Washington, D. C., May 5th 1879.
By Sections 26 and 27 of the Act of Congress, making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the year ending June 30th, 1880, and for other purposes "approved March 3d, 1879, it is made the duty of postmasters to affix to all mail matter that has arrived at destination without full payment of postage, and before delivery of the same, an amount of stamps equal to the postage due, the stamps to be of such special design as the Postmaster General may direct."
To avoid any confusion in the accounts of Postmasters with the Auditor, and on account of the length of the time necessary to prepare for the change contemplated by the above sections in the mode of collecting and accounting for short paid postage, it has been decided to have the same go into practical operation on the 1st of July next.
The Department however, will begin issuing sometime during the present month, in anticipation of the wants of postmasters, special stamps for the collection of postage due of the denomination of 1, 2, 3 and 5 cents, and of the following general description:
A large figure, representing the denomination is placed in the center of the stamp, and is surrounded by an oval of very delicate lathe work. On the upper border of this oval, the words "Postage Due" are printed in white letters; in the lower border is the denomination, in letters of the same kind; on either side of the oval are the letters "U. S." in a small white shield. Around the oval is a form of complex character, described upon an oblong tablet. The general design is the same for all the stamps, the only difference being in the figures and lettering for the several denominations. The color is the same, a reddish brown.
These stamps are intended, exclusively for the collection of postage due on matter arriving at destination through the mails, and are to be used in combination, wherever required to cover unusual amounts of postage. They are to be cancelled in the customary way after being attached to mail matter, are never to be sold or received by Postmasters for prepayment of postage. Postmasters must distinctly understand, that these stamps are not to be used until July 1st, 1879.
A supply of these will be sent at first to all post offices in advance of requisitions from postmasters, and charged to their account; but afterwards they must be ordered on blank forms (No. 3285) to be furnished by the First Assistant Postmaster General. With the first supply of stamps, however, blank requisitions for future use will be enclosed.
The stamps will be accounted for to the auditor the same as other stamps, and will enter into the monthly reports of stamps, etc., received, sold and on hand, required by the regulations, to be made by postmasters at Presidential offices, to the Third Assistant Postmaster General.
On the next page of this circular will be found the sections of the new postal law and regulations relating to the above described stamps, which are published in advance for the information and guidance of postmasters. The distinguishing numbers of the sections cannot now be given, but the instructions are here printed in the same order in which they will appear in the forthcoming volume of the new postal regulations.
A. D. HAZEN,
Third Assistant Postmaster General.