18 



iil[)t jTarnuv's iHontl)lt) Visitor. 



piimers in Conneclicut for nearly the term of a 

 ceiiliiry : they imbhshed newspapers at New Ha- 

 ven and New London. Col.Satniiel Greene, llie 

 independent conductor of the New London Ga- 

 zette, we knew personally thirty years ago : we 

 believe he is still living at a great age. The first 

 English edition of the Bihie piihlished in this 

 country was in 1752 — printed hy Kneeland and 

 Greene. 



Thomas Fleet estahli.shed the Boston Eve- 

 ning I'ost in 1735 — was industrious and econom- 

 ical, (iee from superstition, and possessi'<l (says 

 Thomas) a I'nnd of wit and hmnur, « hicli was 

 often displayed in his paragraphs and adverlise- 

 nienis. Hi! was horn In England, and ihere learn- 

 ed his traile. Fleet advertised a iipgio woman 

 for sale as follows: "To he sold hy ihe Printer 

 of this |iaper, the very best Negro Woman iu this 

 town, who has had the small pox und the nreasles ; 

 is as hearty as a hor.se, ns hrisk as a hird, and will 

 work like a heaver." Aug. y;5, 1742. In No. 50 

 of the Boston Evening Post, he has the lollow- 

 ing: — " We have lately received fioui an inlelli- 

 gen't and worthy friend in a neighhoiiug govern- 

 iDent, to the .southward of ns, Ihe lidlowiiig re- 

 liiarkahle piece of news, which we heg ourjead- 

 frs' patience to hear, viz. that the printer there 

 gels a great deal of money, has twenty shilfmgs 

 iijr every ailvcrlisetiient puhlislied iu his nens- 

 paper, calls us fools for working lijr uoihing, and 

 lias lately purchased an estate of fourteen hun- 

 dred pounds value. We should he heartily glad 

 (had we cause for it) to return onr (iiend a like 

 surprising account of the printer's prosperity 

 liere. But alas the reverse of oiu' brother's cir- 

 cmnstaiices seen)s hereditary to ns : It is well 

 known we are the most huudile, self-denying set 

 of mortals (we wish we could say men) hieaili- 

 ing; for where there is a peimy got, we readily 

 resign it up to those who are. no wjiys related to 

 the business, nor have any claim or pretence to 

 the advantages of it." iu a imie it is addeil that 

 the worihy friend was supposed to he James 

 Fraiddiu, nephew to Ui: Fraid<lin^ who was es- 

 tablished at lihode Island, where at that time the 

 paper cmrency was much depreciated. 



James Franklin esiablisherl a tliijd newspa- 

 per in Boston in 1721. Franklin's lather an<l 

 many of his friends were iidmical to the projeiM. 

 They supposed (says Thomas) that one newspa- 

 per was enough liu' ihe whole i-ouliiicnt; and 

 they apprehended that another must occasicm ab- 

 solole ruin to the printer. Before twelve ujonihs 

 had transpired Fraid<lin was laken into rn.-lody, 

 publicly censm-ed and imprisoned for publishing 

 what were calleil "scandalous libels," &c. A 

 club of writers contributed for the paper — iu it 

 they attacked some of ilje religions opinions of 

 the day — it was hostile to the clergy. Jan. 14, 

 1723, an order passed the eomnil "That James 

 Franklin be strictly lijrbidden by this coiut lo 

 print or publish the; Nc'w Fngland Conrant or any 

 pamphlet or p;iper of the like nattue, except it 

 he hist supervised by the Secretary of the I'rov- 

 ince." Franklin evailed this order, on aiUicc of 

 the club, by subslitulini; bis brother JJenjiUiin's 

 name in the imprint: the latter uas .ipprcniice to 

 James. In this name the Coiirant conliuued to 

 be published three years. 



Benjamin FitANKLi.x was born in Boston, Jan- 

 uary 17, 1 700. His father, an Englisliman and 

 silk-dyer, Cbnie to this country with a wife ami 

 three children : ami after his arrival, by the same 

 wife had f<un' other cliihlrcn. She dying, he mar- 

 ried u native of New England, by whom he had 

 ten children. S.-ivuig two daughters, Benjamin 

 was the yoimgcst child of ihcsecoinl vxile. Fiiul- 

 ing his own business insufficient for a livelihood, 

 the father of the philoso|iher took up that of a 

 BOap boiler and tallow chandler, iu which busi- 

 ness Benjamin was omployecl from his tenth to 

 his twelfth year. Dissatisfied with thai business, 

 iu ihe fear that nenjamin mi;.;ht in a clandestine 

 manner get to sea, Ihe father concluded lo bind 

 liim to a cutler. But the youtli expressing a wish 

 to be a printer, nl the time his hrolher James nt- 

 luriied v\i.li priming inirterials in 1717, licnj.imin 

 at ihtj age of twelve years was bound to his bro- 



ther. The yontli was pleased wilh his employ- 

 ment, anil soon becurne nseliil to his brother. He 

 borrowed books and read lliem wilh avidity and 

 profit. At an early age he wrote stanzas on the 

 i-aptnre of Blue Beard and on oilier occurrences. 

 Although these verses, as he observes iu his lil'e, 

 were " miserable ditties," his brother printed theiti 

 and sent Benjamin about town to sell them. 



After James Franklin printed a newspaper, 

 Benjamin felt increased salisliiction wilh the busi- 

 ness, and soon began, privately. In compose short 

 essays, which he ariliilly iiitrodnced fiir publica- 

 tion withoni exciling suspicion of his being the 

 author. These were examined and approved by 

 a club of writers for his brother's paper, to the 

 great gralilicalion of the writer, who evenlually 

 maile himself known." Allhough the paper «;is 

 issued in his name, lienjamin, disagreeing wilh 

 his brolhir Jame.*, privately in his eighleenih 

 year quitted his service, and took passage in u 

 vessel for New York. Ohiaining litre no em- 

 ployment, he reached Ainboy iu a (i-rry boat, 

 travelled on fool from thence lo Burlinglon, where 



■'Tliere is n giinilnrity brtveen the youth of Krnnklin 

 iiml Itial nl Ihr \i riter. nnw grown ohi, but not \ tl su olij 

 hv more llifii) It-o jears as I'ciiiKiui v\ab « Ik n iif liisl It-arn- 

 eil to spc-iik ami wrile tiie Freirch iani;uaL:e, that v\e wjll 

 ask to be [lariloncd a lilile vaniiy in reialmg it. From the 

 ajzn of lourlecn to tueiily-oite jears, vvillioul iiulenlure.i, 

 tlie editor "I tbd Vi*-ilor served an n; prcnliceslii|i ag a 

 priiilrr — railliliil as ho believes, il not beyond, at least 

 equal to, any yoiilli who ever seived in llie Slate lo learn 

 a uselul trade. TIih proprietor of the ne-^.spaper. v.hir-h 

 was the main business in the priuliiig ollice vvliLie be 

 served, vvas a federalist. His pa;ier had more deinoeratic 

 than federal subscribers, and claimed lo be inipartial as 

 between die two political parties. It happened not lo be 

 the apprentice's vein to ai:ree in polilieal opinion with the 

 mister of the ollice or to be so impartial as to feel an m- 

 dilleience when a paper professtdl) neutral, at an impor- 

 tant rrisis ol the nation, should lui n every thinu to a party 

 necounl on one side. 'J'he " Karnier's ("abinel"' had in the 

 village of Its publication ardent pohticiaiis, mainly law- 

 yers and doctors with Iheir students, who were vvilliiig 

 liralnitously to write for and relieve Ihe eililnr. We had 

 be{.'un al thf age ol tilleen years to wnle scraps and ileins. 

 which were published soinelimes eililorially and so'iiie- 

 tinies as cnmmilnleatioiis, jiut had mil done violence t 

 the imparlial hearing of the paper by wriliii-' for our own 

 side. In luUb, "7 and "8 we saw the paper under its luii- 

 iral proie^sioiidoiiig an insidious vvnrk tVo- the side winch 

 we ilid not apjirove. We commenced the herculean la- 

 bor of meeting the federivl club, embracing snine of the 

 shrewdest politicians opposed to us from Ihal ifiy lo this 

 winch have appeared in Ihe State. Our innlinght vigils 

 were diiecleli lo dele-iid Ihe adunni^lration ot Thoiiris 

 .letr rsou, when, as a [triideniial measure to save our prop- 

 el ty from Ihe inroads of Clreat liiitain and France who 

 arre>led il wherever they could tiiid it on llie ocean, an 

 embargo on our shipping vvas laid, | roducing greater op- 

 posiiion. if possible. Iroui Uie leiler.il side, than the war 

 of 1!J12. Our articles were liist writlen out in a Iitlle 

 roof-cnvey, with a single window, of the printing odice. 

 not high enough to st.ind U|» in erect — our sleeping and 

 dressing domicjl tor years — generally al hours when all 

 nature teemed to be reposing around. After lliey were 

 vvrillen they vveie copied in a carefully disguised back- 

 slopc hand, addrcsseti lo the editor of the (_-abiiiet and de 

 posited in the post-olHce. Several of these liuinhers wcie 

 n ceived. and the mannscripl of Ihe author placed hick in 

 his own liaiidti for composition. They v\ere published b.y 

 the proprietor of the Cabinet as a m.itter of llece^s ly, he 

 having assured his republican farmer subscribers lh il llie 

 omiBsioiis on llifir side were because no deunu-ralic com 

 inuilicalioiis had been riceiveil. 'I'he controversv had 

 gone oil in this manner for some time, vvhen Ihe master 

 one d.iy called the apprentice to a eonlcrenee in the couiil- 

 mg-rooni, a ai itler that had been unusual as between these 

 individuals. He asked tlie boy il lie knew the aiilhoi ol 

 the maiuiscripls which had been so much an onject of con- 

 versation. 'I'lie apprentice at lirst evaded an answer. 

 " Well," said Ihe m isler, " il will be of no use In atleinpl 

 disguising the fact — 1 now know the author. You wrote 

 Ilieiii — 1 should not have discovered il ; but Ismerson (a 

 law-sludeiil lo whom the master v\as giving his bo.iid for 

 his setviccs as a.-si>tjnt editor) savs he knows your style; 

 and moreover ho has show ii ine that Ihe manuscript isyoui 

 disguised hand. I have no objeclion to your wntiiiL' ; but 

 .Mr. A. says if you are siill'ered to continue, llio Icder.ilisls 

 will lose all coiiHdence in our paper." 'i'he master also 

 lurtber inluii.iled that the parttnkeii by the apprenlifM- h.id 

 been matle a mailer ol giave discussion in Ihe club of pol 

 iiiciaus at the federal hr^ad-tpiarteis of I he county, and ask- 

 ed whelluu' their desire of discontinuing Ihe ainioyaiice lo 

 iliem had mil hitter be complied with." 'I'he appreiuice 

 iiiL-wcred with some spirit, that, allhouuh bi nnd by no in- 

 dentures, he was willing to devote ns he had doni- lo his 

 masiet'fi service all Ihe hours, day in and d.iy out, e.xccpl 

 those all. iwed for rclreslimeul and sleep; but lliat the 

 iinnii ol a denioeral was fiie, and musi refuse being boiuul 

 From bencefoith no alteuipl lo aiicsl uur course us a con- 

 tributor lor Uie picsi wa» ui.'Uc Iruui Ihal quarter. 



he was hospitably eiilerlained several days by an 

 aged woman who sold gingerbread. When an 

 o[iporliinily presented to take passage down \lic 

 Delaware In a boat, he embraced it, and leached 

 Philadelphia in safety. 



Although belter known than almost any other 

 man iu the coiiniry to many of onr readers, so 

 singulaily interesting is ibis period of the life of 

 Ihe celebraled sUiteMiiaii and philosopher, that 

 we copy out a portion of bis own narrative. 



"On my arrival at Philadelphia (said he) I was 

 in iiiy working dress, my In-sl clmhes being lo 

 come by sea. 1 wa- lovered vvididirl : my pork- 

 els were filled with shins and sincking.-. ; 1 was 

 tmactpiaiiiled w illi tt single soul in the place, and 

 knew not w here lo seek for a lodging. Faiigiied 

 wilh walking, rowing, and having past the night 

 wiihoul sleep, I was ixtieniely hungry, and all 

 my money consisted of ii Dnlcli dollar, and ahoiiC 

 a sliilliiig'.s worlli of coppers, which I gave to ihe 

 boatiiieii for toy passage. As '. had assi,-ied iheni 

 in rowing ilny reltiseil il at firsi ; but 1 iii>i-ieil 

 on Iheir lakin;; il. A n an is sometimes n.oie 

 generous w hen he has little than w hen he has 

 miieli money: probably because, in the fir>t case, 

 he is desirous ol concealing hi.s poverty. I walk* 

 ed low aids llie mp of the stnel, lookin;.' eagerly 

 on both sides, lill ] came lo iMarket sireii, where 

 I met a child with a loaf of bread. Oili'ii had 1 

 luiiiie my dinner on dry bread. 1 empiired w here 

 he bad lion^hi il, and went straight lo llie baker's 

 shop, which he pointed out lo me. 1 a^ked lor 

 some liisciiils, expecting to find such as we hail 

 at Boston ; biil they made it seeni.s none of that 

 son in Philadelphia. 1 then asked for a tliree- 

 peiiiij loaf. They made no lojives of thai price. 

 Finding myself igiioranl of the prices, as well as 

 ihe ilitli'reiii kiiiils of bread, I desirrd him to let 

 me have ihree-pemiy worih of hrc'd of some 

 kind or ollii r. He gave me three hu;;e rolls. I 

 was surprised nt receiving so n neb ; ] look them, 

 however, and having no room in my poikel.<, I 

 wjilked on with a roll under each iii in, eafmg ihe 

 third. Ill ihis manner I went ihrotigh iMaiket 

 sireet lo Fonrili street and passed llie house of 

 i\lr. Read, ihe liiihcr of my liilnre will'. She was 

 slaniiiiig al llie door, observed me, ami thought, 

 wilh reason, ihal I made a very singular and gro- 

 lesiine appeiiralice. 



•'I then liirneil ihe corner, and went thronirh 

 Chcsmil siiiel, eating my roll all llie way: tiiiil 

 having made ihis round, I again found ni\>eiron 

 .M.nkel sireet w liarl', near Ihe boat iu w hieh 1 hail 

 arrived, i .-tepped iiilo il lo take ;i draught of the 

 river wjiler; and, fiiiiling myself satisfied wilh 

 mv fir.'-t roll, I irave the oiher two loa woman and 

 her child, who had come down ihe rivei wilh us 

 iu the boat, and was wailing lo continue her jour- 

 ney. Tims refreshed, I regained liie slreel,vv hich 

 was now full of well dressed people, all going 

 Ihe same w;iy. I joiiii'd lliein, and was thus led 

 to a large Qnjiker.^' meeling-house, near llie mar- 

 ket place. I sal down wilh the iisl, and alier 

 looking romid me liir some time, hearing noihing 

 said, and being; drowsy from my last nighl'.s la- 

 bor and want of rest, I fell iiilo a sound sleep. 

 In this slate I conliuued lill Ihe assembly ilis- 

 perseil, w hen one of the congregation had iho 

 giioiliiiss lo wake me. This was, conseipienlly, 

 the lirsi hon.-^e 1 ciitereil, or in which I slept, at 

 Philadelphia. 



'•I begiiii to walk along the sIichI by the river 

 side, and looking altiiiiively in Ihe liice of every 

 one 1 mil, I pireeived a youii^ ipiaker, w ho^e 

 comili'iiaiiee pleaxil me. I aceosled him, and 

 iieggeil him to inform me where a slianger might 

 find a liidging. We were then near the sign of 

 the Time IMaiiners. They receive travellers 

 here, said he, but it is not a house thai beiirs a 

 good characier; if j oil will go will, mc I will 

 show Mill a heller one. He conilueled melolhe 

 Crooked Billet, in Water siriei. There I order- 

 ed something for dinner, ami diirin:.' my meal a 

 number of various qneslions were put lo me ; my 

 yoiiih and appearance exiiiing ihe siiS|iiciou that 

 I vv is a rmiavvay. .'\lier dinner iny ilrow>iness 

 reiiu ned, luid I llirevv myself on a bed without 

 taking otf my elolhes, and slept lill six o'clock in 

 Ihe eviiruig, when I was called lo supper. 1 af- 

 lerwioil v.eiil lo beil al a very earlv hour, and did 

 iiul awake lill the next moining. 



" As soot) as J gut up 1 put myself iu as decent 



