PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED: The undersigned, citizens of Edgartown, County of Dukes Countyrespectfully petition Congress to pass a law, establishing
1. A uniform rate of Two Cents postage 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 sent 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. |
| Theo. G. Mayhew | Edgartown |
| E. M. Baylies | " |
| Frederick Baylies | " |
| Prince S Hart | " |
| Hiram Jernegan | " |
| Henry Baylies | " |
| Nicholas Norton | |
| Chase Pease | |
| Sam’l G. Vincent | |
| Daniel Fellows. | |
| George Lawrence | |
| Grafton Norton | |
| John Vinson | |
| H. [L?] Mayhew | |
| Thos A. Norton | |
| Jared Fisher | |
| David Davis | |
| John H. Pease | |
| Benjn Worth | |
| William Vinson | |
| Edmund Bradley | |
| Richd Beetle | |
| Joseph A Graffam | |
| Joseph Hudson | |
| William Bradley | |
| J. Y. E. Gaye | |
| Francis Pease | |
| Edmund Lewis | |
| John A. Baylies. | |
| William H Coffin | |
| Sylvester. H. Fisher | |
| Geo R Marchant | |
| Josiah Gorham | |
| Henry Pease 2d | |
| J. D. Pease. | |
| Uriah Morre | |
| Jeremiah Pease Jun | |
| W H. Munroe | |
| Rodolphus Pease | |
| Dennis Courtney | |
| Daniel Fisher | |
| Abraham. Osborn | |
| Martin Arey | |
| Lorenzo Fisher | |
| J. Pierce | |
| Richd L. Pease | |
| Saml W Lewis | |
| Lerson P Coffin. | |
| Thomas Marchant | |
| Jared Coffin | |
| J T Peasse | |
| A [?] Cleavland | |
| Amos Hellen | |
| Benjamin F Pease | |
| E W Jennings | |
| Zalman Stuart | |
| Jared W. Coffin. | |
| Samuel S Stuart | |
| Francis Smith | |
| John Dellingham | |
| Seth Vincent Jr | |
| George Marchant | |
| Tristram P Fisher | |
| B. C. Marchant | |
| Cornelius B Marchant | |
| Jas H Beetle | |
| James F. Sayer | |
| Wm Sayer | |
| Samuel A Berggs | |
| Hebron Vincent | |
| Henry Robinson | |
| John Coombs | |
| Peter R Marchant | |
| Jos M Mayhew | |
| Joseph A Huxford | |
| Charles Francis | |
| Edgar Marchant. | |
| Archibald Mellen | |
| Albert Godfrey | |
| Francis Pent | |
| D. C. Pease | |
| John S. Smith | |
| John P. Worth | |
| John R. Norton | |
| Oliver M Vincent | |
| Frederick Vincent | |
| Matthew R Norton | |
| Ira Darron | |
| Jonathan Worth | |
| John Mayhew | |
| Saml Keniston | |
| Hervey Bailey | |
| Gardner T Cornell | |
| James Dexter | |
| Ephraim Merchant | |
| Allen Coffin | |
| Henry A. Coffin |
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Mass
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Petition of Citizens of Edgartown, Mass. asking for reduction of Postage & the abotion
of the Franking priviledge.
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January 22. 1849 Referred to the Committee on Commerce
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√
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January 25, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office & Post Roads
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√
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Come on Commerce.
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Come on Post offices & Post Roads.
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Mr Grinnell
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,