PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED:The undersigned, citizens ofSalem, in the State of Massachusetts,respectfully petition Congress to pass a law, establishing
1. A uniform rate of Two Cents on letters weighing half an ounce, and two cents for every additional half ounce,
prepaid, and double that rate if not prepaid.
2. Newspapers, periodicals, and all printed matter, one cent per sheet; but newspapers
of the smaller size half a cent, to be prepaid, except newspapers and periodicals from the office of publication.
3. To reduce the postage on letters and newspapers by mail packets and steamers, to
a rate which will bring it within the means of every class of citizens to maintain
frequent intercourse with their friends in other countries, without feeling the postage
to be a burdensome tax.
4. To adopt measures that in all large towns and cities there shall be a free delivery of
letters and newspapers, and also for the reception and conveyance of letters to the
post-office for the mails free of any expense.
5. To abolish the franking privilege entirely, that postage may be paid on every thing
sent by the mails. Postage of members of Congress to be paid as their other expenses, and postmasters to be remunerated for the loss of the franking privilege and the
temporary diminution of their income, by an increase of their commissions.
| NAMES. | PLACE OF RESIDENCE. |
| Salem Massa | |
| Henry J. King. | |
| Allen Putnam & 165. | B H Silsbee |
| H Devereux | Saml Webb. |
| W [U?] Neal | John H. Stanley. |
| W. D. Pickman | Gideon Tucker |
| [?] Treadwell | Frederick. Howes. |
| [N?] Endicott | Eliza B. Davis |
| Nathan Peirce | Fras Boardman |
| R. Putnam | Chas Hoffman. |
| Horatio Robinson. | J Hardy Towne |
| Joseph Hodges. | Daniel Perkins |
| R Stone. | Elbridge G. Kimball |
| E. Henry Derby. | Charles F Bates |
| Tucker Daland | Tho Downing |
| David [P-?] | Francis W Tuttle |
| Benji Wheatland | John D Hammond |
| Z. Chadwick | Thomas W. Downing. |
| N. B. Perkins | James B. Briggs |
| John P Andrews | Nathaniel B Mansfield |
| Wm F Gardner | Francis Boardman by C. F. W. B. |
| Henry Ropes | Joseph. S Scaritt |
| William Wallis | Charles Rounde |
| Augustus Perry | John Bertram |
| C. M. Endicott | Nathl Weston |
| Geo D Phippen | Joseph Hinn |
| Joseph S Cabot | H [J?] Breed |
| Wm C Foster | Richard Davis |
| Chas’ H. Towne | William Duncan |
| A. S. Waters. | Thomas Perkins |
| B M Silsbee | Abijah Northey |
|
<Page 2>
|
|
| B Putman | Henry Whipple |
| David Moore. | Benj Cox |
| Wm B. Parker | Garett & Co. |
| C. F. W. Brown. | Adams & Richardson |
| Wm Hunt | Henry E. [Jantyn?] |
| Augs J. Archer | William Kimball |
| J W. Downing | Robert Peele |
| Henry A. Brown | Charles Flakefield |
| W, P, Phillips | William [Jelly?] |
| John Jewett | David Putnam |
| Stephen Osborne | John [Cooley?] |
| Theron Palmer | Asa C. Dix |
| Wm H. Palmer | B. H. Phippen |
| James Jackson | Josiah S. Burrill |
| L B Harrington | Stephen B. Frees |
| Nathl Osgood | A. A. Smith. |
| John T. Ropes | G. V. Fairfield |
| Stephen Fogg | Charles Palmer |
| Wm D Waters | C. E. Symonds |
| Stephen Webb | Jos. Hale |
| Joseph H Phippen | Saml Pillsbury |
| John Huse | Jeremiah Richardson |
| E, R, Noyes | Joseph. W Symonds. |
| Andrew Ward | George H. Bryant. |
| J. Sullivan Pond | W Putnam Derby |
| E. W. [Payson?] | Henry Osborne |
| James Kimball | Jos. B. Fosgood |
| J. H. Millett Jr. | Thos. H. Lefavour |
| John [Goodman?] | John F. Webb |
| Joshua Phippen. | C H Norris. |
| Ja’s N Archer | Joseph G Waters |
| John. G. Waters | H L Conolly |
| Pickering Dodge | Neh. Brown |
| E H Lukeman | Nehemiah Brown Jr |
| Joshua Safford. | Ammi Brown |
| Francis Sherry | Aug. D. Rogers |
| G. L. Sherry | William Chase |
| J. G. Felt | Albert Lackey. |
| Nath Goldsmith | Timothy Ropes |
| Henry M. Brooks. | Asa Brooks |
| Wm H Chase | Thos M [Saund--?] |
| Aaron [Richard?] jr | Timothy Brooks |
| [J?]. nichols | Saml R Hodges. |
| Eben. Putnam | D B Webster |
| W. [R?]. Waters | G A Hodges |
| William Cook | Charles W. Trumbull |
| Jacob C Rogers. | Philip Chase |
| Geo M Whipple | N. D. Silsbee. |
| D. B. Webster | Geo. H. Devereux |
<Page 3>
[ docketing
]
Petition of Allen Putnam and 165 other citizens of Salem, Mass. for reduction of the rate of postage & abolition of the
franking privilege.
[ docketing
]
January 11, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
[ docketing
]
Comtee on Post Office & Roads
[ docketing
]
D P King.
Partially Printed Document Signed, 3 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,