10S STATEN ISLAND JOURALISM. 



events have occurred here that have escaped their notice and conse- 

 quent publication. 



Prior to the establishment of a newspaper on Staten Island, the 

 people who desired to read the local news were compelled to scan 

 the columns of Rivingston's Gazette, Gaine's New York Gazette, the 

 New Jersey Gazette (of Trenton), the Evening Post, Pennsylvania Jour- 

 nal, and a few other papers published before and after the Revolu- 

 tion. They all seemed to have manifested considerable interest in 

 the Island. 



The first Staten Island newspaper, so far as I have been able to 

 ascertain, was called the Richmond Republican, and its first number 

 appeared on the seventeenth day of October, 1827. It was edited by 

 Charles N. Baldwin, whose office was at Tompkinsville ; but it was 

 printed in Chambers street, New York City. It was Democratic in 

 politics, and its publication day was Saturday. Mr. Baldwin an- 

 nounced that he sold lottery tickets and solicited orders for signs 

 and ornariental painting. The paper contained four small pages, 

 and conti;::v"d to be published for a number of years. I have been 

 unable to asc irtain the date of its suspension. 



The New York and Richmond County Free Press was started about 

 1830, by William Hagadorn. It was a twelve-page paper, and its 

 title page bore the following announcement: "Devoted to the ad- 

 vancement of the liberal arts and sciences, and to the promulgation 

 of useful knowledge, general literature, etc. In its columns may be 

 found interesting selections in natural history, geology, mineralogy 

 and botany, original and selected tales, poetry, strictures, essays, 

 biographical sketches, traits of distinguished characters, etc." The 

 publication office was at 174 Broadway, New York City. I have a 

 bound volume of the Free Press commencing Saturday, June loth, 

 1835. Under the editorial head is the following ticket: "For Presi- 

 dent, Martin Van Buren, of New York ; for Vice-President, Richard 

 M. Johnson, of Kentucky." The leading editorial is as follows: 



" The first number of a new series of the Free Press is now laid 

 before the public. Our readers will perceive that the interval, be- 

 tween the date of our last and our present number, has been em- 

 ployed in making a considerable improvement in the form and ap- 

 pearance of the paper. Subscribers, almost without an exception, 

 desired us to make this improvement ; and, while we state that its 



