341 Petitioners.
PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE SenateAND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress Assembled:The undersigned, citizens of Abington in the State of 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 a 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. |
| James W. Ward | Abington |
| Benjn Shiney | "Charles F. [?] |
| Jnon Nash | " |
| Erastus M. Nash. | " |
| Francis Thaxton | " |
| William H Ward | " |
| James W Ward Jr | " |
| Clarissa Niles | " |
| Elisabeth Niles | " |
| Laura Niles | " |
| James Sheehan | " |
| Daniel Taylor | " |
| Samm Taylor | " |
| Michal Duggan | " |
| DM Francis A Nash Esq | " |
| Susan M Cushing | " |
| W. A. Stone | |
| Henry G. Cushing | " |
| Francis H. Nash | |
| Poesyy Frost | |
| Edward P Reed | Abington |
| Jonathan King | " |
| Harrit N Underhay | |
| H N Underhay | |
| John Underhay | |
| Benjamin Gilbert | |
| Rebecca Gilbert | |
| Phebe Rogerson | |
| T C Colby | |
| J F Wheeler | |
| M W Ross | |
| S P Wheeler | |
| P M Wheeler | |
| L Moxam | |
| A A Ramsdell | |
| F D Ramsdell | |
| Benja R Deane | |
| Joshua Cook | |
| Huldah Tomey | |
| Lydia Gold | |
| Abiel F Dean | |
| Eunice M Deane | |
| Cornelia M Deane | |
| Arabell S. Farrar | |
| Mariah E Farrar | |
| Alonso F Chase | " |
| Josiah Cushman | " |
| John D. Worwell | " |
| Rufus C Freeman | " |
| Benjamin Brown | " |
| Henry Pratt | " |
| Samuel N Brown | " |
| Cyrus L Brown | " |
| H W French | " |
| Otis W Soule | " |
| E G Murry | " |
| C N Blanchard | " |
| John Hyslop | " |
| Mary H Hyslop | " |
| John Hyslop Jr | " |
| Nancy C Glasur | " |
| George A Glasur | " |
| Susan Thomas | " |
| Alonso Thomas | " |
| Harrison [Bassley?] | " |
| Micah Nash | " |
| Mary L Hitchcock | " |
| Wm F. Edson | " |
| Ann B Hitchcock | " |
| Samuel S Hitchcock | " |
| Bela Smith | " |
| Henry Cushing | " |
| Jacob Nash | " |
| Sophia Nash | " |
| Ezekiel Reed | |
| George B. Reed | |
| J. T. King | |
| Esra Trufant | |
| Ellen Trufant | |
| Rebecca Trufant | |
| Jane Pratt | |
| A. F. Trufant. | |
| Daniel Pratt | |
| Marcia Pratt | |
| Harriet Bicknell | |
| Anna. C. Beal. | |
| Lucia A. Beal. | |
| John A Beale | |
| Ebeneser Shaw | |
| N Sheen | |
| Christopher Russell | |
| Polly Bicknell | |
| Elisabeth Shaw | |
| Charlotte Shaw | |
| Austin Brown | |
| A W Brown | |
| Abigail Brown | |
| [Telits l?]Bea | |
| Anna N Beal | |
| Ann N Chiston | |
| John Chiston | |
| Susan N Noyes | |
| John F. Cobb | Abington |
| Woodbridge Brown | " |
| W. Augustus Brown | " |
| James F Cox | " |
| Leonard Nash | " |
| James B Dyer | " |
| Benjamin Dunham | " |
| Oscar G. Gilbert | |
| Elizabeth B Nash | |
| Sarah B Beal | |
| Mary E. Moss | |
| Jacob Noyes 2d | |
| Patrick Smith | |
| Addoniram Chandler | |
| Sarah. A. Chandler | |
| Charlotte Walker | |
| Rosann Smith | |
| Olive. B. Walker | |
| Sylvia F Stephens | |
| [Mehdable?]P Nash | |
| Selma H Nash | |
| Caroline Brown | |
| Priscilla S. Brown | |
| Samuel N. Brown | |
| Otis W. Soule | |
| Mary E. Soule | |
| Mary T Talbot | |
| Charles B. Willey | |
| Robert T French | |
| Hannah E Carlile | |
| Ann D. Willey | |
| James Dyer | |
| Zibean Packard | |
| M B.Packard | |
| William Nash | |
| Mary L Nash | |
| H D Nash | |
| T. O. Silvester | |
| Charles F Littrell | |
| Jacob Bucknell | |
| Mehtable Bicknell | |
| Nancy M Nash | |
| Joshua Winslow | |
| George Penniman | |
| Thankful J. Ramsdell | |
| Mira E Ramsdell | |
| Charles N. Cobb | |
| William F Cobb | |
| Susan Ann Cobb | |
| Lewis B Penniman | |
| Susan Penniman | |
| Patience Reed | |
| Weston Freeman | |
| Cornelius Penniman | [ |
| Philander Freeman | |
| Harvey P. Freeman | |
| Sally P. Freeman | |
| Sarah E Freeman | |
| Zophar W Sturtevant | |
| Hiram Davis | |
| Henry W Freeman | |
| Marshall Humble | |
| Thaddeus P. Sturtevant | |
| Maria Torrey | |
| Almira Sturtevant | |
| Lemuel Atwood | |
| [Gusinda ?]Atwood | |
| Emily Humbe | |
| Joseph Brown | |
| Mary P Brown | |
| Charlotte A Brown | |
|
<Page 2>
|
|
| Mehetable T Brown | |
| Elizabeth W. Hadley | |
| Ephraim L Noyes | |
| Sarah H. King. | |
| Sarah F. C. King | |
| Mary C Ford | |
| Louisa Ford | |
| Abigail Ford | |
| Rebeckah Cox | |
| Polly Nash | |
| Noah Shaw | |
| J. P. Chamberlin | |
| Mary A Jackson | |
| Mary R Cushman | |
| Henry O. Jackson | |
| Lydia A Chase. | |
| Cyrena L Brown | |
| Thomas L Smith | |
| Philip Kelly | |
| [Zelotes?] R Addison | |
| Tabatha. Addison. | |
| Henry G Ballou | |
| Warner Crandall | |
| Frank. D. Ballou | |
| Micah Nash Jr | |
| Edward Barnaby | |
| J W Hidder | |
| Wm. S Ennis | |
| Ira Noyes | |
| Lucy G Noyes | |
| Harvey A Powers | |
| Mary L. Richmond | |
| Mary B. Nash | |
| Christiana M Floyd | |
| Nasby S Nash | |
| Ira Floyd | |
| William Bled | Abington |
| B L Nash | |
| Sarah E. [Thaxter?] | |
| [ |
|
| Geo W Mittermore | |
| Sophia E. Nash | |
| Sylvia A. Nash | |
| Richard Virring | |
| William Bicknell | |
| John Sampson Jr | |
| Benjamin Deble | |
| Hubbard C Rowe | |
| Joseph W Allen | |
| Leonard C Ryerson | |
| John R Ryerson | |
| Frederick Stubbs | |
| Isaiah Noyes Jr | " |
| Almira C Noyes | " |
| Lucy M Noyes | " |
| Mary Noyes | " |
| Wm E Noyes | " |
| Joshua G. Nash | |
| Greenwood Cushing | |
| George A Beal | |
| [?] Dunbar | |
| Barry F. Carey | |
| James D Nash | |
| Lucy R Cushing | Abington. |
| Lucy A. Powars | " |
| Sarah H. Reed | " |
| Abby P. Cushing | " |
| Mary H. Cushing | " |
| Mary A. Cushing | " |
| Maria T. Cushing. | " |
| Emily D. Cushing | " |
| Mary W Whitmarsh | |
| Betsy Nash | |
| Abby W. Nash | |
| Lydia G Harding | |
| Elizabeth B C Bosworth | |
| Sarah R Whitmarsh | |
| Harriet W Whitmarsh | |
| Ann M Whitmarsh | |
| J G Pierce | |
| Samuel R Thaxter | |
| H M Whitmarsh | |
| J Whitmarsh Jr | |
| W H Davis | |
| Merritt Nash | |
| Sidney A Fraser | |
| Sanford Chandler | |
| Daniel B Bonney | |
| Elisha H. Rose | |
| Daniel Gloyd | |
| Nancy C Jacson | Abington |
| Irene Jacson^Irene Jacson^ | |
| Sarah E Dunham | |
| Alice F. Dunham | |
| Lydia F Dunham | |
| Harriet N Dunham | |
| Charlotte Vining | |
| Susan L. Howard | |
| Eveline Harlow | |
| Michel Crowley | |
| [Chorsabs?] Hanover | |
| Lydia A Jackson | |
| Susan Meserve | |
| Samuel A Sanborn | |
| Robert Meserve | |
| Lydia A Meserve | |
| Sophia Cushing | |
| Charles R Foster | |
| Robert C Meserve | |
| Wm Gowell | |
| Abraham Ramsdall | |
| Sylvanus Cushing 2d | |
| Sarah T Winsor | |
| Achsah P Cushing | |
| Ellen W Merrill | |
| George B Merrill | |
| E F Shaw | |
| A R Hattaway | |
| Rachel Noyes | |
| Luke B Noyes | |
| John G Morton | |
| Mathilde B Howden | |
| Sarah G Morton | |
| John Noyes | |
| Francis Millett | |
| Sarah E Millett | |
| Elizabeth L Noyes | |
| Sarah Millett | |
| Rhoda T Atwood | |
| H L Williams | |
| Charlesw B Tompson | |
| Samuel S Snell | |
| Benjamin R Beal | |
| Job L Ewell | |
| Spencer W Noyes. | |
| John N. Noyes. | |
| Betsy B. Noyes. | |
| Hannah Noyes | |
| Mary P. Noyes | |
| Jacob Noyes | |
| Henry A. Noyes | |
| H Amelia Noyes | |
| Lewis E. Noyes. | |
| Lorenzo White | |
| Lorenzo D. Noyes | |
| Hiram Robbins | |
| Isaac B Reed | |
| William H Hill | |
| Harvey Reed | |
| John Phillips | |
| Thomas Seavey | |
| David Soule | |
| Harvey W Reed | |
| Edwin. J. Loring | |
| Obadiah Reed Jr | |
| Webster Reed | |
| Evander Reed | |
| Obadiah Reed | |
| Deborah Reed | |
| Lewis Packard | |
| Vinson Blanchald | |
| John Hunt | |
| Charles H Humbell | |
| Dorothe Humbell | |
| David Humbell | |
| Lydia Humbell | |
| Lucy C. Humbell |
<Page 3>
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Mass Petition Citizens of Abington
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James W. Wood & 340 others, ^citizens of Abington, in Mass^ praying for cheap postage.
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February 3. 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office & Post Road.
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Comtee on Post Offices& Post Roads.
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√
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Mann of Mass.
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20
Partially Printed Document Signed, 3 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