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CHAPTER III

THE FIRST AMERICAN NEWSPAPER THE BOSTON NEWS-LETTER

THE action of the Governor of Massachusetts in suppressing Publick Occurrences and the continued opposition of the Boston clergy in guarding its influence prevented any attempt to found another paper until 1704. The chief way that news was circu- lated, except for an occasional broadside, was through pulpit announcements and semi-public letters.

Foremost among these writers of news-letters was one, John Campbell, the postmaster at Boston. He made a practice of sending rather regularly letters to the various governors of the New England colonies. These letters, after being read, were passed along to others so that they had a comparatively wide circulation. Sometimes they were publicly posted so that their contents might be read after the manner news was communi- cated in ancient Rome. An examination of the Campbell letters show that they were what might be termed written newspapers. By way of illustration, the following one is reproduced from "The Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society":

BOSTON June 14th 1703

On the 8 th Instant the Assembly was adjourned unto the Last Wed- nesday of this month.

On the Q 1. 11 His Excell. being Accompanyed with Severall Gentlemen, went to his Goverm t of New hampshire.

On the lO*? 1 a Sloop from the Bay of Campeachy brings no News.

On the 11 EsqT Bromfield mett w* h a Sore Mischance, coming out of his Warehouse door a Sloop Lying before his Warehouse door the m r. of the Sloop noising up his boom, the Sail being Loose to Dry it, gave Such a Swing that it struct him upon his Shouldier, Brock his Collar bone, put his Shouldier out of joynt, was for sometime speechless with the Stroak but its hoped He'l Recover and do well

On the 12 th Arrived a Sloop from the Bay of Vandovas, one Lamson