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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 counties1 ofSomerset & Fayettein the state ofPennsylvania, 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 1-2 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.
John Easter Jr T. Foster
Jacob Easter S. Cranford
John Leighty J M Dawson
Alfred Bailes James Black
Wm Endsley A. J. Endsley
J. O. McAuley Jas P Long
David Johnson Lewis F Pershin
James S. Hoch James McCauley
William Willey W. H. H. Richards
Peyton R. [Lides?] Russ. Burnworthy
Ezekiel Collins Luther Collier
Thomas Endsley Jr James Andreas
Isaac Stuck P. J. [Danall?]
James Burton Samuel Holstead
A. J. Willey J W Lynn
Alesser Campbell Thomas Sargent
James [Portmess?] Levi Show
Thomas Burgess
J W Dunham Henry Johnson
Geo J Black
John W. Easter Wm [?]
Samuel[Spears?] John K Tishue
Christian Thomas G. W. Case
Samuel Hall S. C. H. McChesney
Jacob Hoff Albert B Luck
Samul Shipley James Hamilton
James Rush Hamilton T. Easter
William Harden John E. Sargent
Jesse Harden John H Steele
John Bunting
John C Kemp
William Carroll
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NEW-[YORK].
DE[C][?]
5 [cts]Mr John Easter JrSomerfieldSo[merset]Penn[?]
free
Hon. Henry C. MurphyHouse of RepresentativesWashingtonD.C.
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Pa
Memorial of John Easter Jr, J. Foster and fifty seven others citizens of the Counties of Somerset and Fayette in the state of Pennsylvania praying a reduction of postage in favour of juvenile newspapers of small dimensions.
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Presented by H C Murphy
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February 8, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office & Post Roads.
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Murphy
1Printed “county” changed to “counties”

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,