PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED:
The undersigned, citizens of Quincy, Mass.
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. |
| William Allen | Wm Coune |
| Israel W. Munroe | R A Somerville |
| Horace B. Spear | G S Geer |
| John A. Green | |
| James M Beckford | Urbane Cudsworth |
| John Holden Jn | |
| James W. Banter | S. D. Holden |
| Ben [?] F Page | Eliza Fletcher |
| Wm F Whitney | Geo. Nightingale |
| John Briesler | Geo B Nightingale |
| Paul Wild | |
| H. C Whitney | E. B. Southen |
| Edwin H. Gill. | J H Spear |
| George W. Barrett | Benj. J. Wood |
| W S Underwood | |
| Chas Holmes | Theodore Kellogg. |
| Henry Holmes | Ebenezer Ford |
| Josiah Brigham | William Holmes |
| Timothy Ryan | |
| John F. Pierce | Thomas Chandler |
| Charles. H. Kimball | Albert Pratt |
| Urbane Cudsworth jr | Rebecca A. Allen. |
| Geo L Baxter | Mary W Daggett |
| Horace Abercrombie | James M. Wilde. |
| Daniel Baxter | Charles Spear |
| Richmond Litchfield | [Janna?] Wilde |
| John Dinegan | Frederick H. French |
| John A. Holden | Sarah A Nightingale |
| Caroline Wood | Loving Whitney |
| Elisa A. Willett | Joshua [Vearie?] |
| Relief B Fields | George H Pratt |
| Elizabeth [Cain?] | George Blanchard |
| Emily Newcomb | W H Trask |
| Emeline Newcomb | John Pratt |
| David B Stetson | Elijah [Veazie?] |
| James L Peckhams | Susannah Whitney |
| William Pratt | Susan R Whitney |
| Mary R. P. Wilde | William Trask |
| Louisa A Nightingale | Saml Copeland |
| Judith Spear | Wm. P. Potter |
| Harriet Pratt | Alexr [Sultis?] |
| Ellen. P. Nightingale | Lysander Richards |
| Louisa Nightingale | George Clapp |
| Elizabeth. E. Spear | Thomas Hardwick |
| Geo W. Hardwick | George Baxter. |
| Caroline Hardwick | Chas A. Cummings |
| Thomas Pratt | John Hardwick |
| Thomas T Newcomb | Josiah Adams |
| Lemuel A Alexander | 89 |
| Betsey Clapp | |
| B | |
| Josephene Clapp |
<Page 2>
Quincy mass
Jany 31
Jany 31
free
Hon. Horace Mann. M. C.
Washington City
D.C.
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Petition of Wm Allen & 93 others, inhabitants of Quincy, Massachusetts, praying for cheap Postage.
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February 5, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
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Comee on Post offices & post roads
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√
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Mann of Mass.
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,