menu


To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:
The undersigned, citizens of the United States, residing in the county of Huron in the state of Ohio , 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 1½ 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.
B[a?]najah Furlong Smith Stan Jonathan Huestis
F. D. Collins Winston Fay N. B. Barnes
W. D. Collins
O P Furlong A M Kenney Henry Knapp
Philo Stevenson Major Smith
A. D Howe
S G Barnum Peter Stan Levi Hunter
Thomas James John K Lucas Sluman S. Cartwright
E M Bar[nard?] John Kelly. H H Shaw
Smith S Gra[y?] John Hough Chauncey Shaw
John Hayes Charles Floyd Eli S[?]ley
E S Hamlin A. P. Jones
H Hamlin S. H. Gibson Lance C Norton
A Hamlin C Rowland Andrew M [Miller?]
Isaac Scott S. D. Gray Abram Yeaman
Ephraim Day Willard Dodge
Saml Hasted
William Deleny John Morgan
Levi Gifford Aaron Rowland
Starr Hoyt Ezra Edwards
Dewitt. G. Wilson Jas L Gregory
George. H. Signor Hiram H Rowley
R[oppy?] Starr Henry Boyd
Joseph S. [Barnum?] Collins Hendrickon
Eli Benjamin Andrew Daniels
H. W. Manley James Seeley
D. Henry Saliss Joseph G Wash[berry?] Andrew Fraser
Wm Bassett [E?] D Tyler
Jason Wing
H. Johnson Jr H B[?]
F. J. Coburn G W Cleveland
Isaiah P[?]t Jacob Signor
Wm Buna Nehemiah Tucker
A Buna Seth Cooley
Elon A Stow Edwin Livermore
Henry P Tyler
J. J. Cobb [?] Stephenson
Hiran Haris David Stevenson
Daniel Bills Henry W Stevenson
Joseph Smith Martin Pulver
H Pearse Andrew Stevenson
Geo B[und?] William Knopp
Royal H Tyler James thell
A. W. Seger Benj Hill
A. G. Furlong
N [?] Tyler J. T. Star
Platt Saxton B. Cooper 2d
<Page 2>
PAID
CINCIN[NATI. O.?]
DEC
29
3Rev J Huestes Clarksfield Huron Ohio
[ docketing ]
Post Ohio
[ docketing ]
Petition of Citizens of Huron County Ohio for reduction of postage on Newspapers
[ docketing ]
Post office & P. R
[ docketing ]
January 31. 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post office and Post Roads.
[ docketing ]
Root
[ docketing ]
Root

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