New-York tribune., 1906-09-26

gbEprss II MAss4esSSss1 esSSsaciafe Professor OF His
gss. IL ,and stanford Juni9T, TG, WY TngereSS sTo
icy = Historical studies, a q q -AiA'
gssIEsis isas Longmans' Green q -"
pP or TIE PRESS IN THE AMER
TIE LstyseST tyyssST 1FSTES BEFOFSE IhE ~ Ree1s1c.
S5aaNARY VAR Win iIl5, oIonT 81 New York
By ~ 1ssis Thomas Whitaker
..., Colony had no printing press "i"e
Py1O government separate from MasSa-
be~''.p psvt Massachusetts, had its hrst Iie''
s.s,sen Day established himself al AN
VIE -ges. and there WAS not another p'4i4'-
p'l-s. ..,,isl t1aent IN the colony until Marina
ht Tobrst N brought out his equipment iI0-N
o,.rd "a 1865. There were no ne"spAp7'S
,-o4 ,Ehen John Campbell. postmaster =,
., and writer Of news letters which HaN
's.,slv tseen sent cut in manuscript es'AO
49, .Ae .Ievvs Letter. IN April OF that Ve'-. >
.here was not a second newspaper N4-''-
70 ,beu CaupbelTs successor as pos1iii'i''e
- Tie Boston Gazette" The history %
,-sss 4 q Massachusetts begins thereloie' -
.-oe sn5 frle history OF the newspaper press -
-. on6 srl describing the development oA '-e
,,oss Dr Duniway begins with the es'aD-
.s,,spt Of the Day press at Cambridge aLo
..s tbs story down 10 1877, the year OF liie
..--nen- Of the Massachusetts statue "Iii0N
=. =, ltvrful for any defendant on rrlai Io'
-, % submit evidence IN defence as 10 INC
-. - he matter contained IN the puoAc&1lO1
t-ss AS Hbellous. This statute marks lle
-t-s,tpn of the movement in MassacnuseIA
free uress-the end for all practical puI-
# @ movement which began as far pech
,sss v-hen MarmaGuke Johnston VINO Was
'--,rs of moving his plant and business from
h-Spa 10 Boston. petit!oued the genera
-. ,or q relaxation OF the law Of 1ooo' WHICH
,.sa that there should be no printing presses
: massachusetts, elsewhere than in CaInb1lose'
nv naarly q century after Massachusetts was
-. ,s,tled England he'd not q free press The
..t,,stnnent of q printing press n Mest1lI-
w Csxton IN 1476-'77 was due 10 royal pro-
..,,r and 70 privileges from the sovereign; ana
=. h~-sness activity Of Caxton and the other
.,.v rs1eiish printers was dependent upon the
.,r4,nBea favor Of the Crown-favOr which was
,.rBrsd BY judicious refusal 10 print contro-
.,-ss,J or heterodox publications Later on as
,..O-.s multiplied, regulations were made limit
q, Inc number Of printers and printers appren-
.oes. and in 1884. by proclamation OF henry
VII p-iuters were forbidden 70 issue books
..o, their presses without license either from
ths PRIV Council or from persons named by the
orosr Is loensers of the press. IN 1542-'43
ps-~sment began 70 take hand n the regula-
,,,r NJ The press. and gave statutory sanction 70
N. absolute authority Of the Crown 70 regulate
N, r-ess and every other means Of public dis
cvrx,ou In 1856 the Stationers' Compauy-one
n fhs old London companies which still exists,
sud unlike many OF these companies still dis
charges some public duttes-was brought into
hing 70 insure more adequate supervision and
regulation Of the press; and proclanations. in
functions. and DEGREES Of the Star Chamber were
an used 10 the sane end. The hrst Star Cham
1sr ordinance for the regulation Of printing was
uroruleated IN l5S6-the year of the creation
Of tie stationers Company; end IN 1856 this
vas supplemented by a second ordinance which
rsr1cted the establishment Of presses 10 the city
London and the universities Of Cambridge
Ci Chford. and elso decreed that with certain
gnEged exceptions nothing should be printed
E-nt license from the Archbishop OF Can
EsErT or the Bishop Of Londoni that the war
dsns Of the s&uoners Company should enforce
TIE regulations and carry offenders before the
hgh commissioner IN causes ecclesiastical for
ersaination and punishment, and finally that
ne number Of printers apprentices should be
strictly limited
These were the regulations governing the press
LED and the principle Of governmental regula-
n1 o. the press passed as a natural inheritance
iaio the Colonial institutions OF New England.
Ihe settlers from England on Massachusetts
hay brought with them no idea that there was
Sg legal freedom OF discussion, and IT conse-
sasnty followed that just as soon as a printing
ps's was established ~ Cambridge supervision
he press was implied. Dr. Duni1ay goes into
-F~.-
aAio'ing The press in Massachusetts,; and in
ulehially he recouuts the beginnings Of the
.'1spaper press, and in particular Of The News
"9' The Gazette" THE New England
U-'ant with which Benjamin Franklin was
1socatea, and The Boston Evening POST"
'ss'on OF the press made greater progress in
-saaa IN the early years of the eighteenth
-'-iy llaa IN New England: for long after
ptsss 4 England was free from the old re-
-'ons and was hampered chiefly by the
~1se Il trials for libel from which II was not
Uht'l 1882, the commissions Of the gov
'-~ls o. Massachusetts, gave 10 them, as it
'hen The rule 70 give TO all Colonial
-9'ernoIs the power Of the press" Until
'l 1'50 there was a clause to this end
a. these Commissions And forasmuch as
=. inconvenience may arise by the liberty of
'@'hg within our said territory under your
sI1isnt read the clause, you are 10 pro-
a.. 81 necessary orders that no person
1y printing press for printing. nor that
'0ok' pamphlet or other matter whatsoever
l..'ea sea without your especial leave and
$ frst obtained"
Two newspapers published in Boston
!" SeTs Letter ana a"Tbe C4azetten-,vere
s1Dlect 20 tho conditions set out IN the
~'-s 10 the Governors. Each carried the
aelI Published by authority" until
- Is lf2o. But when James Franklin
- me New England Courant" in 1721.
S no intimation on its title page that It
-0Asned' by authority, and the advertise
L. thls sanction IN the case Of The News
D. ana The Gazette" in the later years of