PERIODICAL
G8G
PERIODICAL
vals, autos defd, competitions for the university facul-
ties, European events, sliipping news at the port of
Vera Cruz, and news from tlie I'liiUppines, Cliina, and
even Morocco. \\'hen there was an abuiKhince of
news a fortnightly issue appeared. The desire to Iceep
readers inforiiied on the most important events con-
nected with tile Spanish Monarchy, e. g., the eouciiiest
of the Kingdom of Naples, is evident. In 1712 the
"Mercurio" discontinued publication and no paper
existed until 1784, when the new "Gaceta de
Mexico", edited by M. A. Valdds, appeared and con-
tinued without interruption until IStJO. It was issued
bi-monthly, modelled more or less on the gazettes of
1722 and 172S; it indicated the price of bread and
meat in the City of Mexico and published officially
and integrally the royal orders. To Ignacio Bartola-
che and the Rev. Jose Antonio Alzatc (ci- v.), well-
known Mexican writers of the eighteenth century, is
due the honour of having issueil the first scientific
publications. The former published (1772) the "Mer-
curio Volante", which was short-lived; it was charac-
terized as a newspaper giving curious and important
notices upon various matters bearing on physics and
medicine ("con noticias curiosas 6 importantes sobre
varies asuntos de Fisica y Medicina"). Alzate began
(1768) the "Diario Literario de Mexico"; this was
suppressed, but reappeared on 26 October under the
title of "Asuntos Varios Sobre Ciencias y Artes".
After eleven numbers were published it was again
suppressed, only to reappear (1787) under the title
of "Observaciones sobre I'^lsica, Historia Natural y
Artes Utiles", fourteen numbers of which were issued.
In January, 1788, the famous " Gaceta de Literatura"
appeared and was issued monthly, though with some
irregularity, until 1799. This publication was a literary
and scientific review; all subjects were examined and
discussed by the learned priest-editor. Here might be
read with benefit articles on medicine, botany, miner-
alogy, Mexican archa;ology, architecture, philosophy,
ethnology, jurisprudence, physics, astronomy, topog-
raphy, etc. The files are a veritable encyclo|iedia, and
the number and variety of the subjects treated, as well
as the scholarly manner in which they are handled, are
evident proof of Father Alzate's remarkable erudition.
On 1 October, 1805, Jacobo Villaurrutia established the
"Diario de Mexico", the first daily paper published
in the colony; it was issued every day, including holi-
days, until 1816. Among its contributors were Nava-
rette, Sanchez de Tagle, Barguera, Anastasio Ochoa,
and Lacunza y Burazdbal. The " Gaceta del Gobierno
de M(5xico", founded in 1810, was the official organ of
the viceregal Government until 1821.
Period of the War of Independence. — The first news- paper devoted to the cause of independence was the ' ' El Despertador M^xicauo", edited by Francisco Severo Maldonado. It was begun on 20 December, 1810, but did not last long. The second newspaper controlled by the insurgents was the "Ilustrador Nacional". The editor, Dr. Jos6 Maria Cos, made the type from wood and mixed iniligo for the printing ink. When he was able to procure inetul type, he continued to publish his news[)aper imder the title "EI Ilustrador Americano". It lasted from May, 1812, until April, 1813. The vice- regal Government and the ecclesiastical authorities rigidly prohibited it. The latter obliged the faithful to give up their copies, and denounced those who re- tained any. The third newspaper, "El Correo Ameri- cano del Sur", appeared in February, 1813. The pri&st, Jos<; Maria Morelos, after conquering Oaxaca and organizing his government, established it and con- fided the editing first to J. M. de Herrera, formerly parish priest of Huamustitldn, and afterwards to the lawyer. Carlos M. Bustamante. The paper was issued every Thursday until 27 May of the same year. Upon the proclamation of the freedom of the press, two news- papers, "EI Juguetillo" and "El PensadorMexicano", edited respectively by C. M. Bustamante and Joaquin
Fernandez de Lizardi, appeared; they fearlessly at-
tacked the abuses of the viceregal Government. The
"Juguetillo" published only six numbers, and both
were suppressed by the \iceroy Venegas in December,
1812. Lizardi was inipri.soni^d, but was liberated
shortly .-iftcrwards, and continued the ))ublication of
his i)apcr, cliiniiial ing, however, its olVcnsive tone.
Bustamante escaped im|)risonment and pul)lisli<'d two
more immbers of the "Juguetillo", the lust in 1.S21.
Among other newspapers published during this period
may be mentioned: "Clamores de la Kidelidad .Vmeri-
cana", published in Yucatan by Jo.se Matias Quin-
tana, for which he was imprisoned; the " Boletln
Militar", published by General Mina from the printing-
press which he carried with his expedition: the army
of Iturbide published several sheets, "K\ Mexicano
Independiente", "Ejercito Imp<Tial ile las Tres Cia-
rantias", "Diario Politico Militar M6xicano". The
"Centinela contra Seductores" was an anti-insurgent
paper, issued towards the end of 1810: the "Es-
peculador Patriotico" (1810-11), a weekly dedicated
to the Viceroy Venegas. J. M. Wenceslas Sanchez de
la Barquera issued several interesting papers, includ-
ing "Semanario econ6mico de noticias curiosas y
eruditas sobre Agricultura y demds Artes y Oficios"
(1808-10); "El Correo de los Niilos" (1813), the first
juvenile paper published in Mexico; and "El Amigo
de los Hombres" (1815). The "Noticioso General"
(181.5-22), the largest newspaper of the colony, pub-
lished official documents and news of all kinds. At
first it was issued every fortnight, hut afterwards it
appeared on Monday, \\ednes(lay, and I'Viilay.
After the War of Independence. — When the Inde- pendence of Mexico was established newspajjers were multiplied. Some approved, others condemned, the new regime, according to the policies adopted by the new Government. Carlos Maria Bustamante pub- lished (1821-26) thirty numbers of "La Avispa de Chilpancingo", attacking the Iturbide administra- tion. In 1822 were published "El Sol" and "El Correo de la Federaci6n", organs respectively of the Freemasons of the Scottish (centralistic), and York (federalistic), Rite. The Liberals controlled two im- portant publications, "El Siglo XIX" and "El Mo- nitor Republicano". G6mez Pedraza, Otero, Payno, de la Rosa, Zarco Vigil, and others contributed to the first, and to the second, which was even more radical in its ideas, Florencio Castillo, Valente, Baz, Mateos etc., and Castelar as Spanish correspondent. The Conservatives published "La Sociedad" (edited by Jos(S M. Roa Barcena) and "La Cruz" (edited by Ignacio Aguilar y Marocho). The first number of "La Cruz" appeared on 1 Nov., 1855; its heading states that "it is an exclusiv-ely religious paper, founded ex-professo to diffuse orthodox doctrines, and to defend and vindicate them against the prev- alent errors". In its prologue it sums up the situa- tion of that time, deplores the attacks on the Church, and the satires against the clergy; it urges the faith- ful to prepare themselves for the struggle in defence of religion. The paper had four divisions; the first explained the teachings of the Church on points which circumstances deemed it most opportune to treat; the second refuted all errors advanced against this teaching; the third published short e.ssays on reli- gious subjects ; the fourth gave accounts of all notable events, in the Republic and in other countries, that had a bearing on the special object of the publica- tion. Unfortunately this weekly lasted only until 29 July, 1858. Its battles against the Liberals were sharp and brilliant, and its contributors gave striking exam- ples of their learning and profound adhesion to the teaching of the Church. During the civil wars the Press in many instances, particularly during the heated discussions that characterized the period prior to the Constitution of 1857, deserted its office of peacemaker and seemed to have for its only object the arousing
