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To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:
The undersigned, citizens of the United States, residing in the county ofPikein the state ofOhio, respectfully represent the great inequality now prevailing in the rates of postage on newspapers, the smallest being chargeable with the highest rates.
Whereas, the principle of size and weight is now adopted in the laws of the United States as the basis of post-office charges; and, whereas, newspapers not exceeding 1900 square inches are chargeable at the rate of 1 cent for 100 miles, and 11/2 cents for all greater distances, if without the state in which they are published; your petitioners would urge the importance of reducing said charges at least ONE HALF on all papers not containing more than 500 square inches.
Your petitioners represent that, within a few years past, numerous juvenile papers have sprung up in different sections of the United States, for the instruction of the young in science, morals, and religion, which papers are now extensively patronized by children, who, notwithstanding these papers are usually not one quarter the size or weight allowed by law, have to pay on them the same postage that is charged on the largest sheets that pass through the mails. Besides the manifest injustice of this regulation, your petitioners represent that many thousands of children and youth are deterred from subscribing to these useful papers solely by the comparatively excessive postage chargeable on the small sheets they desire to obtain.
A reduction, therefore, of postage, in favor of juvenile newspapers of small dimensions, would not only tend greatly to diffuse knowledge and piety, the bulwarks of our national prosperity, but would increase the revenues of the post-office department.
For an immediate and proportionate reduction of postage, therefore, on all newspapers not containing more than 500 square inches, your petitioners respectfully and urgently pray.
NAMES. NAMES.
S C Philley
Jacob Row J H Johnson
Andrew Deemer Adam Olinger
Reason S Chenoweth John Kent
[Linus?] Granson
John. M. Mitchell Albert McCollister
James R. Hibbins George W. Corn
George Miller Miller
Robert McClean Wm [?]
Richard Ellington
Wm Howard Wm. T. Barnes.
Jacob Hoover
John Butt Theodore James Scott
J. G. Shultz. Samuel Berry
J. Shelton WmX Howard Jnr.
John Carrolus James Lewis
Columbus Hise George. Bissell
James M [Barye?] Alex. Haldane
Samuel Jorden John M Galbraith
Thomas Daugherty Isaac Watts
Wm Ellington John Davis
James James Alex Bull
John Giblin Alex. B. Deemer
Washington. M. Davis Thomas Howard.
Clemmensious Davis
Micheal [Striteberger?] Rufus H Renoud
Isaac P Springer C. L. Stratton
Jeremiah Anstill Lorenzo Stratton
John Gicklor J. C. Shepherd
Lewis May J. Q Branson
Georg Nun
Charles Gross.
<Page 2>
PAID.
CINCINNATI. O.
DEC 29
3Rev. John MitchellWaverly,PikeOhio
[ docketing ]
Ohio
Petition of Jacob Row, and 57 others, Citizens of ^Pike^ Pike County Ohio, praying a reduction of Postage on all news papers, not containing more than 500 square inches:
[ docketing ]
Referred to the Committee on Post office & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
January 25, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post office & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Mr. Taylor.
[ docketing ]
William A Jones
[ docketing ]
Waverly [Co?]
Jay 20
Hon John L TaylorHouse of RepresentativesWashington City

Partially Printed Document Signed, 2 page(s), RG 233, Entry 367: Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to Committees, 1847-1849, NAB,