Page:History of American Journalism.djvu/121

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tone than The Pennsylvania Gazette and was much the better newspaper during the Revolutionary Period.

When the British occupied Philadelphia a local printer took his printing-press and went to Egg-Harbour where he published The Minute Intelligencer. Evidently the Tory press was not the only one which published sensational news, as the following item quoted from The Minute Intelligencer will show :

It is said the English Ministry, having no hopes of subduing America by force of arms, whilst the inhabitants retain their native virtue, have instructed the officers in their army to try a more certain method of success; by debauching the morals of the men, and seducing the virtue of the women. For this purpose play-houses are opened, gaming-tables established, and balls promoted, in a city languishing under a scarcity of the necessities of life.

In striking contrast to The Minute Intelligencer was The Pennsylvania Ledger, or The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New-Jersey Weekly Advertiser, Heaven save the name, started in Philadelphia on January 28, 1775, by James Hum- phreys. He was extremely loyal to the Crown, and because of his somewhat rabid tendencies he was forced to suspend publi- cation in November, 1776. When the British, however, took possession of the city, Humphreys seized the opportunity to resume publication of his sheet which he as promptly discon- tinued when they left.

SOUTHEEN SHEETS

While the British were in control of Charleston, several print- ers in the army conducted a newspaper called The Royal South Carolina Gazette, printed by Roberts, MacDonald, and Cameron. Revolutionary forces in South Carolina also had an army print- ing-press and issued many " near-newspapers" telling of the activities of Green's army. The Royal Gazette always referred to them as The Rebel Gazette. But when the British evacuated Charleston, December 14, 1782, there was no newspaper left to tell the news of the place. This condition did not obtain long, for on February 15, 1783, Nathan Childs brought out The South Carolina Weekly Gazette; on January 18, 1786, the paper ap- peared as a daily under the name, The Charleston Morning Post