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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 Cass in the state of Indianah , 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.
William Craven George. W. Train
Gilbert Smith D. H Conrad
Lester, P, Sutherland
Isaac Conrad Michael Cook
Andrew J Conrad Peter Miller
John s Conrad Joseph [?]
Joseph McIntosh J M White
Samuel Doge Batley White
David. S. Chesnut Geog Frashouse
Otho. W. Conrad B L Campbell
Aaron S Briley
John H White Cyrus Enyart
John Murphy P. Z. Johnson
W, H, Johnson George Brown
Thos [G?] Rutter
J, Harvey Tucker
[Joseph C Calhoun?] Peter Doyle
John Bockover J. J. Ganson
Samuel [Dillinger?] J, Evans
John vankirk William Brown
John [?] Edmund Edward
Robert [Ganson?]. Ira, S, Miller
John Ward Wm Barr
John W Sutherland J. P. McCarty
Thomas [McMillen?] John [Gosst?]
Samuel Gingrich [Hay?] [?]
John Davis Y S Wilson
Samuel [Surgest?] John Bliss
W, R, Church A H. Ellsworth
L T, Sutherland Jacob H Johnson
Samuel Bosworth Geo. P. Smith
Charles Sutherland
Zera Sutherland Jas M Buchanan
Geo. Vaneman.
John Harrison H Bliss
Anderson Skinner William [Donovan?]
A J Richardson Wiley Adington
Leonard Sutherland Eli, P, Conrad
Paul Burk W. [Cruse?]
A. Keys Daniel Holley
W, Brown William R Neff
J R Johnson A R Burley
Wm W [Hamm?] John M Ewing
J C Enos [J Cullertson?]
G W Blakemore Jno. G. Douglas
D J Tiffany Lawson Bruce
Jas M Warren Benj, M, Peters
Israel Johnson John [P?] Keep
Wm L Wolf
C, D, Wood
<Page 2>
PAID
[CINCINNATI O.?]
DEC [?] 3Mr Wm CravenLogansportCass CoIn
[ docketing ]
Indiana
[ docketing ]
Petition of Wm Craven & 91 other citizens of Cass Co Inda praya the reduction of postage on small Newspapers
[ docketing ]
February 2, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post office and Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Cathcart
[ docketing ]
[W M Foo—Zena?]
[Ro?]

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,