Page 244 - British Post Office Notices 1666 to 1799

·Act of 9 Queen Anne, Cap. 10

XXXVIII. Provided always, and it is hereby enacted, That the said weekly Sum of seven hundred Pounds for the
Purposes aforesaid, shall, from Time to Time, during all the said Term of thirty-two Years, be paid into the Exchequer as
aforesaid, out of the whole Produce of the Duties and Revenues arising by virtue of this Act, with Preference to all other
Payments which are, shall, or may be charged or chargeable thereupon, the necessary Charges for managing the said Post
Office, and the Duties thereof, and for receiving, answering, and accounting for the Revenues arising thereby, only
excepted; and that the said Duties and Revenues arising by this Act (after Deduction, from Time to Time, to be first made
of so much as shall be then due and incurred, or in Arrear of or for the said weekly Payments, at any Time within or during
the Term aforesaid, and after the Allowance of such necessary Charges as aforesaid, and not otherwise) shall, from Time to
Time, be subject and liable to such Annuities, and other Payments and Incumbrances, which by any Act of Parliament now
in Force were lawfully charged upon the Revenues of the Post-Office, or any of them, granted by the said former Acts
hereby repealed as aforesaid, or which having been charged by any Grant upon the said Revenues, have been saved by Act
of Parliament, of and for such Estate and Estates in Possession, Reversion, or Remainder, and subject to such Conditions,
Limitations, Restrictions, and Appointments, and in such or the like Manner and Form (and not otherwise) as the said
Revenues, payable by the said former Acts, or any of them, would have been subject or liable if this Act had not been
made; any Thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.
XXXIX. Provided always, and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the first Day of June one
thousand seven hundred forty and three, the same Rates and Prices only, and no more, shall be taken or paid for the
Carriage, Conveyance, and Delivery of all Letters and Packets sent by the Post from one Part of Great Britain to another, as
also for all Letters brought to Great Britain, or sent from thence, from or to any Parts beyond the Seas, than were
authorized or allowed to be taken by the Postmaster General, or his Deputy or Deputies, for the Postage of such Letters, by
the said several Acts hereby repealed.

XL. "And whereas Abuses may be committed by wilfully opening, imbezzling, detaining and delaying of Letters or
Packets, to the great Discouragement of Trade, Commerce, and Correspondence:" For Prevention thereof, Be it enacted by
the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said first Day of June one thousand seven hundred and eleven, no Person
or Persons shall presume wittingly, willingly, or knowingly, to open, detain, or delay, or cause, procure, permit, or suffer to
be opened, detained, or delayed, any Letter or Letters, Packet or Packets, after the same is or shall be delivered into the
General or other Post-Office, or into the Hands of any Person or Persons employed for the receiving or carrying Post
Letters, and before Delivery to the Persons to whom they are directed, or for their Use; except by an express Warrant in
Writing under the Hand of one of the Principal Secretaries of State for every such opening, detaining, or delaying; or except
in such Cases where the Party or Parties, to whom such Letter or Letters, Packet or Packets, shall be directed, or who is or
are hereby chargeable with the Payment of the Port or Ports thereof, shall refuse or neglect to pay the same; and except
such Letters or Packets as shall be returned for want of true Directions, and where the Party, to whom the same is or are
directed, cannot be found; and that every Person or Persons offending in Manner aforesaid, or who shall imbezzle any such
Letter or Letters, Packet or Packets, shall for every such Offence forfeit the Sum of twenty Pounds; the said Penalties for
any such Offence committed in England, Wales, or Be1Wick upon Tweed, to be recovered 1by Action, Bill, Plaint, or
Information in any of her Majesty's Courts of Record at Westminster, and for any such Offence committed in that Part of
Great Britain called Scotland, to be recovered in the Court of Sessions, or Exchequer there; such Penalties respectively to
be recovered by such Person or Persons as will inform or sue for the same, together with full Costs of Suit; and over and
above such Penalty as aforesaid, every such Person or Persons so offending as aforesaid, shall be for ever incapable of
having, using, exercising, or enjoying any Office, Trust or Employment in or relating to the Post-Office, or any Branch
thereof.
XLI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person or Persons shall, after the said first Day of
June one thousand seven hundred and eleven, be capable of having, using, or exercising the Office or Offices of Postmaster
General, or any Part thereof, or any other Employment relating to the Post Office, or any Branch thereof, or be any Way
concerned in receiving, sorting, or delivering of Letters or Packets, unless such Person or Persons shall first have taken the
following Oath before some one Justice of the Peace for the County or Place where such Person resides, which said Oath
such Justice of Peace is hereby authorized to administer in the following Words: ·
"I A.B. do swear, That I will not wittingly, willingly, or knowingly open, detain, or delay, or cause, procure, permit, or
suffer to be opened, detained, or delayed any Letter or Letters, Packet or Packets, which shall come into my Hands, Power,
or Custody, by reason of my Employment in or relating to the Post Office; except by the Consent of the Person or Persons
to whom the same is or shall be directed, or by an express Warrant in Writing under the Hand of one of the Principal
Secretaries of State for that Purpose; or except in such Cases, where the Party or Parties to whom such Letter or Letters,

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