(Son-in-Law to the said Mr. Green) who has been an Assistant with him in the said News-Letter: And, that Care will be yet constantly taken to insert therein all the most remarkable Occurrences, both Foreign and Domestick, that come to hand well attested. And all the Rev. Ministers, or other Gentlemen, both of Town and Country, who may at any time receive any thing worthy of publishing, are desired to send it to the said John Draper, at the Printing-House in Newbury-Street, that lately belong'd to the said Mr. Green deceas'd, and it will be thankfully received, and communicated to the Publick: And it will yet be endeavoured to render This Weekly Paper as informing and entertaining as possibly can be, to the Satisfaction of all who do or may encourage it."

Draper printed the News Letter thirty years. He died in November, 1762, and his son Richard Draper continued its publication. At that time, the title was enlarged as follows: The Boston Weekly News Letter and New England Chronicle. In about a year the title was again altered to The Massachusetts Gazette; and Boston Newes Letter, and was decorated with the king's arms.1 Richard Draper, about this time, took his kinsman Samuel as a partner, and the imprint ran thus: "Published by Richard Draper, Printer to the Governor and Council, and by Samuel Draper, at the Printing Office in Newbury Street." After the death of Samuel Draper, Richard remained several years without a partner.

In May, 1768, a singular disposition was made of the paper. The dispute between Great Britain and the colonies induced the government particularly to patronize The Massachusetts Gazette, and another paper, the Boston Post Boy and Advertiser, printed by Green and Russell.

'The king's arms were first introduced into the title page of the Laws of Massachusetts, 1692.

To give them the features and the consequence of governmental papers, the publishers of them were directed to insert in the title of each paper, "Published by Authority." The News Letter was published on Thursdays, and the Post Boy on Mondays. Each paper was divided into two equal parts. Half of each paper was entitled, "The Massachusetts Gazette, Published by Authority;" and the other half bore their former respective titles. For instance, the old title of Boston News Letter was reassumed, and under this title, news and advertisements filled one half of a whole sheet; the other half of this sheet was entitled, "The Massachusetts Gazette, Published by Authority; the contents of this half, like the other, being news, advertisements, and, occasionally, the proceedings of government and public bodies. The same method was taken by Green and Russell. One half of the sheet bore the title of Post Boy and Advertiser, and the other half that of "The Massachusetts Gazette, Published by Authority." Two hundred and seventy-six weeks previously to this new mode of publication, Draper had added Massachusetts Gazette to the title of the News Letter. Green and Russell began publishing in the mode described, on Monday, and Draper on Thursday of the week. Green and Russell therefore numbered that part of their sheet which was to bear the title of Massachusetts Gazette, 277. Draper on the Thursday following numbered his 278, and as long as this mode of publishing the Gazette by authority continued, the number for one press was reckoned from that of the other. It was in fact publishing a half sheet Gazette "By Authority" twice in a week, once by Draper and once by Green and Russell. Each press furnished the royal arms for the head of the Gazette.

The first time Draper published this "Adam and Eve paper," joined together "by authority," the following advertisement was inserted after the title of the News-Letter.

"The Thursday's paper' (the first ever printed in America) returns to its primitive Title, the Gazette being directed by Authority to be published in another manner. The customers will be served with Care and Fidelity; and those who advertise herein may depend on having their Notifications well circulated.

"N. B. A Gazette will accompany the News Letter every Thursday (tho' not always in a separate paper) Articles of Intelligence and of publick Utility will be thankfully received, and due notice taken of them by directing to Richard Draper."

This method of publishing the Gazette was discontinued at the close of September 1769, and Draper reestablished the title as it stood at the beginning of May, 1768, viz. The Massachusetts Gazette and Boston Weekly News Letter. "Published by Authority," was omitted; but it continued to be a government paper.

In May, 1774, Draper took John Boyle as a partner in publishing the News Letter; the next month Draper died. His widow, Margaret Draper, succeeded him as proprietor of the paper, and Boyle was for a short time her partner; but they separated before the commencement of the revolutionary war. After the war began, John Howe became her partner, and remained in business with her until the British troops left Boston in 1776; when the publication of the News-Letter ceased, and was never revived.

It

Thus began and ended The Boston News Letter. was the first newspaper published in this country, and the only one printed in Boston during the siege. I have taken more particular notice of this first paper, than I shall of those which follow. It was published seventy-two years.

For several years before the revolution, many able writers on the side of government, and some of its first

There was at this time no other newspaper printed on Thursdays in Boston.

officers, under various signatures, appeared in this paper; and while conducted by Richard Draper, its collection of news was not inferior to that of any public journal in Boston.

John Campbell, the first proprietor, lived about five years after he resigned his right to Green. His death is thus mentioned in the News Letter of March 7, 1728. "On Monday Evening last, the 4th Currant, about 8 a Clock, died here John Campbell, Esq, Aged 75 Years, formerly Post Master in this Place, Publisher of the Boston News Letter for many Years, and One of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Suffolk."

From Monday December 14, to Monday December 21, 1719.

This newspaper was first published for William Brooker, who succeeded Campbell as postmaster. It was the second which made its appearance in British America.

No. 1 was issued from the press on Monday, December 21, 1719, on a half sheet of printing foolscap, on a small pica type, folio; and it was continued on a half sheet of that size of paper for several years, excepting occasionally a whole sheet, and then one page was often left blank. It had a cut of a ship on the left, and one of a postman on the right of the title, and was "Published by Authority." Its imprint was, "Boston: Printed by J. Franklin, and may be had at the Post Office, where advertisements are taken in." This paper also began the year with March the first year, but the following with January.

The appearance of the Gazette occasioned some altercation between its publisher and the publisher of the NewsLetter. In No. 3, we have the following advertisement.

"Post Office, January 4th. The Approbation this Paper has already met with from the better Part of the Town, deserves a suitable Acknowledgment from this office, with repeated assurances, that it shall be carried on in such a manner as to render it both beneficial and entertaining."

The proprietor, printer and publisher of the Gazette, were soon changed. Philip Musgrave succeeded Brooker as postmaster a few weeks after the Gazette was published. No. 36, is printed by S. Kneeland; and the imprint of No. 41, is, "Boston Printed by S. Kneeland, for Philip Musgrave, Post Master, at his Office in Corn-Hill, where Advertisements are taken in, and all Gentlemen and others, may be Accommodated with this Paper."

The Gazette was printed by Kneeland for Musgrave until 1726, and that year it was printed by Kneeland for Thomas Lewis, postmaster.

In 1727, Henry Marshall was postmaster, and the Gazette had another printer, Bartholomew Green, son of the printer of the News-Letter. It was printed for Marshall till May, 1732, when he died, and the Gazette was after his death published by John Boydell, who succeeded Marshall, and was again printed by Kneeland and his partner. In 1734, Ellis Huske, being appointed postmaster, began the publication of another paper, The Post-Boy; but Boydell continued to publish the Gazette till he died in December, 1739; and, it then was printed for his heirs

2

1 There were three Boston Gazettes in succession before the revolution. This was the first of them.

'From the Boston Gazette, of December 17, 1739. "On Tuesday last died here in the 49th year of his age, John Boydell, Esq.; late Publisher of this Paper, and some time Deputy Post-Master within this and the three neighboring Governments; than whom none ever lived in this Province more generally esteem'd and beloved, as an honest worthy man, by Per