To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:
The undersigned, citizens of the United States, residing in the county of grant in the state of Indiana, 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 ½ 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. B. Ruley | David. W. Jones | |
| Aaron Shideler | James. B. Small | |
| Anthony. K. Swisher | Ichabod. Dille | |
| David Moreland | [Jerred?] Hiatt | |
| Alfred. L. Barnard | Francis Fulton | |
| David. C. Lucus | Joseph Johnson | |
| John Pemberton | John Mc’haffy | |
| Pearson Hosier | Thomas Elsbery | |
| Wilson Hosier | William H Sulavan | |
| John Wilson | William Cox | |
| F Isaac. L. Jones | Enos Hollingsworth | |
| Pearson Hosier jun | [Ithamer?] Russell | |
| James. J. Ruley | James Huston | |
| Piner Evans | Moses Adamson | |
| Benjamin P. Wallace | Soloman [T?]. Daily | |
| Levi Johnson | Robert Wilson | |
| Even Benbow | Michael Ritter | |
| Silas Cook | Jacob Ritter | |
| Daniel Hiatt | Henry Carter | |
| William Hodson | Joshuary Kanady | |
| John Russell | Larcan Brooks | |
| Edward Baldwin | Elam Hiatt | |
| T Thomas S Dawson | Abraham Bish | |
| J [?] | David Bates | |
| Daniel Marshall | Ambrose Wright | |
| Stephen Hall | James [Smith?] | |
| Eugene [Mohn?] | [Simon Goldthwit?] | |
| Robert Gilbert | John Carll | |
| J, Brounlee | Wm B [Cubberle?] | |
| Joshua Draper | [John Trotter?] | |
| Asher Kersey | Henry Mcfey | |
| John Gilbert | John morgan | |
| Daniel Frazier | James A, Stretch | |
| George White | Wm. C Miles | |
| Samuel Hodgson | Spencer Brinkley | |
| R. B Jones. | J B Johnson | |
| Wm M Havens | Wm R Webster | |
| Lewis Foster | John Stephens | |
| Wm Fields | ||
| Caleb Morris | William Jones | |
| Samuel Bedell | Wm Brown | |
| Saml McClun | Levi Reed | |
| J. W. Flinn | James Singleton | |
| B. W. Neeley | Andrew Patterson | |
| Charles Capp | Isaac Baldwin | |
| Thomas, J, Neal, | A Steele | |
| Alexander Buchanan | H. J. Lenox | |
| [V R T?] Large | Francis A. Shaw | |
| J, B, Stebbens | John Johnston | |
| Nimrod Lewis | ||
| Orange V Lemon | Eli Overman | |
| B. C Hagan | Reuben Overman | |
| A. C Swazey | John Draper | |
| A. W. Reed | Jonithan Small | |
| John Hodge | [Fineas?] Roberts | |
| Daniel Leas | John Benbow | |
| Elihu Small | Aaron Benbow | |
| Alfred Hiatt | Winfield S [Freman?] | |
| Joshua Small | Isaac Hollingsworth | |
| Nathan Wright | Baley Pearson | |
| Aaron Hiatt | ||
| David Jay | Jessee Hiatt | |
| Josiah Hiatt | ||
| Thomas Jay | A Dolman | |
| F A Moore | ||
| John Whitson | Elijah Godfrey | |
| William H Smith | James [Purcel?] | |
| John [?] | ||
| Henry W Smith | Moses Adamson | |
| Reason Ross | Reuben Small | |
| George Carter | David S Stanfield | |
| Thomas Harvey | ||
| L, S, Pierce | ||
| Jared Tremain | ||
| Silas Parks | ||
| Jacob McCormick | ||
| Ambrose Huffman | ||
| Caleb Smith |
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[ docketing
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Indiana
Petition of John B Ruly and one hundred and fifty others, praying an [aqualization?] of the rates of postage on newspaper.
Petition of John B Ruly and one hundred and fifty others, praying an [aqualization?] of the rates of postage on newspaper.
[ docketing
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February 14, 1848 Referred to the committee on the Post office and Post roads.
[ docketing
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Rockhill of Indiana
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,