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To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled:
The undersigned, citizens of the United States, residing in the county of Grant in the ^T, y,^ state of wisconsin, respectfully represent the great inequality now prevailing in the rates of postage on newspapers, the smallest being chargeable with the highest rates.
Whereas, the principle of size and weight is now adopted in the laws of the United States as the basis of post-office charges; and, whereas, newspapers not exceeding 1900 square inches are chargeable at the rate of 1 cent for 100 miles, and 1½ cents for all greater distances, if without the state in which they are published; your petitioners would urge the importance of reducing said charges at least ONE HALF on all papers not containing more than 500 square inches.
Your petitioners represent that, within a few years past, numerous juvenile papers have sprung up in different sections of the United States, for the instruction of the young in science, morals, and religion, which papers are now extensively patronized by children, who, notwithstanding these papers are usually not one quarter the size or weight allowed by law, have to pay on them the same postage that is charged on the largest sheets that pass through the mails. Besides the manifest injustice of this regulation, your petitioners represent that many thousands of children and youth are deterred from subscribing to these useful papers solely by the comparatively excessive postage chargeable on the small sheets they desire to obtain.
A reduction, therefore, of postage, in favor of juvenile newspapers of small dimensions, would not only tend greatly to diffuse knowledge and piety, the bulwarks of our national prosperity, but would increase the revenues of the post-office department.
For an immediate and proportionate reduction of postage, therefore, on all newspapers not containing more than 500 square inches, your petitioners respectfully and urgently pray.
NAMES. NAMES.
Jno H Rountree [A. A.?] Carrington
A. D. Ramsey Joseph Lemond
Wm Richardson [Earl?] Kelley
Geo. W. Lakin. Nathan Clark
O. Cole Wm Morgan
Saml Mitchell Wm [Ceas?]
Richd Hodgson Ahm Senate
Isaac Lorde Geo. Brown
[Aam?] Davis
James Jones Christopher Dougherty
Moses W. Darnall. Wm [?]
Ben C Eastman,
Geo K Laughton John Graham
H. L. Moss Albert Rowe
S. McKee Ralph Chambers
John Lewis. Wm B. Dews.
Rbt Walker [S?] F Kirkpatrick
John Callaway
parry Swart Lewis [Darley?]
George Alcock Z. S. Palmer
Richard Huntington J Hodges
Thomas Chapman A F Bramley
John McClure James Blundell
Joseph Ayer
Hodgeon Irving Jordan Gillham
Wm Grindelle Simon Arnold
Adam Hart John Myers
[Abel?] Conner Albert. G, Lane
B, F. Bailey A. M. Holliday
J L Marsh R. Mitton
H. [R?]. Beebe [N?] L Bevans
Jonathan J. Hudson H Hurlbut
J. R. Vineyard E. F. Bayley
E. Bayley J. P. Jones
Jno T Hancock J J Barye
J Woodhouse S. M. Farmer
D. Hatter A C Inman
R McCord Chany Jonas [Esq?]
[L?]. O. Thompson Theophilus Clark
J. C. Jones Joshua Egbert
Jacob Evans
E Alling F A Bevans
Thomas [Witt?] Samuel Moore
Robt H Hanson Samuel Cuningham
H A Green [F?] Entz
J S Russell J. M. Crabtree
J. C. Campbell E. W. Barber
Robt, E, Martin George Castlehouse
Dwight Comstock A, J, Galbrath
B McKenney Anslum Jackson
James [Bonson?] P. [D?]. McEntire
James [?] A M Henny
Harrison Rowe Calvin Russell
James B McCord E[?] utt
CIRCULAR.
The above style of petition has been agreed upon by the Editors and Publishers of the leading juvenile papers in the country, to be used in a general effort to memorialize Congress for the objects therein set forth. We send you a copy, presuming you will take an interest in securing as many signatures as practicable. When the list of names shall fill the above page, you can cut off this Circular, and, by paste or wafers, add another half sheet to the page. You can thus continue to attach half sheets to any extent that may be required.
After procuring the signatures, please inclose the petition in a neat envelop, and send it to Washington City, to the member of Congress who may represent your district there.
All the petitions should reach Washington by the last day of January, 1848.
By prompt attention to this matter, you will do your part to bring about a very important result, and confer a special favor on your sincere friends and brethren,
L. Swormstedt, }
J. T. Mitchell, Publishers of Sunday School Advocate.
D. P. Kidder, Editor of the Sunday School Advocate.
Cincinnati, Dec. 13, 1847.
<Page 2>
PAID
5
PLATTEVILLE Wisc.
JAN 17[?]
DEC 31
3Maj. A B. RoundtreePlattvilleW. T.Madison.
[ docketing ]
Wisconsin
[ docketing ]
Petition of John H Roundtree and 73 others citizens of Grant County Wisconsin praying for a proportionate reduction of Postage on aNewspapers ^not^ containing [of?] ^more^ than 500 square inches
[ docketing ]
February 10, 1848 Referred to the Committee on the Post office & Post Roads.
[ docketing ]
Committee on P. offices & Post Roads
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30th-80
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Mr Tweedy
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26
1
[ docketing ]
Tweedy

Partially Printed Document Signed , 2 page(s), Box 106h, RG 233: Records of the United States House of Representatives, Territorial Papers Collection, 1810-1872, NAB