University of Virginia Library

Baltimore.

This city was but a small village in 1755. Printing was
not introduced there till several years after that time.

Nicholas Hasselbaugh was born in Pennyslvania, of
parents who were of German extraction. He was taught
printing by Sower, in Germantown, and also acquired a
knowledge of papermaking. This last branch of manufacturing
the followed some time near that place; but,
eventually, removed and established a printing press in
Baltimore.

He was well supplied with types, manufactured in Germantown,

for printing both in the German and English
languages; and was the first who printed in that city. He
issued school and other small books, etc., from his press, in
both languages; and contemplated publishing a German
translation of the Bible. The following anecdote, which
many years since was circulated in Maryland, gives strength
to the supposition that he was actually engaged in that
work.

A missionary for propagating the gospel among the
Indians, was engaged in that benevolent design in the
back settlements of Maryland; and, at a time when a
number of Indians were assembled to hear him unfold and
explain the doctrines of the Christian religion, he had a
Bible in his hand, which he held forth, and with much
zeal pronounced it to be "the gospel—the truth—the work
of God!" He was interrupted—"What!" said one of
them, "did the great all powerful spirit make this book?"
"Yes," replied the missionary, "it is his work." The
Indian, taking the expression according to the literal import
of the words, answered indignantly—"I believe it to
be a great lie! I go to Baltimore last month, where I see
Dutchmen make him. Great Spirit want no Dutchmen to
help him." With these words the savage took an abrupt
leave of his instructor.

This anecdote might have given rise to the opinion that
Hasselbaugh had printed a part of the Bible. It was related
when there was no other printer in Baltimore, The fact,
after all, might have been, that the Indian, when at Baltimore,
had seen some printing performed; perhaps a spelling
book was at the time in the press, and probably he
did not know one book from another.

Hasselbaugh was an inhabitant of Baltimore for several
years. He possessed a spirit of enterprise, was fertile in
invention, and acquired a handsome property. To facilitate
some plan of business which he had newly formed, he

went abroad and was lost at sea. His widow, in 1773, sold
his printing materials to William Goddard, who again
sold part of them to Bailey, printer in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Enoch Story, the Younger, was born in Pennsylvania,
and served an apprenticeship with Hall & Sellers in Philadelphia,
as has been related in treating of the printers of
that city. He began printing in Baltimore previous to the
year 1773. Story sold his types to Goddard, returned to
Philadelphia, and printed in Strawberry alley.

Hodge and Shober opened a printing house in Baltimore,
in 1772; and issued proposals for publishing a newspaper;
but, before the end of the year, they removed to
New York.     [See New York.]

William Goddard has been mentioned as the first
printer in Providence, Rhode Island; and, afterwards, as
the publisher of the Pennsylvania Chronicle in Philadelphia.
In 1773 he removed to Baltimore.

I have already observed that Goddard was a good printer,
and an able editor; but he, in many instances, was unsuccessful.
The partnership with Galloway and Wharton in
Philadelphia proved very unfortunate, and terminated unprofitably
for Goddard, and the parties separated much
dissatisfied with each other. After two trials to establish
himself in business, he began "anew," as he relates, "on
the small capital of a single, solitary guinea." He made interest
to purchase the materials in the printing house of
Hasselbaugh, and added to them the few owned by Enoch
Story. He again began a newspaper, the third attempted
in the province; but at this time there was only one published,
the Maryland Gazette. After remaining at Baltimore

nearly two years, he found it necessary to devote
some time to the settlement of his former concerns.

Another object at this period attracted his attention. A
plan was formed to abolish, in effect, the general postoffice
under the direction of the British government, by establishing,
in opposition, a line of postriders from Georgia to
New Hampshire. This system was to have been supported
from a fund to be raised by the subscriptions of individuals.
Goddard left his printing house in the care of his sister,
and went through the colonies with a view to carry this
plan into operation. A large sum was subscribed, and the
scheme was in a rapid state of progression, when the revolutionary
war began.

When congress superseded the British government in
the management of the post office, Franklin was continued
as postmaster general, with the privilege of giving commissions
to all other officers in the department. The services
rendered by Goddard to this establishment, led him
to believe, and his friends to expect, that he would receive
the appointment of secretary and comptroller of the post
office; but Franklin thought proper to give this office to
Richard Bache, his son-in-law, and tendered to Goddard
the choice of surveyorship of post roads, or the office of
deputy postmaster for Baltimore and Norfolk. Goddard
was greatly disappointed, but the state of his affairs made
it expedient that he should accept either the one or the
other of these places, and he chose that of surveyor of
post roads. In 1776, Franklin was sent on an embassy to
Europe; and his son-in-law, Bache, succeeded him as postmaster
general. Goddard again expected the office of
comptroller, but being again disappointed he resigned his
surveyorship; and it was apprehended that there was, from
that time, some change in his political principles.

Goddard, after having resigned his commission, returned
to Baltimore, and there resided; but the business of the

printing house continued to be under the management,
and in the name of his sister. It was, however, well
known that he was interested in the Maryland Journal, and
had the control of it.

A number of zealous advocates for the American cause
had associated in Baltimore, and were called the Whig
club. Of this club Commodore Nicholson, then commander
of the frigate Virginia, belonging to the United
States, was president. In February, 1777, a report was
circulated that the British general Howe had offered the
most eligible terms of accommodation to congress, which
had been rejected and concealed from the people. To
ridicule this false and idle report, an ironical piece, signed
Tom Tell Truth, written by a member of congress,[3] appeared
in Goddard's paper, published by his sister; but for fear
this piece might be misconceived by some, and produce a
serious belief in them that these offers had actually been
made to congress, another piece was published in the
same paper to counteract any bad tendencies of the first.
Both pieces were written by the same person. The Whig
club was alarmed; the members of it believed these pieces
would produce dangerous effects, and supposed that they
were written by some British emissary. They enquired of
Miss Goddard who was the author; she referred them to her
brother. Goddard was applied to, and refused to give up
the author, who was not in town, and could not then be
consulted. Some warm words passed between Goddard
and the deputed members of the club. The deputation
was renewed, with a written mandate ordering him to
appear before them the next evening. Goddard treated
the mandate and the deputies who bore it rather cavalierly,
and did not obey. The club then deputed a committee of
six of its members to bring him before them, and if necessary,

to use force. Goddard refused to accompany the
committee; some of them were armed, and they seized
him, and by violence carried him to the club room; here
he was refractory, and would not discover the author.
The club, in consequence, passed the following resolution,
viz.

Goddard went the next day to Annapolis, where the
general assembly was then in session, and presented a
memorial to the legislature, detailing his case, and praying
for protection. The house referred the case to their
committee of aggrievances, which reported, that "the proceedings
of the whig club were a manifest violation of the
constitution, and directly contrary to the declaration, of
rights assented to by the representatives of the freemen
of the state. The club published a vindication of their
proceedings. Goddard, in reply, published a pamphlet,
giving an account of the whole transaction, and satirizing
the members of the club with some severity. This pamphlet
increased the violence of the club, and Goddard thought
himself in danger from their resentment. He therefore
presented a second memorial to the house of delegates;
in consequence of which, the house, on the 11th of April,
1777, passed the following resolutions.

"Resolved, That the proceedings of the persons in Baltimore
town, associated and stiled, The Whig Club, are a
most daring infringement and a manifest violation of the
constitution of this state, directly contrary to the Declaration
of Rights, and tend, in their consequences, unless

timely cheeked, to the destruction of all regular government.

"Resolved unanimously, That the governor be requested
to issue his proclamation, declaring all bodies of men associated
together, or meeting for the purpose, and usurping
any of the powers of government, and presuming to exercise
any power over the persons or property of any subjects of
this state, or to carry into execution any of the laws thereof,
unlawful assemblies, and requiring all such assemblies and
meetings instantly to disperse.

"Resolved, That the governor be requested to afford
William Goddard the protection of the law of the land, and
to direct the justices of Baltimore county to give him every
protection in their power, against all violence or injury to
his person or property."

Governor Johnson, on the 17th of April, 1777, issued his
proclamation conformably to the above resolutions. The
interposition of government in favor of Goddard, did not
immediately secure to him a state of tranquility. He was
accused of toryism, but the accusation did not appear to be
supported. It was, however, sometime before his enemies
ceased to be troublesome.

In June, 1779, Goddard and Eleazar Oswald advertised
that they had formed a partnership as printers, booksellers
and stationers; but this connection was of very short
duration. Goddard's sister continued to publish the Journal.
On the 6th of July, 1779, appeared in that paper
certain "Queries political and military," written by General
Charles Lee. These were sent to the press by Goddard,
and when published they occasioned great commotion in
Baltimore. An assembly of "the people" was holden,
and a committee consisting of about forty was chosen to
wait on Goddard and demand the author of the queries.

This occasioned a considerable ferment, and the disagreement
between Goddard and the Whig Club rose to a very

high pitch. The violence of the clubists was excessive;
but he resisted them with much energy. However, after a
long and arduous contest, in which Goddard was, agreeably
to the language of the day, "several times mobbed, and
grievously insulted," the "rage of the people" subsided;
and he finally quitted Baltimore on good terms with Legion
and the profanum vulgus.

Goddard was variously employed until 1784, when he resumed
his printing house, and recommenced the publication
of the Journal. About this time a rival paper was published
by Hayes, which produced, occasionally, a little
typographical sparring from each of the editors. In 1787,
an almanac published by Goddard was ridiculed by Hayes.
This produced a fierce paper war, in which neither party
spared the other; but Goddard appeared to be fully a
match for his antagonist.

Goddard continued in active business until 1792;[4] he
then sold his printing establishment to his brother-in-law,
who, although not a printer, had been in partnership with
him. He published, in the Journal, a valedictory address
to the citizens of Maryland, whom he left in friendship,
and retired himself in peace to a farm in Johnston, near
Providence, in the state of Rhode Island.

Mary Katharine Goddard was born, in Connecticut, and
was the sister of William Goddard. She was an expert and
correct compositor of types, and ably conducted the printing
house of her brother during the time he was engaged
in other concerns. For a period of about eight years,
the Journal and every work which issued from that press,
were printed and published in her name, and partly on her
account. She kept the postoffice, and continued the newspaper,
until her brother resumed its publication in 1784.