The Independent reflector: or, Weekly essays on sundry important subjects
Subtitle: More particularly adapted to the province of New-York
Contributors: Scott, John Morin, 1730-1784; Smith, William, 1697-1769; Parker, James, 1714-1770; New-York Historical Society
Publisher: Printed (until tyrannically suppressed)
Published: 1754
Place of publication: New-York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 212
Subjects: Moral reform; Periodicals; Early works to 1800; Religious tolerance; Freedom of religion; Religion and law; Politics and government; History; Episcopal Church; King's College (New York, N.Y.)
Other titles: Weekly essays on sundry important subjects; Independent reflector; Weekly essays on sundry important subjects; Independent reflector.; Occasional reverberator.
Description: To this paper, which was edited by William Livingston, many noted men of the day contributed. Livingston himself wrote a series of letters in which he vigorously opposed the establishment of an American Episcopate, and the incorporation of an Episcopal college (now Columbia). Among other contributes were Aaron Burr, John M. Scott, William Alexander (afterwards known as Lord Stirling), and William Smith. Its attacks on men in power by members of a literary society in New York City ultimately suppressed the paper.
Notes: Preface signed: The independent reflector. New-York, January 19th. 1753 [i.e., 1754]. Attributed to William Livingston, by Evans.

Editorship attributed to William Livingston, William Smith, Jun., and John Morin Scott by Evans.

Printer from colophon.

Preface signed: The independent reflector. New-York, January 19th. 1753. Dated in error; correct year: 1754.

Preface of the cumulation of the serial attributed to William Livingston by Evans. Issues edited by William Livingston, John M. Scott, Wm. Smith, jr. Editorship also sometimes attributed to the printer of the Reflector: James Parker.

Colophon on p. 212 reads: New-York: Printed by J. Parker, at the New-Printing-Office in Beaver-Street.

All colophons of issues of The independant reflector read: New-York: Printed by J. Parker, at the New-Printing-Office, in Beaver-Street.

All colophons of issues of The occasional reverberator read: New-York: Printed by J. Parker, at the New-Printing-Office, in Beaver-Street.

Advertisement: p. [2], 1st count.

Volume lacks designation; dates of coverage from individual weekly issues.

Collects, with added prefatory material, weekly numbers of: The independent reflector, and its companion publication, The occasional reverberator, which was published in 4 issues only, as a companion to The Impartial reverberator during a portion of its existence.

The independent reflector includes collected essays on politics, government, the judicial system, relations with native people, civil reform, and similar topics. Evidently controversial, the publication ceased as a result of attacks on the editors for their opinions; The occasional reverberator  contains essays on religious freedom for Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and others not members of the established Church of England, and for the separation of church and state in law.

Title page and prefatory material also issued separately (cf. Evans, 7041).

Signatures: pi² (pi1 recto blank, pi2 verso blank) A-H² (H2 verso blank) A-U² W² X² [Y-3K²] (A1 missigned a, 2[N]1 missigned Y, 2[P]1 missigned [sec]) (T1 not signed, all gatherings after X are unsigned, W presumed to be included in register).

With printer's ornaments above imprint; head a tail pieces.

Includes discussion of control of King's College (later Columbia College and subsequently Columbia University).

Signatures: pi1,2 A-HÂ2 (pi1 verso, pi2 recto, H2 verso blank).

Rare Book copy 1: Comprises a title page and preface, intended to precede the collected issues of the Independent reflector (Nov. 30, 1752-Nov. 22, 1753) as well as the collected issues themselves.

Rare Book copy 2: Comprises  pages [67]-90, nos. 17 (Mar. 22, 1753)-no. 22 (Apr. 26, 1753) of the Independent reflector, continuously paged and therefore probably from the collected edition.

Rare Book copy 1: Pages 179-180 wanting.

Rare Book copy: Pages 179-180 wanting.

Rare Book copy: With two stamps, in red ink, of the New-York Historical Society on title page.

Rare Book copy: With blind stamp of Columbia College Library on title page.

Evans 6866

Evans 7042

English short title catalogue, P2805

Available electronically and in microform.