To the Honorable,the Senate, and House of Representatives in Congress assembled:
The undersigned, Citizens of the U.S. residing in New Port Perry Co. in the state
of Penna. 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 & weight is now adopted in the laws of the U.S. as the
basis of Post Office charges; And Whereas Newspapers now exceeding 1900 square inches,
are chargeable at the rate of one cent for 100 miles & 11/2 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, morrals,
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 & youths are detered from subscribing to these useful
papers, 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 not only tend greatly to diffuse knowledge and piety, the bulwarks of our national prosperity, but would increase the revenue 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.
Petitioners names. | Petitioners names |
J. R. Dunbar | Stuart Law |
B. Himes | |
A B Demaree | Joseph Reamer |
Thomas Readman | William Wright |
Robt. T. Nixon | W. F. Klink |
W H O Bryan | John [Laush?] |
John London | Oliver Miller |
Albert Demaree | Saml L. Ernest |
J. Newton Singer | J. A. Thatcher |
[Mayland?] Thather | James Leiby |
Olliver Smeigh | Saml J. Sipe |
A. Bortel | Albert H. Switzer |
Henry Beamer | Joshua Leiby |
J. B. Smeigh | John L. Singer |
Geo. M Steever | Morras Haning |
S. Law Gibson | James A Maxwell |
Benjamin Long | |
William Brown | James Smith |
William Basserman | A. B. Maxwell |
Louis Giebel | Malon Thatcher |
John Hartzell | Samuel G Butler |
G. B. Switzer | John Freeland |
William Wiely | Saml Edwards |
Albert Demaree | |
Calvin B. Etter | Ml Hartzell |
Amos J. Bosseman | |
Henry Rider | Jacob Smith |
H. H. [?] | |
John Troup | Wm Sipe |
J S Demaree | Wm Smeigh |
Peter [Orwan?] | J W Bosserman |
James Loudon | Solomon Low |
Samuel Leiley | |
J. E. Singer | |
Robt Brown |
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Pennsylvania
Petition of Citizens of Perry Co. Pa; praying for a reduction of postage on newspapers
Petition of Citizens of Perry Co. Pa; praying for a reduction of postage on newspapers
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March 20, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads
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Murphy
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,