PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED:The undersigned citizens of Spencer mass
respectfully petition Congress to pass a law, establishing
1. A uniform rate of Two Cents 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 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. | ||
| Levi Packard | Spencer Mass | ||
| Charles E Denny | do do | ||
| Dennis Ward | do " | ||
| Asa T. Jones | Do Do | ||
| Dexter Bullard | Do Do | ||
| Jeremiah Grant | Do Do | ||
| John N. Grant | Do Do | ||
| [ |
do Do | " | |
| Lorenzo Bemis | Do Do | ||
| Alonzo Temple | Do Do | ||
| Silus Eldridge | |||
| Chas. H. Bemis | Do, Do | ||
| Willard Rice | " " | ||
| Wm Bush | Do Do | ||
| Lorenzo Watson | " " | ||
| William Dunbar | Cleveland Ohio | ||
| Geo F Grant | Spencer Mass | ||
| Horace A Grant | " " | ||
| Justin Clark | Spencer Mass. | J. W. Elliot. | Spencer Mass |
| S L Pillsbury | do do | Peter Richards | " " |
| Jason P. Babcock | do do | John Conant | " " |
| Levi Powers | do do | ||
| John L Bush | do do | Harvey Prouty | " |
| Alonzo Boynton | do do | ||
| Albert Hubbard | do do | Joseph Pope | |
| Elbridge Hubbard | do do | ||
| A. M. Tower | do do | ||
| Dwight D. Draper | do do | ||
| Frederick G[reen?] | do do | ||
| Benj Cheever | do do | ||
| Albert Stone | do do | ||
| Daniel L W[?] | do | ||
| Russel Grout. | do do | ||
| Selby Richardson | do do | ||
| William. H. Coy | do do | ||
| Solomon Davis | do do | ||
| Lewiston M. Prouty | do do | ||
| Edward C. Dyer | do. do. | ||
| Lewis Bemis | |||
| John E. Bemis | |||
| Geo. H. Livermore | |||
| Wallace Whittemon | |||
| Erastus L. Sanderson | |||
| George W Morse | " " | ||
| Nathan [Hersey?] | |||
| Warner Livermore | |||
| Joseph Martin | |||
| Tilson J Sanderson | |||
| Cheney Harrington | |||
| George Bemis 2d | |||
| Leander Hayward | |||
| George Wilson | |||
| James Draper | |||
| [Wilson?] Bemis | |||
| Orin S. Worthington | |||
| Jonas Guilford | |||
| William Henry | |||
| Amos Wilson | |||
| Levi S Packard |
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65 names
Dear Sirwill you pleas rout this petition to the house of representatives.
Levi Packardspencer jan [2d?] 1849[ docketing
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Mass
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Petition of Levi Packard & others of Spencer Mass. for cheap Postage
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February 2, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post office and Post Roads
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Post Offices & Post Roads
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√
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Mr Hudson
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