INTRODUCTION. 



23 



to the people. The common council of the city conferred upon Mr. Hamilton the 

 public thanks and the freedom of the corporation, for that signal service which 

 he cheerfully undertook under great indisposition of body, and generously per- 

 formed, refusing either fee or reward.* 



Such was the struggle which the press had to maintain only one hundred years 

 ago, and only forty years before the revolution gave to its freedom the sanction 

 of government and the impress of authority. Gouverneur Morris, in speaking of 

 these occurrences to Dr. Francis, remarked, " that the trial of Zenger was the 

 germ of American freedom, the morning star of that liberty which subsequently 

 revolutionized America." Zenger died in 1746. His newspaper was conducted 

 by his widow, and afterwards by his son, until 1752, when it was discontinued. 

 The " New- York Gazette and Weekly Post Boy " was revived by James Parker 

 in 1742, and was continued by successive proprietors until 1773. It was ably 

 conducted, and had an extensive circulation ; and though free, never transcended 

 the bounds of decorum as they were defined at that day. The paper combated 

 the stamp act, and with several contemporaries throughout the colonies, appeared 

 in mourning on the 21st of October, 1765, on account of the passage of that law. 

 The "New- York Evening Post" appeared in 1746, but was soon discontinued. 

 The New- York Mercury was commenced by Hugh Gaine, and was discontinued 

 at the close of the revolutionary war, after an existence of thirty-one years under 

 the patronage of its founder. William Wyman, in 1759, established the " New- 

 York Gazette," which, after a fitful existence, expired in 1767. The American 

 Chronicle was commenced by S. Farley in 1761, and discontinued the next year ; 

 and the "New- York Packet," begun in 1763, had only a brief existence. In 

 1766, John Holt issued " The New- York Journal and General Advertiser ;" and 

 in 1768, " The New- York Chronicle " was commenced by Alexander and James 

 Robinson, and continued until 1772, when the printers removed to Albany, and 

 established there " The Albany Post Boy," which continued until 1776. James 



♦ DuNXAP's History of New- York. 



