Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1878 — Recent Postoffice Rulings. [ARTICLE]

Recent Postoffice Rulings.

Tbe husband cannot control the correspondence of the wife, and, if the wife requests that letters directed to her be not placed in her husband’s box, the Postmaster should comply with her request. Ordinary postage stamps cannot be used in payment of postage upon publications received into the mails at the pound rates. Speoial adhesive stamps are provided for this purpose only. Currency cannot be sent in sealed transparent envelopes unless postage is paid at letter rates. A registered letter cannot be attached while in the hands of a Postmaster before its delivery, as the department holds it in legal custody for delivery to the person addressed or according to his or her order. To inclose an envelope with a written address thereon, to be used at some future time would subject any paokage of which it forms a part to letter postage. A publication claiming two places or localities as its office of publication, cannot be mailed from either place at pound rates. The Postoffice Department has no authority to detain or open letters sent in conformity to the laws governing their transmission in the mails ; such letters must be delivered to ihe person named in the address, or according to his or her order, as soon after arrival as practicable, but it is the duty of a Postmaster to obey a mandate of a court, and should he have undelivered letters in his office addressed to a person on trial in court, and the court having served on such Postmaster a subpena duces tecum, it would lie his duty to appear in court with the letters, and, once iu court with the letters the jurisdiction of the Postoffice Department ceases, and if said letters are opened the responsibility rests with the court. Anything whatever pasted, gummed or attached to a postal card subjects the same to letter rates of postage. The law makes no provision for the mailing of “ extras,” except that they must be prepaid at the rate for printed matter. To inclose a hand-bill in a newspaper sent to a regular subscriber would subject the entire package to postage at the rate of 1 cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof. Tin dishes are unmailable. Printed matter cannot be returned to sender unless tbe Postmaster is furnished with stamps or money to prepay the same. Postmasters are not required to open their offices on Sunday unless a mail arrives ou that day. To paste a printed slip upon a postal card would render the same subject to letter rates of postage. Soap is unmailable. Any matter partly in print and partly in writing is subject to letter rates of postage. Packages of merchandise not prepaid iu full, at the rate of 1 cent lor each ounce or fraction thereof, should not be forwarded. When two or more kinds of mail matter are inclosed iu the same package the entire package is subject to the higher rate. Advertising sheets received in bulk mail prepaid at pound rates should not be delivered unless postage is paid at double rates, 1 cent for each ounce or fraction thereof. The insertion of a new date or figure iu a circular makes it subject to letter rates of postage.— Western Postal Review.