To the Honorable the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled:
The subscribers, citizens of the County of Schuylkill, in the State of Pennsylvania, respectfully pray your honorable bodies to introduce a clause in the new postage bill, now before Congress, permitting newspapers to circulate free of postage within the limits of the County in which they are published, or within a circuit of thirty miles from the office of publication, if deemed most expedient. They approve of the other features of the bill, and particularly the first section, fixing the low and uniform rate of postage for all distances at three cents, to be prepaid, on all letters not weighing more than half an ounce. Your petitioners would also state that if this reasonable request on their part should be denied them by your honorable bodies, they respectfully ask for a total abolition of the franking privilege, now enjoyed by the members of Congress. And they will ever pray, &c.
Michael Reed
John Shay
John B Price Hugh hines
John D Thomas
Henry Merrett [Iransies?] Guin
Thomas Price Peter [Egin?]
George Lord Patrick Fahey
William Knight William Jones
William Lord John G Scherman Jun
Francis Tyson
Edward Harris George Gobble
Thomas J. Jones Patrick Madden
Jacob [Truman?] Lewis Thomas
Edward Jenkins. Duncan [C?] [Thomas?]
Thomas Cole Jeremiah Crabb
Michael Madden James Robertson
Peter Feaghny John Lewis
Patt Hester
Morgan Thomas Michael Henery
Josiah N Reed John M[cCar?]
John Evans William C. Buffington
John Cosslett 43.
Thomas Morgan
Owen Todd
David Powell
Charles Randen Cush
Benjamin Thomas [Eustance?] James

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43
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Petition of 43 Citizens of Schuylkill Co Pa praying for a Reduction of postage and uniform rates, and that news papers may be carried in the mail free of postage within a circuit of Thirty miles from the office of publication
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Refd to Come on Post offices & post Roads
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Mr Eckert

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,