Dead letters. Letters to Members of Parliament. Overcharged letters

To all Postmasters.

HEREWITH you will receive a supply of Forms relating to the London Missent and Dead Letters, &c. for the Quarter ending the 10th of October next, and also some blank Receipts, in which you are to specify the Sum you will allow upon overcharged Letters, though you will always endeavour to obtain the Covers, as the Receipts are to be used only, when the Covers cannot be spared.

In future you will insert the Amount of the overcharged Covers directed to Members of Parliament, separately from the others, agreeably to the Form No. 3.

By the 10th Article of Instructions, you will observe, that Members of Parliament can receive free such Letters only as are sent from Places within the Kingdom of Great-Britain, and that they must pay the full Postage on all others; you will therefore be particularly attentive to this part of your Instructions, and when you make Rebates upon Covers charged to Members of Parliament, (in case the Members should object to write "Received by me") you are to write on the Front with Red Ink, "delivered to the Member," in order that it may be known here, and at the same time to prevent, as much as possible, any Abuse of this Revenue, by Letters being received free in the absence of the Member to whom they are addressed.

I am also to request that you will be very careful in making Rebates, upon overcharged Letters, especially upon such as are marked with the Crown Stamp, (which you will observe on this Letter,) as you can at all times be satisfied by a cursory view of the Contents, whether the claim is just, before you make an allowance.

I am, Your assured Friend,
ANTHONY TODD, Sec.