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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 Suffolk1 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.
NAMES. NAMES.
Francis A. Steele Chas M, [Calvin?]
Joseph G Burt Abraham C. Paine
Nathan Brown
John Frederick Francis H. P. [?]
George Frost Joseph E Brown
[F T McCready?] John [Barneseale?]
Thomas Hills E, Ryder jr
Horatio W Snow C, L, Thiery
Hugh Craig Saml S Smith
S. [Roucht?] Nahum Boland
J, B, Hollis T C Wheeler
Chas [Waite?] H Brigham
Martin Hall Wm Henry Gardner
E P Smith James W Francis
P W Case E Spaulding
John Moore M Ayers
W. B. Merrill F T Stover
Wm J Bemis Henry Williams
John W Gove John Stockbridge
Winter S Coverly Stephen Titcomb
George O [Glover?] Nelson Winch
E Phelps Epaphras [Summer?]
Francis J Rice Chas McAllistor
David H Pilton James Dunn
Lewis Vinal J Shannon
Seth Johnson Barton Field
Tristram Strong Alva Smith
Ezra Spring
Stephen Jones Timothy Wilson
Seth Hall Walter Phelps
James Y Gleason Alfred J Drake
Enoch Young
Henry Stover Chas Alfred. Cutting
Stillman Watrous Justin Hart
Eugene Clough Martin Jacobs
George Benson Moses Flint
David Pike Martin George
T S Armstrong Milton Davis
Moses Foster Henry W Mixer
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Mass
Memorial of Francis A. Steele and 74 other citizens of Suffolk county in the State of ^Massachusetts^ New York praying a reduction of postage on juvenile newspapers
[ docketing ]
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
1“Middlesex” changed to “Suffolk”.

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,