Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-06-29
The BEGINNING Of JOurnaIIsm.

| Over two thousand years ago, the first To-
nun newspaper appeared being published
once a year only. 1t appears to have taken
ITS title, -lnpdl'S -hTiHti. from ITS EDITOR, the
"PontiteX Maximus." Important events
were written on white wooded tablets and
attached to residences genuine bulletin
boards. Titled old graudees stepped outside
Tor the news, as the citizen of Boston goes
TO consult his Thermometer when zeio is
| noting in the neighborhood. Through the
small beginnings like these, the people i'm
| bihed "A taste for current literature; and after
| awhile the Government, who alone Iosses
sed the power Tor SO momentous an enter
| prise, felt called upon To issue II dnil, The
name at the first was ic'a J.. .,t.. E.nfoi
| Diuji, equivalent TO DriV N.t,>. Some OF
the journals of that period nie si1ll III ,Aist-
enrr, at the age OF about 2,u5u!' cara.
1t may impress Young ladies especially, to
| know that the name ot Album originated
with those tablets for the household. written
over with interesting items. Sometimes the
chronicle of dnily events was in red chalk on
the walls OF the dwellings; in the light of
which one sees new benefit in the boast of
| the Emperor, that ''he found Rome brick
and left II marble.
The following verbal translation from the
oldest journal eXtant, dated one hundred
and sixty-eight years before Christ, proves
that whatever else has changed, human ma
ture remains essentially the same Ms in those
days, officials being less attentive to the
butchers and the goddeSses.
Consul Sicinius was the acting judge to-
day There was heavy thunderstorm, and
the lightning split an oak at the foot of the
hills Of Veil. In II hosttlIy at the foot Of
the hills of james there WAS II hight, in which
the landlord was badly wounded. Titinius
punished some butchers on account OF their
selling meat which had not been inspected;
the money thus paid was used To erect chapel
TO the Goddess Layerea. The broker Aust
dus lied from town to-day, taking money
with him belonging to other people. He was
caught, and had to refund the money. The
| brigand Demiphon, who was captured by
officer Nerya, has been cruciiied to-day. The
| fiotllla from ASIA arrived to-day"
julius Caesar, the greatest ot all Romans,
gave special attention to journalism, per-
ceivlng the Importance Of instructing the
people i'll matters OF State, and it Is recorded
OF him that rs soon aS he entered on his
public office. he caused to be written and
circulated the proceedings OF the Senate.
Thus we have the origin OF political Journals.
However incredible it may seem. there were
stenOgraphers. called ''Notarii," who took
down public spe, ches they made blundeIs,
| too, the same AS nowadays, receiving, per
haps, more blame than Mt present, when
statesmen and others have learned by dire
| experience, that what can't be cured must
be endured. Suctonius informs Us that
Augustus was ANGRY" because the steno
graphers reported the speech of CTsar for
Metallus so very imperiecily. a letter OF
Cicero to Ca'lius speaks of reporters. Also,
| there are travelling reporters, who gathered
news throughout the provinces, and trans
/ mitted the same to headquartcrs by "cursus
| publicus, nm arrangement answering TO our
mail limrhuuu4 aud R.fertur.