The Osceola times., 1882-08-12
An OLD TIME RELIC.
Curiosities Of n Jersey Newspaper Of
the Last Century.

the Last Century.
A celebrated scholar has said that a
COPY of the Athen Times had such pa
per ever existed, of the days Of Pericles
would outweigh in historical value all the
researches and discoveries Of the most
learned antiquarians. Judged from this
standpoint the dingy columns of a copy
of the New Jersey Gazette, printed by
Isaac Collins, at Trenton, n. j., on the 24th
of March, l779, are peculiarly interesting.
Its gossip and its advertisements seem
like SO many communications from anoth-
er world. The sheet is the proud posses
sion of a gentleman on Jersey City
Heights, and is yellow and musty with
age 1t is in small size, the paper is coarse,
and the type is large and clumsy. Al
though published in stirring times, it con-
tains but little news. The whole of the
first page is absorbed bya communication
in defence of continental currency against
the attack of some sordid individual who
preferred "hard money TO the green
backs of the period. There is consider
able spice in It, which proves that vitu-
peration il not newspaper vice of mod
ern growth. The writer accuses his an
tagonist of being British spy" SAYS he
has been bribed with British gold" and
concludes by telling him that "the old
man of his family is a mulatto and the
mother an Indian" 1t is easy 10 imagine
the feelings of "Hard Money" when he
picked up this copy of the paper. Un-
fortunately, the succeeding number of the
Gazette is not at hand, and we are likely
to remain in perpetual ignorance as to
whether the late phrase ''liar and chicken
thief may not have its origin thenabouts.
The latest news from London" is un-
der the date Of Dec. 8, l77S. Among the
items is one to the effect that twelve
thousand British troops ore to be sent to
New York in the Spring. Another an
nounces that "all the bishops but four, to
their immortal honor, declined voting for
that diabolical engine Of cruelty, the
American proclamation, and avoided
countenancing the vindictives hedding of
Christian blood" Furthermore, we are
informed that "the vacancies in the Hes
sian troops alone, now at New York, it is
said, require upward Of four thousand to
fill them up" A correspondent "from
Camp at Fazzel's place, in Georgia" un-
der the date of January 20, gives spir-
tied account of the repulse ofa British at
tack upon the camp. A personal states
that "Major General Arnold hath obtain
ed leave to retire awhile from the duties
of his station TO take charge of his domes-
tic affairs" Here is an amusing sample
of the ancient Gazette advertisements
"Was found the day of the battle at
Monmouth, the 2Sth of July, l77S, by one
of the of military under Captain Parker,
of Colonel Frelinghuysen's battalion, and
put into Captain Parker's baggage wagon,
a good shirt marked |. L., and pair of
trousers or drawers, inclosed in KNAPP
sack. Whoever gives the further partic-
nlars and proves property shall have them
by applying TO me at Baskinridge.
HENRY DALGLIs."
Several other advertisements carry us
back TO the state of society which has
long passed away in these United States.
For instance, Mr.. Samuel Henry, of Trcn-
ton, offers twenty dollars reward "for the
return of a negro man named Tom, well
set fellow about five feet eight or nine
inches high" Not without loot had Tom
turned his back upon his masters house.
"He had on short bear-skin coat, white
vest, buckskin breeches and round hat;
he likewise took with him brown coat,
lined with brown shalloon, one striped
Damascus vest, and sundry other clothes" !"
Here is postscript to this "ad," which
sets forth matter of information and be-
lief, as follows: "Tom is supposed to
have taken the York road with the in
tention of getting to the enemy" Most
of the advertisers of goods, lands, etc,
state that the Continental emissions of
paper money ofMay Goth, 1777, and April
II, 1868, win be received in payment