menu


To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled: —
The undersigned, citizens of the United States, residing in the county ofSt. Lawrencein 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.
Rodrick Starkes Joel Brooks
Anson Richardson Marcus Brooks
Jesse Rigley
Ezekiel Starkes Charles M Johnson
John Richardson
Aaron Cleveland Franklin Hawkins
Levi Witheral Franklin Benton
Amos Smith Jr Joseph Benton
[?] Palmer
10.Jacob S Vrooman T. F. Healy
Darius Lobdell
E. A. Leonore Thomas Davenport
Peleman Starkes 10.Nelson Basset
[Henry?] Bassett Wm Beldin
Rufus Bassett Isac Read
Tyler Martin John Mathews
Ira Brooks
Truman Barns Terry C. [Barns?]
Ezekiel Hodges C H Drury
Osgood Hinkley Eleazer Squiel
Daniel Woodcock
Elijah Crane David Bartee
Lester Crane [Parletsin?] Brown
Oltas C Cole Laban Brown
Simon Smith William Hinkley
Asa Smith George Wels
Elijah N. Clark John Sterling
Henry A Gray [Denton?] Johnson
Cooper Brooks William Richard
Mills Tuttle Hirman Bartlett
Anson Nickerson John [H?] Crab
Isaac [Trewsy?] Simon Putin
H. Foote Daniel I Gray
James Smith
L. W. Sanford David Nickerson
E. Miner Julius Banker
N. Pratt Simon Smith Jun
Harman Bennett Leonard Smith
Benjamin Squire James H. Smith
Horace Barber [Stitebev?] Hoshey
Chas Wheeler E E Post
Wm Barber John A Paine
H. N. Wilkinson H. A. Post
John F Elmur O Van Allen
Eason Bacheller J Chamberlain
Helon Pratt Jas Hutchinson
Ramsom C Mallory T. H Conkey
Simon Moody Thomas Champlin
N. P. Matthews
Russell S Hill J. H. Bartholomew
E. W. Bullis Truman Bullis
E. C. Page George S Ames
C Cook E C Brown
James Lurlis E. C. Goff
Daniel Mack William Young
Harry Smith Wm C Cooke
James R Conkey Ira A Hosley
F Squire A. O. Brown
Hugh Miller James Haley
S. [D Moody?] Wm Blanchard
Joseph Francis B F. Clark
A S Robinson J. E. Clark
William. V. Flack F. J. Hutchinson
Orville [Ruge?] John Cobb
Phineas Smith Wm Lawrence
Alfred [?] Herman Foote
L S Washburn N B Sheldon
D. A. Raymond. D A Baxter
[?] Reynolds Ira Town
Alfred Clark Joseph Annis
Abram Terry Braddock Dunham Jr
Jacob Brown M. T Tuttle
George Bridge Leander Clark
I Stow Truman Gaige
Stukeley Westcott S E [Battolph?]
O W Judd Elijah Smith
R A Barber
T. W. Olin
Benjamin Olin Jun Thos Fenton
William A. Eldridge C E Barrett
J. S. Barber T H Bennett
William Gurley C E Besword
Daniel A Olin John Westcott
Daniel H Broeffle Graton Fenton
Reuben Barker Cornelius Q Olin
Joseph M Olin Joseph Olin
John Shaulding Benga Minn Olin
Cyrus Smith Wm M Olin
George Conkey Pall W Bigalow
Alvin Pierce Alonson White
Geo. S. Olin Silas W Bigalow
Michael Clemons Richard F. Harison
T. D. Olin James Bennett
William Bowhall George Bennett
Demarkais. Bowhall
Henry Wells Joseph Barnes
Asa Beldin J B Livingston
Alex McKoster George H Simmons
Zera Brooks
Wm [Allison?] Sylvenas Stiles
Chas C Chase David Hisok
Samuel Livinston James Groudy
[Bernard?] Money
Charles Adams
Jeremiah Austin
Daniel M [Kenzie?]
J. D. Cumming
Lorenzo Fenton
<Page 2>
[ docketing ]
NY
Memorial of Roderick Starkes and 197 other citizens of the county of St. Lawrence N.Y. praying a reduction of postage on juvenile newspapers.
[ docketing ]
Presented by
[ docketing ]
February 8, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post office & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Murphy
<Page 3>
NEW-YORK
DEC 23
PAID
3. cts.Mr Joel BrooksCantonSt. LawN.Y.

Partially Printed Document Signed, 3 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,