coinage; and upon the reverse of the gold and silver coins there is the figure or representation of an eagle, with this inscription, "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA;" and upon the reverse of the copper coins, there is an inscription expressing the denomination of the piece, namely, cent or half cent, as the case may require.

The proportional value of gold to silver in all coins current as money within the United States, is as fifteen to one, according to quantity in weight of pure gold or pure silver; that is to say, every fifteen pounds weight of pure silver is of equal value with one pound weight of pure gold, and so in proportion as to any greater or less quantities of the respective metals.

The standard for gold coins of the United States, is eleven parts fine to one part alloy; which alloy is composed of silver and copper, in such proportions, not exceeding one half silver, as may be found convenient; to be regulated by the director of the mint, with the approbation of the president. The standard for silver coins is 1485 parts fine to 179 parts of copper alloy.

Gold and silver is coined at the mint for individuals, who send bullion there for that purpose; the copper coinage is executed for the account of the United States. The bullion is coined free of expence; coins being delivered to the owners, as soon as their bullion is coined, weight for weight, of the pure gold or pure silver which it contained: and it is at the mutual option of the party bringing bullion, and of the director of the mint, to make an immediate exchange of coins for standard bullion, with a deduction of a half per cent. from the weight of the pure gold or silver, as an indemnification for the time necessarily required for coining. The copper coinage is disposed of to individuals who may apply for it at the mint, as fast as coined.

Two cents per ounce is retained from every deposit of silver bullion below the standard of the United States; and four cents per ounce from every deposit of gold bullion below the standard, unless it be so far below it as to require the operation of the test; in which case six cents per ounce is retained. The treasurer is not obliged to receive silver bullion, below the stanH

VOL. III.