eminent at Philadelphia had given that city a most influential place in journalism. Its papers were not only the largest in cir- culation, but they had the widest distribution and were the most frequently quoted. When the Government removed to Wash- ington this newspaper preeminence went from Philadelphia to New York. Already the latter had made itself felt in a political way, and its newspapers, especially its dailies, took first place not only in local, but also in national, influence. The political battle between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr assisted materially in giving an impetus to New York journalism.
MASSACHUSETTS STAMP ACT OF 1785
During the Period of the Early Republic an attempt to put a stamp tax on newspapers was made in Massachusetts. That State, on March 18, 1785, passed an act imposing duties on licensed vellum, parchment and paper including "for every newspaper two-thirds of a penny." Nothing could have aroused greater opposition on the part of the press, to which the very name of "stamp act" was most offensive. Whereas, there was no evidence that the State Legislature desired in any way to abridge the liberties of the press, the newspapers promptly took that point of view and filled their columns with tirades against this obnoxious act.
The Massachusetts Centinel was especially bitter in its de- nunciation. To quote from the issue of May 4, 1785 :
The Stamp Act, passed the last session of the General Court, meets opposition throughout every part of the Commonwealth; that part laying a duty on newspapers particularly so. The cloven foot in it appears too visible to escape notice. To clog the currents of informa- tion, and to shackle the means of political knowledge and necessary learning, are discordant notes to the general ear. But its danger is not the whole of its evil consequences. It is deemed impolitic and unequal, impolitic, as it will encourage our sister States to send their papers into this commonwealth cheaper than they can possibly be afforded here, to the ruin of a set of artizans, whose exertions in the late revolution deserve a more liberal fate: unequal, as the revenue arising from newspapers must (while but a mite in the general treasury) operate, in a great degree, to the destruction of the present printers of these publications.
