PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED:The undersigned, citizens of Billerica, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts 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.^Names.^ |
| Benjamin Putnam | Mary B. Porter |
| Joanna W. Putnam | Martha A Lyman |
| H. R. Fletcher | |
| John B. Spalding. | John R. Porter |
| Amos Spalding | Emeline P Mills |
| Mary Spalding | |
| B. Judson Spalding. | Henry Bowers |
| Foster Farmer | Lewis T Lyman |
| Clarissa Farmer | James A Lovejoy |
| O M Graves. | John. C. Stewart |
| M C Graves. | Nancy A. Porter |
| D S Graves. | Lydia A Dalton |
| T. B. Norton | |
| Abel Spalding Jr | Frances A Heald |
| Ann F Lovejoy | |
| John Baldwin Jr | Ellen A Porter |
| Dudley Foster | |
| Stephen Winter | Sarah Lovejoy |
| H. A. Baldwin. | Hannah Page |
| James Page | George Rowers |
| George Frost | Mary [A?] Huddleston [?] |
| Gardner Parker | |
| Zenas Herrick | Edward Hero[?] |
| Otis J Manning | |
| J. S. Bowers | |
| Chas H Parker. | Norman Parker |
| John R Mills | Charles M Hannaford |
| Frances E Richardson | Abby R Hardy |
| John J. Gorham | Ezb Elizabet A Hardy |
| J. R. Russell. | |
| Fitch Sufts | A G [Genn?] |
| David Parker. | Mary. A. Boyle |
| John Brown | T L Haynes |
| C Haynes | |
| Levi Foster | Mary A Smith |
| T. B. Fellows | Eliza Sheldon |
| Fredk Dickinson | Anna Puffer |
| Enos Wood[bury?] | John Dodd |
| Liberty Lawrence | J G. D. Stearns |
| Sarah Baker | L. M. Stearns. |
| Sarah B Work | S. W. Bowles. |
| Hannah Fletcher | Mary Jenkins. 2 |
| Mary Jenkins | Mary E Fletcher. |
| Eliza Patten | Chastina Burns |
| Mary Kershaw | Betsey Folsom |
| Ann B Randall | Harriet Kendall |
| Wm G Alley | F Richardson |
| Nath Cheever | |
| [Ben?] Dorsey | Thomas Shed |
| Chas E. Parker | Amasa Holden |
| David Floyd | Jn[o?] N Welch |
| William Hardy | |
| Samuel E Winter | John Baker |
| James P Cheever | Rufus Clement |
| Bla[nney?] Abbot | Lyman Haynes |
| Ebenezer S Baker | Ariel Work |
| Amos Needham | Ambrose F. Page |
| William Cutler | John Baldwin |
| Francis Baldwin | John Bacon |
| Nathan Abbott | Moses H. Barron |
| Daniel Sherman | Arza Page |
| Jonas W Russell | Seth Johnson |
| John A Moore | Valentine Rollins |
| Rufus Farwell | Thomas R Shed |
| William Blanchard | Daniel Conroy |
| John Hutchens | John Oliver |
| Isaac Moody | John Patio |
| Mathew Casey |
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Mass
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Petition of Benj Putnam & 122 others citizens of Billerica Mass. praying for a reduction
of the rates of Postage, & the abolition of the franking priviledge
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February 2, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post office & Post Roads.
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√
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Mr Abbott
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