May 17, 1848.
1845, ch. 43.
Chap. XLIII. — An Act in Amendment of an Act entitled 'An Act to reduce the Rates of Postage, to
limit the Use and correct the Abuse of the Franking Privilege, and for the Prevention
of Fraud on the Revenues of the Post-Office Department,'" passed the third of March, one thousand
eight hundred and forty-five.
Commissions allowed to postmasters to be reckoned on the quarters.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That the rates of commissions authorized to be paid to postmasters by the first section
of said act, shall be allowed and paid to them on the amount of postage received in
each quarter of the year, and in due proportion for any period less than a quarter,
instead of being allowed and paid on the amount received for a year, as was by mistake
provided for in said act.
Act made retrospective.
Sec. 2. And be further enacted, That all postmasters whose commissions have been diminished by their being allowed
and paid on the amount of postage received in a year, instead of on the amount received
in a quarter, shall be permitted to resettle and adjust their accounts according to
the first section of this act, and shall be allowed and paid such sum as may be justly
found their due on such resettlement of their accounts.
Postmaster-general authorized to employ additional clerks.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the postmaster-general be authorized to employ, temporarily, such additional
clerks as may be found necessary for the resettlement of the accounts of postmasters
authorized by this act.
Additional compensation when mail arrives at night.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, to the postmasters at offices where the mail is regularly to arrive between
the hours of nine o'clock at night and five in the morning, the commission on the
first hundred dollars collected in one quarter may be increased by the postmaster-general
to a sum not exceeding fifty per cent.
Approved, May 17, 1848.
Printed Document, 1 page(s), Public Acts, 30th Cong., 1st sess., George Minot, Statutes at Large 9, 230