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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 Maclean, county in the state of Illinois , 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 1½ 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.
D. Trimmer John Havens
Jesse D. Havens
Elijah Stone Enoch A Gartman
J, W, Hatfield George W Cox
Saml Lewis James McCafferty
Samuel H Lewis Edwin E Burtis
G Mason Samuel P Cox
John Smith
Levi Spencer Joseph Mitchell
C, M. Beeker Robert Hopkin[s?]
Benj Wheeler W F Bishop.
Jesse Havens Smith Denman
J, N, Underwood Wm M Dodson
A. B. McClure Isaac Smalley
Valent[ine?] Wheeler
Geo. Dietrich [I. H. Wickizer?]
John Magoun John Smeley [Jn?]
J. M. Loving James White
R. C Brown Henry [R?]t
Henry Colman James Miller
John Slown John B Conklin
Alfred Cain K. H. Fell
A [?] Yazel Friedrich [Egidys?].
A. Hildreth Joseph Story.
C, M, Holliday Noah N. Jones
William McClure C Abner Peeler
William G Bishop J. P. Whitaker
Franklin Tompkins James Tolliver
Nathl E Hall John Haldeman
W H Hodge George Cheney
George W Mason E H Coleman
Solomon Mason Francis [Roelsgold?]
William Clark James T. Timmons
James Tompkins John Fordice
Robert Fell John Thomas
Wm Creel Danl Trimmer
Maras Nelson Augustus Hardy
J. S. Rhodes A C Washburn
A [J?]ohnston I. L. Wolcott
A. P. Branaman Wm McCullough
Henry Coleman Thomas T[enin?]ing
Harrison Brooks John Morey
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PAID
CINCINNATI. O.
DEC 31
3Rev D. TrimmerHudsonM’Lean CoIll
[ docketing ]
Illinois
Mr Wentworth presented the petition of citizens of McLean Co, Ills, for a change in the present system of newspaper postage.
[ docketing ]
February 21. 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
[ docketing ]
Wentworth

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,