nephew of Dr. Franklin. It was discontinued in 1767, and in October of the same year, "The Connecticut Journal, and New Haven Post Boy" was first published, by Thomas and Samuel Green.

The New London Summary, the second paper in Connecticut, was first published by the second Timothy Green, Aug. 8th, 1758, and was continued till 1763, when it was succeeded by the " New London Gazette," which in Dec. 1773, was entitled "The Connecticut Gazette." "The Connecticut Courant," the third paper in Connecticut, was first published in Hartford, December, 1764, by Thomas Green. The paper was published next by Ebenezer Watson, then by Watson & Goodwin, and in 1779, by Hudson & Goodwin. This was one of the most respectable papers in the State, and is still continued.— "The Norwich Packet," the first paper in that place, was commenced in Oct. 1773, "Printed by Alexander Robertson, James Robertson, and John Trumbull." The Packet was continued by this company until June, 1776, when Trumbull became the sole publisher, and continued it with various alterations till his death in 1802.

First Newspapers in New Hampshire.-A press having been established in Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, by Daniel Fowle, from Boston, he, in Aug. 1756, began to publish "The New Hampshire Gazette," the first paper in the province. The following is the imprint. "Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, Printed by Daniel Fowle, where this paper may be had at one Dollar per annum : or Equivalent in Bills of Credit, computing a Dollar this year at Four Pounds Old Tenor."-The second newspaper was "The Portsmouth Mercury and Weekly Advertiser," and was first published Jan. 21st, 1765. Imprint, 'Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, Printed by Thomas Furber, at the New Printing Office, near the Parade, where this paper may be had for one Dollar, or Six Pounds, O. T. per year; one half to be paid at Entrance." The third newspaper which appeared in New Hampshire, was issued in Exeter, in 1775, published by Robert Fowle; it was continued irregularly under various titles.

66

First Printing in New Jersey.-The first newspaper in this colony, was "The New Jersey Gazette," first published, Dec. 3d, 1777, at Burlington. It was printed weekly, on Wednesday, with a good long primer type, and on a sheet of crown paper, folio. Imprint-Burlington Printed by Isaac Collins. All Persons may be supplied with this Gazette for Twenty Six Shillings per Annum. Advertisements of a moderate Length are inserted for Seven Shillings and Six Pence the first Week, and Two Shillings and Sixpence for every continuance; and long Ones in Proportion." This paper was neatly printed, and well conducted. Its publisher, although of the society of friends, was a firm supporter of the rights of his country; and he carefully avoided publishing any thing which tended to injure the religious, civil, or political interests of his fellow citizens. It was discontinued in 1786.

After the American stamp act was passed by the British parliament, and near the time it was to be put in operation, a political paper was privately printed at Burlington, which attracted much notice. It was entitled "The Constitutional Gazette, containing Matters interesting to Liberty-but no wise repugnant to Loyalty." Imprint-"Printed by An

drew Marvel, at the Sign of the Bribe refused, on Constitution-Hill, North America" In the centre of the title was a device of a snake, cut into parts, to represent the colonies. Motto "Join or Die." After the title, followed an address to the public from the fictitious printer and publisher, Andrew Marvel. This paper was without date, but was printed in September, 1765. It contained several well written and spirited essays against the obnoxious stamp act, which were so highly colored, that the editors of newspapers in Newyork, even Holt, declined to publish them.

A large edition was printed, secretly forwarded to Newyork, and there sold by hawkers selected for the purpose. It had a rapid sale, and was, I believe, reprinted there, and at Boston. It excited some commotion in Newyork, and was taken notice of by government. A council was called, and holden at the fort in that city, but as no discovery was made of the author or printer, nothing was done. One of the council demanded of a hawker named Samuel Sweeney, "where that incendiary paper was printed?" Sweeney, as he had been instructed, answered, "At Peter Hassenclever's iron-works, please your honor." Peter Hassenclever was a wealthy German, well known as the owner of extensive iron-works in Newjersey. Afterward, other publications of a like kind frequently appeared with an imprint.-" Printed at Peter Hassenclever's iron-works." Only one number of the Constitutional Gazette was published; a continuance of it was never intended. It was printed by William Goddard, at Parker's printing house at BurlingtonGoddard having previously obtained Parker's permission occasionally to use his press.

The above map of the country in the vicinity of Boston, is a close copy of part of a map of New England, published in the New Memorial in 1667, and it is believed to have been the first map ever engraved in this country

COINAGE, BILLS OF CREDIT, &c.

[The following, relative to the first coinage in this country, and the emission of bills of credit in New England, is extracted principally from Gov. Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts.]

About 1650, "the trade of the province increasing, especially with the West Indies where the bucaneers or pirates at this time were numerous, and part of the wealth which they took from the Spaniards as well as what was produced by the trade being brought to New England in bullion, it was thought necessary for preventing fraud in money to erect a mint for coining shillings, six-pences and three-pences, with no other impression at first than NE on the one side and XII. VI. or III, on the other, but in October 1651, the court ordered that all pieces of money should have a double ring with this inscription, MASSACHUSETTS, and a tree in the centre on one side, and NEW ENGLAND and the year of our Lord one the other side.

the

The first money being struck in 1652 the same date was continued upon all that was struck for 30 years after, and although there are a great variety of dies, it cannot now be determined in what years pieces were coined. No other colony ever presumed to coin any metal into money. It must be considered that at this time there was no King in Israel. No notice was taken of it by the parliament nor by Cromwell, and having been thus indulged, there was a tacit allowance of it afterwards even by King Charles the 2d. for more than 20 years, and although it was made one of the charges against the colony when the charter was called in question, yet no great stress was laid upon it. It appeared to have been so beneficial, that during Sir Edmund Andross's administration endeavors were used to obtain leave for continuing it, and the objections against it seem not to have proceeded from its being an encroachment upon the prerogative, for the motion was referred to the master of the mint and the report against it was upon meer prudential considerations. It is certain that great care was taken to preserve the purity of the coin. I don't find, notwithstanding, that it obtained a currency any where, otherwise than as bullion, except in the New England colonies. A very large sum was coined. The mint master John Hull raised a large fortune from it. He was to coin the money, of the just allay of the then new sterling English money, and for all charges which should attend melting, refining and coining he was to be allowed to take fifteen pence out of every twenty shillings. The court were afterwards sensible that this was too advantageous a contract, and Mr. Hull was offered a sum of money by the court to release them from it but he refused to do it. He left a large personal estate and one of the best real estates in the country. Samuel Sewall who married his only daughter, received

with her as was commonly reported, thirty thousand pounds in New England shillings. "He was the son of a poor woman but dutiful to and tender of his mother, which Mr. Wilson his minister observing pronounced that God would bless him, and altho' he was then poor yet he should raise a great estate." (Magnalia.)

First emissson of Paper currency.-Upon the unfortunate expedition against Quebec in 1690, the government of Massachusetts in particular was utterly unprepared for the return of the forces. They seem to have presumed, not only upon success, but upon the enemy's treasure, to bear the charge of the expedition. The soldiers were upon the point of mutiny for want of their wages. It was utterly impracticable to raise, in a few days, such a sum of money as would be necessary. An act was passed for levying the sum, but the men could not stay until it should be brought into the treasury. The extreme difficulty, to which the government was thus reduced, was the occasion of the first bills of credit ever issued in the colonies, as a substitute in the place of money. The debt was paid by paper notes from two shillings to ten pounds denomination, which notes were to be received for payment of the tax which was to be levied, and all other payments in the treasury. This was a new experiment. They had better credit than King James's leather money in Ireland, about the same time. But the notes would not command money, nor any commodities at money price. Sir William Phips, it is said, exchang ed a large sum, at par, in order to give them credit. The soldiers in general were great sufferers, and could get no more than twelve or fourteen shillings in the pound. As the time of payment of the tax approached, the credit of the notes was raised, and the government allowing five per cent. to those who paid their taxes in notes, they became better than money. This was gain to the possessor, but it did not restore to the poor soldier what he had lost by the discount.

The government, encouraged by the restoration of credit to their bills, afterwards Issued others for charges of government. They obtained good credit at the time of their being issued. The charges of government were paid in this manner from year to year. Whilst the sum was small, silver continued the measure, and bills continued their value. When the charges of government increased after the second expedition to Canada in 1711, the bills likewise increased, in the same or greater propor tion the silver and gold were sent out of the country. There being a cry of scarcity of money in 1714, the government caused 50,000l. to be issued, and in 1716, 100,000l. to be paid in at a certain period, and in the mean time to pass as money; Lands were mortgaged for security. As soon as the silver and gold were gone and the bills were the sole instrument of commerce, pounds shillings and pence were altogether ideal, for no possible reason could be assigned why a bill of twenty shillings should bear a certain proportion to any one quantity of silver more than another: Sums in bills were drawing into the treasury from time to time by taxes or payment of the loans, but then other sums were continually issuing out, and all the bills were paid and received without any distinction either in public or private payments, so that, for near forty years together, the currency was much in the same state as if a hundred thousand pounds sterling had been stamped in pieces of leather or paper of various denominations and declared to be the money of the government without any other sanction than this, that, when there should be taxes to pay, the treasury would receive this sort of money, and that every creditor should be obliged to receive it

from his debtor.

Depreciation of the Paper Currency.-In 1733 there was a general complaint throughout the four governments of New England of the unusual scarcity of money. There was as large a sum current in bills of credit as ever, but the bills having depreciated they answered the purposes of money so much less in proportion. The Massachusets and New Hampshire were clogged with royal instructions. It was owing to them that those governments had not issued bills to as great an amount as Rhode Island. Connecticut, although under no restraint, yet, consisting of more husbandmen and fewer traders than the rest, did not so much feel the want of money. The Massachusets people were dissatisfied that Rhode Island should send their bills among them and take away their substance and employ it in trade, and many people wished to see the bills of each government current within the limits of such government only. In the midst of this discontent, Rhode Island passed an act for issuing 100,000l. upon loan, for, I think, 20 years to their own inhabitants, who would immediately have it in their power to add 100,000l. to their trading stock from the horses, sheep, lumber, fish, &c. of the Massachusets inhabitants. The merchants of Boston therefore cofederated and mutually promised and engaged not to receive any bills of this new emission, but, to provide a currency, a large number formed themselves into a company, entered into covenants, chose directors, &c. and issued 110,000l. redeemable in 10 years, in silver at 19s. per oz. the then current rate, or gold in proportion, a tenth part annually. About the same time the Massachusets treasury, which had been long shut was opened, and the debt of two or three years were all paid at one time in bills of credit; to this was added the ordinary emissions of bills from New Hampshire and Connecticut, and some of the Boston merchants, tempted by an opportunity of selling their English goods, having broke through their engagements and received the Rhode Island bills, all the rest soon followed the example. All these emissions made a flood of money, silver rose from 19s. to 27s. the oz. and exchange with all other countries consequently rose also, and every creditor was defrauded of about one third of his just dues. As soon as silver rose to 27s. the notes issued by the merchants payable at 19s, were hoarded up and no longer answered the purposes of money. Although the currency was lessened by taking away the notes, yet what remained never increased in value, silver continuing several years about the same rate, until it took another large jump. Thus very great injustice was caused by this wretched paper currency and no relief of any sort obtained; for, by this sinking in value, though the nominal sum was higher than it had ever been before, yet the currency would produce no more sterling money than it would have done before the late emissions were made.

In 1702, six shillings and eight pence was equal to an ounce of silver. In 1749, the period when bills of credit were abolished in Massachusetts, there being more than seven millions of dollars in paper in circulation, fifty shillings was judged only equal to an ounce of silver. "The honorable efforts of Massachusetts in the conquest