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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 Cambria in the state of Pennsylvania, 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 prosperit[y?], 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.
Joseph Shaw Samuel Good
Tobias Hammer
James Purse Cyrus L. Pershing
George W Osbon
Edward Irwin D. B. Wakefield
Isaac Parker Jno Henderson
John Debet
Joseph D. Walker Geo Pennington
Timothy Hunt Mathius Copelin
Charles Ellis
John Dybert Jr Wm L Shryock
Andw J. Eckels Thos McKee
A S Copelin John Phillips
Edmund Bell
Wm McKee Jacob Reilly
R B. Linton Henry Hunt
A. Bosserman Jacob Ritter
John Amsbaugh Jonathan Bowen
Henry Saylor Steele S. Williams
Lewis Miller
James Potts Robt H. Canan
David Simpson
George. Mitchell John J Homer
Geo. W Munson
G W Swan[?] Jno Flanagan
S. H. Smith [A G?]
Thomas States J. G. Lucas
G Nelson Smith
Jacob Hamilton John Crouse
Samuel Lang
A F Rogers Isaac C. Singer
Henry [?]oughmon
Jacob H[orner?] Cyrus Riley
Sam L Gorgas
J S Kiel
J. A. Loughrey
Jacob Ringhard
Alexander Cover
Wm Loughry
M. F. Marshall
Christian Snyder
Saml Douglass Jacob Mathers
E. A. Vickroy
William Shaw Samuel Swan
Henry Vuatzer Alex Royer
James A. M. Young
Walter. S. Eason
Andrew Spr[aul?]
E Roberts
<Page 2>
CINCINNATI. O.
DEC
31
3
PAID
[Rev?] Joseph Shaw Johnstown Pa
[ docketing ]
Penny
[ docketing ]
Petition of Joseph Shaw, Tobias Hammer & 71 others, citizens of Cambria County in the state of Pennsylvania setting forth the inequality in the rates of Postage on newspapers, and praying a reduction of Postage on all newspapers not containing more than 500. square inches.
[ docketing ]
February 2, 1848 Referred to the committee on the Post office & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Febry 1848 Refer to Committee on Post Office & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Mann
[ docketing ]
Feby [?] 1848
Refer to Committee on Post office & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
29
[?]
162
18
[?]70

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