boats to be armed, and to be freighted by individuals for the sake of diminishing the public expense." Sometimes carrying, perchance,

oysters, potatoes, apples, &c.

In November, 1776, authority was given" to employ extra post riders between the armies, from their head quarters to Philadelphia." The pay of the postmaster general was increased to $2000, in April, 1779.

In 1779, the post was regulated" to arrive and set out twice a week at the place where Congress shall be sitting, "to go as far as Boston, and to Charleston, South Carolina." In consequence of this alleged increase of business, the postmaster general was to receive $5000 per annum, and the comptroller $4000, meaning continental money, we presume, for in September, 1780, the postmaster general actually received but $1000, and the comptroller but $500. The surveyor $533, in specie. Besides these two officers in the post department, there was a secretary, who acted as clerk to the postmaster general. The comptroller settled the accounts and was the bookkeeper. There were three surveyors who were to travel and inspect the conduct of riders, &c. There was also an inspector of dead letters, at a salary of $100 a year-now there are four clerks constantly employed at this service, inspecting upwards of a million of dead letters in a year! The post riders furnished their own horses and forage,— and when much exposed, through any country possessed by the enemy, they had an occasional military escort.

GAZETTES AND THE PRINTING PRESS.

"These mark the every-day affairs of life."

THE early newspapers are by no means such miscellaneous and amusing things as our modern use of them might lead us to conceive. They are very tame, and the news, which is generally foreign, is told in very dull prose; very little like jest or mirth appears in any of them. Fruitful as Franklin was in amusing writings, it is really surprising how very devoid of Spectator-like articles his paper is; but very little has been furnished by his pen. He must have deemed it out of place for his paper, and therefore confined his essays to his "Poor Richard's Almanac," which was so favourably received as to call for three editions in the same year. Reflections on men and manners of that day, to which he was so very competent, would have been very interesting and judicious; but I have found nothing. Probably the "even tenor of their way," in the days of his chief residence among us, excited no cause of remarks, and that it was chiefly since the Revolution that we began to deserve remarks on the changing character of the times and the people.

But after every omission and neglect in such editors, old newspapers are still unavoidably a kind of mirror of their age, for they bring up the very age with all its bustle and every day occurrence, and mark its genius and its spirit, more than the most laboured description of the historian. Sometimes a single advertisement incidentally" prolongs the dubious tale." An old paper must make us thoughtful, for we also shall make our exit; there every name we read of in print is already cut upon tombstones. The names of doctors have followed their patients'; the merchants have gone after their perished ships, and the celebrated actor furnishes his own skull for his successor in Hamlet.

"The American Weekly Mercury" was begun by Andrew Bradford, son of William, in Philadelphia, 1719, in company with John Copson. This was the first gazette ever published in our city. It was begun the 22d of December, 1719, at 10 shillings per annum. The general object of the paper is said to be "to encourage trade." It does not seem to be the spirit of the paper to give the local news, or rather, they did not seem to deem it worthy their mention. It might have been but "a tale twice told," for which they were unwilling to pay, while they thought every man could know his domestic news without an advertiser. Foreign news and custom-house entries, inwards and outwards, including equally the ports of New York and Boston, constituted the general contents of every Mercury. In November, 1742, the publisher, Andrew Bradford, died, and the paper was set in mourning columns, &c., for six weeks. After this it continued by the widow until 1746, when it was discontinued probably from the cause of William Bradford, the former partner of Andrew, having soon after his death set up a new paper, called the Pennsylvania Journal.

In 1727, Benjamin Franklin projected the scheme of publishing a second, or rival paper; but his project being exposed to Keimer, he supplanted Franklin by hastily publishing his prospectus-a strange vapouring composition-and fell to getting subscribers. By this means he was enabled to start, and even to continue for nine short months," the Pennsylvania Gazette." He had got only ninety subscribers, when Franklin and Joseph Breintnal, under the title of the "Busy Body," contributed to write him down in Bradford's Mercury. Thus won by conquest, Franklin soon managed to buy it for a trifle, as his own.

The Pennsylvania Gazette began in 1728. The braggart style of Keimer's prospectus is a little curious. His eccentric mind led him to throw it into an alphabetical order, and to embrace, in encyclopedia form, the whole circle of the arts and sciences! This arrangement was abandoned as soon as Franklin became editor. Some specimens of his braggart manner is thus displayed, to wit: "Whereas many have encouraged me to publish a paper of intelligence; and whereas the late Mercury has been so wretchedly performed as to be a scandal to the name of printing, and to be truly styled non

sense in folio, this is therefore to notify that I shall begin, in November next, a most useful paper, to be entitled the Pennsylvania Gazette or Universal Instructer." The proposer, (he says,) having dwelt at the fountain of intelligence in Europe, will be able to give a paper to please all and to offend none, at the reasonable expense of ten shillings per annum, proclamation money. So far, it possessed Dr. Johnson's character of a good advertisement: it having "that promise which is the soul of a good advertisement !"

But he transcends even the superlative degree! It will, says he, exceed all others that ever were in America, and will possess, in fine, the most complete body of history and philosophy ever yet published since the creation! Possibly he meant this extravagant praise for his intended extracts from Chambers' great Dictionary, for he adds, that a work of the self-same design has been going on in England, by no less than seven dukes, two viscounts, eighteen earls, twentytwo lords, and some hundreds of knights, esquires, &c., and withal approved and honoured by the wisest king-even the very darling of heaven-King George the First! Such advertisements could not secure patronage now, and as he eked out his great work for less than one year, it is presumed his gins did not ensnare the wary of that day. Alas! his visions of hope ended in a prison before the year had filled its term.

In October, 1729, the Gazette was assumed by B. Franklin and H. Meredith, and they promptly state in their prospectus their intention to discontinue the alphabetical extracts from Chambers' Dictionary, and from the Religious Courtship-subjects surely incompatible enough for newspaper readers. Soon after commencing, they advertise that, because of their increase of patronage, they will print twice a week, delivering half a sheet at a time on the old subscription price of ten shillings.

The Gazette under their management gained reputation; but, until Franklin obtained the appointment of postmaster, Bradford's Mercury had the largest circulation. After this event, the Gazette had a full proportion of subscribers and advertising custom, and became profitable.

Meredith and Franklin separated in May, 1732. Franklin continued the Gazette, but published it only once a week. In 1733, he printed it on a crown half sheet quarto. Price ten shillings a year. In 1741, he enlarged the size to a demi quarto half sheet. In 1745, he reverted to foolscap folio. In 1747-8, the Gazette was published "by B. Franklin, postmaster, and D. Hall," and was enlarged to a whole sheet crown folio, and afterwards by a great increase of advertisements to a sheet, and often to a sheet and a half demi. On the 9th of May, 1754, the device of a snake, divided into eight parts, (the number of the then colonies united against the French and Indians,) was affixed, with the motto "Join or die.”

In May, 1766, it was published by Hall and Sellers, who continued it until 1777 but suspended it at the visit of the British army.

Afterwards it was published once a week until the death of Sellers, in 1804. Afterwards by others.

The Pennsylvania Journal and the Weekly Advertiser.

This paper was first published on Tuesday, December 2d, 1742. It was printed on a foolscap sheet. The day of publication was changed to Wednesday. Printed by William Bradford.

About the year 1766, the imprint was changed to William and Thomas Bradford. This paper was devoted to the cause of the country, but it was suspended during the possession of the city by the British.

William Bradford died in 1791. Then the Journal was continued by his surviving partner subsequent to 1800. It was finally superseded by "the True American."

The Pennsylvania Chronicle and Universal Advertiser.-Containing the freshest advices, &c.

The Chronicle was published weekly, on Monday. The first number appeared January 6th, 1767, by William Goddard, at ten shillings per annum. This was the fourth newspaper in the English language established at Philadelphia, and the first with four columns to a page, in the colonies. The second and third years it was printed in quarto, and the fourth year again in folio. It was ably edited-having the celebrated Joseph Galloway, Esq., and Thomas Wharton, Esq., as secret partners. It gained great circulation. It became at last too tory in its bias to stand the times. It continued till February, 1773.

The Pennsylvania Packet, or the General Advertiser.

This was issued from the press, in November, 1771, by John Dunlap, once a week. In 1783, he sold out to D. C. Claypole, who printed it three times a week, for about a year, and afterwards, daily, making it the first daily paper in all the United States.

Mr. Claypole having been enriched by its publication, sold out his right to the present Zachariah Poulson, by whom it was continued in very great patronage, under the name of the "American Daily Advertiser."

Of this paper, we have a few words of special notice. It is more properly municipal and domestic than any other which we know. It seems composed to suit the family hearth and fireside comforts of good and sober citizens, never flaunting in the gaudy glare of party allurements; never stained with the ribaldry and virulence of party recrimination. It is patriarchal,-looking alike to the wants and benefits of all our citizens, as common children of the same city family. It is, in short, a paper like the good old times from which it has descended, and like the people of the former days, its recent most numerous readers, it carries with it something grave, discrimi

native, useful, and considerate. In January, 1840, it was merged into the North American.

The Pennsylvania Ledger, and Weekly Advertiser.

This Ledger was first published in January 28, 1775, by James Humphreys, Jun., at 10 shillings a year. He started to act impartially, but after the British got possession of the city, it was turned to their interest. The last number was published May 23, 1778.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post.

Was first published Jan. 24, 1775, by Benjamin Towne, in quarto, three times a week; price three shillings a quarter. This was the third evening paper in the colonies. It continued to be published till the year 1782.

Story and Humphrey's Pennsylvania Mercury, and Universal

Advertiser.

The Mercury came before the public in April, 1775, and was published weekly, on Fridays, on a demi sheet, folio, with home-made types. It was short-lived, for the whole establishment was destroyed by fire in December, 1775.

The German Newspapers printed previously to the year 1775,

were these

As early as May, 1743, a German newspaper was started in Philadelphia, by Joseph Crellius, entitled the "High Dutch Pennsylvania Journal."

By an advertisement in the Pennsylvania Gazette, of September, 1751, I find there was at that time "A Dutch and English Gazette, in both languages, adapted to those who incline to learn either.-Price five shillings per annum.

Another German paper was established about the year 1759, by Miller and Weiss, conveyancers, the former ones being discontinued. It was printed for them about two years by Gotthan Armbruster.

Anthony Armbruster, in 1762, began a new German paper, which he published weekly for several years.

H. Miller's German newspaper was begun in 1762; and for some time there were two German and two English newspapers publishing in the city.

Der Wochentliche Philadelphische Staatsbothe.

This newspaper was first published in the German language, in 1762, by Henry Miller, weekly-afterwards twice a week, on demi

size.

In 1768, the title was changed to "Pennsylvanische Staatsbothe,” i. e., the Pennsylvania Post Boy. It thus continued until May, 1779, when the paper ended.

A public Journal was printed at Germantown, in the German lan