Please procure signatures, and forward to the Hon. , on or before the 25th January inst.
To the Hon. Senators and Representatives in Congress assembled:
The undersigned, citizens of the county of Franklin State of Massachusetts respectfully represent, that the present law of postage upon newspapers, and mode of compensating Postmasters, operates unequally and oppressively, favoring the city at the expense of the country newspapers. The undersigned therefore respectfully petition your Honorable body, to restore the law exempting newspapers from postage within the county, and within 30 miles of the place of publication, or graduate the postage according to distance, and repeal the law giving to Postmasters one half the postage received upon newspapers.
The undersigned also petition your Honorable body to reduce the postage on letters weighing half an ounce and less, to two cents for all distances, if pre-paid , and double that ^3 cts^ amount, if not pre-paid, and to abolish the franking privilege.
A Phelps
John Long Jr
Samuel H. Reed
Levi W. Rice
Thos W. Ripley
Llewellyn Jones
Lyman Griswold
H H Patten
Lewis Merriam
Franklin Ripley
Isaac Banton
P T [Sprague?]

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Mass.
Petition of Anrl Phelps & others of Greenfield Mass. for Cheap postage
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January 30, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office & Post Roads.
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Come on P. O. & P. Roads
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Presented by Geo Ashmun

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