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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 of Crawford 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 the 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.
Thos F Johnston Salmon Rowse
[S?]. P. Widman L Prentice
N. C. McFarland Josiah Scott
D. H. Henthorn Wm Hutchison
B. Grant
John Shull James McLean
James McCracken Henry Coats
J. E. Jenett D. R. Lightner.
A. Adams Wm C. Beale
Wm McMichael D [P?] Sheckler
J. [S. Hunch?]
John Smith John [K?]aler Jr
Peter Howenstein J. H. Douglass
Jacob Shank
John Rerquhart J A Gormly
Benjamin Thomas G. [S?]immons
Thomas [?]im[?] Jacob Poundstone
Friedrich Feiring Geo. Quinby
Wm Muller Sr Patterson S Marshall
Levi Sh[?]
Michael Buehl John Picking
John Pittman
A. Failor Jr L W Hall
George Louck
J Hall
Saml Kirkland J. S. Plant
Jas. Clements
John Anderson Saml Smalley
F. [Swingly?] James A Decker
Saml Heinecke
John J Boeman Simon Chandler
Benjamin Myers David Serviss
Daniel Sh[?]ll David [Hoeurs?]
Albert Mo[?]foot Cyrus [Mun?]well
Daniel Smith
Samuel Picking Joel Morse
George L. Ziegler Robert Lee
J. Robinson Wm Rutan
Jacob H Close John Franz
E [Foster?] Alexander Mckean
J C Worden John McKean
Saml R Canon John Young
Alexr Canon Joseph G Curry
Philip Hollinshead [C?]. L. Barnum
Peter Wert
Wm Holmes Ira Baker
Lewis Furney John Miller Jr
Horace G Wetherett
Osborn Monnett
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CINCINN[?]TI. O.
DEC
2[9?]
3
PAID
Meth. Sunday School Bucyrus Crawford Ohio
[ docketing ]
Ohio
[ docketing ]
The Petition of Thos F Johnson and 84 other citizens of Crawford County Ohio praying for a reduction on the of Postage on juvenile newspapers of small dimensions
[ docketing ]
January 31, 1848
Refference to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads
[ docketing ]
R. Dickinson

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