History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America Part 22

ISSUE OF JUNE 15TH, 1887.

The following circular explains itself:

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, Office of the Postmaster General.

_Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., May 23d, 1887._

On or about the 15th of June, 1887, the Department will begin the issue of a new design of the ordinary one cent postage stamp, of which the following is a description: The center of the stamp consists of a profile bust of Benjamin Franklin (after-the original by Caracci), looking to the left, in an oval disk, with shaded background, the lower portion of the oval being bordered with pearls and the upper portion with a curved frame, containing in small white letters, the words, "United States Postage." The whole is engraved in line upon a s.h.i.+eld shaped tablet, with a truncated pyramidal base, bearing on it the words "one" and "cent," on either side of the figure "1."

The color of the stamp is ultramarine blue, and its general appearance is somewhat similar to that of the stamp now in use.

Before ordering supplies of the new stamps, postmasters will be expected to exhaust their stock of the old, which will continue to be valid. Under no circ.u.mstances are the old stamps to be sent to the Department for redemption or exchange.

WILLIAM T. VILAS, Postmaster General.

H. R. HARRIS, Third a.s.sist. P. M. General.

ISSUE OF JUNE 15TH, 1887.

ONE CENT. Head of Benjamin Franklin, in profile to the left, after Carraci, on an oval disk lined horizontally and doubly diagonally, the upper third bordered by a label, the lower two thirds by a broad solid colored line, ornamented with colorless pearls increasing in size from top to bottom, with a colorless line outside this, shaded by another heavy colored line. The label is of solid color, between two colorless lines, the upper one curved round the ends, forming a hook and edged outside by a fine colored line, and is inscribed in white capitals similar to the two cents last described, "United States Postage." The whole is on a horizontally lined s.h.i.+eld shaped tablet, the top similar to that of the two cents, but with a small point in the centre of the top and the diagonals shorter. The bottom is curved at the corners, then curved back up and round, and spreads out into the lower part of a "truncated pyramid." It is edged with a heavy colored line on the right and bottom, with a heavy colored line on the left and top. On the truncated base is a large pearled outlined colorless numeral "1,"

dividing the border of the oval and the words "One Cent," in outline colorless capitals. The rectangle is filled out with horizontal lines at the sides of the s.h.i.+eld and vertical line at the top.

Plate impression, 20 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

1 cent, ultramarine blue.

XXIV.

POSTAGE DUE STAMPS.

From the adoption of compulsory prepayment up to 1879, various regulations had been made from time to time regarding insufficiently paid letters, in order to relieve the Dead Letter Office as far as possible, and yet enforce the prepayment of all mail matter.

Nevertheless mistakes continued to be made and the practice of forwarding all letters upon which one full rate was paid, and collecting the balance of the receiver had finally been adopted, the amount to be collected being written or stamped upon the letter. From this practice abuses arose, and by the Act of the XLV Congress, Section III, Chapter 180, Section 26, approved March 3d, 1879, it was enacted:

"That all mail matter of the first cla.s.s upon which one full rate of postage has been prepaid shall be forwarded to its destination charged with the unpaid rate, to be collected on delivery, but postmasters before delivering the same, or any article of mail matter upon which prepayment in full has not been made, shall affix, or cause to be affixed, and cancelled as ordinary stamps are cancelled, one or more stamps equivalent in value to the amount of postage due on such article of mail matter, which stamps shall be of such special design as the Postmaster General shall prescribe, and which shall in no case be sold by any postmaster or received by him in prepayment of postage," etc.

Sec. 27. "That any postmaster or other person engaged in the postal service who shall collect and fail to account for the postage due upon any article of mail matter which he may deliver without having previously affixed and cancelled such stamp as herein before provided shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars."

Shortly after the pa.s.sage of this Act the following circular was addressed to all postmasters:

Form No. 3288.

SPECIAL STAMP FOR POSTAGE DUE.

POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, Office of the Third a.s.sistant Postmaster General, Division of Stamps, Stamped Envelopes and Postal Cards.

_Was.h.i.+ngton, 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 antic.i.p.ation 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 s.h.i.+eld.

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 a.s.sistant 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 a.s.sistant 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 distinguis.h.i.+ng 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 a.s.sistant Postmaster General_.

ISSUE OF MAY 9TH, 1879.

For use from and after July 1st, 1879.

Large colorless numeral, 10 mm. high, representing the value, ornamented and shaded, on an oval disk, 17 by 13 mm., with colored ground ornamented by colorless geometric lathe work, bordered by a solid colored band between two heavy colorless lines and an exterior fine colored line, interrupted by small white s.h.i.+elds on the sides bearing "_U._" on the left, "_S._" on the right, in fancy colored capitals. The band is inscribed in white capitals, above, "_Postage Due_," below with the value in full letters, the whole on a tablet with vertically lined ground, with an irregular outline colorless line bordered by an extensive fine colored line, and a double rectangular frame, the interior formed by parallel, diagonal curved lines, and the exterior by vertical short lines at top and bottom, horizontal ones at sides, indicating a bevel.

Plate impression, 20 by 25 mm., in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

1 cent, reddish brown.

2 cents, "

3 " "

5 " "

The report of the Postmaster General dated December, 1879, states:

"Under a provision in the act of Congress, approved March 3d 1879, authorizing a change in the mode of collecting postage due, on matter arriving at destination through the mails, the Department began issuing on the 9th of May, special stamps, called postage due stamps, of the denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 cents, and subsequently of the additional denominations of 10, 30, and 50 cents. Before the first of July, every office in the country was provided with a supply of these stamps, and the new system of collecting short paid postage is now fairly in operation."

ISSUE OF AUGUST, 1879.

Stamps of the same design, but there being two figures, the numerals are smaller.

Plate impression, in color, on white paper, perforated 12.

10 cents, reddish brown.