PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED:The undersigned, citizens of Saratoga County, State of New York
respectfully 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. Drop letters one cent.
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 packet 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. |
| Seth Whalen | West Milton |
| N. S. Young | West Milton. |
| Willis Hendrick | " " |
| Nelson W Allen | North Galway |
| J E Wright | West Milton |
| Caleb Tompkins | |
| John. L. Bogart | " " |
| Jonathan Steenburgh | " " |
| William. H. Hoyt | " |
| George W Ingalls | |
| Philip. H. Corey | " " |
| Daniel Bronson | " " |
| John W Speir | " " |
| Elisha Isbell | " " |
| N. B. Ingalls | ' ' |
| Rufus Nortrup | ' ' |
| Samuel Young | ' ' |
| John S Gardner | Milton |
| Henry Milling | Do |
| William Palmer | " Do |
| John Stancliff | Do |
| William H Johnson | Do |
| John [Ide?] | Do |
| Job Johnson | Do |
| J. W. Wright | " |
| P. I Jam[es?] | " |
| J W West | " |
| John P. West | " |
| O. [Y?]. Bingham | " |
| Daniel Nelson Fairbanks | " |
| Wesley Mather[wart?] | " |
| John W. Spencer | " |
| Soloman Briggs | " |
| Ephriagm Wyman | " |
| Alexander Y. Watson | " |
| O. S. Seamons | Stillwater |
| James J. Western | " |
| John O. Sulivan | Malta |
| Peter J Peterson | Saratoga |
| Mathew Wakeley | " " |
| John Jacob Earl | " |
| Jas M. Earl | " |
| David W Thompson | " |
| Wm J. Van Rensealer | " |
| Harry Jones " " | " |
| Calvin Whedley | Milton |
| Elisha Rockwell | " |
<Page 2>
BALLST [?][?]
FREE
Hon. Hugh White, M.C.WashingtonD.C.[ docketing
]
N. York
[ docketing
]
Petition of Seth Whalen, and 46 others, citizens of the county of Saratoga, state
of New York, praying for a reduction of postage , and graduation, on letters and news
papers, and the entire abolition of the franking prevelege.
[ docketing
]
Referred to committee on post offices & post roads 1 Feb 1849
[ docketing
]
February 1, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post office and Post Roads.
[ docketing
]
√
[ docketing
]
Hugh White.
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