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to any place on the north side of the Potomac and south of the Washington and Annapolis Railroad; nor to any place on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake; nor to any place on the south side of the Ohio river below Wheeling, except Louisville; nor to any place on the west side of the Mississippi river below the mouth of the Des Moines, except St. Louis; without a permit of a duly authorised officer of the Treasury Department; and the special agents of this Department may temporarily extend these restrictions to such other places in their respective districts, and make such local rules to be observed therein as may from time to time become necessary, promptly reporting their action to the Secretary of the Treasury for his sanction or disapproval.

II. All transportation of coin or bullion to any state or section heretofore declared to be in insurrection, is absolutely prohibited except for military purposes and under military orders, or under the special license of the Secretary of the Treasury. And no payment of gold or silver shall be made. for cotton or other merchandise within any such State or section, and all cotton or other merchandise purchased or paid for therein, directly or indirectly, in gold or silver, shall be forfeited to the United States.

III. No clearance or permit whatsoever will be granted for any shipment to any port, place or section affected by the existing blockade, except for military purposes, and upon the certificate and request of the Department of War or the Department of the Navy.

IV. All applications for permits to transport or trade under these regulations shall state the character and value of the merchandise to be transported, the consignee and destination thereof, with the route of transportation, and the number and description of packages, with the marks thereon.

V. Every applicant for such permits shall present with his application the original invoices of the goods, wares, and merchandise to be transported, and shall make and file with the officer granting the permit an affidavit that the quantities, descriptions, and values are correctly stated in said invoices, true copies of which shall be annexed to and filed with the affidavit, and that the packages contain nothing except as stated in the invoices: that the merchandise so permitted shall not, nor shall any part thereof, be disposed of by him, or by his authority, connivance or assent, in violation of the terms of the permit, and that neither the permit so granted nor the merchandise to be transported shall be so used or disposed of by him, or by his authority, connivance, or assent, as in any way to give aid, comfort, information, or encouragement to persons in insurrection against the United States. And furthermore, that the applicant is loyal to the Government of the United States, and will in all things so deport himself.

VI. No permit shall be granted to ship goods, wares, or merchandise to States, or parts of States, heretofore declared to be in insurrection, or to places under insurrectionary control, or occupied by the military forces of the United States, except to persons residing or doing business therein, whose loyalty and good faith shall be certified by an officer of the Government or other person duly authorised to make such certificate, or by a duly appointed Board of Trade therein, by whose approval and permission only the same shall be unladed or disposed of. And no permit shall be granted to ship merchandise from any such State, or part of State, in violation of any order restricting shipments therefrom, made for military purposes by the commandant of the Department from which said shipment is to be made.

VII. Collectors or Surveyors of Customs, before granting clearances or

permits, may require a bond, with reasonable surety, in such cases as they shall think necessary to protect the public interests, conditional, that there shall be no violation of the terms or spirit of the clearance or permit, or of the averments of the affidavit upon which the same is granted.

VIII. No permit shall be granted to ship intoxicating drinks or other things prohibited by the military authorities into territory occupied by the military forces of the United States, except upon the written request of the commandant of the department in which such territory is embraced, or some person duly authorised by him to make such request.

IX. In order to defray the expenses under these regulations, a fee of twenty cents will be charged for each permit granted; and shipments permitted to and from States heretofore declared to be in insurrection, shall, in addition thereto, be charged with the following fees, viz.: Five cents on each one hundred dollars over three hundred dollars on all shipments to such States or sections; fifty cents on each one thousand pounds of cotton, and twenty-five cents on each one thousand pounds of sugar permitted from such State.

X. No vessel, boat or vehicle used for transportation upon or south of the Potomac river, or north of the Potomac and south of the Washington and Annapolis Railroad, or to the eastern shore of the Chesapeake, or southwardly on or from the Ohio river below Wheeling, or westwardly or southwardly on or from the Mississippi river, below the mouth of the Des Moines, shall receive on board any goods, wares or merchandise destined to any place commercial intercourse with which now is or hereafter may be restricted as aforesaid, unless the same be accompanied by a permit of a duly authorised officer of the Treasury Department, except as in hereafter provided in regulation Number XIV.

XI. No vessel, boat, or other vehicle used for transportation from Eistern cities or elsewhere in the loyal States, shall carry goods, wares or merchandise into any place, section, or State restricted as aforesaid, without the permit of the duly authorised officer of the customs, application for which may be made to such authorised officer near the point of destination as may suit the convenience of the shipper.

XII. No vessel, boat or other vehicle used for transportation shall put off any goods, wares, or merchandise at any place other than that named in the permit as the place of destination.

XIII. Before any boat or vessel running on any of the Western waters south of Louisville or St. Louis, or other waters within or adjacent to any State or section, commercial intercourse with which now is or may hereafter be restricted as aforesaid, shall depart from any port where there is a Collector or Surveyor of Customs, there shall be exhibited to the Collector or Surveyor, or such other officer as may be authorised to act in his stead, a true manifest of its entire cargo and a clearance obtained to proceed on its voyage; and when freights are receivable on board at a place where there is no Collector or Surveyor, as hereinafter provided in Regulation XIV., then the same exhibit shall be made and clearance obtained at the first port to be passed where there is such an officer, and such vessel or boat shall be reported and the manifest of its cargo exhibited to the Collector or Surveyor of every port to be passed on the trip where there is such an officer; but no new clearance shall be necessary unless additional freights shall have been taken on board after the last clearance. Immediately on arriving at the port of tinal destination, and before discharging any part of its cargo, the manifest shall be exhibited to the Surveyor of such port, or other officer authorized to act

in his stead, whose approval for landing the cargo shall be indorsed on the manifest before any part thereof shall be discharged; and the clearance and shipping permits of all such vessels and boats shall be exhibited to the officer in command of any naval vessel or military post whenever such officer may require it.

XIV. To facilitate trade and guard against improper transportation, "aids to the revenue" will be appointed from time to time on cars, vessels, and boats, when desired by owners, agents, or masters thereof, which aids will have free carriage on the respective cars, vessels and boats on which they are placed, and will allow proper weigh freights to be taken on board without permit, keeping a statement thereof, and reporting the same to the Collector or Surveyor of the first port to be passed on the trip where there is such an officer, from whom a permit therefor must be obtained, or the goods returned under his direction. No permit will be granted for transportation into any insurrectionary State or district, except in cars, vessels and boats carrying such aids.

XV. All vessels, boats and other vehicles used for transportation, violating any of the above regulations, and all goods, wares and merchandise shipped and transported in violation thereof, will be forfeited to the Jnited States. If any false statement be made, or deception practised in obtaining a permit, such permit, and all others connected therewith or affected thereby, will be absolutely void, and all merchandise shipped thereupon shall be forfeited to the United States. In all cases of forfeiture as aforesaid, immediate seizure will be made and proceedings instituted, promptly for condemnation. The attention of all officers of the Government, common carriers and shippers, consignees, owners, masters, agents, drivers, and other persons connected with the transportation of merchandise, or trading therein, is particularly directed to the acts of July 13, 1861, and May 20, 1862, above referred to. XVI. All army supplies transported under military orders are excepted from the above regulations. But this exception does not extend to sutlers' goods or others designated for sale at military posts or camps.

XVII. When any officer of the Customs'shall find in his district any goods, wares, or merchandise which, in his opinion are in danger of being transported to insurgents, he may, if he thinks it expedient, require the owners or holders thereof to give reasonable security that they shall not be transported to any place under insurrectionary control, and shall not in any way be used to give aid or encouragement to the insurgents. If the required security be not given, such officer shall promptly state the facts to the United States Marshal for the district within which such goods are situated, or, if beyond the jurisdiction of a United States Marshal, then to the commandant of the nearest military post, whose duty it shall be to take possession thereof, and hold them for safe keeping, reporting the facts promptly to the Secretary of the Treasury, and awaiting instructions,

XVIII. Where ports heretofore blockaded are opened by the proclamation of the President, licenses will be granted by United States Consuls, on application by the proper parties, to vessels clearing from foreign ports to to the ports so opened, upon satisfactory evidence that the vessels so licensed will convey no person, property or information contraband of war, either to or from said ports, which license must be shown to the Collector of the port to which the vessel is bound, and, if required, to any officer in charge of the blockade. And on leaving any port so opened, the vessel must have a clearance from the Collector, according to law, showing no

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violation of the condition of the license. Any violation of the conditions will involve the forfeiture and condemnation of the vessel and cargo, and the exclusion of all parties concerned from entering the United States for any purpose during the war.

War Department, August 28, 1862.

The attention of officers and others connected with the army of the United States is called to the regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury concerning commercial intercourse with insurrectionary States or sections, dated August 28, 1862.

I. Commandants of departments, districts and posts will render all such military aid as may become necessary in carrying out the provisions of said regulations, and enforcing observance thereof to the extent directed by the Secretary of the Treasury, so far as can possibly be done without danger to the operations or safety of their respective commands.

II. There will be no interference with trade or shipments of cotton or other merchandise conducted in pursuance of said regulations within any territory occupied and controlled by the forces of the United States, unless absolutely necessary to the successful execution of military plans or movements therein. But in cases of the violation of the conditions of any clearance or permit granted under said regulations, and in cases of unlawful traffic the guilty party or parties will be arrested, and the facts promptly reported to the commandant of the Department for orders. III. No officer of the army or other person connected therewith, will seize cotton or other property of individuals, unless exposed to destruction by the enemy, or needed for military purposes, or confiscation under the act of Congress, and in all such cases of seizure the same shall be promptly reported to the Commandant of the Department wherein they are made, for his orders therein.

EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
Navy Department, Aug. 28.

The attention of naval officers is called to the regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury concerning commercial intercourse with insurrectionary States or sections, dated Aug. 28, 1862.

I. Commanders of naval vessels will render such aid as may be necessary in carrying out the provisions of said regulations, and enforcing observance thereof to the extent directed by the Secretary of the Treasury, so far as can possibly be done without danger to the operations or safety of their respective commands.

II. There will be no interference with trade in or shipments of cotton or other merchandise, conducted in pursuance of said regulations, within any of the waters controlled by the naval forces of the United States, unless absolutely necessary to the successful execution of military or naval plans or movements. But in case of the violation of the conditions of any clearance or permit granted under said regulations, and in cases of unlawful trafic, the guilty party or parties will be arrested and the facts promptly reported.

III. No officer of the navy will seize cotton or other property of individuals within the territory opened to traffic and subject to the regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury, unless the same is exposed to destruction by the enemy, or needed for naval purposes and in all such cases the fact, with all attendant circumstances, shall be promptly reported to the department. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary.

MERCANTILE MISCELLANIES.

1. GOVERNMENT POSTAGE STAMPED ENVELOPES. 2. COUNTERFEITING ON A LARGE SCALE.

GOVERNMENT POSTAGE STAMPED ENVELOPES.

THROUGH the Post Office Department we learn that postage stamped envelopes were first introduced in this country in the year 1853, and although offered at a price far below that of the ordinary envelopes of the trade, they do not as yet seem justly appreciated by the public.

There has been but slight variation in the number of stamped envelopes issued annually. In 1854 it amounted to $26,138,600; in 1856 to $43,755,150; in 1858 to $30,734,275; in 1861 to $26,027,300-the latter being less than fifteen per cent of the issue of separate postage stamps, which increased from 55,000,000 in 1854 to 211,000,000 in 1861.

The greater cheapness of government envelopes as compared with those of the trade is generally overlooked, because the purchaser of the former is requested to pay the additional charge of postage.

One hundred stamped envelopes are sold for three dollars and eighteen cents, while the same number of plain ones, of similar quality, may be procured for about forty cents, but to this sum must be added three dollars, the value of the postage stamps, which must be affixed to such envelopes before they can be used in the mails; thus making one hundred letters cost $3.40, or twenty-two cents more than if covered by government envelopes. Hence it appears that persons who make use of unstamped envelopes pay for them about one hundred per cent more than if they employed stamped et velopes.

The number of separate postage stamps issued during the year ending June 30, 1861, was, as above stated, upwards of two hundred millions.

Assuming that a like number of unstamped envelopes were used for letters at thirty-six cents per hundred, which is a very low estimate, the cost thereof would have been $72,000, whereas government envelopes would have cost the consumer only $36,000.

Hence a sum equal to the difference of these amounts, namely, $36,000. may be considered as actually lost to the public, which is owing in a great degree to the want of proper application of the advantage of the stamped envelope.

Objection is not unfrequently made to the government envelope on account of either its form, size, or quality, or because of the danger of losing both the envelope and postage stamp thereon, should it be misdirected or otherwise accidentally defaced. Such objection the Postmaster General has determined, if possible, to remove, and to this end he proposes to arrange for embossing, under proper restrictions, the postage stamp on any envelopes that may be offered for that purpose by stationers, bankers, merchants, or other business men. Such parties will thus be enabled to procure stamped envelopes of form and quality adapted to their own tastes, which are now so varied that they cannot be anticipated by the post office department.

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