INTRODUCTION. 19 



reotype plates, in Strasburgh, twenty years at least before the improvement sug- 

 gested itself to Dr. Colden.* 



The first newspaper which appeared in the colony of New- York was the 

 " New- York Gazette," by William Bradford, in 1725. It was the fifth then in 

 existence in the American colonies ; three having already been established in 

 Massachusetts, and one in Philadelphia. Bradford was said to have fled from 

 Philadelphia to New- York. He had given offence by publishing a paper written 

 by George Keith. Keith had been condemned by the city meeting of friends for 

 a doctrine which he maintained, and appealed to the general meeting of that 

 society, and published an address concerning the controversy. The address was 

 denounced as seditious, and Bradford was arrested and imprisoned for printing 

 it. The trial of Bradford is a curious and not an uninstructive illustration of the 

 spirit of the age, and of the imperfect notions of the liberty of the press which pre- 

 vailed at that day. Keith was adjudged guilty, both in the ecclesiastical and 

 civil courts without a hearing ; and one of the judges having declared that the 

 court could judge of the matter of fact without testimony, directed the common 

 crier to " proclaim, in the market place, the accused to be a seditious person, and 

 an enemy to the king and queen's government." Bradford and Macomb, an 

 associate, were charged with circulating the offensive pamphlet, and demanded 

 a speedy trial as a right secured by magna charta. Being members of the society 

 of friends, they appeared in court covered. Justice Cooke inquired, " What 

 bold, impudent and confident men are these to stand thus confidently before the 

 court V Bradford replied, " We are here only to desire that which is the right 

 of every free born English subject, which is speedy justice ; and it is strange that 

 that should be accounted impudence." Justice Cooke answered, " If thou hadst 

 been in England, thou would have had thy back lashed before now." The pri- 

 soners continued to press for a trial. . Justice Cooke replied, " A trial thou shall 

 have, and that to your cost, it may be." When the trial came on, Bradford asked 



♦ HlNTON. 



