, 1857-01-02
Another Relic Of OldeH Times --PhlladeI.
phia I25 Years ago

in the shape Of time-stained newspaper
."7He 1merican WCrLig McTcWV," dateC
Philadelphia, from Thursday, June IL
TO Thursday, June Is, l7SO,' just one hun
dred and twenty-five years ago. 1t is il
size about fourteen inches 10y eight, anC
purports TO be Printed and sold by An
drew Bradford, at the Sign of the Bible
in Second street. Where Advertisement!
are taken in; and all Persons may be sup
ply'd with this Paper"
The Hiakiy Mercury was established il
l7l9, and was the first paper started il
Philadelphia, and third in the American
Colonies The first in America was the
Boston Ne,rS Letter, in 1904; the seconc
was the boston Gazette, in l1l9, Just ont
day before the issue Of the Grst number o.
the paper now before us. At the date thi,
number Of the Mercury was published
George II had been King of England only
three years; Louis XIV was King of France
and Cardinal Fleury his minister; Peter II
was Gar Of Russia, and Frederic King o.
Prussia. Among the contemporaries of the
editor we're Pope, Swift, Thompson, Watts
Lord Bolingbroke, Doddridge, Chester
field, Rousseau, lie Sage, Rollin, aud Mon
I tesquien. Washington was not born until
1882, two years after the date Of this pa
per. Steam engines, railroads and tele-
graphs were Of course unknown, and cor.
respondence between points now in instant
communication by the telegraph, or only
two or three hours apart over a railroad
required weeks Of toilsome journeying-
Thus in the. Mercury Of the 18th June, pub.
lished in Philadelphia, the latest news from
Boston recorded is to June lst 1t must
have required then seventeen days to pass
between the two places.
Negro slavery was at that time flourish
ing in the land of Penn. Thus we find the
following advertisement in the NereNry:-
"T0 be SOLD"
"By Joseph Jackson, very likely Negroe
Man, Barbados born) O Wheel Wright
by Trade. Enquire at the Widow Coats
in Highstreei, opposite to the Butchers
Shambles, or at Haiidm RG6ley's Store in
Haterstrcct, near the Crooked Billet"
And this:-
To BE HIRED BY THE YEAR OR MoSrT, a
very likely Negroe Man, named SeipiO, ft
for most sorts Of Lobouring Business in
the House or out OF Doors, he is also a
good Cook; there is likewise to be Hired
or Sold, very likely Negroe Boy about
sixteen Years Of Age (this Town born) he
understands something Of the Taylor's
Trade. Enquire Of John Mac Comb"
From these advertisements may be gath-
cred the fact that slavery had long existed
in Pennsylvania, and that the slave trade
was encouraged, inasmuch as Joseph Jack.
sons negro man" had been imported
from Barbados.
We perceive also the changes which time
has made in the orthography Of words, and
the method Of commencing words of i'm
portanee in all parts Of a sentence will
capital letters.
Under the head of advertisements We
find the following:
Run AWAY FROM Joseph Britdin, OF TIL
TOWNSHIP OF Nottingham, in the county o
Burlington, and Province of H'eI NeSl
Jersey, the Fourteenth Day Of this instant
June; Two Servant Men, (both Irish, thu
one named David Willings, a lusty tall fel
low with short black hair and two warti
on bis nose, O Cinnamon colourd Linsey
Woolsey Coat, Jacket, and Dreeches, th,
Jacket and Breeches not lined. a..
"The other named COnsiantiae lIacl
manners a short fellow (no Hair) n Taylo
by Trade, he has a scar between his Eye
brows; he had on Homespun Drugge
Coat, Jacket and BreecheS of an Orang,
colour, and Buttons Of the same. Whoev
er secures the above mentioned Runaway
or give notice to their Master, or brinI
them to Burlington Goal, shall have Fort,
Shillings for each, and reasonable charge
paid by me-
"J0SEPH BRITAIN"
; From this, one would suppose white, a
well as negro slavery, existed in Pennsyl
vania. The master" of these men ad
vertises for their capture, or their deliver,
to the county jailor, just as masters in tn,
: Southern States do at the present day 70
: the apprehension Of fugitive slaves. 1t i
: probable these men had been sold to Josepl
Britain by the captain Of the ship tha
brought them over, for the price Of thei
, passage, to serve until their labor remuner
ated Mr.. Britain for his advance and char
ges. Contracts Of that kind were common
f in thoseF,iays, and under them white fhgl
+, tives from labor were as common Os blacl
: ones now. What would the descendant
. of Penn and bis followers think if such o.
l. advertisement were to appear in Philade
I phia paper at this day. The Mercury cor
}, tains another advertisement of smila
e character. William Smith, under date c
;; June 9Th, 1880, advertises that "a servan
9 man, named John Norris, aged about tweT
o tyfour years, of middle stature, smoot
It fac'd, (his hair cut of, and sharp chin'd,
" had run away, and after describing h
dress, says: Whoever secures the sal
If servant, so that his said master can hav
x him again, shall have Five Pounds r.
d ward, and reasonable charges paid by me.
!, Still another advertisement Of the sam
r nature appears over the name of Josep
England.