To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled: —
The undersigned, citizens of the United States, residing in the county of Hampden in the state of Massachusetts , 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.
Springfield Jan 12th 1848| NAMES. | NAMES. |
| Daniel Proctor | |
| Harvey Danks | Wm Foster |
| [Danor Reoiot?] | |
| Rufus Chandler | George G Saunders |
| George Tobey | John N White |
| [ |
|
| Nathl Howard | Wm Allport |
| G. W. Chamberlin | William B Richmond |
| Harris B Johnson | Edward, A, May |
| S S Holmes | |
| Simeon P Graves | Dexter Howard |
| John, K. Crosby | B. Abbott |
| James Wilson | Nathaniel Whiting |
| David Day | |
| David Brown | |
| John Hamilton |
CIRCULAR.
The above style of petition has been agreed upon by the Editors and Publishers of
[leading juvenile?] [periodicals and] . . .
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Mass
Memorial of Harvey Danks and 24 other citizens of Hampden county in the State of Massachusetts praying a reduction of postage on juvenile newspapers
Memorial of Harvey Danks and 24 other citizens of Hampden county in the State of Massachusetts praying a reduction of postage on juvenile newspapers
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February 8, 1848, Referred to the Committee on the Post office & 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,