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University of Virginia Library, Modern English collection[X]
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1Author:  Thomas Isaiah 1749-1831Add
 Title:  The History of Printing in America, with a Biography of Printers, and an Account of Newspapers ...  
 Published:  2003 
 Subjects:  University of Virginia Library, Modern English collection | UVA-LIB-Text 
 Description: To an observer of the great utility of the kind of publications called newspapers, it may appear strange that they should have arisen to the present almost incredible number, from a comparatively late beginning. I would not be understood to intimate that ancient nations had no institutions which answered the purposes of our public journals, because I believe the contrary is the fact. The Chinese gazettes may have been published from a very remote period of time. The kings of Persia had their scribes who copied the public despatches, which were carried into the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the Persian empire "by posts;" and, it is probable, they transmitted accounts of remarkable occurrences in the same manner. The Romans also adopted the custom of sending into their distant provinces written accounts of victories gained, and other remarkable events, which took place in that empire.1 1 Newspapers were foreshadowed among the ancients by the Acta Diurna of the Romans—daily official reports of public occurrences.—H. "The Gentleman who first set up and has hitherto been interested in this Paper, having now resigned all his Right and Interest therein into the hands of the Subscriber, the Subscriber thinks himself obliged to give publick Notice thereof, and informs all such as have taken, or may hereafter take it, that as he has settled a Correspondence with Gentlemen in London, and most of the principal Towns within this and the neighbouring Governments, and is favoured with the Acquaintance of many intelligent Persons in Boston, he doubts not but he shall be able to make the Rehearsal as Useful and entertaining as any of the Papers now published. And the better to effect it, requests all Gentlemen in Town or Country who may be possessed of any thing new or curious, whether in the Way of News or Speculation, worthy the publick View, to send the same to him, and it will be gratefully received and communicated for the Entertainment of the polite and inquisitive Part of Mankind. The publisher of this paper declares himself of no Party, and invites all Gentlemen of Leisure and Capacity, inclined on either Side, to write any thing of a political Nature, that tends to enlighten and serve the Publick, to communicate their Productions, provided they are not overlong, and confined within Modesty and Good Manners; for all possible Care will be taken that nothing contrary to these shall ever be here published. And whereas the publishing of Advertisements in the Weekly News Papers has been found of great Use (especially in such as are sent thro' all the Governments as this is) this may inform all Persons, who shall have Occasion, that they may have their Advertisements published in this Paper upon very easy Terms, and that any Customer for the Paper shall be served much cheaper than others. And whereas the Price of this Paper was set up at twenty Shillings per Year, and so paid till this time; the present Undertaker being willing to give all possible Encouragement to his Readers has now reduced it to Sixteen Shillings; and offers all Gentlemen who are willing to hold a Correspondence, and shall frequently favour him with any thing that may tend to the Embellishment of the Paper, to supply them with one constantly free from Charge. And considering it is impossible for half a Sheet of Paper to contain all the Remarkable News that may happen to be brought in upon the Arrival of Ships from England or other extraordinary Occurrences; the Publisher therefore proposes in all such Cases, to Print a Sheet of what he judges most Material, and shall continue to send the Paper to all such as have hitherto taken it, until he is advised to the contrary by those determined to drop it, which he hopes will not be many. "City of New York, ss.: Paul Richards, Esq., Mayor, the Recorder, Aldermen, and Assistants of the City of New York, convened in Common Council, to all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. Whereas, Honour is the just Reward of Virtue, and publick Benefits demand a publick Acknowledgment. We therefore, under a grateful Sense of the remarkable Service done to the Inhabitants of this City and Colony, by Andrew Hamilton, Esq; of Pennsylvania, Barrister at Law, by his learned and generous Defence of the Rights of Mankind and the Liberty of the Press, in the Case of John-Peter Zenger, lately tried on an Information exhibited in the Supreme Court of this Colony, do by these Presents, bear to the said Andrew Hamilton, Esq; the publick Thanks of the Freemen of this Corporation for that signal Service, which he cheerfully undertook under great Indisposition of Body, and generously performed, refusing any Fee or Reward; and in Testimony of our great Esteem for his Person, and Sense of his Merit, do hereby present him with the Freedom of this Corporation. These are, therefore, to certify and declare, that the said Andrew Hamilton, Esq; is hereby admitted and received and allowed a Freeman and Citizen of said City; To Have, Hold, Enjoy and Partake of all the Benefits, Liberties, Privileges, Freedoms and Immunities whatsoever granted or belonging to a Freeman and Citizen of the same City. In Testimony whereof the Common Council of the said City, in Common Council assembled, have Caused the Seal of the said City to be hereunto affixed this Twenty-Ninth Day of September, Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty-Five. "My country subscribers are earnestly desired to pay their arrearages for this Journal, which, if they don't speedily, I shall leave off sending, and seek my money another way. Some of these kind customers are in arrears upwards of seven years! Now as I have served them, so long, I think it is time, ay and high time too, that they give me my outset; for they may verily believe that my every-day cloathes are almost worn out. N. B. Gentlemen, If you have not ready money with you, still think of the Printer, and when you have read this Advertisement, and considered it, you cannot but say, Come Dame, (especially you inquisitive wedded men, let the Batchelors take it to themselves) let us send the poor Printer a few Gammons or some Meal, some Butter, Cheese, Poultry, &c. In the mean time I am Yours, &c. "Mr. Holt, As you have hitherto prov'd yourself a Friend to Liberty, by publishing such Compositions as had a Tendency to promote the Cause, we are encouraged to hope you will not be deterred from continuing your useful Paper, by groundless Fear of the detestable Stamp-Act. However, should you at this critical Time, shut up the Press, and basely desert us, depend upon it, your House, Person and Effects, will be in imminent Danger: We shall therefore, expect your Paper on Thursday as usual; if not, on Thursday Evening—take C A R E. Signed in the Names and by Order of a great Number of the Free-born Sons of New-York. "The Subscriber having lately given a Hint of his Intention to Stop this Gazette, from a base we may say villainous Attempt to suppress the Distribution of News-Papers, from one Government to another, made by a P. Master General 10 or 12 years ago, and lately put into Execution by one of his Servants, (who with his Colleague first Schem'd the Matter). This egregious Attack on the Usefulness of the Press (which seems to be prosecuted) joined with the Printer's private Affairs, obliges him to inform the Publick of a total stop this Day. All other Work will still be performed with that Dispatch and Care the Nature of the Business will admit of.—He gives Thanks from his Heart and not from his Tongue to all his good Encouragers, at times, hitherto.—A singular Paper may appear at Times, with the best Intelligences, to be sold cheap without Subscription, English Method. Advertisements whose Times are not expired, their Money shall be returned, if demanded, after a proper Allowance. From such an unparalleled Oppression, as mentioned at first, and my innate Concerns, I am obliged to subscribe myself, The Publick's Most Thankful and Most Obedient Humble Servant, "On the 8th inst. I received the favour of your letter of the 30th of May. In answer to it I can only say, that your own good judgment must direct you in the publication of the manuscript papers of General Lee. I can have no request to make concerning the work. I never had a difference with that gentleman, but on public ground; and my conduct towards him upon this occasion, was only such as I conceived myself indispensably bound to adopt in discharge of the public trust reposed in me. If this produced in him unfavourable sentiments of me, I yet can never consider the conduct I pursued with respect to him, either wrong or improper, however I may regret that it may have been differently viewed by him, and that it excited his censure and animadversions. "At a Council Held at the Council-Chamber, in Boston, on Thursday the 28th day of February, 1720 [i. e. 1721, new style.] "The Jury find Specially, viz. If the Book entituled a Short and Easy Method with the Deists, containing in it a Discourse concerning Episcopacy, (published, and many of them sold by the said Checkley) be a false and scandalous libel; Then we find the said Checkley guilty of all and every Part of the Indictment (excepting that supposed to traduce and draw into dispute the undoubted Right and Title of our Sovereign Lord, King George, to the Kingdoms of Great-Britain and Ireland, and the territories thereto belonging.) But if the said Book, containing a discourse concerning Episcopacy, as aforesaid, be not a false and scandalous Libel; Then we find him not guilty. "The Court having maturely advised on this Special Verdict, are of Opinion that the said John Checkley is guilty of publishing and selling of a false and scandalous Libel. It's therefore considered by the Court, that the said John Checkley shall pay a Fine of Fifty Pounds to the King, and enter into Recognizance in the sum of One Hundred Pounds, with two Sureties in the Sum of Fifty Pounds each, for his good Behaviour for six Months, and also pay costs of prosecution, standing committed until this Sentence be performed. "The good Manners and Caution that has been observed in writing this Paper, 'twas hoped would have prevented any occasion for Controversies of this kind: But finding a very particular Advertisement published by Mr. Campbell in his Boston News-Letter of the 4th Currant, lays me under an absolute Necessity of giving the following Answer thereunto. Mr Campbell begins in saying, The Nameless Author—Intimating as if the not mentioning the Author's Name was a fault; But if he will look over the Papers wrote in England (such as the London Gazette, Post-Man, and other Papers of Reputation) he will find their Authors so. As this part of his Advertisement is not very material, I shall say no more thereon; but proceed to Matters of more Moment. Mr. Campbell seems somewhat displeased that the Author says he was removed from being Post-Master. I do hereby declare I was the Person that wrote the said Preamble, as he calls it; and think I could not have given his being turn'd out a softer Epithet. And to convince him (and all Mankind) that it was so, I shall give the following Demonstrations of it. Many Months before John Hamilton, Esq; Deputy Post-Master General of North America displaced the said Mr. Campbell, he received Letters from the Secretary to the Right Honourable the Post-Master General of Great Britain, &c., that there had been several Complaints made against him, and therefore the removal of him from being Post-Master was, thought necessary. Mr. Hamilton for some time delayed it, till on the 13th of September 1718, he appointed me to succeed him, with the same Salary and other just Allowances, according to the Establishment of the Office; and if Mr. Campbell had any other, they were both unjust and unwarrantable, and he ought not to mention them. As soon as I was put into possession of the Office, Mr. Hamilton wrote a Letter to the Right Honourable the Post-Master General, acquainting them he had removed Mr. Campbell and appointed me in his room—Mr. Campbell goes on; saying, I was superceded by Mr. Musgrave from England. To make him appear also mistaken in this Point; Mr. Hamilton not displacing him as soon as was expected, the Right Honourable the Post-Master General appointed Mr. Philip Musgrave by their Deputation dated June 27, 1718, to be their Deputy Post-Master of Boston; and in a Letter brought by him from the Right Honourable the Post-Master General to John Hamilton Esq; mention is made, that for the many Complaints that were made against Mr. Campbell, they had thought it fit to remove him, and appoint Mr. Musgrave in his stead, who was nominated Post-Master of Boston almost three months before I succeeded Mr Campbell, which has obliged me to make it appear that he was either removed, turned out, displaced, or superceded Twice. The last thing I am to speak to is, Mr. Campbell says, It is amiss to represent, that People remote have been prevented from having the News-Paper. I do pray he will again read over my Introduction, and then he will find there is no words there advanced, that will admit of such an Interpretation. There is nothing herein contained but what is unquestionably True; therefore I shall take my leave of him, wishing him all desireable Success in his agreeable News-Letter, assuring him I have neither Capacity nor Inclination, to answer any more of his like Advertisements. "Perhaps a long Reply may be expected from the Publisher of this Intelligence to the Introductions of his Successor's News, especially No. 4, the first Page whereof is almost filled with unjust Reflections, unworthy either of his trouble to Answer, or the Candid unprejudiced Readers to hear; who only affirms he was not turn'd out, but resigned voluntarily in December, 1717, two years before their first News Paper, and continued nine Months afterward, till the 13th of September, 1718, Fifteen Months before their first News, when the Deputy Post-Master General had provided another." ☞ Since against plain matter of Fact, Mr. Campbell has charged me a second time with unjust Reflections, unworthy either his Trouble to answer, or the Unprejudiced Reader to hear, I do again Affirm he was turn'd out, notwithstanding his pretended Resignation: And I hope he will not oblige me (against my Inclination) to say Things which perhaps may be a greater Reflection on his Candour, and to his Ears, then to the Unprejudiced Reader's. "Province of Massachusetts Bay—To Joseph Greenleaf, of Boston, in said province, Esq.— "At a Council held at the Council Chamber in Boston, Tuesday, December 10th, 1771. "It being justly expected that what is thus offered to the Public, should be written with a View at least, to their service, it may not be improper, in this prefatory Paper, to let the Reader know, that something conducive to that end, will be attempted in those which are to follow.
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