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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[ docketing ]
Pennsylvania
Petition of Citizens of Perry Co. Pa; praying for a reduction of postage on newspapers
[ docketing ]
March 20, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads
[ docketing ]
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,