To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:
DEC 31
3Jas Harrison &. CoBellvilleSt ClairIll
The undersigned, citizens of the United States, residing in the county of St Clair in the state of Illinois , 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. |
| T Harrison | Theod. J. Krafft |
| C N Poston | S. B. Chandler |
| J. J. Thomas | Wm McClintock |
| John Geiger | T. Hinckley |
| H. G. Harrison | Nathl Heily |
| Wm M Harrison | Richard Hay |
| T [Fultz?] | Joel H Randleman |
| Charles Sargent | C. G. Y. Taylor |
| H. F. Stinde | Saml Elliott |
| E. C. Rettinghouse | H T Marfield |
| A [Peasoman?] | T. H. West |
| John Ward | T W McBride |
| Wm D Moore | R. P Hughes |
| [D?] Surre | |
| T. J. Hinckley | Benj H West |
| V. Green | Robert Dawson |
| John G Hawkins | |
| Henry Johnson | B. I. West |
| John Wright | [Tilgh?]. H. West |
| T A Harrison | Lee Hughs |
| Peter Rauschkolb | Chas. Owens. |
| Aaron G Carrh | D. H. Murray |
| Leonard Merker | James Adams |
| F Settle | Jacob Fouthe |
| James Affleck | |
| James. L. Mitchell | A J Miller |
| A. Neighbors | Edwd W. Dill. |
| D Blackwell | |
| R G. Affleck | C. Ball |
| B. W. Davis | Wm H Wood |
| B Morton | C Coghlan |
| James. L. Davis | M. A. Green |
| Wm Farquer | James Reid |
| Samuel Wood | Felix [Scott?] |
| John Eyman | H R White |
| Abraham Badgley | |
| William J Smith | Wm Moore |
| H. H. West Jr | Henry Carr |
| J N Rentfro | John Woods |
| El. Rettinghouse | |
| Rus: Hinckley | Wm M. Parker |
| F. D. Belcour. | D L Oatman |
| Wesley Johnson | Conrad Bornman |
| Nicholas Bern | Thornton Nash |
| John Davison | Aron. Shook |
| Wm Nash | John H Wilderman |
| Edw B Marshall | Isreal Phillips |
| David Owen | |
| J. Milehill | William Lorey |
| John F. Snyder D. P. M. | Joseph Meyer |
| John [?] | Richard Rapier |
| E Pittmann | Gaspar Lambert |
| Theodor Foerg | Dr. A. Berchelmann |
| Wm S. Van Cleve | Henry Goedekin |
| F. Thoma | |
| Philip H. Tostel | [?] Schmidt |
| Frederick Merrills | Charles Reader |
| A. J. Fearis | Hiram Cottrel |
| Franzes Lido | Orion Fisher |
| Christian [?] | Fedrick Fenex |
<Page 2>
PAID
CINCINNATI. O.DEC 31
3Jas Harrison &. CoBellvilleSt ClairIll
[ docketing
]
Petition of T. Harrison & 111 other Citizens of St Clair Co Ills praying a modification
of the law, charging the same rate of postage on Newspapers without regard to size,
so as to reduce the postage on juvenile newspapers of small demensions.
[ docketing
]
February 7 1848
Refer to Committee on the Post Office & Post Roads
Refer to Committee on the Post Office & Post Roads
[ docketing
]
R Smith
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,