CONNECTICUT.

Newspapers were not printed in this colony until 1755, and till this period there had been but one printing house established in Connecticut.

The war with the French at this time, in which the British colonies were deeply interested, increased the demand for public journals, and occasioned the publication of one in Connecticut. Before the commencement of the revolutionary war, four newspapers were published in this colony.

NEW HAVEN.

The Connecticut Gazette.

Containing the freshest Advices, Foreign and Domestick. This paper made its appearance January 1, 1755. It was printed on a half sheet of foolscap, in quarto; but occasionally on a whole sheet of pot, folio, by James Parker & Company; and was published weekly, on Friday. John Holt was the editor, and the junior partner of the firm; he conducted the Journal till 1760, when he removed to New York, and Thomas Green was employed by the company to conduct the Gazette.

By the establishment of postriders to the seat of the war at the northward, and to several parts of the colony, the Gazette had, for that time, a considerable circulation. The

publication was continued by Parker & Company till 1764, when it was for a short time suspended, but afterwards revived by Benjamin Mecom.

Mecom continued the Gazette, and added a cut to the title - one which he had used in the title page of The New England Magazine, published by him three or four months in Boston. The device was a hand clasping a bunch of flowers. He afterwards exchanged this for another, which represented a globe placed on the head of a seraph, an eagle with extended wings lighting with one claw on the globe, holding in the other a book encircled by a glory; from the book was suspended a pair of dividers. Motto, "Honor Virtute Paratur." Another motto, extending the whole width of the page, was added after the title, viz: "Those who would give up Essential Liberty, to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Imprint, "Printed by Benjamin Mecom, at the Post-Office in New-Haven." There were two columns in a page of this paper, which was printed from long primer and pica types.

Holt, and Mecom his successor, appear to have been attentive in making selections for the Gazette, which was bometimes supplied with original essays on various subjects. It was discontinued in 1767.

The Connecticut Journal and New-Haven Post-Boy.

This paper was first published in October, 1767, soon after the Gazette was discontinued. It was printed on a pot sheet, folio, three columns in a page; types, long primer and pica. A cut of a postman on horseback, copied from The Boston Post-Boy, but badly engraved, divided the title. It was published weekly, on Friday. Imprint, generally, "Printed by Thomas and Samuel Green, near the College." Some years after, the title was Connecticut Journal

only, the cut omitted, and the size of the paper enlarged to a crown sheet; but it was occasionally varied.

The Journal gained an establishment, and maintained its ground against several other papers which have from time to time appeared in New Haven. It continued to be published by Thomas and Samuel Green, until February, 1799; Samuel then died, and the Journal was continued till January, 1809, by Thomas Green & Son.' It has lately (1810) been enlarged to a sheet of royal, and the title altered to The Connecticut Journal and Advertiser. In Jauuary, 1809, it was printed by Thomas Green & Co. In July of the same year, Thomas Green retiring from business, the new firm was dissolved, and the Journal published, on Thursdays, "by Eli Hudson,' successor to T. Green & Co."

NEW LONDON.

The New-London Summary.

The Summary was the second newspaper established in that colony, and was first published August 8, 1758, by the second Timothy Green. It was printed on a small half sheet, and occasionally on a whole sheet, weekly; at first on Tuesday, and afterwards on Friday. A small cut of the colony arms was in the title. Green continued the Sum

1 Samuel Green died at New Haven, Feb., 1799, aged 46. His brother Thomas died there also, May, 1812, aged 77. Thomas, Jr., died in May, 1825, aged 60.-M.

'The company were Thomas Green, jun., and Thomas Collier. Collier served his apprenticeship with his uncle Richard Draper, at Boston, and was the publisher of a newspaper at Litchfield, in 1785, entitled, The Weekly Monitor and American Advertiser.

In 1819 it would seem that Hudson had passed the Journal to other hands, as he was in that year a journeyman in the office of the Connecticut Herald. He was inefficient and dissipated. The Journal was published until about 1834, by Newton & Peck, on whose hands it died, or was merged in another concern.— .-M.

mary until his death, which happened in October, 1763, and three weeks after his demise it was discontinued.1

The New-London Gazette.

With the latest Advices, Foreign and Domestick.

This Gazette was substituted for the Summary, which it immediately succeeded. It had a cut of the king's arms in the title, and was first published November 1, 1763,2 by Timothy Green, the third printer of this name in New London. This paper was issued weekly, on Friday, on a sheet of foolscap, folio, principally from a long primer type.

On the 17th of December, 1773, the title was altered to The Connecticut Gazette. It was enlarged to a sheet of crown, and afterwards to a sheet of larger size.

This paper outlived several which, since 1775, were published in the same place; it uniformly defended the rights of the country before our revolution, and supported federal republican principles after the adoption of the constitution.3 Timothy Green, the first printer of the Gazette, in May,

1 We learn from Miss Caulkins, that it was entitled The New London Summary, or the Weekly Advertiser, with the Freshest Advices, Foreign and Domestic. The colophon was, Printed by Thomas Green. It was a folio sheet; the size of the page 8 X 12 inches, in two columns. A cut of the colony seal, surmounted by an escutcheon of the town, a ship under full sail, by way of crest. No. 1 was issued Aug. 8, 1758; the editor died Aug. 3, 1763, and the paper was discontinued.-M.

' After the peace of Paris, in 1763, the trade of New London revived, and the Gazette was printed on the 3d Nov. (Hist. New Lond., ed. 1860, p. 478). The size was considerably increased, the print arranged in three columns, and the price 38. per annum. It changed owners often, the last Green surrendering it in 1841, and in 1844 it was discontinued, after an existence of more then 80 years. See Caulkins's Hist. New London, ed. 1860, p. 654-5.-M.

"In 1797, Charles Holt began to publish a paper in New London, called The Bee. So fully did the Greens possess the ground, that it was seriously inquired of Mr. Holt if he had obtained permission of them to publish a paper there. Holt removed to Hudson, N. Y., in 1802.—M.

1793, resigned his right in the paper to his son, Samuel Green, who continued its publication.

HARTFORD.

The Connecticut Courant.

This was the third newspaper established in the colony. It was first published in December, 1764,' by Thomas

1A fac-simile of the first Courant was published, in 1864, which is dated Monday, October 29, 1764. It appears to have been a prospectus number, unknown to Mr. Thomas. It was issued as Number 00, and is dated "Hartford: Printed by Thomas Green, at the Heart and Crown, near the North Meeting House." The following is the editor's address:

"Hartford, October 29th, 1764."

"Of all the Arts which have been introduc'd amongst Mankind, for the civilizing Human-Nature, and rendering Life agreeable and happy, none appear of greater Advantage than that of Printing: for hereby the greatest Genius's of all Ages, and Nations, live and speak for the Benefit of future Generations. Was it not for the Press, we should be left almost intirely ignorant of all those noble Sentiments which the Antients were endow'd with. By this Art, Men are brought acquainted with each other, though never so remote, as to Age or Situation; it lays open to View, the Manners, Genius and Policy of all Nations and Countries and faithfully transmits them to Posterity. But not to insist upon the Usefulness of this Art in general, which must be obvious to every One, whose Thoughts are the least extensive. The Benefit of a Weekly Paper, must in particular have its Advantages, as it is the Channel which conveys the History of the present Times to every Part of the World. The Articles of News from the different Papers (which we shall receive every Saturday, from the neighboring Provinces) that shall appear to us, to be most authentic and interesting shall always be carefully inserted; and great Care will be taken to collect from Time to Time all domestic Occurrences, that are worthy the Notice of the Publick; for which, we shall always be obliged to any of our Correspondents, within whose Knowledge they may happen. The CONNECTICUT COURANT, (a Specimen of which, the Publick are now presented with) will, on due Encouragement be continued every Monday, beginning on Monday, the 19th of November, next: Which Encouragement we hope to deserve, by a constant Endeavour to render this Paper, useful and entertaining, not only as a Channel for News, but assisting to all Those who may have Occasion to make use of it as an Advertiser."

This paper is still (1872) in successful career, being published daily, and weekly; the latter issue is stated at 9000 copies.- M.