{m'l.\chlan] FLEURY MESPLET, FIRST PRINTER AT MONTREAL 203 



In the instructions of Congress, issued February, 1776, appointing 

 commissioners to Canada, it was especially stipulated that a printer 

 should be sent with them to establish a free press in the country, 

 Samuel Chase, one of the commissioners, was detailed to confer with 

 Fleury Mesplet about undertaking this work; and he, without much 

 hesitation, accepted the engagement, as he states in his answers to 

 questions by Congress, " with as much the more pleasure as it was 

 ]5romised me that I would receive every satisfaction and regard that 

 my services would deserve."^ To this acceptance the only conditions 

 he attached were, that one hundred dollars should be advanced to enable 

 him to cancel his lease, and that his expenses should be paid to Montreal. 

 After this a committee of Congress was appointed, consisting of John 

 Hancock, the president; Mr. Thompson, the secretary, and Benjamin 

 Franklin, to examine as to Mesplet's fitness for such a duty. The ex- 

 amination having proved satisfactory $200 was voted by Congress on 

 the 26th of February " to defray the expence of transporting him, 

 his family and his printing utensils to Canada."- This arrangement 

 having been accepted, Mesplet had to hurry up his preparations. He 

 engaged a fellow-countryman, named Alexandre Pochard, whom he 

 styles "Homme de lettres," as editor of the. proposed newspaper, two 

 journe}Tnen printers named John Gray and Mr, Hearse, and a servant- 

 man. As Congress provided no money for carrying on the operations 

 of Mesplet's press he, if he were expected to do things right when in 

 Montreal, required a good working capital. So he, being unable to 

 find accommodation elsewhere, again had recourse to his friend Berger, 

 who had saved him from financial embarrassment the previous year. 

 Berger evidently seems to have been a man of means, for, notwithstand- 

 ing his past advances, he put up £1,000 Pennsylvania currency, equal 

 to $2,666 — a goodly capital for a printing office of those days — besides 

 purchasing a supply of new type, 180 reams of paper, and other requi- 

 sites to the value of $786; over and above these amounts was $560 for 

 money advanced to pay IMesplet's debts, making a total of $-1,000 of 

 Berger's capital in the concern. The only condition called for by 

 Berger in his partnership agreement was that it should be on a limited 

 basis with the proviso that he receive ten per cent interest on this 

 .amount whether the business proved profitable or not.^ 



All this goes to show Berger's continued and deep personal friend- 

 ship for Mesplet as well as belief in his ability to carry on successfully 

 a printing and publishing business in Canada; and further, confidence, 



' See Appendix D No. 35. 



"■ Ibid. Nos. 29 and 35. 



* See appendix F No. 53. ' 



