The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-11
"ACTA DIURNA.'
ORIGIN AND antiquity OF THE
DAILY NEWSPAPER.
Quotations from the Bulletin Boards Of
Ancient Home.

Ancient Rome.
tW l.. Stone In Potter's Monthly for Mayl
The city OF Venice enjoys the credit Of orig
mating the modern newspaper: but believe
the honor Is honestly due to the Chinese
The Chinese Gasette was printed centuries
before such thing was known In Europe. 1t |
differs, however, from the newspaper of the
United States being exclusively the organ OF !
the government In everything connected with
the religion, laws, manners and customs Of
the country. No article Is published that has
not first been submitted to the emperor; and |
after being sanctioned by him, not word |
must be changed or added. In 1878 an officer
of the Chinese post-office suffered death for
publishing false piece OF intelligence.
What would be the effect Of executing such q
decree In this country may be left to the Inn |
agination OF the reader.
The author of the "Curiosities Of Litera-
ture'' is mistaken in awarding the honor OF
the idea to the Venetians. Gazettes were not
only published st Il much earlier period In
CHINA, but the Roman historians quote the
Acta Dirna Popnh, or the Daily Advertisers
Of that empire, which doubtless furnished the |
original thought to the rulers Of Venice.
Wren Julius Caesar entered upon his first
consulate fiifty-nine years before the Chris
tian eral he introduced u new regulation for
committing to writing and publishing daily
oil the acts or State occurrences both Of the |
Senate and the people. Therefore newspapers
were not unknown to the Romans.
few extracts from these Roman newspa-
pers are not only curious In themselves, but
illustrate the TACT that mankind are much the |
same in all ages and countries progress
Of events and the social and civil relations Of
society very similar-c0mmoni incidents hap
pening for the most part alike to all. TIE
Macedon, Papiius Lenos, the famous ambas-
sador, j uIius Caesar, Cicero and Hortensus
impart an air OF Importance even to the tri-
Vial circumstances mentioned In these ex-
tracts.
"F1FTH EALENDs OF APRIL, YEAR OF ROME
5S1.
''7he Fasces ,cith IEmilius The CONSUL
'The consul, crowned with laurel sacri-
feed at the Temple Of Apollo. The Senate
assembled at the Cnria Hostilia about the
eighth hour, and decree passed that the
PrBtors should give sentence according to
the edicts which were OF personal validity.
M. Scapula Was accused of an act Of violence
before the PrPtor. Fifteen Of the judges
were for condemning him and thirty-three
for adjourning the cause"
This M. SCaputa was probably n sort OF
"Tammany rough" and the PrBtor the JUS
tice or the mayor.
FOURTH OF THE KALENDs or APRIL.
s"The Fnsces NTH Ltcini,.s the Consul
at Numbered, and an oak was struck with
| lightning In that part OF Mount Palatine
called Summer Velia, early In the afternoon.
fray happened In q tavern ut the lower end
of the Bankers street, in which the keeper OF
the Hog-in-Armor tavern was dangerously
wounded. Terminus, the eddie, fined the
butcher for selling meat which had not been
properly inspected by the oyerseers Of the
market. The fine Is to be employed In build
ing chapel to the temple OF the goddess
| Tellus.'
Some of the readers of Potter's American
Monthly may recollect that q few years ago
Tor its trays; so the resemblance Is striking
The "Hog-in-Armor Tavern" was probably
at the Five Points Of Rome.
THIRD KALENDs OF APRIL.
"The Fnsces qgith 1Hcmilins.
cit rained stones on Mount Vientine. Par
thenius, the tribune, sent his crier to the con-
sui because he was unwilling to convene the
senate on that day; but the Tribune Decimus
put In his veto, and the affair went no farther.
Thirty boys and forty girls were born at
TrimaIchis estate at Cuma. The same day a
fire broke out In Pompey's gardens, which
began In the night In the stewards apart
| mentS.
''PRIDIE KALENDAs APRILIs.
1.-THE Fdsces NTH Licmius.
"The Latin festivals were celebrated on the
Alban Mount, and dole OF raw fish distrib-
uted to the people. Dimiphron, the famous
pirate, who was taken by Licintus Nerva, q
provincial lieutenant, crucified. The red stand
ard was displayed at the capitol, and the
consuls obliged the youth who were enlisted
for the Macedonian war to take q new oath
OF allegiance In the Campus Martius. Paulus,
the consul, and G. Octavius, the prBtor, set
out this day for Macedonia In their habits OF
war. The funeral Of Marcia -as performed
with greater pomp OF images than attendance
claimed the Megalesian plays In honor OF
Cybele'
more images than nourners, there would be
more carriages, since we have SO far adopted
the unfeeIng fashion OF London that it is now
not strange to hear some OF our fashionable
people, while affecting TO deplore the loss OF a
friend, add the remark that they sent their
carriage to the funeral.
FOURTH OF THE MONIES OF APRIL.
"a DER sacum was vowed, pursuant to the
opinion of the College of Priests. The fleet
stationed on the African coast entered the port
of the Ostia with the tribute of that province
An entertainment was given to the people by
Marcias sons at their mothers funeral. Pc
pilius Senos, 9. Decimus and G. Hostilius were
sent as ambassadors In a joint commission t
, the kings Of Syria and Egypt, in order to &C
J commodate the differences about which they
! are now at war;
FIFTH KALENDs OF APRIL, YEAR OF ROM
691.
an Tullius Cicero pleaded in defense o
, Cornelius syria, accused by IofquatnS OF De
ing in Catalines conspiracy, and gained hi
,, cause by a majority Of five judges One 0
the Pfators advertised by an edict that h
should postpone his sittings for five days Of
account Of his daughters marriage. q. Cesa
set out for his government OF the farthe,
Spain, having been long detained by his cred
. TORS"
"FOURTH KALENDs OF SEPTEMBER.
1.-THE funeral of Metilla Pas, a Vestal, wa
celebrated. She was deposited In the famlI.
vault in the Amelia road. @. Hortensiu
( harangued the people about the censorship
1 Il. g.. delivered stump electioneering speecl
in his own behalf). Advices arrived iron
8 Etruria that the remnants Of the late con
: spirators had begun tumult, headed by i
: Sergius." 4hoo
s There is no necessity for extending thes
: quotations from the old Roman newspaper Pc tb
i further. These examples show that, Ia IN Lh
ordinary progress of events, there is but It'll
change s h nThe thing that hath been, it /
: that which shall be; and that which is don