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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 Franklin in the state of Ohio, 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.
P. Decker Geo. McMillen
A. S. Decker John J. Janney
L, Taft [Geo, W,?] Robinson
R. Thompson H. Griswold
[T?] Ridgway Jr Wm Sherwood
John Teesdale D Adams
T. Stockton John L Gill
J, Greiner James Watron Riley
W. [H, Prosman?]
A A Bliss J. E Coleman
R [Maney?] J. E. Rudisill
Francis Miner
Saml Gallaway J. R. Scroggs
Oviatt Cole S. L. Miley
Wm. A. Platt. W. M. Savage
Wm Blynn
H. S. Gillet C. J Webster
John [Westwalletson?] J B Williams
[E. J.?] Cornell Philip Humphreys
Ira M [Sexton?] [A, Matson?]
D. C. Pearson. Seth Hayden
G. Roberts Allen Hayden
David Hayden Hiram Weaver
Henry Wright J [Voss?]
Hannan Hoover D, H, Taft
Leonard Humphrey
Henry Humphrey David [Evans?]
G G Wilcox Jas, H, Riley
F. T. Snowdon
H. F. Huntington Habeus Cowley
Robt [Nice?] E B Sackett
Jno Whiting
F. C. Sessions [N?], B, Marple
[Andrew Sr?]
T Y Miles H Merion
Isaac C Aston C K Cuckler
Stanton [Sholes?]
J, T, Mills Benj Carpenter
R. W. Hall.
J J Mitchel [L J Proctor?]
S. G. VanSlyke E. R. Hill
J, H, Mitchell
John Emmerick
A W Perley Charles Eldridge
S, R, Stombaugh Elliott [Lesing?]
Norman Gay
R, B, ,. Newcomb. Geo [Denig?]
R S Howard Wm C Preston
Jos Dickson Calvin Hillery
C P S Butt Wm King
Ira Eldridge Leroy, W, [Leef?]
C, W, Shortt, A. E. Glenn
T, [Servile?] Chas W [Byxbe?]
D Wendel T. P. Ellis
M. Gooding Jas Gillet.
J, H,. [Marple?] Ezra Booth
Luther Hillery David Price.
Joseph W Booth Francis Harris
John, OHarra D, F, Heffner
Daniel [Minor?] W. Willshire Kiley
Thos F [Lewin?] Truman Hillyer
E B Armstrong Jas R Armstrong
Wm B Westervelt J. M. [McKee?]
H DeWitt Wm F Cloud
Henry D Motter D. McFarland
Geradus Corbett Lucian G. Thrall
J. Walton Geo W Coats
E. G[?] Wm Siebert
David Overdier E W Rawson
M W Bliss L, A, [Denig?]
Jeff Chambers G, G, Bradford
L. J. [Wear?] John [Leone?]
Asa Tyler Sumner Clark
Jas R Thomas
E, M, [Pinney?]
Z Hutchinson
[Jas Weaver?]
[?] Sells
Geo. C [Crumb?]
Michael Halm
[H F?] Booth
<Page 2>
PAID
CINCINN[ATI. O.]
DEC 29
3Mr Henry BoothColumbus,Ohio
[ docketing ]
[?]
<Page 3>
[ docketing ]
Ohio
Petition of Citisens of Franklin County Ohio asking for a reduction of postage on Newspapers
[ docketing ]
February [16?], 1848
Refer to the Committee on Post Offices & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
Mr Duncan of Ohio

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,