Your petitioners, citizens of the County of Scott State of Illinois, represent, as they have often heretofore fruitlessly done, that they are without their due and just proportion of Mail Facilities. The County of Scott lies upon the Illinois River, comprises an area of about six townships or 216 square miles, with about 1400 voters and over 7000 inhabitants, an intelligent, reading, industrious community. The county seat, Winchester, is 10 miles from the river, some 22 miles north easterly from Carrolton in Greene County, 16 miles from Jacksonville in Morgan county. Most of the inhabitants of the county receive their mail at Winchester; and for this they depend upon a semi-weekly mail running between Louisiana Mo & Jacksonville; and as the important mail for this region comes by way of St Louis, it passes through a corner of the county about eight miles from the county seat, goes on to Jacksonville and there lies over till brought here by the Louisiana Mail, this occasions, two, three and some times more days delay in the Mail for Winchester, and when obstructions occur at the Illinois River, which is frequently the case, weeks intervene, to the very great discomfiture of the community and specially of the Town of Winchester.2 Said Town contains 800 inhabitants, has 10 dry Goods Stores, two Drugs & Chemicals two " Groceris, Six establishments for the manufacture of Stone-ware, three Steam Mills, two Water Mills, seven Smith’s Shops, carriage makers Harness makers, Patent Circular Saw Mill manufacturer, & all other mechanical business in proportion, also two pork-Packing establishments, Scarcely any inland town of its size transacts the amount & variety of business, that is done in & through the town of Winchester. Yet we have appealed and appealed in vain for adequate & proportional mail accommodations. Your petitioners are well aware that it would not be consistent with a proper policy on the part of the Government to create additional facilities if the whole benefit terminated upon the town of Winchester; but your petitioners conceive that an arrangement can be made, by which they can be accommodated in connexion with other places without being partial to any section:

The plan they propose is to have a line of four Horse Post coaches run between Jacksonville ^& St Louis^ so as to make between those places six trips per week, and dividing the route at Carrolton or White-Hall in Green County (as may be deemed most advisable) So that three trips per-week shall be made via Winchester from St Louis to Jacksonville & vice versa, & three upon the present route.

About one year ago Messers[Messieurs] “Hinton & Co.” made this arrangement and run till the company failed, only a few Weeks; but they reported good profits in passenger line during the time they run as there is much communication between this & St Louis and when the river is closed, as it is in the winter, the travel is all done through the stage line if running, & even when the river is not closed many prefer the Stage on account of the uncertainty of boats. Your petioners therefore entertain the hope that their wishes will find favor with your Hon. body and that the arrangement proposed will be made permanent. By effecting this the Louisiana mail may terminate at Winchester instead of going to Jacksonville & thus cut 16 miles off from that route.

The accompanying plat will give your Hon body a correct idea of the proposed route & enoble[enable] you to understand the prayer of your petitioners more clearly & they as in duty bound will pray as long as necessary but hope this will be their last prayer on this subject.

Your Petitioners, citizens of Illinois request your Honorable body to establish a Daily mail Line of Four Horse Post Coaches between St Louis and Jacksonville, to run tri-weekly through Winchester, and tri-weekly on the present route.