Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1876 — Newspapers in 1770. [ARTICLE]

Newspapers in 1770.

In the libraries of State Historical Societies, and in some private collections, are to be found files, or odd numbers, or incomplete sets, oi American newspapers of lTvfl —small, coarse, time-yellowed sheets; hut, unpretending though they look, they are publications of great interest and value. In ti e most of them there is not much space given to discussions ot the measures of the times; the times were too stirring, the perils too close upon them, and the few columns were needed for actual intelligence from the seat of war. _ ■ A reasonable proportion of the very limited space vote allowed for the advertisements, but those of goods for sale were not many. In oa* of the Philadelphia newspapers, Joseph Stansbury, crockery dealer, anxious to dispose of his stock, evidently, before the hostile armies reached that region, advertises c\temfans> ly, and the articles must to a great extent have been of a class which our modern relie-hunters, china-mad, would give a small fortune to become possessors of—- “ China and Nonquln ware;” of teapots alone he enumerates “earthen, Egyptian, Etruscan, embossed, red china, agate, green, black, coliflower, striped and fluted;’’ also, “ egg-slicers, cheese-toast-era, cream buckets, cream-cheese dishes, tea jars, sugar dishes, spoon trays,” and an extensive list of articles known and unknown to modern tables, among them “ rich enameled and blue and-white bowls from ahalf-pinttotwoand a half gallons.” Peter Stretch, of Borden town, sell# out his stock and goes into the country, assuring ail whom he owes that they may depend on being paid before a certain day. Andrew Caldwell makes out his list as Russia drillings and linens, osnaburghs and sail clotns, cinnamon and a few pieces of silk. Jonas Phillips, catching the sjiirit of the times, advertises “ pro patria writing paper.” In the miscellaneous class appears the announcement that an English servant girl who has two years to serve is to be sold into the country; and her recommendation is in a few carefully-chosen words, the second of which is peculiarly suggestive; she is described as “handy, appreheneice and honest.” Thfi Freemasons, notified to meet at the “ City Tavern” to celebrate St. John’s Day, are informed in an N. B. that a “ frugal entertainment will be provided, and dinner in the tavern at precisely two o’clock.” A schoolmaster is advertised for for Eden School, Somerset County, Maryland, “ 130 pounds sterling per year, with accommodations found;” and a gentleman lately from London wishes to teach drawing in watercolors, and has left specimens at Norman’s picture store. Hugh Morton has had a silver watch stolen—“ she had a black rflbbon to her and brass key, aud a seal in form of a compass seal.” The Company for promo) ing American Manufactures gives public notice of “ The Bleach-fields,” requesting their patrons to mark their cloth with name and the number of yards; “pieces should be cut at about twenty-five yards each.”

Mingled with such advertisements as these are others indicative of me state of the times. The price of tea is announced as limited by the Committee of Inspection of Philadelphia—“ best green tea shall not exceed thirty, two shillings sixpence per pound.” Coarse salt is to be sold at “ seven shillings sixpences pound.” Two hundred bushels of coarse salt are to be distributed by a committee to the poor gratis if they will call at a certain place on certain days. There are projects announced for making saltpeter. It is earnestly recommended that “ wo spare our leaden window-weights to be run into balls.” Rewards are offered for deserters; martial accouterments and books on military matters are advertised; announcements are made mat changes in business are about to take place in anticipation of me progress of the war. In me New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury of June 17m me most graphic of these advertisements of military equipments is inserted for the benefit of Charles Oliver Bruff, Maiden Lane, near the Fly market, who keeps all kinds of swords, taking special pride in me heads which adorn them—“ Lion Heads, Dog Heads, Bird Heads,” etc.; also heads of Washington, Lee, Chatham and John Wilkes, the motto accompanying the first being: Prosperity, brave Washington, For he Old England’* troops has made to run. That for Lee: Let the God of llosts role the sway, And make ns Freemen in America. For Pitt: “ Magna Charta and Freedom;” and for Wilkes: “ Wilkes and Liberty.” Doubtless some of these swords are still in existence, but it is to be hoped that the metal was of better quality than the couplets engraved on them. In one of me Pennsylvania newspapers the members of me Library Company of Philadelphia are requested to attend a special meeting to consider me propriety of removing the books and fixing on a place of deposit for mem, “in case any luture event should render that measure necessary.” An order appears directing all persons having provincial arms not fit for use “to bring them forthwith to the-general factoryln Cherry Alley, tu be put in good order.” Battalions are notified to meet, and committees as the “combat thickens.” Word goes south from Watertown assuring the people mat “mere is not a ministerial troop in all N. E. except what are prisoners; nor is there a ministerial ship in any harbor in N. E.” A meeting is held in Carpenter’s Hall, of which reports are minute, and on which comments are freely made. The newspapers speak out boldly; and a new style of communication begins to appear. One Cornelius Williamson is formally denounced by me Committee of Safety as an enemy to me liberties of America, and anathematized in such words as these : “Let him live as Cain did, forsaken by mankind.” Thomas *Lightfoot makes a long acknowledgement of having spoken disrespectfully of Congress and endeavored to depreciate me Continental currency, asks .pardon of his injured countrymen, and promises to conduct himself friendly tome cause, ending with me reqiirat mat mis may be put into me German and English newspapers, as a warning to others who may have been misled as he has been. Dunlop’s Pennsylvania Packet and Genend Adoertiter (“printed at me newest printing office,” at ten shillings per annum) of June 24, opens with a communication to the people of mat State, signed “Watchman,” anticipating me Declaration of Independence; saying mat should it take place '*we should then only have crossed me Red Sea of our difficulties,” the newspaper being full of war matter. Upfothe Say of'the Declaration the Pennsylvania Ledger had me royal arms in me center of me title-head. On me 13m (Saturday) me Declaration was in. One of the other newspapers of the town printed it on me 6m. The Boston Gazette and County Journal, printed by Benjamin Edra, at Watertown, has this paragraph, dated July 16: “We have Just receftreil* proclamation declaring the

Colonies independent It will be in our next ” Accordingly, in the number for July 22 (Monday), it leads, and the same journal gives an enthusiastic account of the proclamation of the Declaration from the iwlcony of the State House in Boston A. B. H., in N. Y. Evening Poet.