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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 ofEriein the state ofPennsylvania, 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 1 1-2 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, 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.
Cornelius Ball Alexander Ball
Erastus Slater Curtis G Ball
Daniel. P Ball Liberty Ball
Abrunal Youngs Wm P. White
John. Ball S. S. Sawdy
J. W. Ball James Sawdy
Isaac Lowe Hymenus Smith
Samuel. Bristol G W Luther
Ephraim Cumming Isaac Sawdy
S R Darrold
R W Hall Wm P. Trimble
Abner Currier
Lewis Russell Daniel Belnap.
Samuel Ball G W Luther
D E Gordon Nelson Sawdy
CIRCULAR.
Joseph Lurye
G. W. Larye John. S. Cheeseman
Delos Cook [Rasnell?] Thompson
Darius Salisbury George H Hill
John B Larye
John. Hay Levi. Slater.
David Seramling Gilbert. Warner
Simeon N. Knight Henry Zink
James Salisbury Isaac Lowe
A M Wheeler Justin Loomis
Perry Sawdy Chauncey Haven
George H Youngs Nathaniel Youngs
Dorley Slints Jacob [Van Loon?] [?]
J. Davis
J. W. Sherman Sanford Slater
Wm Green
John Cole David Winton
B. Wheeler Andrew J [Leur?]
Jonathan. S. Dax John Prosser
W. S. Chapman
Thayer Holbrook S. D. Chapman
Jackson Low J R Riynolds
Joseph P Long Charles Stebins
Darwin Knights Henry Miller 2nd
John Low Hiram Phelps
C S Sherman Charles Keith
Pitcher Richardson Madison R Prine
Oscar. Wicks Willis Cheeseman
S. Gulliford Wm Osborn
D. B. Gulliford
John W Pettis
Tylor Wicks
C Galliford
<Page 2>
NEW[-YORK]
[DEC ?]
PAID
3 cts.Mr C. BallLockportEriePa
[ docketing ]
Pennsylvania
Petition of citizens of Erie County Pa; praying for reduction of Postage on newspapers
[ docketing ]
March 20, 1848, Referred to the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
[ docketing ]
Murphy1
1“Murphy” written over “Edsall”

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,