PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED: The undersigned, citizens of North Brookfield, 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 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.
[J?]
| NAMES. | PLACE OF RESIDENCE. | |
| Thomas Snell | North Brookfield Mass. | |
| Tirsah S. Snell | """" | |
| Abby F. Snell | """" | |
| Phebe M. Snell | """" | |
| Thomas Snell Jr | ||
| Lucretia P. Snell | ||
| John Hill | ||
| Erastus Hill | Prfes | |
| Benjamin W Dean | Prof | |
| John Bigelow | ||
| Danel. Gilbert | ||
| W F [Adnnis?] | ||
| [?] [?]rench | ||
| Samuel. F. White | ||
| E R. Ashby | ||
| Freeman Walker | ||
| Orin F Stebbins | ||
| L. W. Livermore | Oliver A Boyd | |
| William Vance | L W Sherman | |
| [?] Bellows | ||
| Marcellus Whitman | Cutler Barnum | |
| Richard Hamant. | ||
| Wm S Parks | ||
| William. A. Snow | Danie Whiting Jr | |
| Wm J Haskell | Leonard Stoddard | |
| William Johnson | E. P. Giffin | |
| S. M. Edmands | ||
| Loung G Sherman | Jonathan [Pollet?] | |
| Andrew Damons | [Hadwin?]B Jenks | |
| Abner Wright | ||
| Ambrose Allen | Chs O Bastow | |
| Osborn Whiting | Charles Reed | |
| Hugh Whelan. | Chas Adams Jr. | |
| Silas Smith | Lorris E Hill | |
| Joshua Porter Jr. | Whipple N Potter | |
| Wm B Granes | Frederic W. Porter. | |
| J M Boyd | [ |
|
| J. G. Knight | Stillman Dodge | |
| Abner W Moulson | D. G. Spooner | |
| George Allen | Elias Bartlett | |
| Horace Tucker | William Noone | |
| Isaiah H. Williams | ||
| Charles Dodge | Josiah M. Doane | |
| Francis. Crocker | ||
| Henry Deland | Edwin Barstow | |
| John H. Jenks | Rufus Dodge | |
| Ira M Southworth | Francis A Croney | |
| Bozen Keith | Edward B Whiting | |
| Oramel Rugg | [B?]y Murphy | |
| William Duncan Jr | ||
| Jas. [?] Jenks | Amasa C Walfor | |
| T M Duncan | J Falknan | |
| Foster Walker | ||
| M T Reed | T Caine | |
| Wm P [Bosworth?] | ||
| John Lamb | M. Southworth | |
| S. C. Earle | [Brewer?] Southworth | |
| Gideon B. Jenks | ||
| L. A. Maynard | G[?]S | |
| Wm H. Ayres | ||
| Jacob Smith | George Southworth | |
| George. A. Barstow | ||
| Wm S Keep | [?] | |
| A. W. Bartlett | ||
| Sumner Reed | ||
| N B. Stebbins | ||
| Jonas Bigelow. | ||
| Jos Snow | ||
| S Bothwell | ||
| John Barstow | ||
| F. W Porter. |
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Mass
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Petition of Thomas Snell & others of North Brookfield Mass praying for a system of
cheap Postage
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February 10. 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.
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P. O
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C 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,