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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 Portage 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 1 ½ 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.
Hiram Giddings Abijah Corbett
Harvey Tuttle Edwin A Eddy
Joseph Tuttle Jacob Coles
James Davis C SV [Haufield?]
James M [?]
H. H. Millard Lyman Willis
Abel Merwin
Wm B. Daniels Daniel Earle
Wm Hughes William Tuttle
Isaac Coles. T H Gilbert
Alue [?] Stephen Edwards
Cyrus Wright George Willis
James M Church Joseph Minnie
Aaron Lane [Travis?] Lewis
John George Thomas Williams
Enos Boise D. E. Wilson
William Spooner J Haskins
Lyman Peaslee C F Lee
Thomas R Carter S. A Trowbridge
Wm. D Durham Samuel [Beigham?]
Wm Evans John Orwig
James M. [Ober?] Orpheus Hill
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PAID
CINCINNATI. O.
DEC 31
3 Rev J N TuttlePalmyraPortageOhio
[ docketing ]
Ohio
[ docketing ]
Petition of Hiram Giddings and other citizens of Summit ^Portage^ County, ^Ohio^ praying the reduction of Postage one half, on all papers, containing not more than 500 square inches
Presented by J. Crowell
[ docketing ]
February 7. 1848, Referred to the Committee on the Post office and Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Referred to [Comt?] on Post Offices and Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Crowell

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,