The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-03-27
Glimpses of the Origin and History
of Newspapers.
Written for the Democratic Advocate,
BY s. G.

With modern newspaper IN our hands,
knowing it to be one of many hundreds or
thousands issuing from the press with an
almost supernatural rapidity, and flying
with the winds to all quarters of the globe,
we could scarcely assent to anything less
than conclusive historical evidence of the
fact that in the infancy of this invention it
did not call in aid the lately discovered art
of printing, and that single sheet was
sufficient to supply all the newly-conceived
wants of its readers, yet such is the un-
doubted record Of history.
1t is usually supposed that we are in
debted to the Republic of Venice for the
invention of newspapers, or rather for the
first approximation to what are now called
by that name. The anxiety of the people
to receive the earliest intelligence of the
operations and fortunes of the war carried.
on against Turkey, in the year 1886, in
duced the Venetian government to publish
occasionally the latest news from the scene
of action. Or, perhaps, the desire of pre-
venting wrong impressions and quieting
unfavorable reports was the prime motive
to the commencement Of this practice.
The publication was made by posting up
the written intelligence in particular
place, to which any person might have ac-
cess by paying small sum, "From
solitary government gazette, says the elder
Disraeli, San inundation of newspapers has
burst upon us" This species of periodi-
cal was monthly journal, and continued
to be published for long time, always In
manuscript.
We will not speak further of the news
paper during its infant existence in the
cradle of Venice, nor of its gradual intro
duction into the other countries of Cont
mental Europe, and the successive improve
ments it there underwent. Let us pass to
the time of its first appearance in the King
dom of Great Britain, as in this event we
are naturally more interested. 'The Eng
lish Mercurie' was first published during
the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the
celebrated Spanish Armada threatened
England with devastation and subjection.
In the British Museum are preserved copies
Of some of these gagettes, The earlieat of
the collection, marked No. so, was 'im-
printed at London by her Highness' printer,
1885," while the Armada was actually
sweeping the English channel. 1t was,
of course, important at such time to pre-
vent all exaggerated and alarming reports
from gaining credence and exciting the
popular fears. These journals were the
earliest published in England, and appeared
at irregular intervals, as occasion required.
periodical papers,, says the author
before quoted, "seem first to have been
more generally used by the English during
the civil wars of the usurper Cromwell, to
disseminate amongst the people the senti-
ments of royalty or rebellion, according
as their authors were disposed. We lind
some papers entitled ''News from Hull, !"
ssTruths from York" Warranted Tidings
from Ireland" &C. We find also the
"Scot's Dove opposed to the parliament
Kite or the "Secret OWL" Keener ami
mosities produced keener titles: "Herachi-
tus Rideus" found an antagonist in "Dem-
ocritus,n and "The Weekly Discoverer"
was shortly met by "The Discoverer Stript
Naket." sMercurius Britanicus was Crap
pieu Uy MeICuEluh HdottAJ idfthtHilJ iooh
ing an sScouts," s'Mercuries," "Posts,
"Spies," and others. Under all these titles
papers had appeared, but a Mercury was
the prevailing title of these enews books, :
and the principles of the writer were gen
orally shown by the additional epithet-
These papers were employed only as a
channel for political opinions and satires,
and the ebullitions of party malice, or for
the passing news Of the day. Such, for a
long time, continued to be their character.
But, at length, a new era in the history of
the English periodical press commences.
During the former part of the reign of
Queen Anne there was but one daily jour
nal, though there were several appearing at
more distant intervals, the most of them
weekly. They still retained the character
impressed upon them during the revolution,
though, of course, their features were less
strongly and disagreeably marked. But in
April, 1903, appeared the first number of
'sThe Taller" by Richard Steele, a paper
conducted on plan entirely new. 1t did
not. indeed, exclude all political disquisi-
tions; this was too bold project to be at