IGO 



freshest advices, both foreign and domestic/' It bore as a 

 motto a quotation from Horace, " Omne tulit punctum qui mis- 

 cuit utile dulci." 



The contents of the paper were such as were looked for in 

 public prints at that time, chiefly items of political news from 

 various parts of the world, very concisely stated, and selected 

 with care and good judgment. Foreign news occupied a large 

 share of the columns. Domestic news was given simply, 

 under the names of the several towns in the colonies, whence it 

 was received. A few advertisements filled out the sheet. The 

 contents were mostly selected, but few original pieces, either 

 editorial or contributed, appearing in the columns in those days. 

 The public did not estimate so highly at that time as they 

 seem to now, the off-hand remarks, speculations, and effusions 

 generally, of editors and their correspondents.* 



Mr, Hall was eminently qualified for the task he had under- 

 taken. He possessed business talents, enterprise, ability, edito- 

 rial tact and judgment, and withal sympathized entirely with 

 the state of the public mind at that time Avitli respect to the 

 mother country. He had commenced his paper at an important 

 season. The causes were then actively at work which soon 

 eventuated in the Revolution. A spirit of independence was 

 growing up in the breasts of the people, and the principles of 

 civil and political liberty were undergoing a thorough discus- 

 sion. With this condition of popular feeling Mr. Hall sympa- 

 thized warmly and earnestly. 



Subscribers to his Gazette were obtained, not only in this 

 town, but also doubtless in most of the principal places in the 

 colony; for a newspaper at that period was a much more impor- 

 tant fact than at the present day, when such publications abound 

 in all directions. There were then but five papers in the state, 

 all of which were in Boston.f There was none at the east- 



* Among the contributors to Mr. Hall's paper, was Col. Timothy Pick- 

 ering jr. He published a series of able and elaborate articles upon the 

 importance of a reorganization of the Militia, which had great influ- 

 ence in arousing attention to the subject, and which suggested complete 

 plans for increasing the efiBciency of that branch of the public service. 

 His father, Dea. Timothy Pickering, also frequently communicated with 

 Mr. Hall's readers, usually to rebuke some growing evil in the commu- 

 nity, or to encourage some good work. 



t The News-Letter, Evening Post, Gazette, Ohi-onicle, and Advertiser. 



