TARDY PAPERS IN NEW JERSEY
The first printed newspapers did not appear in New Jersey until the War of the Revolution had started. But it is not hard to explain this tardy appearance: Philadelphia and New York newspapers circulated then, as they do to-day, through New Jersey. The suspension of some of these papers, the removal of others to distant points, the increase in subscription price, the poor delivery by post-riders, many of whom were in active mili- tary service all these things, coupled with the exciting events of the War, created an independent demand for news on the part of the patriots of New Jersey. Its Governor, William Liv- ingston, knowing, in addition to the facts just mentioned, how useful a newspaper could be to arouse local public sentiment, made the following plea in a message to the Colonial Legisla- ture October 11, 1777:
Gentlemen: It would be an unnecessary Consumption of Time to enumerate all the Advantages that would redound to the State from having a Weekly News-Paper printed and circulated in it. To facili- tate such an Undertaking, it is proposed that the first Paper be circu- lated as soon as seven hundred subscribers, whose Punctuality in pay- ing may be relied upon, shall be procured: Or if Government will insure seven hundred subscribers who shall pay, the Work will be immedi- ately begun; and if at the End of six Months there shall be seven hun- dred or more subscribers who will pay punctually, the Claim upon the Government to cease. But if the subscribers fall short of that Number, Government to become a subscriber so as to make up that Number. The Price in these fluctuating Times can hardly be ascertained, but it is supposed it cannot at present be less than Twenty-six shillings per Year, which will be but six Pence a Paper.
STATE-SUBSIDIZED NEWSPAPER
A committee, to whom the matter was referred, brought in the following recommendations which were adopted: (1) A paper to be printed weekly, in four folio pages, and entitled The New- Jersey Gazette; (2) price to be twenty-six shillings per year; (3) the Legislature to guarantee seven hundred subscribers within six months; (4) a cross-post to be established from the printing- office, to the nearest Continental post-office at the expense of
