Vickipedia

POST-OFFICE, offences against. Owing to the conspicuous part which the post-office plays in modern civilization, a small code of laws belongs to it, the substance of which is as follows: Every person employed by the post-office who steals a post-letter, is guilty of felony; and if it contain money or a valuable chattel, the punishment is increased. So whenever letters are stolen by strangers out of the custody of the post-office or its officers. The moment a letter is put into the post-office or delivered to the postmaster, the protection of the statutes commences. Many nice questions have, however, arisen as to the application of the rule to special circumstances, and as to what constitutes an employment by the post-office. Whoever steals, secretes, or destroys printed papers or newspapers sent by post, commits a misdemeanor. So if a letter-carrier delay the delivery wilfully; or if an official messenger disclose or intercept a telegraphic message, or violate the rules on that point. Receivers of letters improperly taken or stolen from the post-office, are guilty of felony. By the 1st Vict. c. 33, s. 2, any person conveying otherwise than by post a letter not exempted from the exclusive privilege of the post-master-general, incurs a penalty of £5 for every letter. This exclusive privilege of carrying letters extends to letters only, and not to printed books or newspapers. There are also exceptions to the general rule, that letters can only be sent by the post-office. Thus, one may send a letter by a private Mend, and not by the post-office. So letters sent by messenger on purpose on the private affairs of the sender or receiver, commissions and legal writs, merchants’ letters sent by vessels or along with goods, are excepted. But no person is authorized to collect and send these excepted letters, though in the legal manner described, for this is doing the work of the post-office. Moreover, there are certain persons expressly prohibited from carrying letters even gratuitously, as common carriers, except the letters relate to goods in their carts or wagons; owners, masters, or commanders of ships, except such letters relate to goods on board; and passengers on board ships. Statutes and rules made thereunder secure the monopoly to the postmaster-general of sending telegraphic messages, and telegrams are put nearly on the footing of letters.