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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 Dutchess in the state of New 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.
H. Humphreys Jeremiah Clearwater
W H Stilwell Robert Hastings
Alex. H. Howe Geo P Farrington
C Canfield. Edward Farrington
S. Bullock William T. Patten
S. Dean William L [Traverse?]
Isaac H. Traver Joshua Dunkin
Joel. O. Holmes David Vosburg
David H Vanderburgh William [Hill?]
Isaac Udell William Edson
J Bowen Erastus ^L^ Van Vliet
Jarvis Vail John B. Duncan
Welcome S, Place Samuel Edson
Abram Purdy CIRCULAR. W. M. Velie
H P Holmes Charles Drake
Richard Grant William Hart jun
Samuel Holmes John C Marsh
Jacob E. Mett Barnet Degroff
Lewis S Hart J G Lucas
John B Lockwood
[F?] S. Flagler Elias. Brown
Isaac F Collins John F Baker
George R Wood Gardner, P. Houghton
P. F. DuBois Carson Baxter
Wm Lynch Wm Burkins
Gilbert H Ingraham
John Birch Chas S Lucas
Joseph S Jones William L. Dies
Alfred Martin
Isaac Holmes
Owen Ward Theodorus Brown
John J Storms John Hastings
John O VanAmburgh C, H, Degroff
James Mullen.
Minard Dean Richard Van Benschoten
Collins Peters John Moe
William Thorn Jacob Coles
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N.Y.
Memorial of H. Humphreys and 69 others citizens of Dutchess in the State of New York praying a reduction of postage in favor 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

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,