The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-13
PRINTING In AMERICA
Its Advent in the City of Mexico
Three Centuries Ago.
Vicissitudcs of the Workers Who
First Launched the Art Into the
Dent - Early bible Publications..
Samuel keimer's Pathetic ballad.

the art preservatiye" in the Western
World. but when details are looked for,
different accounts and conflicting state
ments are found. One author claims that
the first Spanish Viceroy of Mexico, An
tonic de Mendoza, who went to that coun-
try in 1885, and who was distinguished for
his devotion to literature established a
printing office some years before 1851, and
that the printer employed by him, whose
name was Joannes Paulus Brissensius, OF
Lombardus, native of Brescia. in Italy.
was the first man to handle type in Amer
lea. For a time one of his books, a folio
volume executed in 1919, was cited as the
first book printed on this continent. An
| other. and perhaps more correct version,
is that printing was first established in
Mexico by the Spanish missionaries, and
the fact seems to be established that IN
| der their auspices book, one mUtilated
| copy of which is still in existence in a
! private library in Madrid, was printed IN
1910 by Juan Cromberger. who died about
1914. and who was in all probability Inc
first printer in America. The colophon of
the work in question, as given in the
! proof-sheet by 5. J. Hamilton, is as fol-
lows:
This manual for adults was printed in
the great City of Mexico, by the command
I and az The expense Of the most reverend
of Juan Cromberger. in the year of the
nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1910. On
| the 18th day OF the month OF December"
| 1t is quito certain that the printing press
! was actively employed in Mexico in less
| than century after the rev art became
generally known in Europe. and for near
J ly century before a printing press was
| introduced into the present limits of the
/ United States. The second American city
/ in which a printing office was established
was Lima, Peru, where work designed
! to assist the priests in the study OF the
language of the natives appeared in 1856.
At Cambridge Mass, as Isaiah Thorn
as asserts. in January, 1899 printing was
! first performed in that part of North
America which extends from the Gulf OF
Mexico to the Frozen Ocean.
! The beginning of the work of this first
/ printing office ia our country was a sor-
rowful one. The Rev. Jesse Glover.
! through whose exertions the press had
been secured and who contributed large
~ to the purchase, died upon his voyage
to the New void, and his sons had
afterward to sue their stepfather for
the possession Of the press This print
tive establishment was subject TO the
| authority 90 Cambridge College. the
president OF which was censor of the
press and responsible for all publica-
tions, until special licencers were ap-
pointed by law in 1862, the press never
being enfranchised in Massachusetts until
as late as 1853.
Glover's press was put into working
condition in 1857 by Stephen Daye. who
began his labors with the publication
bearing the ominous title. THE Freed
mans Oath" Land was voted to Daye
by the Government. and a portion OF this
he mortgaged one year for a COW, a calf,
and a heifer. Next year we find him in
prison on some charge not specifically
stated, from which durance vile he was
released on a bond of s100. That this un-
lucky typo relinquished the responsibility
of managing his press in 1916 and became
foreman for his successor. Samuel Green,
need create no surprise. In 1856, how
ever, we find him suing for eI0O of I'M
paid wages, and petitioning. after sixteen
years, for confirmation of the original
grant of land on account of the services
for which he had never got any consider
able satisfaction. Two years afterward
he died.
One Green became the second printer in
! the United States. Three hundred acres
| of land was granted him in 1868. but Mr.
| Green it would appear. could not find
satisfactory location for his grant until
| 1867. when il is recorded that 900 acres
Of land were laid out to Ensign Samuel
! Green, OF Cambridge, printer, in the
wilderness on the north CT Merrimac
River.
In 1853 an Indian boy, taught ct the
| charity school Of Cambridge to read and
write English, was Appended to Samuel
| Green, and took upon himself subsequent-
ly the name Of James. the printer or
James Printer. He printed Eliot's Indian
Bible. the first copy of the Sacred Tesla
ment made in this country. He rendered
| SUCH efficient service on this work that
! Eliot said he. had but one man, namely.
| the Indian printer that was able to com
| pose the sheets and correct the press
with understanding. A copy of the In
dian Bible is to be seen in the National
Museum.
The Psalter of 1909. in the Indian and
English languages. has the imprint, Print
ed by b. Green and ]. Printer for the
Honorable Company for the Propagation of
the Gospel among the Indians in New
EndSiand. TIE copper-skined typo appears
| 10 have conducted himself as a good citi-
zen and industrious workman, only Weld
ing 20 his native characteristics once by
stealing off TO join King Philip, but on
the disastrous termination OF that war to
the Indians, James conformed 10 the am
nesty proclamation Of 1876. and exchanged
his acquired title OF James the Apos-
tate for his older and more profitable
ore OF James the Printer"
printing Office under the direction OF one
Thomas Fleet who fed to this country
for refuge from the rage OF on insensate
London mob. In Boston he established a
printing house with the sign OF the Heart
and Crown" and here his sons succeeded
him in the business although. with the
advent Of anti-royal feeling the sign was
changed to the Heart and Bible" Fleet
owned several negroes one Of whom he
taught not only to work the press but to
set type as Well. He found special profit
in printing small books for children. and
popular ballads, and such publications.
were rendered more attractive by the
wood engTavings cut for them by The ne
gro artist. Caesar and Pompey. sons of
this negro. also became printers. and re-
NAMED In the Office Of their masters sons.
The first firmly established neuspaper
IN North America appeared in 1904. but
fun fourteen years previous to this date
one number OF newspaper had been pub
lisbed In Boston, which was instantly
suppressed by the authorities To the
publisher, Richard Harris, this appears
to have been no novel experience. for he
had, in his native land, been fined for sell
ing Protestant petition during King
Charles reign, and had also come to grief
through printing a book with the reyolu-
tionary title Of English Liberties" Be
sides. lie was once set in the pillory, On
which occasion his wife IS recorded 70
have stood by him TO defend him against
the attentions Of the mob.
Boston was early distinguished IS the
home of letters. James Franklin an older
brother OF Benjamin. established, in 1921, |
periodical which he made the organ of |
company OF literary gentlemen whose /