POSTAGE STAMPS. The act of congress, approved March 3, 1847, section 11, and the act of congress of March 3, 1841, sections 3, 4, provide that, to facilitate the transportation of letters in the mail, the postmaster general be authorized² to prepare postage, stamps, which, when attached to any letter or packet, shall be evidence of the payment of the postage, chargeable on such letter. The same sections declare that any person who shall falsely or fraudulently make, utter, or, forge any postage stamp, with the intent to defraud³ the post office department, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment⁴ not exceeding five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. And if any person shall use or attempt to use, in pre-payment of postage, any postage stamp which shall have been used before for like purposes, such person shall be subject, to a penalty of fifty dollars for every such offence, to be recovered in the name of the United States in any court of competent jurisdiction⁵.

POSTEA, practice. Afterwards. The endorsement⁶ on the nisi prius record purporting⁷ to be the return of the judge before whom a cause is tried, of, what has been done in respect of such record. It states the day of trial, before what judge, by name, the cause is tried, and also who is or was an associate of such judge; it also states the appearance of the parties by their respective attorneys, or their defaults; and the summoning and choice of the jury, whether those who were originally summoned, or those who were tales, or taken from the standers by; it then states the finding of the jury upon oath, and, according to the description of the action, and the assessment⁸ of the damages with the occasion thereof, together with the costs.

2. These are the usual matters of fact contained in the postea, but it varies with the description of the action. See Lee's Dict. Postea; 2 Lill. P. R. 337; 16 Vin. Abr. 465; Bac. Use of the Law, Tracts⁹, 127, 5.

3. When the trial is decisive, and neither the law nor the facts can afterwards be controverted¹⁰, the postea is delivered by the proper officer to the attorney of the successful party, to sign his judgment¹¹; but it not unfrequently happens that after a verdict has been given, there is just cause to question its validity, in such case the postea remains¹² in the custody¹³ of the court. Eunom. Dial. 2, 33, p. 116.

POSTERIORES. This term was used by the Romans to denote the descendant in a direct line beyond the sixth degree. It is still used in making genealogical tables.

POSTERIORITY, rights. Being or, coming after. It is a word of comparison, the correlative of which is priority; as, when a man holds lands from two landlords, he holds from his ancient landlord by priority and from the other by posteriority. 2 Inst. 392.

2. These terms, priority and posteriority, are also used in cases of liens¹⁴ the first are prior liens, and are to be paid in the first place; the last are posterior liens, and are not entitled to payment until the former have been satisfied.

POSTERITY¹⁵, descents. All the descendants of a person in a direct line.

POSTHUMOUS¹⁶ CHILD. after the death of its father; or, when the Caesarian operation is performed, after that of the mother.

2. Posthumous children are entitled to take by descent as if they had been born at the time of their deceased ancestor. When a father has made a will without providing for a posthumous child, such a will is in some states, as in Pennsylvania, revoked¹⁷ pro¹ tanto by implication. 4 Kent, Com. 506; Dig. 28, 5, 92; Ferriere, Com. h. t.; Domat, Lois Civiles, part 2 ' liv. 2, t. 1, s. 1: Merl. Rep. h. t.; 2 Bouv. Inst. n. 2158.

POSTILS, postillae. Marginal notes made in a book or writing for reference to other parts of the same, or some other book or writing.