Display of Patriotism

July 11

Carl Robert Keyes Daily Advert Update , , , ,

What was advertised in a revolutionary American newspaper 250 years ago today?

New-York Journal (July 11, 1776).

“The Declaration of the United States of America, is inserted in this paper.”

A day after the Constitutional Gazette became the first newspaper in New York to print the Declaration of Independence, the New-York Journal and the New York Packet both published it on July 11, 1776.  The printers may have had access to the complete text sooner than that, but, like their counterparts in Philadelphia, they did not adjust their weekly publication schedule nor print a supplement or extraordinary issue to disseminate the Declaration of Independence.  Readers almost certainly heard that the Continental Congress had declared independence before they had an opportunity to read the document approved on July 4.

The New York Packet, printed by Samuel Loudon, carried the Declaration of Independence on the second page, under a heading for news from Philadelphia.  It started halfway down the third column and concluded at the bottom of the fourth (and final) column on that page.  While that placement may seem unusual to modern readers who would expect the Declaration of Independence to be front-page news, it did not indicate any less importance or urgency to eighteenth-century readers who were accustomed to a different layout for newspapers than what evolved in the nineteenth century.  The New York Packet, like other newspapers published during the era of the American Revolution, consisted of four pages created by printing two pages on each side of a broadsheet and then folding it in half.  Printers often printed the side with the first and fourth pages first, frequently placing older news on the first page and advertisements on the fourth page.  As a result, news that arrived closest to publication appeared on the second or even third page.  Readers knew to look for it there.  Such was the case when Loudon printed the Declaration of Independence in the New York Packet.

John Holt, the printer of the New-York Journal, devoted the entire third page of the July 11 edition to the Declaration of Independence.  Like Loudon, he apparently had type set and printed the first and fourth pages before he acquired a copy of the Declaration of Independence.  He opted, however, to make it the only item on the third page.  He enclosed the text of the document within a border composed of printing ornaments and devised a headline in font larger than that of the title of the newspaper in the masthead.  Holt wanted readers to take note of the Declaration of Independence … and he wanted them to do more than just read it the first time they saw it in his newspaper.  In a note that appeared above other advertisements on the second page, Holt stated, “The Declaration of the United States of America, is inserted in this paper, in the present form to oblige a number of our Customers, who intend to separate from the rest of the paper, and fix it up, in open view, in their Houses, as a mark of their approbation of the INDEPENDENT SPIRIT of their Representatives.”  Holt provided his subscribers with a piece of patriotic memorabilia.  Newspapers were ephemeral, usually discarded once they had been read, but this was a document to save and to display to demonstrate support for the American cause and, especially, the Continental Congress’s bold action of declaring independence.

Even though his name and location appeared in the colophon at the bottom of the fourth page (on the reverse side of the page that carried the Declaration of Independence), Holt added an imprint at the bottom of the third page that he intended for subscribers to “separate … from the rest of the paper” and display “in open view, in their Houses.”  It stated, “NEW-YORK: PRINTED BY JOHN HOLT, IN WATER-STREET.”  In so doing, Holt simultaneously demonstrated his own patriotism and crafted an advertisement for the services available at his printing office.

New-York Journal (July 11, 1776).

July 15

Carl Robert Keyes Daily Advert Update , , ,

What was advertised in a revolutionary American newspaper 250 years ago today?

Pennsylvania Evening Post (July 15, 1775).

“I am not unfriendly to the present measures pursued by the friends to American liberty, but do heartily approve of them.”

Amos Wickersham had to do something to remedy the error he made.  He hoped that placing a newspaper advertisement to apologize and pledging to do better would help return him to the good graces of his community.  In a notice in the July 15, 1775, edition of the Pennsylvania Evening Post, he acknowledged that he had “frequently made use of rash and imprudent expressions, with respect to the conduct of my worthy fellow citizens, who are now engaged in a noble and patriotic struggle against the arbitrary measures of the British ministry.”  He did so three months after the battles at Lexington and Concord.  Since then, supporters of the American cause from Massachusetts and other colonies in New England had laid siege to Boston and Joseph Warren, one of their leaders, had been killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill.  The Second Continental Congress had convened in Philadelphia and appointed George Washington of Virginia as commander of the Continental Army.  As news of these events spread, provincial congresses met to determine how their colonies should respond to the outbreak of war.

Facing these new developments, Wickersham tried to distance himself from his previous comments, stating that he made them “some time since,” yet also admitted that the conduct “of the British ministry … has justly raised [the] resentments” of his “worthy fellow citizens” against him.  He may have had a sincere change of heart … or he may have found his circumstances untenable as emotions became more enflamed.  Either way, he wanted the public to know that he had “acted extremely wrong in so doing, for which I am exceedingly sorry, and humbly ask pardon and forgiveness.”  That was a good start, but perhaps not sufficient.  Wickersham continued, “I do solemnly promise that, for the future, I will conduct myself in such a manner as to avoid giving any offence; and, at the same time, in justice to myself, must declare that I am not unfriendly to the present measures pursued by the friends to American liberty, but do heartily approve of them; and, as far as is in my power, will endeavour to promote them.”

Wickersham’s advertisement resembled some that previously appeared in newspapers published in Massachusetts.  For the past year, men who signed an address to Governor Thomas Hutchinson when he departed the colony had been placing advertisements to recant, apologize, and assure others that they were friendly to the American cause.  More recently, others resorted to newspaper advertisements to acknowledge other kinds of words or deeds that raised suspicion about their political principles in their efforts to return to good standing in their communities.  Wickersham placed one of the first advertisements of this sort outside of New England.  Like his counterparts, he paid for space in the public prints to disseminate his confession and support for “the present measures pursued by the friends to American liberty.”  Wickersham apparently considered it a good investment if it restored his position and reputation among his neighbors and associates.

June 22

Carl Robert Keyes Daily Advert Update , , , , , ,

What was advertised in a revolutionary American newspaper 250 years ago today?

New-England Chronicle (June 22, 1775).

“I … declare myself a Friend to the Charter Privileges of my Country.”

Timothy Brown of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, wanted to return to the good graces of his community in the summer of 1775.  He had fallen out of favor because he had not always supported the American cause with as much fervor as his neighbors wished, so he realized that he needed to apologize and pledge to do better.  To that end, he not only submitted a “written Acknowledgment” to the Committee of Correspondence for the towns of Chelmsford, Billerica, and Tewksbury but also benefitted from the publication of their response in the New-England Chronicle for readers far and wide to see.

“WHEREAS I … have been suspected as an Enemy to the Liberties of America,” Brown confessed, “I do hereby acknowledge that I have in Time past said something (tho’ with no inimical Design) that were taken as of an inimical Nature.”  Like others who had signed an address to Governor Thomas Hutchinson when he departed for England, Brown simultaneously admitted what he had done and attempted to distance himself from it.  He had not intended his words, he claimed, in the way that they had been interpreted, though he understood how whatever he had said had been received.  “I am heartily sorry I said those Things,” Brown lamented, “and desire the Forgiveness of all Persons that I have offended thereby.”  Furthermore, he declared himself “a Friend to the Charter Privileges of my Country” and pledged that he would “use all lawful Endeavours to maintain and defend the same.”

Brown presented that statement in writing to the Committee of Correspondence for Chelmsford, Billerica, and Tewksbury.  In turn, the committee recommended him “to the Charity and Friendship of the good People through the Country.”  Simeon Spaulding, the chairman, published Brown’s acknowledgment of his error and the committee’s response in the New-England Chronicle “In the Name and by the Order of the Committee of said Towns.”  It appeared next to the second insertion of the advertisement that cleared Ebenezer Bradish of attempting “to do any Injury to his Country,” part of a trend of using newspaper advertisements to designate which colonizers once suspected of sympathizing with Tories now expressed support for the Patriot cause.  That the advertisement concerning Brown was inserted in the New-England Chronicle “by the Order of the Committee” suggests that Brown was not the only one to benefit from its publication.  The committee paid for an advertisement to make a public display of Brown falling in line, an example for others who had not yet done so and a testament to the unity they hoped to achieve among colonizers as the imperial crisis became a war of resistance in the spring and summer of 1775.