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National Debt Act 1784
(24 Geo 3 s.2 c.37, 18th May 1784)

An Act for granting to his Majesty certain additional Rates of Postage for Conveyance of Letters and Packets, by the Post, within the Kingdom of Great Britain; for preventing Frauds in the Revenue, carried on by the Conveyance of certain Goods in Letters and Packets; and for further preventing Frauds and Abuses in relation to the sending and receiving of Letters and Packets free from Postage.

Most Gracious Sovereign,
WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, towards raising, by the most easy Means, the necessary Supplies to defray your Majesty's publick Expences, have freely and voluntarily resolved to give and grant unto your Majesty the additional Rates and Duties herein-after mentioned; and do most humbly beseech your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That, from and after the thirty-first Day of August, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four, it shall and may be lawful to and for his Majesty's Postmaster General, and his Deputy and Deputies by him thereunto sufficiently authorised, to and for the Use of his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, to demand, have, receive, and take, for the Port and Conveyance of all such Letters and Packets which he shall convey, carry, or send Post within the Kingdom of Great Britain, according to the several Rates and Sums hereafter mentioned, the same being rated by the Letter or by the Ounce, in Addition to all other Rates and Duties, now payable for the Conveyance of Letters and Packets by the Post within the said Kingdom, by any Act or Acts of Parliament now in Force; that is to say,

For the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, so conveyed or carried by the Post as aforesaid, not exceeding one whole Post Stage from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within the said Kingdom of Great Britain, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Deeds, Writs, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above one Post Stage, and not exceeding two Post Stages, from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called England, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above two Post Stages, and not exceeding Eighty English Miles, distant from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called England, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above eighty English Miles, and not exceeding one hundred and fifty English Miles distant from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called England, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above one hundred and fifty English Miles distant from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called England, the Sum of two Pence:
For every double Letter, four Pence:
For every treble Letter, Sixpence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, eight Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port or Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post from the General Post Office in the City of London unto the City of Edinburgh, in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, or from thence to the said General Post Office in the said City of London, and to and from Dumfries and Cockburnspeth, and between either of those Places and the said City of Edinburgh, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above one Post Stage, and not exceeding fifty English Miles, distant from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called Scotland, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above fifty English Miles, and not exceeding eighty English Miles, distant from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called Scotland, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above eighty English Miles, and not exceeding one hundred and fifty English Miles, distant from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called Scotland, the Sum of one Penny:
For every double Letter, two Pence:
For every treble Letter, three Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, four Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things:

And for the Port and Conveyance of every single Letter, conveyed or carried by the Post above one hundred and fifty English Miles distant from the Office where such Letter may be put in, within that Part of the said Kingdom of Great Britain called Scotland, the Sum of two Pence:
For every double Letter, four Pence:
For every treble Letter, six Pence:
And for every Ounce in Weight, eight Pence; and so in Proportion for every Packet of Writs, Deeds, or other Things.

II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That no Letter or Packet (not passing through London) to or from Glasgow, or the intermediate Places by the Way of Carlisle, shall pay an higher Rate of Postage than if the same had passed through Edinburgh, to or from Glasgow; and that no Letter or Packet, passing to or from Edinburgh, or any intermediate Places in England and Scotland, North of London, shall be subject to an higher Rate of Postage than seven Pence for a single Letter, and so in Proportion.

III. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That no Letter or Packet, together with the Contents thereof, shall be taxed or rated at an higher Rate of Postage, according to the Rates and Duties granted by any former Act or Acts of Parliament, or by this present Act, than as a treble Letter, unless the same shall be one Ounce in Weight; and that all Letters and Packets of the Weight of one Ounce shall be rated as four single Letters, and so in Proportion for every Quarter of an Ounce above the Weight of one Ounce, reckoning each Quarter of an Ounce as a single Letter.

IV. And for the Prevention of Frauds on the Revenue, by the Importation into this Kingdom, in Letters or Packets sent by the Post, of Goods which are prohibited to be imported, or on the Importation of which a Duty is payable; be it further enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act, whenever any foreign Letter or Packet, containing any Inclosure, shall be received at any of the Offices of the General Post Office, it shall and may be lawful for any of the Officers employed in the said Office to carry such Letter or Packet to any Justice of Peace, or other Magistrate for the Town, District, or County, in which such Office shall be situate, and to make Oath before such Magistrate, that he suspects the same to contain Goods which are prohibited to be imported, or on the Importation of which a Duty is payable; and it shall then be lawful for him, in the Presence of the said Magistrate, to cut with a Penknife in and through the Folds of the said Letter or Packet, and its Inclosure or Inclosures, one Opening or Slit not exceeding two Inches in Length; and if it shall then appear to the said Magistrate that any such Goods as aforesaid are contained therein, he shall proceed forthwith to open the said Letter or Packet, and shall immediately, in Presence of the said Officer, destroy such Goods; and in such Case, the Magistrate shall inclose such Letter or Packet in a Cover, in which shall be written an Attestation signed by him, containing the Name of the Officer by whom such Letter or Packet shall have been brought to him, the Time of its being so brought, and the Quantity and Description of the Goods found therein, and attesting that the same were then by him destroyed, and shall deliver the said Letter or Packet so inclosed, and also sealed by him, to the said Officer, to be by him forwarded to the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, who shall, on the Receipt thereof, cause to be paid to the said Officer any Sum not exceeding five Pounds, nor less than ten Shillings.

V. And be it further enacted, That if, on making such Opening as aforesaid in such Letter or Packet, no such Goods shall be found therein, the said Magistrate shall then inclose the same in a Cover, with an Attestation signed by him, that the Opening in such Letter or Packet was made in his Presence, and shall deliver the same, sealed up, to the said Officer, to be transmitted by the ordinary Course of the Post to the Person or Persons to whom such Letter or Packet shall have been directed when it was received at the Post Office: Provided always, That no additional Postage shall be charged on any such Letter or Packet in consequence of these Proceedings, nor shall any Letter or Packet be detained thereby beyond the due and regular Course of the Post, except in Cases of the most urgent Necessity.

VI. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing herein-before contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to alter, or in anywise to affect the Rates or Sums to be paid for Letters or Packets passing by the Carriage called The Penny Post.

VII. And whereas, notwithstanding the several Provisions made in an Act passed in the fourth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for preventing Frauds and Abuses in relation to the sending and receiving of Letters and Packets free from the Duty of Postage, divers Persons have presumed to counterfeit the Hand-writing, and otherwise fraudulently to make use of the Names of Members of Parliament in the Superscription of Letters and Packets sent by the Post, with Intent to avoid Payment of the Duty of Postage; in order therefore to put the more effectual Stop to these Frauds and Abuses, be it further enacted, That, from and after the End of this present Session of Parliament, so long as the Revenue arising in the General Letter Office, or Post Office, or Office of Postmaster General shall continue to be carried to, and made Part of, the Aggregate Fund, no Letter or Packet, sent by the Post from any Place whatsoever within the Kingdom of Great Britain, directed by any Member of either the two Houses of Parliament of Great Britain, shall be exempted from paying the Duty of Postage according to the Rates established by the several Acts of Parliament now in Force, and by this present Act, unless the whole Superscription upon every Letter or Packet so sent shall be of the Hand-writing of the Member directing the same, and shall have indorsed thereon the Name of such Member, together with the Name of the Post Town from which the same is intended to be sent, and the Day, Month, and Year, when the same shall be to be put into the Post Office, the Day of the Month to be in Words at Length, and the Whole to be of the Hand-writing of the Member; and also unless every such Letter or Packet shall be put into the General Post Office, or other Post Office, or into any receiving House or Place appointed by his Majesty's Postmaster General for the Receipt of Letters and Packets to be forwarded by the Post, on the Day of the Date put upon such Letter or Packet; and no Letters or Packets directed to any Member of either of the Two Houses of Parliament of Great Britain shall be exempted from paying the Duty of Postage, unless such Letters and Packets as shall, during the Sitting of any Session of Parliament, or within forty Days before, or forty Days after any Summons or Prorogation of the same, be directed to any such Member at the Place where he shall actually be at the Time of the Delivery thereof, or at his usual Place of Residence in London, or at the House of Parliament, or the Lobby of the House of Parliament, of which he is a Member.

VIII. And be it enacted, That the several Persons who, by virtue of any Act or Acts of Parliament, are authorised in Right of their respective Offices and Employments, to send and receive Letters free from the Duty of Postage, and their Successors in such Offices and Employments, shall and may, during their Continuance in such Offices and Employments, respectively send and receive Letters and Packets free from the Duty of Postage, in the same Manner, and under such Restrictions, as any Member of either House of Parliament may send and receive the same in pursuance of this Act; and shall and may respectively send and receive Votes, Proceedings in Parliament, and printed Newspapers, free from the Duty of Postage, in such and the like Manner as any Member of either House of Parliament may send and receive the same: Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to the Delivery of Letters or Packets sent or conveyed by the Carriage called The Penny Post.

IX. And be it further enacted, That if any Person whatsoever shall, from and after the End of this present Session of Parliament, forge or counterfeit the Hand-writing of any Person whatsoever, in the Superscription of any Letter or Packet to be sent by the Post, in order to avoid the Payment of the Duty of Postage, or shall forge, counterfeit, or alter, or shall procure to be forged, counterfeited, or altered, the Date upon the Superscription of any such Letter or Packet, or shall write and send by the Post, or cause to be written and sent by the Post, any Letter or Packet, the Superscription or Cover whereof shall be forged or counterfeited, or the Date upon such Superscription or Cover altered, in order to avoid the Payment of the Duty of Postage, knowing the same to be forged, counterfeited, or altered; every Person so offending, and being thereof convicted in due Form of Law, shall be deemed guilty Felony, and shall be transported for seven Years.

X. And be it further enacted, That the several Rates and Duties herein-before granted shall be paid, from Time to Time, into the Hands of the Receiver General for the Time being of the Post Office, who shall pay out of such Rates and Duties (the necessary Charges of collecting, paying and accounting for the same being first deducted) the full, clear, and intire weekly Sum of two thousand three Pounds, of lawful Money of Great Britain, into the Receipt of the Exchequer, for the Purposes in Act mentioned, upon Tuesday in every Week, if it be not an Holiday, and if it be, then upon the next Day that is not an Holiday, as one Week shall successively and immediately follow and succeed another; the first of the said weekly Payments to begin and be made on Tuesday the thirtieth Day of November, thousand seven hundred and eighty-four; and in case the Rates and Duties hereby granted shall not be sufficient to answer the said weekly Payments hereby directed to be made, that then and so often the Deficiency and Deficiencies thereof shall be supplied and made good out of the whole Receipt of the Rates and Duties of Postage; and in case the Rates and Duties hereby granted shall be more than sufficient to answer the said weekly Payments, that then, and so often as it shall so happen, the Overplus shall be appropriated and applied to such and the same Uses as the present Rates and Duties of Postage are respectively now by Law made applicable.

XI. And, to the End the said weekly Sum of two thousand three hundred Pounds may be made a Fund or Security for the Purposes herein expressed; be it further enacted, That there shall be provided and kept, in the Office of the Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer, a Book or Books, in which all the Monies which shall be paid in weekly as aforesaid, for or upon Account of the said Rates and Duties, shall be entered separate, apart, and distinct from all other Monies paid and payable to his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, upon any Account whatsoever; and the said weekly Payments shall be a Fund for the Payment of the several Annuities and all such other Charges and Expences as are directed to be paid and payable, pursuant to an Act of this present Session of Parliament, intituled, An Act for raising a certain Sum of Money by way of Annuities, and for establishing a Lottery.

XII. And be it further enacted, That if any Person or Persons shall at any Time or Times be sued, molested, or prosecuted, for any Thing by him or them done or executed in pursuance of this Act, or of any Clause, Matter, or Thing herein contained, such Person and Persons shall and may plead the General Issue, and give the Special Matter in Evidence for his or their Defence; and if upon Trial a Verdict shall pass for the Defendant or Defendants, or the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs shall become nonsuited, then such Defendant or Defendants shall have Treble Costs awarded to him or them against such Plaintiff or Plaintiffs.