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PETITION FOR CHEAP POSTAGE.
To THE Senate AND House OF Representatives OF THE United States, IN Congress ASSEMBLED:
The undersigned, citizens of Florida. 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.
Isaac Blanchard Florida, Mass.
Lydia Blanchard Alva B Fairfield
Oliver Blanchard
Lucy Blanchard Mary Fairfield
Abner F Towne
Ama^n^da C Towne Ephraim Fairfield
Joseph N Porter Lydia Hosley
Nathan White
Joel A Whitcomb
Emerson Blanchard Wm White
Rosina C. Whitcomb Lucy White
Eunice A Porter Nathan Kemp
Mary A Porter
Hannah L Porter Molly Kemp
Lucy T Porter
Eliza A Whitcomb Gideon Kemp
Jeremiah Gifford B. F. Tinny
Dexter Sprague Thomas Louden
L V Whitcomb
Catharine Whitcomb Lemuel Truesdel
Nathaniel Whitcomb Geo Witt
C. H. Whitcomb Geo M Richmond
Joseph Porter Betsey A Witt
Oratho Porter Ebenezer A Turner
Lavanya Quinn
Eliza A Ranney Rachel Turner
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Charles F Ranney
Ebenezer M Turner
Martha A Alden
Israel Whitcomb
Clarissa Whitcomb
Lorenzo F Whitcomb
Mary E Nelson
M Lumina Nelson
Emma V Nelson
Lovell D Nelson
Isaac Vincent
Edmund Vincent
Elisabeth Vincent
John Vincent
Albertus Manning
Joanna Manning
Jonathan Hemenway
Pamelia Jurden
Adaline Jurden
Amos Gifford
Dorcas M Kemp
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Petition of Isaac Vincent ^Blanchard^ and 63 other inhabitants of Florida, Massachusetts for reduction of postage abolition of franking privilege &c. &c.
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February 27, 1849 Referred to the Committee on the Post Office & Post Roads.
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√
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To Come on P. off & Post Roads By J. Rockwell of Mass.
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JERSEY CITY NJ
JAN 18
PAID
3
Rev Isaac BlanchardFloridaMass
free
Florida Ms
Feb 21
N White P MJulius RockwellM CWashington DC
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New York, December, 1848.Sir:
The object of this Circular is to obtain your name and influence in procuring from Congress an Act to reduce the rates of postage to a uniform rate of two cents for a single letter, weighing half an ounce, pre-paid, and double that rate if not pre-paid: a reduction of postage on newspapers and all printed matter, and in no case to exceed one cent a sheet: to reduce the postage on letters and newspapers by mail packets and steamers to a rate which will bring it within the power of every class of our citizens to maintain a frequent intercourse with their friends in other countries, without feeling the postage to be a burdensome tax: to adopt measures for the free delivery of letters and papers in all our towns and cities wherever it is practicable: to abolish the franking privilege entirely, allowing the postage of members of Congress to be paid as their other expenses; and to remunerate postmasters by an increase of their commissions, as a compensation for the loss of the privilege of franking, and for any temporary reduction arising from the adoption of the cheap rates of postage.
These are the objects for which the New York Cheap Postage Association was organized, and they are desirous of awakening the attention of their fellow citizens in every section of the country to the advantages arising from the adoption of the above measures.
The benefits resulting from cheap postage are incalculable, both in respect to the Post-Office Department and the people generally. It will be the means of eventually increasing the revenue of the former, as well as adding largely to the improvement and comfort of the latter. Cheap postage will bring all the correspondence of the country into the Post-Office; private expresses and private conveyance of letters will no longer be sought after as a means of avoiding the payment of postage. The pre-payment of postage will prevent the accumulation of unpaid matter in the Post-Office, and the loss which is sustained upon the dead letters returned to the General Post-Office. The mails will no longer be loaded down with franked matter which is seldom read, and which, in many cases, is not even taken from the Post Office. A low and uniform rate of postage, besides relieving the people from a burdensome tax, will afford an easier and more expeditious mode of calculation, and will yield, in less than five years, a revenue more than equal to the sum now collected by the Post-Office Department.
In July, 1845, the present rates of postage were adopted; and, although the opponents of the measure predicted ruin to the Post-Office Department, we have seen that the number of letters has already increased more than one hundred per cent., and the revenue is now fully equal to its expenses. Hence the stale objection that a reduction of postage will throw the Post-Office on the Treasury for its support can no longer be urged; experience has proved, both in our own country and Great Britain, that the reduction of postage has been the means of increasing the business and the revenues of the Post-Office Department.
But what is paramount to every other consideration is the great benefits which will result from cheap postage to the moral, literary, social, commercial and political interests of the whole country. These will suggest themselves to every reflecting person; and no one who is interested in the improvement, the civilization and happiness of his fellow men, can feel indifferent to the success of our enterprise.
We therefore respectfully request of you to sign the annexed petition yourself, and then obtain the signatures of all your family and neighbors, both old and young, male and female, as many as can read and write, because they are all equally interested in this measure. When you have obtained as many names as you can conveniently, will you please address it to the member of Congress for your district at Washington, with a request that he will present it forthwith and without any delay to Congress, and use his influence to carry through this measure at the present session
We look to you, Sir, with great confidence, for your aid to encourage us in this benevolent effort, which is not for the benefit of a few, but for all, and therefore all should give it their sympathy and support.
Respectfully yours,JAMES BROWN,
President of the New York Cheap Postage Association .Barnabas Bates,
Corresponding Secretary.

Partially Printed Document Signed, 4 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,