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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 Wayne in the state of Michigan , 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.
Wm Phelps A G B F [Loud?]
Elias. W. Jones C, C, Nichols
Joseph I Perry [J, N?], Wheaton
Charles Wheeler Wm Champ
James W Ackerman
Peter, M, McNoah J W Ingersoll
R Roby R. P. McDowell.
Charles Tryon [George?] McKinsie
S. C. Robinson Wm J D[?]
L L. Farnsworth Dean Swift
Thos Armstrong
H M. Perin W [Davis?]
M. P. Stewart N, S, Coon
Charles Lee E Shepard
James Vaux Thomas Williams
John Lamb Edward Thomas
Geo Blakester James Mappelbeck
A, W, Kidd W Sutton
L M Richmond G. P. Whiting
John Kelley George Lamb
Wm W. Crundall Jesse [Beard?]
Alfred Lyman M J [Baun?]
H. Morgan E Bondels;
William O Sabine John Tyler Jr
Freeland Garretson James Robinson
James Padfield Robert Wilson
Zach Wilson J J Garrison
Henry Richards Geo Winter
Elisha Bird [J M?] H Crane
E, P, Worden William R Edwards
Lucius O, Fuller John S Goodman
J M Kidd W. B, [?]
P Hollister E, C, Morse
Jas G. Crane J W McKenzie
Wm B Hildreth M, M, Davis
Denis Daly John Sutherland
M McFaden M. W. Richardson
Wm J, Patterson B C Pratt
R N Glas
G Garretson Wm M A[?]
Francis, [P?], Beufait Jno S. Holden
Alex Foster Geo Bean
C. P. Holmes Benjamin Jones
P Mc[Gannis?] Cyrus Clump
S [Gun?] Daniel [Castiton?]
John Ask William Watson
D. W. Fiske Samuel Edmund[s?]
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L & C Blanchard
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Mich
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Memorial of Wm Phelps & ^90^ other citizens of Wayne county Michigan praying a reduction of postage on juvenile newspapers
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

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,