History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America Part 8

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., color, white paper.

12 cents, black.

As it was considered desirable to keep the amounts collected and paid for delivery by carriers (under section 10 of the act) separate, a special stamp for the payment of such postage was soon added:

ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 29TH, 1851.

ONE CENT. Bust of Benjamin Franklin, in profile, to the left, on an oval disk, 15 by 17 mm. with hatched ground, bordered by a colorless line between two fine colored lines. Frame, labels, etc., like the three cents, but with a colorless star between curved colorless lines at the end instead of the diamonds. The inscription is in colorless Roman capitals, on the upper label "_Carrier's_," and "_Stamp_" in the lower label.

Plate impression, 19 by 24 mm., color, rose paper.

No value indicated, indigo blue.

Specimens exist in brick red, some of which show the crack in the die.

These must be proofs, although a letter purporting to be from W. M.

Ireland, Third a.s.sistant Postmaster General, dated August 10th, 1869, and published in the August number of the American Journal of Philately, after describing this stamp says:

"Color, orange-brown, typographed in color on white paper.

Proofs were issued printed in blue on pink paper; also in green and yellow. It was issued about September 29th, 1851, but was suppressed almost immediately, owing to its great similarity to the then three cent stamp. Only about 300,000 were ever issued.

It has always surprised me that the Department has never kept any official history of its stamps."

This stamp was succeeded by the;

ISSUE OF NOVEMBER, 17, 1851.

ONE CENT. Eagle poised for flight, turned to the left, resting on a branch of laurel, on an oval disk, 18 by 13 mm., the ground of clouds and rays, surrounded by a fine colored line, a colorless line, and a band of solid color inscribed in colorless Roman capitals above "_U. S.

P. O. Dispatch_," below "_Prepaid, One Cent_," with ornaments of oak leaves on the left and of laurels on the right.

Plate impression, 19 by 25 mm., color, white paper.

1 cent, blue.

A letter dated from the Post Office Department, Finance Office. July 20th, 1869, and signed W. H. H. Corell, Third a.s.sistant Postmaster General, published in the American Journal of Philately, says:

"The blue stamp "Eagle" was used for prepaying City letters delivered by carriers. It was issued about Nov. 17th, 1851, and was withdrawn Jan. 27th, 1852. It was very little used except in Philadelphia, Pa., and Cincinnati, Ohio."

As a matter of fact however, the published reports of the Postmaster General, shows that there were issued:

4,777,552 from Nov. 1851, up to June, 1852.

4,370,383 " June 1852, " " " 1853.

7,103,416 " " 1853, " " " 1854.

These stamps were all engraved and printed by Messrs. Toppan, Carpenter, Ca.s.silar and Co., of Philadelphia, under a contract with the Department.

The collector naturally desires to know what supposed peculiarities of the public demand led to the selection of these values, and not others.

As already shown, the carriers were paid out of the receipts from the sale of the two carrier stamps.

The one cent was required for newspapers and other printed matter, either singly or in twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, etc., and Mr.

Sterling has preserved specimens thus used, adhering, either in strips by the sides or ends, or in blocks.

The three cent stamp paid the ordinary letter rate, and two or more would be required on double, triple, etc., letters. Mr. Sterling has also preserved strips and blocks of these found so used.

The single postage to California was six cents. This was also the double letter rate, and it seems singular that a stamp of this value was not issued. Its place was supplied by two three cent stamps, the double rate to California by four three cent stamps, etc. That it was also supplied occasionally by half of the twelve cent stamp, cut diagonally from corner to corner, specimens so used on the original envelopes in the possession of the same gentleman abundantly prove. The twelve cent must, therefore, have had no function except to replace a quadruple ordinary rate, or a double California rate. For foreign letters, the postage was 10 or 20 cents, when not provided for by treaty. Most of the treaties fixed the same rates, and stamps of those values would seem to have been required. The fact that prepayment was optional, may have influenced the demand for these values.

Soon after the issue of the foregoing series, the postal rates were again discussed in congress, and the law amended as follows:

x.x.xIII Congress, Session II, Chapter 173, Section 31, approved March 30th, 1885, ent.i.tled: "An Act further to amend the Act ent.i.tled: 'An Act to reduce, etc., approved March 3d, 1851.'"

Be it enacted, etc. That in lieu of the rates of postage now established by law, there shall be charged the following rates to wit: For every single letter in ma.n.u.script, or paper of any kind in which information shall be asked, or, communicated in writing, or by marks or signs, conveyed in the mail, for any distance between places in the United States not exceeding 3,000 miles, three cents; and for any distance exceeding 3,000 miles, ten cents. And for a double letter, there shall be charged double the rates above specified; and for a treble letter, treble these rates, and for a quadruple letter, quadruple these rates; and every letter or paper not exceeding half an ounce in weight shall be deemed a single letter; and every additional weight of half an ounce, or every additional weight of less than half an ounce, shall be charged with an additional single postage; and upon all letters pa.s.sing through or in the mail of the United States, except such as are to or from a foreign country, the postages as above specified, shall be prepaid, except upon letters and papers addressed to officers of the government on official business, which shall be so marked on the envelope. And from and after the first day of January, 1856, the Postmaster General may require postmasters to place postage stamps upon all prepaid letters, upon which such stamps may not have been placed by the writers.

And all drop letters, or letters placed in the post office, not for transmission through the mail, but for delivery only, shall be charged with postage at the rate of one cent each, and all letters which shall hereafter be advertised as remaining over or uncalled for in any post office, shall be charged with one cent each in addition to the regular postage, both to be accounted for as other postages now are.

Section 2. And be it further enacted, that it shall be unlawful for any postmaster or other person, to sell any postage stamp or stamped envelope for any larger sum than that indicated upon the face of such postage stamp, or for a larger sum than that charged therefor by the Post Office Department.

[Here follows the penalty for so doing.]

Section 3. And be it further enacted: That for the greater security of valuable letters posted for transmission in the mails of the United States, the Postmaster General be, and hereby is authorized to establish a uniform plan for the registration of such letters on application of parties posting the same, and to require the prepayment of the postage, as well as a registration fee of five cents, on every such letter or packet, to be accounted for by postmasters receiving the same, in such manner as the Postmaster General may direct: Provided, however, that such registration shall not be compulsory: and shall not render the Post Office Department, or its revenues liable for the loss of such letter or package, or the contents thereof.

By this Act there was established for the first time compulsory prepayment, at a uniform rate of 3 and 10 cents, according as the distance was less or greater than 3,000 miles, upon letters in the United States, and the Act of the x.x.xIV Congress, Session III, Chapter 1, approved January 2d, 1857, ent.i.tled: "An Act to provide for the compulsory Prepayment of Postage on all transient printed matter," which provided, that such postage "shall be prepaid by stamps or otherwise, as the Postmaster General may direct," completes the legislation upon the subject, so far as it is of interest here, up to the year 1861.

Upon the approval of this Act, the following circular, dated at Was.h.i.+ngton, March 12th, 1855, was issued to postmasters:

NEW POSTAGE ACT.

INSTRUCTIONS TO POSTMASTERS.

The particular attention of Postmasters and others is invited to the annexed Act, pa.s.sed at the last session of Congress. It will be observed:

1st. That from and after April 1st, 1855, the single rate of postage on a letter conveyed in the mail, for any distance in the United States, not exceeding three thousand miles, is three cents, and for any distance exceeding three thousand miles, ten cents.

2nd. That from and after April 1st, 1855, prepayment by stamps, stamped envelopes or in money is compulsory.

3rd. That from and after January 1st, 1856, all letters, between places in the United States, must be prepaid either by postage stamps or stamped envelopes.

4th. That the laws relating to the Franking Privilege are not altered.

5th. That the existing rates and regulations in regard to letters to or from Canada, and all foreign countries, remain unchanged.

Unpaid letters mailed before April 1st, 1855, will be forwarded and delivered upon payment of the postage, by the person addressed. Postage stamps and stamped envelopes, of the denomination of ten cents, will be prepared and issued speedily, and the Department will use every exertion to supply all post offices with one and and three cent stamps also, as fast as they are required.

Absolute prepayment being required on all letters to places within the United States, from and after April 1st, 1855, great care should be used as well in prepaying the proper amount on letters above the weight of half an ounce, as on single letters.

Postmasters will post up conspicuously in their respective offices a notice, calling attention to the provisions of the Act requiring prepayment.

The provisions in regard to the registration of valuable letters will be carried into effect, and special instructions issued on the subject, as soon as the necessary blanks can be prepared and distributed.