Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-09-13

origin OF NEWSPAPERS IN ENGLAND.
In Lord Lyodhursl's speech, delivered
lately at the second anniversary Ct the
Newspaper Press Benevolent Association"
IN London, among other interesting passa-
ges was the following:
cit is singular circumstance, and worthy re.
malk, that the first English newspaper, called the
English Mercury, was published under the dlrec-
ton of that great statesman, Lord Bmlesh, who
was the first to observe The great moral effect 1t
would produce. There were IN circulation to
very great extent. the most extraordinary desCrip
lions of the Spanish armament-a panic was be.
ginning to spiead among the nhabilan,s-Lo
/ Burlegh, with'views showing his powerful and
saesmanlike intelligence, adopted mode of coun.
teracling this by the strong moral influence Of the
press, ani he published newspaper IN order to
correct the Measurements which had Teen made
and to teach the country 10 cohile in It's own exer
tions and its own resources. This was The first
appearance OF newspaper, and it was attended
with consequences the most important, and with
results the most favorable TO The inhabitants OF this
island. All were aware of The tate of the Spanish
expedilion.-l Cheers For some time the public
press crept slowly ONT continued, indeed, TO
make advances, but it was not I'LL fifty or sixty
years ago. that it took these rapid strides, which,
have brought il 10 its present commanding position.
In 1871 there were twenty four million newspapers
sold in Great Britain, and since that lime the
number has been vastly extended"
The first appearance of the 'Englsh
| Mercury" at the epoch mentioned above
was in 1858. Newspapers had appeared
IN Italy. where they had their origin some
wears before. During the war which the
Republic of Venice woged against the
Turks IN 1868, The custom arose in Venice
of communicating the military and com
mercal intelligence received by written
sheets, to be read at a particular place BY
hose deslrous to learn the news, VINO paid
for this privilege in coin, not any longer
in use. called GdceLa-a name, which, by
degrees. was transferred to the newspaper
! itself. The first newspaper published il
, America was The Boston .Ne,Os Letter.
i The second was the .aew England Cour
n ont, issued also at Boston. by jane
t Franklin, the brother of Benjamin, and i
/, was IN This paper that the young phIloso
G pher made his first essays in writing for TIT
n press in 1897 the number of newspaper
. circulated annually in the United State
; was reckoned at % 900 600. Since tina
r time we know not that any estimate ha
: been made which can be depended upon
d II would in fact be almost an impossbl
n matter to ascertain with anything hk
d certainty the actual number now sprea
= monthly, weekly and daily. throughout tn
/. vast extent of The Republic. 1t is yer
e certain, however, that the diffusion ,
e newspapers here is much more genert
Il than IN Great Britain.
Two Considerations are in favor Of th
- supp0sltlon: first, the cheapness with whic
- they are published IN comparison with III
n, price OF English newspapers; secondly, III
II republican nature OF our institutions, whlG
40 gives TO greater number an interest
-, public affairs TO which may be added, ii
" superior general intelligence Of the grei
40 body OF our people.
~ Newspa pers have become with US one
- the necessarles of life. They are III
" beings of "this breathing world" of bus
-, ness, politics, and literature. They col
- siilutc one ofthe most marked pecuIlarlti
-, Of modern civilization, and like every orh
- enduring growth, they have sprung up, ii
~, legitimate offspring Of the wants aud COT
~ vcnences OF society.
=, The players are well nigh elbowed OF
~ Of their vocation; for newspapers ha,
:" become ",he abstract and brief chronicle
80 the times" and suffice more effeclual
30 than the drama TO give "the very age al
- body Of the time his form and pressure
When new town springs up, news9ap
establishment comes next after the tave
H. and back'mlths shop. De Tocquevllc,
ne his work on America, speaking Of Il
ne Western Pioneer, who goes in the advan
" of emigration, says, she penelrntes Il
y woods with his axe. his Bible, and file
f. newspapers. - Baltimore Amer.