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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 Licking 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 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.
Andrew Taylor Joseph Hardway
John. H. Wilson William Spence
Jerem[?]h Estep Wm Montgomery
Geo. Pigg M. [Kleiver?]
Thomas Seymour
A G Meaken B. F. Myers
William Dewese M. Pettilone
A. W. Brown John Taylor
James Stewart B. H, Wheeler
P. C. Griffin Henry Wilson
James Chapman T R Eddy
James Bourne David Moore
John Chilcott S McDougal
I Dille S. Boldin
Geo. W. Penn[ey?] Daniel Houston
David Smith R, E, Gross
Jas. H. Moore J N Wilson
Robert Da[vidson?]
John McCrum M. Morath
H Green Eugene Koos
Lee Dunning. H. F. Clayton
William Baley S. R. Klots
Henry Haller B C Morough
Stewart Wilson W L. Smith
Thomas Snell S. J. Reynolds
Geo. Upham
S B McKenney Adam Fleck
Isaac Roberts James L. B[ir?]kus
L. H [A?]ibo[?] John White
J. A. Taylor Wm [T?][?]t
Josiah Smith J. E. Cross
S T Richardson
Moses R Henthann James Cross
Henry Shurtz G. I. Pe[?]
M, A, Gilbert O, E, Luce
C C White
James Belford
Wm B. Lyon Wm Dixson
F. H. Woodbridge [?]. [?]. [Haynie?]
Tobias P Little
N O Gregory Thos Morris
F. F Lewis Geo H, Phillips
H [E?]dings R. E, Weeks
L Wm Hebson Charles Wilkinson
D. M. Marsh William Carlin
W. J. Fell
John Tyhurst John D, Carlin
T. Cumins W. Stanbery Jr.
Wm H, Weeks James B. McKinney
E J Lewis R. Darlenton
H. S. Sprague A. Pi[n?]
N King John Woolf
John. Smith
A, Sherwood Thos H Morris
J. Smucker Benjn Briggs
J W Baker G W. Hamil[l?]
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PAID
CINCINN[ATI.?] O.
DEC 31
3Mr A TaylorNewarkLickingOhio
[ docketing ]
Ohio
Petition of citizens of Licking County Ohio praying for a reduction of postage on Newspapers
[ docketing ]
March 7, 1848 Referred to the committee on the Post office & Post Roads
[ docketing ]
D Duncan
[ docketing ]
Petition of citizens of Licking Co, Ohio, praying reduction of postage on newspapers
[ docketing ]
Mr Duncan of Ohio
[ docketing ]
Refer to Committee of Post Office & Post Res Roads

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,