OCR Text |
Show OWNERSHIP OF A LETTER H Missive Dots Not Belona to Piraon t Whom It Is Snt Until Oellversd, Under the postal regulations aal Uie rulings of the highest courts of tho United SUtea a lotter does not be- fl long to the person to whom It la sent m fl until It .la delivered to him. Tho writ- " er has a right to reclaim and regal possession of It, provldod ho cam provo to tho satisfaction of tho post- master at tho office from which It waa sent that he was tho wrltor of It. Even aftor the lotter has arrived at fl tho offlco which Is Its destination, and KVfl befdro It has been dollvorod to tho porson to whom It is addressed, it may bo recalled by tho wrltor by tele- graph through tho mailing offlco. BMfl Tho regulations or tho postofllco do-pnrtnicnt do-pnrtnicnt of courso require that tho utmost caro ahull bo taken by tho postmaster at tho ofllco of mailing to ascertain that tho person who destroa to withdraw tho lotter Is really tho one who Is entitled to do so, and tho postmaster Is responsible for his or-ror or-ror If ho dollvers the lotter to tho lm- poster or an unauthorized person. Tho vital principle) In our political systom lies nt tho bottom of this mat-tor. mat-tor. In this country tho stato Is tho servant or agent of tho citizen not his master. It remains moroly hit agent throughout tho transmission of a letter. Tho state may proscrlbo reg- --H ulations under which its own ser-vants ser-vants may carry a niesBngo for tbo cltlzon, but It cannot shirk Its rospon-slbility rospon-slbility to him. |