Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-07-12
THE MASSACHUSETTS sPY-A RETROSPECT
AND BIOGRAPHY.

l.
1t is now eighty-nine years since the first
number of THE MASSACHUSETTS SPY was
issued That number is dated July II, 1770;
but it was printed few days earlier and circu-
lated gratis in search of subscribers. 1t was
printed in Boston, the publishers being zecha-
riah Fowle and Isaiah Thomas, who announced
their purpose as follows =
"TO THE PUBLIC.
1t has always been customary for Printers
and Publishers of new periodical Publications
to introduce them to the World with an Ac-
count of the Nature and End of their Design.
We therefore, beg leave to observe, That this
small Paper, under the Name of the Massachu-
sets Spy, is calculated on an entirely New
Plan. If it meets with favorable Reception,
it will be regularly published THREE times ev-
cry Week, viz, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sat
urday ion two of which Days no Newspaper is
published in this TOWN. by which Means
those who favor this Undertaking with their
Subscriptions will always have the most Ma
terial of the News which may from Time to
Time arrive from Europe, and from other parts
&c +hi- s>->t:-4~.>Ay tl-sDs of ts sr1ivol
the next Day following Sundays excepted
which will be sooner through this Channel than
any other Where there happens to be larg
er Quantity of News and greater number of
Advertisements than can be contained in one
number at its usual Bigness, it will be enlarg
ed at double its Size at such Times, in order
that our Readers may not be disappointed OF
Intelligence"
The undertaking originated chiefly with
Mr.. Thomas, who was much more largely en-
dowed with the faculty for success in such an
enterprise than his partner, and who alone con-
tinued the publication of the paper after the
first three months of the issue. The first plan
of the publishers was novel; 1t was to issue
the paper three times week-once on a half
sheet and twice on quarter sheet. This was
deemed much more attractive to subscribers
than to give whole sheet at one issue. But
at the end of three months there was a change
and the paper was now printed twice week
on half sheets. This semi-weekly arrange
ment continued three months longer, when
Mr.. Thomas made another change and began
the issue of the paper every Wednesday on
whole sheet; and this arrangement has con-
tinued ever since. The size of the sheet has
been enlarged from time to time; and now,
our weekly, the MASSACHUSETTS SPY, which
is the oldest newspaper in Massachusetts, is
also one of the largest and handsomest.
When the first number of the Spy was
printed, there were six other papers in Massa-
chusetts,-fve in Boston and one in Salem
The Boston papers were, The Boston News
Letter, The Boston Weekly Advertiser, The
Boston Chronicle, The Boston Evening Post
and the Boston Gazette, or Country Journal
The Gazette was patriotic paper, and did
excellent service to the cause of Liberty. 1t
was started in 1855, and discontinued in 1893
The Boston Evening Post was neutral in poll
tics and rather free with religious matters. 1t
died in l775, after the war began. The other
three Boston newspapers were organs of roy
alism. The Chronicle began as a patriotic
agency but toryism seduced it to ruin, and it
died of starvation in June after the Spy was
started, less than three years old. The Week
ly Advertiser, which was started in 1857, died
nffi it"'-T;Tfrs papaF had been transformed into
royalist organ by the appointment of its pub
fishers to be printers to the British Commits
sioners, and furnishers of blanks for the Gus
tom House. The Boston News Letter was
the first newspaper printed on this continent.
1t was started in Boston on Monday, April
a. 1704; and if it had not been transformed
into an organ of the royal governors, and
deiamer of patriots, it would probably be liv-
ing now. 1t had seemed to be securely estab-
lished and very prosperous, having grown to
this condition of strength and prosperity, with
out a competitor in the field. But it fell into
the hands of the royalists, who kept it alive
until the British troops retired from Boston in
l776. Then it died. 1t was the only paper
printed in Boston during the siege. The Es-
sex Gazette was transferred to Cambridge in
IT'S. 1t was an unhinching supporter of the
Revolution. After the British were driven
from Boston, its publishers removed to that
city, gave up the Gazette, and started the In
dependent Chronicle
The Spy was published in Boston nearly
five years and during that time was an ear
nest champion of Liberty 1t soon became the
favorite organ of the patriots. 1t was felt by
the royalists as a dangerous antagonist, and
overtures were made to Mr.. Thomas from
that quarter, with promises of honor, Office.
and money, if he would accept royal patron
age and advocate the royal cause. He gave
them to understand that he was not for sale.
They found him incorruptible; and herein he
resembled most of those glorious patriots to
whom we owe our national existence. All at
tempts to bride the editor of the Spy having
failed, threats of vengeance followed He was
told that he would be crushed and the ROYAL
governor and his satellites applied themselves
to contrive measures of persecution. There
was an attempt to ruin his affairs by the sud
den enforcement Of the collection of a debt he
had contracted for printing materials but
friends interfered and saved him from this
blow lie was summoned TO appear before
the Governor and Council, and there make an
swer for the 'incendiary'' articles printed in
his paper but lie entirely disregarded every
summons of the kind, and showed no sign Of
fear or hesitation. His name was placed ON
the list of the Suspected" and the royalists
did the Spy office special honor by calling it
"the sedtion foundry" Joseph Greeneaf,
Esq, was deprived of the office of Justice ofthe
Peace on account of bold articles contributed to
the spy, and the prosecution of Mr.. Thomas
Tor libel was ordered by the governor In
stead OF quailing, he only grew holder. and
proceeded TO re-publish in the Spy several
strong addresses to the king, which had an
peared in English papers To ono Of ,boso
bold addresses he appended an editorial po,o
in which he remarked, that he alone had beon