To the Honorable, the Senate & House of Representatives, in Congress Assembled.
The undersigned citizens of the United States, residing in the county of Edgar, 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; &, whereas, newspapers, not exceeding
1,900 square inches are chargeable at the rate of 1 cent for 100 miles, & 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 [these?] 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 favour of juvenile newspapers of small dimensions
would tend greatly to diffuse knowledge and piety, the bulwarks of our national prosperity.
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.
John MayoJoseph WelchFrederic StockSilas Durham[Names?]
Henry Seever | Elisha Hoult | John Mack |
Henry Nevill Jr | John Hornly | |
John Starr | Andrew McRobert | |
John Gist | Collins Jolliff | |
James Cook | Benj Perry Sen | |
Truman Blackman | Thos P Collins | |
John Welton | Enoch Hoult | |
A A Hannah | Christian Arnold | |
Felix Landers of Moultrie County Ill | ||
J W Collom | E. French | |
A. B. Paine | Wm Smick | |
Jas Gordon | L. S. Wood | |
F. C. Sutherland | Thomas Wynn | |
G W Longnecker | W P Smith | |
J. A. Connely | G Minor | |
J H Connely | Elijah [?] | |
Edward [Yeo?] | A[?] Wheeler | |
J Q Russell | Jacob Brothers | |
M M Dill | Robert Pain | |
J, M, McCorky | Hollinsworth [Haines?] | |
Rufus, Preble | O Bailey | |
T. Jefferson McCorky | Levi Littlefield | |
[ |
Robert J Scott | |
Geo Webster | Allen McClain | |
george Cook | ||
W. [?] Havens | Isaac Wilkin | |
Wm Hoodward | Henry Wilkin | |
Josiah Woodward | E V Stanfield | |
David Naylor | ||
David Bailey | W L Thompson | |
D, McClain | [?] P French | |
Rollin Whitcomb | Anthony Killgore | |
James P. Norbeck | Elias Walls |
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Illinois
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Mr Ficklin of Ills
Petition for the reduction of Postage from a large number of Citizens of Edgar Co Ills.
Petition for the reduction of Postage from a large number of Citizens of Edgar Co Ills.
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Citizens of Edgar County
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March 9, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post office and Post Roads.
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P. O. P. R
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Ficklin
Handwritten 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,