ricr aud the postage thereon duly collected; and it shall be .the <luty of the carriers of the mails lo take charge of all such lc:lcr:; as sh,111, for that pmposc, be committed to them by the post-masters, and collect the postage thereof, which it shall be ll,c duty of the post-rider to pay over to the said post- 1:111::ter as it is collected; and for every letter so delivered, the ma:! cnnier delivering the same, shall be allowed to clcmancl and receive six and one-fourth cents to his own use bei.:ides the ordinary post~ge. If any postmaster or other agent of the Postmaster-General shall neglect to acount for the same, he or they so offending shall, on conviction thereof, forfeit for every such offence, a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars. SF.o. 15. Be it further ordained and decreed, 'I'hat if any postma!>ter or other agent.s of General Post-Office, shall unlawfully detain, delay, or open any letter, packet, ba~ or mail of leiters with which he shall be entrusted, or which shall have come to his or their possession, and which are in- tended to be conveyed by post; or if any such person shall secrete, embezzle, or destroy any letter or packet entrusted to him or them, as aforeeaid, and which shall not contain any security for or assurance relating to money, as hereinafter de- scribed, every such ofiender being thereof duly convicted shall, for every such offence, be fined in a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding sb: months, according to the circumstances or aggravation of the offence; and if any person, employed as aforesaid, shall se- crete, embezzle, or destroy any letter, packet, mail, or bag of letters with which he shall be entrusted or which shall have come into his or their possession, and are intended to be con- veyed by post, containing any bank note, post bill, or other paper expressive of value, or if any such person employed, as aforesnid, shall steal or take any of the same out of any letter, packet bag, or mail of letters that shall come to his poesession, he shall, for every such offence, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding ten yenrs; and if any person who shall have taken charge of the Mail of Texas shall quit or desert t.he same before he delivers it into the post-office kept at the tenni- •.ntion of his route, or to somr. kn,,wn mail-r..,rrier M agent of the General Post-Office, duly authorized to re-
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