BIOGRAPHICAL. SAMUEL SEWALL. When John Foster, (the first who carried on printing in Boston) died, in 1681, the town was without the benefit of the press; but a continuance of it being thought necessary, Samuel Sewall, not a printer but a magistrate, and a man much respected, was selected as a poper person to manage the concerns of it, and as such, was recommended to the general court. In consequence of this recommendation, the court, in Oct. 1681, gave him liberty to carry on the business of printing in Boston. The license is thus recorded:"Samuel Sewall, at the instance of some Friends, with respect to the accommodation of the public, being prevailed with to undertake the Management of the Printing Press in Boston, late under the command of Mr. John Foster, deceased, liberty is accordingly granted to him for the same by this court, and none may presume to set up any other Press without the like Liberty first granted," ing it, which was granted, with thanks for the liberty then granted." In 1684, and for several subsequent years, the loss of the charter occasioned great confusion and disorder in the political concerns of the colony. Soon after Sewall resign ed his office as conductor of the OLDEN CUSTOMS. Mr. EDITOR.-In looking over the History of Printing, by Mr. Thomas, I have been much amused with the peculiarities of the early printers, as collected by the historian. The end of each book, he says, was generally accompanied by some pious ejaculation, or doxology, in prose or verse. In the e printed by Andrew Bocard at Paris, "Stat, liber, hic donec fluctus formica marinos Sewall became a bookseller.dition of "The Pragmatic Sanction," Books for himself and others were printed at the press under his management; as were several acts and laws, with other works for government. Samuel Green, jun. was his printer. In 1882 an order passed the general court for the treasurer to pay Sewall ten pounds seventeen shillings, for printing the election sermon, delivered that year by the Rev. Mr. Torrey. In 1684, Sewall, by some means, was unable to conduct the press, and requested permission, of the general court, to be released from his engagement:-This was granted; the record of his release is in the words following. "Samuel Sewall by the providence of God being unable to attend the press, &c. requested leave to be freed from his obligations concern May this volume continue in motion, Quite a moderate wish; our modern publishers would not have the conscience to pray for such a continuance of their publications, against the lights of science, as Dr. Sitgraves would say, and the improvements which have been, and are daily making, in natural and experimental philosophy. REMINISCENCES. The Boston News-Letter of Jan. 4, 1733, gives the following charae of the Gospel amongst the Indians, in New-England." In Indian thus. Upprintho munneau B. Green, kah J. Printer, wutche quhiantamwe Chapanukkug wutche onchektouunnat wunnaunchumookaonk ut N.England, 1709. ter of Bartholomew Green, Printer, || able Company for the Propagation who died, Dec. 28, 1732. "Bartholomew Green was a person generally known and esteemed among us, as a very humble and exemplary christian, one who had much of that primitive christianity in him which has always been the distinguishing glory of New-England. We may further remember his eminency for strictly observing the Sabbath; his household piety; his keeping close and diligent to the work of his calling; his meek and peaceable spirit; his caution of publishing any thing offensive, light, or hurtful; and his tender sympathy to the poor and afflicted. He always spoke of the wonderful spirit of piety that prevailed in the land in his youth, with a singular plea sure. There is (says Thomas's History of Printing) in an ancient library in Boston, a copy of Increase Mather's History of Israel's Libation, printed in London, in 1669. We have in the history of printing some relation of Thomas Fleet. He continued printing in Pudding-Lane, (now Devonshire-street) till early in 1731; he then hired a handsome house in Cornhill, on the north corner of Water-street, which he afterwards purchased; and occupied it through the residue of his life. He erected a sign of the Heart and Crown, which he never altered; but after his death, when crowns became unpopular his sons, changed the crown for a Bible, and let the Heart remain. Fleet's new house was spacious, and contained sufficient room for the accommodation of his family, and the prosecution of his printing business, besides a convenient shop, and a good chamber for an auction room. The same history gives an ac[Albeit in count of an Indian boy, taken from those times the printers were the his parents in Grafton, (Worcester principal auctioneers.] County) after an English education his vendues in the evening and sold at the Indian charity school in Cam-books, household goods &c. as apbridge, and placed with a Mr Sam- pears by the following advertiseuel Green, to learn the art of print-ment which he inserted in the Boston ing. This was in 1659. He then Weekly News-Letter, March 7th was called James Printer. Rev. John Elliot, in a letter to the Hon. Robert Boyle, at London, dated March, 1682 3, observes, respecting the second edition of the Indian Bible, says "I desire to see it done before I die, and I am so deep in years, that I cannot expect to live long; besides we have but one man the Indian Printer, that is able to compose the sheets, and correct the press with understanding." 1709, an edition of the Psalter, in the Indian and English languages appeared, with the following imprint: แ "Boston, N. E. Printed by B. Green & J. Printer, for the Honour 1731. He held "This is to give notice, to all. gentlemen, merchants, shopkeepers and others, that Thomas Fleet, of Boston, Printer, (who formerly kept his Printing-House in Pudding Lane, but is now removed into Cornhill, at the sign of the Heart and Crown near the lower end of School street,) is willing to undertake the sale of Books, Household Goods, Wearing Apparel, or any other merchandize, by Vendue, or Auction. The said Fleet having a large and commodious Front Chamber, fit for this Business, and a Talent well known and approved, doubts not of giving entire satisfaction to such as may employ him in he hereby engaging to make it ap pear that this service may be performed with more convenience and less charge at a private House well situated, than at a Tavern.And for further encouragement, said Fleet promises to make up accompts with the owners of the goods sold by him, in a few days after the sale thereof." Fleet was a man of wit and humour, and this talent he was fond of shewing off, in all his advertisements. In August, 1742, he thus advertises: "A Negro woman to be sold by the Printer of this paper; the very best negro woman in this town, who has had the small pox, and the measles; is as hearty as a horse, as brisk as a bird, and will work like a Beaver." [Such an advertisement in Boston, at this day, setting aside its wit, would alarm our christian brethren.] "I do not believe there are two men upon earth who think exactly alike upon every subject, and yet our different tastes in meat, drink, building and dress, make not the least difference in human society; nor is it likely they ever will, unless we establish by law, and take preferments to one particular mode of eating, drinking, building and dressing; then indeed we may soon expect to see the established and orthodox mason, cook and taylor, very zealous and loud for conformity and penalties. But at present, ten nen in different suits can dine together upon ten dishes, and give ten different opinions, upon one piece of painting or architecture without breaking friendship or good humour. If indeed, they be drunk either with wine or zeal, they will be apt to fight about the Church or something else: But why men in their senses should clamour and quarrel at their neighbour's particular conscience, any more than at his particular palate, no reason can be assigned, but the delusions of priest-craft operating upon its genuine issue, bigotry. Is not conscience dearer to a man than his palate or his fancy in clothes? God can receive no worship, that comes not from the conscience; and he who commands you to follow him against conscience, commands you in effect to provoke God out of complaisance to man; and rather than do this, I hope it is lawful to break the peace of the Church. When the Church quadrates with a man's conscience, he will of course comply with the Church; but when it does not, he is in conscience bound otherwise to be a to desert it; a conformist, he must be crite." a hypo "Can these men be christians, who demand submission to their dictates, in opposition to the dictates of conscience, and at the peril of salvation; and who, provided you obey them, care not though you mock God? But if they will allow every man to be fully persuaded in his own mind, which is the apostle's rule and precept, then the cry of breaking the peace of the Church, is an empty knavish cry." "Civil and religious liberty are certain signs of each other, and live and die together; but I believe, I may lay it down for a maxim, that in any country where there is never a separatist from the Church, there is never a freeman in the State. To which maxin, I may venture to add another, namely, that in the ecclesiastical style, the peace of the Church is but another || ed, for concurrence; read and nonphrase for the power of the priests." concurred. CITY RECORD. G. BOARD OF ALDEEMIN Monday, Dec. 11-An order passed appointing the Mayor a committee to superintend the making out of lists of all the Citizens of each Ward, qualified to vote in elections, and for this purpose to have aid and assistance of all Assessors and other officers. Ordered, That from and after the first day of January next, the fees for measuring wood and bark shall be 8 cents per load. An order making a further appropriation for the payment of interest on the City and County debt, was passed to a second reading. Messrs Waters, James and Lodge were appointed a committee on the unfinished business of the Council. BOSTON. SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 1826. SMALL POX. Notwithstanding the efforts which have been made, from year to year, to extirminate that loathsome malady, it is still propagated in different parts of the United States, to the Monday, Dec. 18.-The Mayor, disgrace of a civilized nation. Of Aldermen Carney, Welsh, and Oliwhat avail is it, to vaccinate particuver, Messrs. Morey, Hastings, lar towns or cities, if others, having James, Grosvenor, Howe, Hallet, ing free communication with foreign and Wiley, were appointed a com- ports, are perfectly negligent,-and a Message relating to perfectly indifferent to their own insome dificulties that have arisen individual safety? the execution of the agreement Although the city of New-York with the Mercantile Wharf Corpora- has made several attempts to vaccinate its citizens, it never was thor mittee on tion. The committee on the subject re-oughly accomplished, in any one inported that encroachments had been made on the City's Land at Fort Hill, and were directed to demolish a light fence standing on the City's land, and erect a fence on the true line. Ordered, That warrants be grant ed to the Watchmen in the Market. COMMON COUNCIL. Monday, Dec. 18.-An ordinance was passed providing for the appointment and duties of an Attorney and City Solicitor. An ordinance forbidding the firing of guns. &c. in certain cases, came down from the Board of Aldermen amended, for concurrence ; read and concurred. An ordinance prescribing the form and service of warrants came down amended-laid on the table. An ordinance relative to the burial of the dead came down amend stance, and hence every few months an alarm is spread through the neighbouring country, and the seeds of infection generally follow close at hand. If a grand movement by the general government were made throughout the United States, and every individual was actually obliged to be inoculated with Kine Pock matter, we should hear no more of the Small Pox. We conceive this is the only certain method of exterminating in this country a disease which has afflicted mankind beyond description. This disease has made its appearance in the Navy-yard, at Charlestown. The Board of Health have asked permission to place the infected persons, who are soldiers, at Rainsford Island, which has been cheerfully granted by the City Au thorities. Mr Braynard, lottery-broker, of| this city, has been imprisoned eight days, for contempt of Court. RAIL-WAYS. The Ordination of Mr EDWARD BEECHER, as pastor of Park Street Church and Society, is expected to take place on Wednesday next. December 27. Sermon by the father of the pastor elect, the Rev. Dr. Beecher. CONGRESS. We have the proceedings of Congress to the 15th inst. and the de disposition, thus far, to avoid the wordy waste of time, so conspicuous in the speech-making mania of the last session. The Committee to whom was referred the Bankrupt Bill, have permission to sit, for one week, during the sitting of the Senate. There appears to be quite a good spirit in the western counties, in favor of a public Rail-Way, between Albany and this city. It is quite time that something should be done in the way of opening canals, or constructing Rail-Ways, to pre-tails of its public business shew a serve our trade with the interior; and that something cannot be too speedily carried into effect. We therefore hail this public feeling, as auspicious to the contemplated undertaking. Every one must be aware that the cost of constructing a Rail-Way, though less than that of a Canal, would be considerable; but the towns or villages, through which it would pass, would give something towards it, if not in money, in labor. The legislature, too, would grant something from the treasury; and if required, a great State Lottery might be allowed in aid of the funds, necessary to be raised, for carrying on the project. As people will speculate in lotteries, this last expedient might be rendered doubly useful the raising of money for a valuable public purpose, and keeping people honest in the eye of the law, by indulging them in a passion, which no human law can restrain. PILGRIM FATHERS. The 206th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, came about yesterday, and was to be celebrated at Providence, in a public manner. The Pilgrim Society did not, we believe, notice the occasion, as a body, but there were to be some military exhibitions at Plymouth, and a splendid Ball in the evening. The third Congregational Church in that place, we understand, also honored the day, as a reason of Thanksgiving and Praise. The Arch-Bishop of Bordeaux, Cheveraus, has been made a peer of France. A bill has been introduced to the Senate, by Mr. Dickerson, and referred to a select Committee, for the annual distribution of five millions of the public revenue, among the several States, according to the ratio of direct taxation. A resolution was offered, by Mr. Bartlett, of N. H. for discharging the Committee on the Massachusetts Militia Claims, and referring the subject to the Secretary at war. The Committee in the Senate, on Manufactures, are Messrs. Dickerson, Ruggles, Clayton, Reed and Knight. On Commerce, Messrs. Johnson, (Lou.) Silsbee, Edwards, Woodbury, and Rowan. Mr. Johnson's bill, for the abolition of imprisonment for debt, after some forcible and pathetic remarks from the hon. member, was read twice, by unanimous consent, and referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs. Johnson, (Ken.) Berrien, Chambers, Harrison and Macon. Two sons of the late Mr. West, the celebrated painter, have prayed Congress to purchase 150 of their father's pictures, which have come into their hands as the only property left them. The English connossieurs have estimated them at fifty thousand pounds. |