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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 ofMadisonin the state ofNew York, 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.
Oliver Hesler L. E. [Swan?]
L. H. [Humosen?]
Joseph Rancier Isaac Bettinger
L. W. Higley Thos French
Alonzo Bishop
John Colyer P. S. Arndt
Edward Spure H. N. Shute.
Daniel Fulford.
Rev. James Abell. Saml Davis
Joseph Robroth
Job Wells Sidney Brownell
[P?]. Grosbeck Esqr Elijah Anguish
Samuel Jones Joseph [Pearson?]
R. R Walrath Wm H .Walrath
[?] L. Plank [Story?] Fancher
Jacob H Wessel Robert C Morgan
George W Yates William Bateman
Peter Van Valkenburgh
[...?] Edwin Sherwin
A. J. Walrath B. T Adams
Geo Bull L W Trumbull
Edwin Lougee N Trumbull
John W Walrath Edward Walrath
Almon Russell Anson Pierson
John Carter William Russ
William [Nelaskow?] Nicholas [Wooloner?]
A. S. Nichols Andrew Wessel
Frederic Walrath L. D. Dana
Tobias Diet A. Dunbar
Charles Bushnell H. Smith
Thos H. French.
Luther Prosser. Wm H. Plank
Orlando Cushing Franklin P. Maine
Hazard Jones Jas McMullin
A. Landford Samuel J Harns
L. C. T. Leavitt Henry. Watterbury
David Owen Norman Whitney
Andrew [?] Goodall Charles Hague
Harvey Waterbury Joseph B Plank
Prosper Randall R. C. Walrath
Henry V Hull James Hood
Philo Soper O M Yates
Chas Barnard W. B. Van Wagener Jr
Milton Leach
David L Corp James Walrath
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NEW-YORK
DEC 23
PAID
3 cts.[Rev?] Danl FulfordChittenangoN.Y.
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N Y
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Memorial of E. L. Swan and 72 others of Madison Co. N.Y. for reduction of postage
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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
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Jan 1st

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,