A PETITION is a formal request or supplication, from the persons who present or sign the paper containing it, to the body or individual to whom it is presented, for the grant of some favor. It is a general rule, in the case of petitions presented to courts that an affidavit accompany them, setting forth that the statements therein made, so far as known to the petitioner, are true, and that these facts, by him stated as within his knowledge and that of others, he believes to be true.

Petitions To A City Council

The people of a town or city very frequently have occasion to petition their town authorities or city government for the granting of favors or the enactment of laws.

The following are among the forms of petition to a city council:

For Opening a Street.

to the mayor and aldermen of the city of-------------, in common council

Assembled

Gentlemen - The undersigned respectfully solicit your honorable body to open and extend Walnut street, which now terminates at Adams street, through blocks Nos. 10 and 12 in Hall's addition to-------------. to Benton street, thereby making Walnut a nearly straight and continuous street for two miles, and greatly accommodating the people in that portion of the city. (Here insert city. State and date.)

[Signed by two hundred taxpayers, more or less.]

Remonstrating Against A Nuisance

To the Mayor and aldermen of the City of-------------, in Common Council

Assembled Gentlemen - Your petitioners pespectfully represent that during the past summer John Jones has converted the barn located at No. 184 Monroe street, between Van Buren and Jackson into a slaughter house, which, with the decaying offal about the premises, produces a stench that is unbearable to the citizens living in that vicinity. In all respects the affair is a nuisance to the neighborhood, and we ask your honorable body to have the same removed.

(Here insert city, State and date.)

[Signed by one hundred persons, more or less, residing in the neighborhood.]

Asking For A Policeman

To the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of-------------, in Common Council

ASSEMBLED:

Gentlemen - The undersigned citizens and tax-payers of-------------.feeling that life and property are very insecure after dark in portions of this town, respectfully ask your honorable body to appoint a night policeman to have supervision of the streets and alleys from Harrison to Walnut streets, on Broadway.

(Here give city, State and date )

[Signed by one hundred tax-payers, more or less.]

Petitions To The State Legislature. Petition From Farmers Asking For The Extermination Of The Canada Thistle

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the

State of------------, in Legislature Convened

The undersigned citizens of-------------county, respectfully represent that this, and neighboring counties, are becoming infested with that pest, the Canada thistle. As yet they are not in sufficient quantity to be beyond control, but it is feared if they are allowed to go without restraint two years longer, they will be so spread as to make their extermination next to impossible. We, therefore, respectfully request your honorable body to take some action looking to their immediate subjection, thus saving the farming community from an evil which cannot be removed if allowed to exist much longer.

(Here give county, State and date )

[Signed by one thousand farmers, more or less.]

Petition From Farmers, Relative To Stock Running At Large

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the

State of-------------, in Legislature Convened.

Your petitioners, residents and tax payers of------------- county, respectfully represent to your honorable body that the farmers of this State are at present subjected to an immense drain on their resources, by being compelled to build thousands of miles of fence, not for their own use, but for the purpose of preventing the encroachment of others At a low estimate, it is costing millions of dollars every year for this needless fencing. The man who wishes to keep stock may fence the necessary pasturage for the same, but to compel the farmer who does not have stock in any considerable quantity to keep up miles of fence, continually to rot down and be rebuilt, is an oppression which is causing many farmers to remain in poverty, who otherwise might be in comparatively independent circumstances.

We,'therefore, petition you to enact a law to prevent stock of every description from running at large.

(Here give county. State and date.)

[Signed by five hundred farmers, more or less.]

Petition to the Governor Asking for Pardon. To John M. Palmer, Governor of the State of Illinois The Petition of the undersigned citizens respectfully represents That on the ninth day of July, 1871, John Jones, of the city of Chicago, was convicted before the criminal court, in the said city, of the crime of manslaughter, and sentenced therefor to the State prison at Joliet, where he now remains, for the term of twelve years; that the evidence upon which he was convicted, as will be seen by the summary appended, was not altogether conclusive; that previous to that time the said Jones had maintained the reputation of being a peaceable and upright man and that his conduct since imprisonment, according to the letter of the warden, filed herewith, has been most exemplary. The said Jones has a family who need his support, and under the impression that the well-being of society will not be injured by his enlargement, and that the ends of justice, under the circumstances of the case, have been sufficiently answered, they respectfully implore executive clemency in his behalf.

(Here give town, state and date. )

[Signed by etc., etc.]