The Morning herald., 1878-12-18


where citizens could read them and take
copies, Cicero speaks Of persons whom
he calls OPERAII, who made it their
business 10 copy or make extracts from
these. which they sent to their subscribers
in Italy, or to the provinces, whore they
were eagerly sought after and extensively
read from the Seine TO the Oronies., What
did they contain T?
I. The number Of births and deaths in
the city, an account Of the money paid into
the public treasury from the provinces, and
all needed information as to the supply,
and price, of breadstuffs.
II. The edists of magistrates, the wills
Of wealthy and distinguished men, reports
| Of trials, both the names OF the parties
litigant, especially that Of parties either
acquitted, or convicted in criminal trials-
also the returns Of any elections which
had been held: 'sa -.
III. The proceedings Of the Senate,
With full account Of each measure de-
bated, or acted upon, The proceedings Of
the Senate, te,--speeches included, were taken
down, in short hand, by Senator, as no
stranger was ever admitted to its debates.
Nv. An account prepared by Censor,
OF such public events, and foreign wars, az
the government deemed it wise to publish.
v. Curious and interesting occurrences,
such as prodigies, and miracles, the erece
lion of new edifces, great fires, religious
ceremonies, games, amatory scandals, with
the names Of the parties.
Although Suetonious speaks OF Ceaser
having established the Acta Diurna, it il
quite certain, that it was no M ore than
revival of similar daily journal which
had ceased to be written and posted, about
two hundred years before. The Roman
Daily" filed in great part the functions
of the msdern newspapers:-Court reports,
tales of scandal, Senatorial speeches, price
current of wheat and corr, news from the
legion, accidents DC. 1t would re-
quire no great stretch Of Imagination to
picture ragged gamin, running through
the streets Of Athens, Syracuse, Alexandria,
or Antioch, crying out, "grsat fre in
Rome,.' "VictUry of the Romans in GaaP'
"Elopement of Lucretia with Gains Lepi-
dius'' or any other Of the sxcitemsnts Of
he day.
Time passed on, and the chariot steeds
of the barbarian were being harnessed be-
yond the Danube. The warriors of Scythia
burst in upon the Roman empire, and the
civilization Of two thousand years went
down like the wheat before sickle. A
new era began, while the oonquerers Of
Rome were being eoncreted, into nations
arts, literature, and science, were driven
into the cloister of the monk. For twelve
hundred. years, there was no community,
with a sufficiently high political organism
to require daily journal of events. In
the 18th century the Republic Of Venice,
was mistress of the Med editsrranean, and
Adriatic, and alone of all the Christian
powers had acquired political aud social
organization in commerce, arts, and arms.
She was unrivalled her civilization over
topped that of any other people-and with
in the roar of the Lion of st. Mark, the
newspaper revived. The Venetian Gazette
was first published about 1470, and was
sold for coin of the value of one half
cent, called GAZETTA, some say this was
the origin of the name Others. that ii
came from GAzzERA, the Venetian for
magpie, or chatterer The Venetian
Gazette was at first published in manu-
script, but was subsequently printed. II
is 4 sinGularily suggestive fact, that the
6r't writers for newspapers were called
MHNAHTI, because says Vossius, they
spread defamatory reflections for which they
were censured by q bull Of Pope Gvegory
XIII styled MKEANTEs. The first Eng
lish newspaper was published by Butter
in 1869, IL 10 conclusively proven that the
copies Of the English Mercurie'' bearing
date A. D. 1878, in the British Museum
are forgeries, rs the original copy, with
corrections, written on modern paper, hat
been discovered in the pamphlet depart
ment of the Museum. Marchmaat Need
ham one Of The patriarchs Of the Engllst
press was as nendacious and as change
| able in nis politics as many Of the editor
of the present day. He was first royal
| ist, then a roundhead, then q Royals
again changing the tone Of his editorials a
parties Sc and fell. Thirty years befor'
| the first English newspaper, was published
tn GAZETTE de France was founded BY
Louis XIV. The Dutch CoURANTE VAl
) | EUROPA ranks the first English journa
six years. Since then newspapers hav
multiplied, in every civilized land, ant
are now a necessity of every day life. l
is worth remembering that the ACT
D1URNA of Rome, embraced almost ever.
topic of the papers of to-day, The as
sertion that the newspaper is an outgrowtl
Of Anglo Saxon religious liberty, is no
even open to doubt; it is falsehood pur
and simple. ..,." AMEReIN.