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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 ofColumbiain 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.
John A. Selleck Henry Persons
Jonathan Bixby Jacob Makley
Eliphalet Dimmick Artemas Johnson
Henry PWilliams Abraham A Oakley
Peter A Whitlock Uriah Sarnborgen
Owen Bixby Jonas Lampman
D N Barkeley Henry A Collier
Newton J Reed John Q Johnson
Wm H Converse David S Woodin
William [Post?] Richard A Wheeler
A. E. Bidwell Orson Fuller
Stephen Jones Norman Woolcot
James L Johnson I. P. Dorr
Guyton Wells Norman Sharts
Wm L Ward James Reynolds
Royal Simons Josiah Knapp
John F Davis Martin Haywood
Isaac Nicholson Cornelius G Becker
Pete Becker Abram Becker
Hiram Ward Allen T Foster
John E Harris Seymour Foster
David L Westerer George M Foster
Wm M Hallenbeck John Dibell
John W Knapp William Foster
Peter Shutts John S Groat
Saml Judson Walter Dorchester
Quincy Johnson James Groat
Oliver M Lane Jacob J Silvernail
Hiram S Brown John Judson
Ambrose Austin M. H. Gaines
Edward Williams Willis Dibble
John W. Decker N. C. Tyler
Ephraim Steward Norman White
James R. White George Langdon
William L Johnson Ambrose [Latimer?]
James S Washburn Henry [Seutt?]
[Herrimon?] Wheeler
George Gilbert Elijah Turner
Edgar M Knox Russell G Dorr
John M Albert Winthrop H Phelps
W Fellows H W Munsey
Henry [Shaultis?]
Andrew Emerts
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NEW-YORK
DEC 23
PAID
3 ctsRev J. A. SelleckHillsdale Col,N.Y.
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NY
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Memorial of John A. Silleck and eighty two other citizens of Columbia county in the state of New York, praying a reduction of postage in favor of juvenile newspapers of small dimensions.
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February 8, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads
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Presented by H. C. Murphy
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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,