CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.....

OUR OWN OPENING..

.Page xv

xxi

THE FIRST NEWSPAPERS IN THE WORLD.

The Proof-Sheet.-News Circulars and Letters.—The Newspaper.—The first

in the World.—The first in America.—The Prospectus.—The Official Organ.

-The Journal. —Advertisements.—The Penny Press.—News-boys.—Now and

Then.....

xxviii

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NEWSPAPERS IN AMERICA.

FIRST ERA.

1690-1704.

THE BEGINNING IN MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE INITIAL NEWSPAPER.

Harris's Publick Occurrences in Boston.-Its Editor and Publisher.-Its Con.

tents.-Its one Day's Existence.—The reprinted London Gazette in New York,

by William Bradford ...

43

SECOND ERA.

170-1748.

THE COLONIAL PRESS.

CHAPTER II.

THE EARLY PRESS OF BOSTON AND PHILADELPHIA.

The Boston News-Letter.—Dependence of Printers on the Authorities.- John

Campbell.--His News Circulars.—The early Postmasters the first Editors.-

Circulation of the News-Letter.—The first Reporting.–Home Intelligence.-

Appeals to Subscribers.— Boston Gazette and Philadelphia Mercury - William

Brooker.-James and Benjamin Franklin.-Andrew Bradford.-Conflicts with

the governing Classes.—The first Newspaper War.-Busy Body.—The Orig-

inal Jenkins.-Fashions. — Troubles with the Clergy. - Increase and Cotton

Mather.-Imprisonment of James Franklin, etc..

51

CHAPTER III.

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IN NEW YORK.

The Gazette.-Its Commencement by William Bradford.—The Bible.—Premi-

ums for Subscribers.- New England Weekly Journal.—Samuel Kneeland.-

The Mails.—Difficulties in circulating Newspapers.-Style of Writers, etc.. 72

CHAPTER IV.

REAPPEARANCE OF THE FRANKLINS.

The Way Benjamin Franklin started a Paper in Philadelphia.—Samuel Keimer.

-The Pennsylvania Gazette.—The Fleets in Boston.—Mother Goose Melodies.

-The Fashions.-More Trouble with the Authorities.—Boston Evening Post, -

-Zenger's New York Journal. — Arrest of Zenger. – The first Libel Suit in

America. — Andrew Hamilton's great Speech.— The popular Verdict. — The

Joy of the People.—The Dawn of Liberty.—The New York Gazette.-William

Bradford.—The Post-Boy:- James Parker.—Personal Description of an early

New York Editor.–James Franklin in Newport.— The Rhode Island Gazette.

-Newport then and now, etc...

Page 77

CHAPTER V.

THE PRESS AT THE SOUTH.

Commencement in South Carolina.—The Gazette. — The first Newspaper in Vir-

ginia.—The Gazette.—Boston Weekly Post - Boy.--Ellis Huske.—The Brad-

fords of Pennsylvania.—The Stamp Act.—Indignation in Printing - offices.-

John Hughes, the Stamp Commissioner.-Carriers' Addresses. The first Pa-

per in Maryland. — The Gazette again.—Toujours Perdrix.—Very old Printing-

press.—The Beginning of the German Newspapers, etc..

... 96

THIRD ERA.

1748-1783.

THE REVOLUTIONARY PRESS.

CHAPTER VI.

THE PRE-REVOLUTIONARY NEWSPAPERS.

Our Patriotic Editors and Publishers.—The Sons of Liberty.-Who Wrote for

the Newspapers.-Opening of the Revolutionary Ball.—The Boston Independ-

ent Advertiser. -Samuel Adams. – New York Mercury.-Hugh Gaine's Ga.

zette.-Philip Freneau, the Poet.— The Adamses, Warrens, and Quincys.-Bos-

ton Gazette.--Shed's Grocery-store.--Boston Massacre.— Throwing the Tea

overboard. — Imprisonment of Daniel Fowle. — Newport (R. I.) Mercury. —

James Franklin, Jr.-Ann Franklin.—The Franklin Printing-presses.-Impris.

onment of Alexander M‘Dougall, etc....

102

CHAPTER VII.

SPREAD OF THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT.

The Connecticut Courant.-Scarcity of Rags for Paper-mills.—Appeals for old

Cotton and Linen. — Curiosities of the old Rag Shops. — History repeating

itself.— The American Rag-bag.—The Maryland Gazette.-Charles Carroll, of

Carrollton.—The Virginia Resolutions.—Mottoes and Devices.—Opinions of

Sir William Berkeley and Henry A. Wise.—New York Journal.- Alexander

M'Dougall.–Royal Gazetteer.— James Rivington.-Attack on Rivington's Of-

W fice.-Alexander Hamilton.—Boston Chronicle.- John Mein.-Salem Gazette.

-Harvard College.-Nathaniel Willis, etc.....

113

CHAPTER VIII.

THE REVOLUTIONARY CRISIS.

The Massachusetts Spy.—Isaiah Thomas.—The British Organ.—Massachuset.

tensis.-Join or Die.—Paul Revere's Midnight Ride.—The Concord Fight.-

Worcester Spy.-Rivington's Royal Gazette.-Curious Interview with Colonel

Ethan Allen.- Major André and the Cow Chase.-Freneau's Satires, etc. 127

CHAPTER IX.

CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.

Increase of Newspapers.—The Independent Chronicle.-Death of General War.

ren.-William Gordon, the Historian.—Publication of Histories and Geogra-

phies.- New York Packet.-Samuel Loudon.—Death of James Otis.-News-

papers in New Jersey.—The first New York Directory - The Greenbacks of

the last Century.-Number of Papers printed at the close of the Revolutionary

Struggle, etc...

. Page 136

FOURTH ERA.

1783-1832.

THE POLITICAL PARTY PRESS.

CHAPTER X.

ORGANIZATION OF THE GREAT POLITICAL PARTIES.

After the Revolution.—The Beginning of the Federal and Republican Parties.-

Metternich's Opinion.-Stamp Acts.-Names of Cliques.-Contributors to the

Press.—Newspapers in Existence.-Independent Gazette.-American Citizen.

- James Cheetham.-State of Society.-Aaron Burr's Suit against the Citizen.

-Theatre in New York.—“Vivat Respublica.”—Box 8s., Pit 6s., Gallery 45,-

Massachusetts Centinel.—Major Benjamin Russell.—Shay's Rebellion.-Fed-

eral Constitution.—Real and imaginary Processions.—The War of Editors.-

King Louis Philippe.—The Black Cockade. —Death of the Federal Party.-

Gerrymandering.–New Hampshire Gazette.-Connecticut Courant.....

141

CHAPTER XI.

THE NEWSPAPERS ON THE PENDING QUESTIONS.

The Restoration of the Tories to Citizenship. --Society of Cincinnati.—The Alien

and Sedition Laws. — Virginia Resolutions.—Prosecutions of Newspapers.-

Law of Libel in Massachusetts.—The Common Law of England “the Birth-

right of every American.”—Benjamin Austin and Thomas O. Selfridge.--As-

sassination of Charles Austin.—The Massachusetts Stamp Act.—Tax on Ad-

vertisements.—Benjamin Edes and Isaiah Thomas.—Worcester Spy.-Ameri-

can Titles.—The Rise and Fall of Newspapers.—The first Express.—Salem

Register and Salem Gazette.-Chief Justice Story on Newspaper Personal-

ities..

CHAPTER XII.

THE FIRST DAILY NEWSPAPERS.

The American Daily Advertiser of Philadelphia.—Zachariah Poulson.—The New

York Daily Advertiser.-Washington in New York.–Frencau.—The Portland

Daily Courier.-Junius and the Federalist.—When and where published. —

Interesting Incidents.—New York Gazette.—John Lang.-Shipping News.-

Old Lang's Sign.—United States Gazette and North American of Philadelphia.

- John Fenno.—Joseph R. Chandler.-Newspaper Enterprise.—Ten Journals

in one.--Impartial Intelligencer.....

175

CHAPTER XIII.

NOTABLE JOURNALS.

National Gazette of Philadelphia.—The celebrated Philip Frencau.—Organ of

Thomas Jefferson. — Violent 'Attacks on Washington. — His Complaints in
Cabinet Council.–New York Time-piece.—Matthew L. Davis.—Newspapers
in New Jersey. - Massachusetts Mercury. — “Immutably Impartial.” – Harry
Blake, the Ship-news Compiler.—Incidents in his Life. — Topliff's News-room

158

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in Boston. — Noah Webster. – New York Commercial Advertiser. - Colonel

William L. Stone. — Anecdote of James G. Percival. – Thurlow Weed and

Hugh Hastings.

... 185

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PRESS AT THE WEST.

The Centinel of the Northwestern Territory.--First Journalist of the Northwest.

-Posmasters as Publishers.-Western Spy and Sol. Smith.—Newspapers in

Cincinnati.--The Gazette.-Charles Hammond.—The first daily Paper.-In-

troduction of Steam Presses.-Symmes's Hole.—Horse Expresses.-Cash Re-

ceipts of Newspapers.-Cincinnati Commercial.-Murat Halsted.—The Thom-

ases in Journalism. — Cincinnati Chronicle and Times. – Ohio Statesman.-

Newspapers in Indiana and Missouri. — St. Louis Republican. — Sale of the

Democrat.-Journalism in Chicago.-War with the Blondes. — The Press in

Wisconsin.—Thurlow Weed and William L. Stone.—Newspapers in Kansas.-

The Frontier Index, etc..

Page 195

CHAPTER XV.

TWO REMARKABLE NEWSPAPERS.

The Philadelphia Aurora.—Benjamin Franklin Bache and William Duane.-Sav-

age Attack on Washington.-Curious Incident in India.—Expulsion of Duane.

-The Alien and Sedition Laws.-Trials and Convictions of Editors.-Serious

Riots in Philadelphia. - Alexander Hamilton's Libel Suit against the New

\ York Argus.—New York Evening Post.-William Coleman.--Extraordinary

Duel.-Interesting Coincident.—Theodore Dwight.-Fitz Greene Halleck and

John Rodman Drake. — William Cullen Bryant and William Leggett. — The

Food of an Editor.- The Bee and Columbian.— Newspaper Circulation.-Gales

and Seaton.-James Montgomery, the Poet.—The Lay Preacher, etc..... 210

CHAPTER XVI.

THE OFFICIAL ORGANS IN WASHINGTON.

The Organs of the World. The first Newspaper in the National Capital.—Na-

tional Intelligencer.-Gales and Seaton.-Organs of the Government.--Con-

gressional Printing. – National Journal. — Advent of Jackson. — The United

States Telegraph and Duff Green.—The Quarrel of Jackson and Calhoun.-

Thomas H. Benton.— The Globe.-Francis P. Blair and Amos Kendall.-John

C. Rives.— The Spectator and Constitution. — Intrigues and Incidents. The

Union.—Thomas Ritchie.-Congressional Globe.— Interesting Reminiscences.

- The Nullification Proclamation.—The Madisonian.—The Republic.—News-

papers of To-day, etc...

230

CHAPTER XVII.

THE DEMOCRATIC TRIUMVIRATE.

The Charleston (S. C.) Courier, James Gordon Bennett's Newspaper Cradle.-

Morning Chronicle of New York.–Washington Irving and Charles Dickens.

- Jonathan Oldstyle and Boz.-Singular Duel.—Harry Croswell, of the Hud-

son Balance.-Suit against him for an Attack on Jefferson.—Opinions of Alex.

ander Hamilton.—The Triumvirate.-Richmond Enquirer.—Thomas Ritchie.

-Andrew Jackson on Ritchie.—Tragical Duel between John H. Pleasants and

Thomas Ritchie, Jr.—New Hampshire Patriot and Isaac Hill.—"Origin" of the

War on the United States Bank.—The Albany Register and Solomon South-

wick.- Nathaniel H. Carter.—Mobbing the Baltimore Republican.—The Alba-

ny Argus and Edwin Croswell. -- Public Printing.—The Regency.-Judge Kent

on Newspapers.- James Gordon Bennett and the Courier and Enquirer.. 262