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Rochester, January 25, 1847. FREDERICK FOLLETT, Esq.

Sir-The undersigned, a Committee appointed at the Printers' Festival, held in this city on the 18th instant, to superintend the publication of its proceedings, have deemed it fitting to include in connection with such publication, a History of the Newspaper Press in Western New-York. Materials for this purpose have, to some extent, been collected by different members of the Craft, and placed in our hands. But, as they are in most instances hastily prepared, as well as imperfect in their character, it has occurred to us that the object in view would be best attained by requesting some gentleman competent to the task, to prepare from such and other sources, a succinct and connected History. Our attention has been directed you, Sir, as eminently qualified, by an acquaintance of nearly thirty years with the Press in this part of the country, to undertake the work.Your consent will place not only us, but the Profession generally, under very great obligationand we earnestly beg that it may not be withheld. Very respectfully,

Your obedient servants,
EVERARD PECK,
ALEXANDER MANN,
H. L. WINANTS,
HENRY COOK,
J. A. HADLEY.

Batavia, January 28, 1847. TO EVERARD PECK Esq., and others, Committee. Gentlemen :-Your note of the 25th instant, came duly to hand, in which you express a desire that I should write out a History of the Newspaper Press of Western New-York. I feel a strong desire that this task should be performed by some one. The period is fast hastening on when many, if not most of those engaged in the early establishment of the Press in this section of the State, will be swept from the scenes of their early labor, and many of the facts connected with this undertaking, will die with them. If such a task, therefore, is to be accomplished, it is very desirable that it be done at once. I feel flattered that the Committee have designated me to perform this duty, and, agreeable to your request, Gentlemen, will undertake it, although I cannot hope to do it that justice which the subject would seem to demand,

Your obedient servant,

FREDERICK FOLLETT.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

HISTORY OF THE PRESS

IN

WESTERN NEW-YORK.

66

IN undertaking the task of writing out, or compiling a History of the Press in Western New York," I confess I enter upon the duty which the partiality of the Committee have selected me to perform, with no little distrust of my capacity to do it that justice which the subject demands, or which the Committee and the public at large, and the Profession in particular, have a right to expect from him who shall undertake it. But, having consented to the task, it only remains for me to discharge its requirements to the best of my ability. I would rather, it is true, the mantle had fallen upon the shoulders of some one else—older and wiser heads among the "Craft" could have been found-those who could have done the subject full and ample justice-but I am also aware, that it is not always convenient or practicable to engage their services in such an undertaking. Although at this stage of the task I cannot assure the Committee that their expectations are in the least degree to be answered, still, however, I think I may promise them one thing-which is, that

"I will nothing extenuate, Or set down aught in malice,"

in what I may have to say in relation to the Press of Western New-York. Having retired from its duties, its cares, and its perplexities,-having a conscience void of offence against any who have preceded, or who may be now in the active prosecution of their labors in that interesting department of life, I think I may claim for myself the merit of being a disinterested witness.

The "PRESS" and a "PRINTER!" Who is not proud to be associated with the one, and classed with the other? Never has the genius of man been able to offer to the world, viewed in all its parts, any thing that at all compares with that of the Press. Its capacity for good or evil is unbounded. As an engine of moral and political power it has no equal-it is the grand regulator of

the world, and its power is alike felt and acknowledged, as well by the prince on the throne, as by the dweller in the hamlet. It is the lever by which the great operations of the world, political, moral, and social, are moved. How vastly important, then that this power is not misplaced.

It is said there are certain classes in society who are literally good for nothing-that in almost any position, as the geologist would say, they are "out of place." This remark, however, loses all its force when applied to Printers, as the very reverse of it is true they seem to be in place," in all the varieties of situations in which their lot may be cast. Let the reader cast his eye around him. In one of the Territories of this Republic a Printer may be recognized, who has exchanged the stick and the case, and been robed with executive pow er,—again, among those "grave and reverend signors" who occupy that most august body, the Senate of the United States, and there you discover a Printer-look among the fighting men of our country, in the ranks and clothed with official dignity, and there you will find the Printerlook, also, among the Divines, the Doctors, the Politicians, and indeed, among almost every branch of industry or calling in society, and Printers are to be found! And last, though by no means least, the Craft can point with proud and glorious satisfaction to BENJAMIN Franklin !— He is an example, of whom, not only Printers, but the world may be proud. The society of him who called, and tamed, the lightning from the clouds, has been sought and courted by the proudest monarchs of the earth! Other benefactors of mankind have lived-but none whose brow has been wreathed with prouder laurels than that of FRANKLIN.

It may not be inappropriate to the designs of the Committee, and the purposes of the "Franklin Festival," to place together in this conven-i ient form, a short account of the first discovery,

and the early progress of the "ART OF PRINTING." Such accounts, I am aware, are not without an existence-but in very many instances they are placed beyond the reach of the mass of readers, by being coupled with other matter, thereby rendering them too cumbrous and expensive to be brought into the circle of the general reader. Presuming that I shall be pardoned for such a digression, I will endeavor to furnish such a synopsis, which I doubt not, will be new, and perhaps, interesting, to many who may be induced from curiosity or otherwise to peruse these pages, if not to some of the members of the Craft.

Previous to the discovery of the Art of Printing, the thoughts of men were preserved and given to the world, (and a very circumscribed portion of it, too, owing to the great price which was demanded and received for manuscript books,) in writing. At this age of the world it is very difficult, if not almost impossible, to realize the existence of such a state of things. Dark, indeed, must have been the age, when knowledge and learning were thus pent-up and shut out from the world! But a brighter day was in store, and soon the Art of Printing burst upon the world like a flood of light-shooting its bright effulgence in to the inmost recesses and corners of the habitable globe!-awakening a new spirit, with higher and nobler aspirations, in the breast of man !-the store house of knowledge was unlocked, and its treasures which had been so long hidden from the "vulgar gaze," ," scattered to the winds of hea

ven.

It is impossible to say at what particular juncture of the world the germ of the Art of Printing took its rise, or had its origin. Those who are deep skilled in Antiquarian researches have discovered that for at least two thousand years before the present era, the art or method of reproducing impressions, although rude and imperfect in their design and execution, had an existence. Egypt furnishes abundant evidence of this. The art of coloring was practiced by the Egyptians, and was continued by them until a more advanced state of society, and the want of something of a more general application, induced them not only to apply the art to inscriptions, at first painted or engraved upon the statues of their deities, but also entered into the more common affairs of life.

The site of the ancient city of Babylon also presents some very remarkable evidences of the existence of the art of imprinting, which consists of inscriptions upon the bricks used in building.Some of these early evidences of the art are now in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, the British Museum, and the library of the East India Company. The imprint will compare with those stamped upon the coarser article of earthen-ware. Other specimens of Assyrian art, showing still greater perfection and progress in it might be evidenced China is by no means destitute of interest in this particular, and many cases might be cited to show the existence of an art, closely approximating to that of Printing, long before it was known to the nations of Europe. But as it is not my purpose to give a full and perfect expose of this subject, the readers of these pages will expect nothing more than a mere glance at the art in its progress to the era of its perfection, if indeed it

may be said to have arrived at that proud eminence

now.

Although it is fair and safe to assume that the art, in the rude state I have mentioned, existed among the inhabitants of the old world, it is a no less remarkable fact, that among the Greeks and Romans, original and ingenious as they were, scarcely a vestige has been left by them to show their knowledge of its existence.

Nothing can be shown as evidencing the existence of a knowledge of the art of transferring characters, even among nations comparatively civilized, from the times above referred to, until the intervention of a vast lapse of time, when an attempt was made at engraving pictures upon blocks of wood. Upon this point great diversity of opinion exists as to time, but I believe the best writers on the fine arts concur in the opinion that the art was invented in the latter part of the thirteenth century, by a "brother and a sister of the illustrious family of Cunio, lords of Ivnola, in Italy." The book made by these youthful artists, for they were twins, and only sixteen years of age, is the first evidence we have of block-printing.If any of my readers have the curiosity to examine this subject more particularly, I would refer them to the Encyclopedia Britannica, edited by Professor Napier.

Thus far the art was confined to single blocks, and its progress slow and tedious. Venice turnishes good evidence of the existence of this art among its inhabitants at an early day, and from an edict issued by the government, bearing date 1441, interdicting the importation of "work of the said art that is printed or painted on cloth or on paper, that is to say, altar-pieces (or images), and playing-cards," it is clearly evident that the art was by no means confined to the Venetians, but had spread over the continent to such a degree as to seriously threaten the prosperity of the artists of that city. As connected somewhat with the Art of Printing, I will here state, although the particular time cannot be settled, that playingcards were in existence in 1254, for in that year they were interdicted by St. Louis on his return from the Crusade-and also by the Council of Cologne in 1281. They were first introduced into Germany in 1300.

From single blocks, the next advance in the Art of Printing was by a series of blocks, and it was by this means that the first books were printed, among the most important of which was, the "Historia Veteris et Novi Testamenti seu Biblia Pauperum." Its extent was forty leaves, printed on one side, and on as many separate and distinct blocks-the blank sides of the sheets were then pasted together, forming one leaf. It has been impossible to locate the exact time at which this book was printed, but it is supposed to have been somewhere between 1420 and 1430.

Passing over minor points, and I have been compelled to do so in more instances than one, I am now brought to that most important and interesting era in the Art of Printing, in the true and literal signification of that term; and which also involves the perplexing and still agitated question, as to where, and by whom was it invented?Similar contentions have arisen upon other subjects-the birth-place of Homer was claimed and

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smith, and the latter, a scribe. They were probably induced to enter the business with Gutenberg, simply as a matter of money-making.. There is no doubt, however, but they contributed very greatly to the perfection of the art in that day. To Schoeffer is the world indebted for the first suggestion of casting type in matrices. These men continued the business, and in addition to the Psalter issued in 1457 and 1459, they also published it in 1490 and 1502, and what is a little remarkable, it was always printed on the same type. In 1460, they published the Constitutiones Clementis V., and in 1462, the celebrated Latin Bible. Fust lived but a few years to enjoy this triumph of his art, for he was carried off by the plague, in Paris, about the year 1466. Schoffer survived him many years, and is supposed to have died in 1502.

A controversy has existed in England as to when, and by whom, Printing was introduced into that country. In my judgment, however, no serious difficulty exists in this matter. To William Caxton no doubt belongs the honor of first introducing the art into England. This has been b denied, and the chaplet sought to be placed upon the brow of Frederic Corsellis-but the attempt has utterly failed. It has been supposed, also, that the first printing was done at Oxford, but this falls to the ground with the attempt to rob Caxton of the honor due his name, for the first printingi done in England, was a book issued by him, from his press established at Westminster, probably in one of the chapels attached to the Abbey, entitled the "Game of Chess." The completion of this work took place on the last day of March, 1474, and from this must be dated the dawn of the Art of Printing in Old England. Caxton died in 1494, aged 82 years.

Printing may be said to have been introduced into the Colonies of America, in January, 1639, for in that year a Press and Types arrived, having been shipped from England, by the Rev. JESSE GLOVER, who, however, died on the passage.The Printer engaged to accompany the Press from England, STEPHEN DAYE, on arriving at Cambridge, Mass., set up the business, and the first work that emenated from this attempt to introduce Printing into the Colonies, was the "Freeman's Oath," which was followed by an Almanac. To show the favorable light in which this undertaking was viewed, at that early day, the following may be taken as evidence. It is from the records of the General Court of Massachusetts:

"Att a General Court held att Boston, on the eighth Day of the eighth moneth, 1641, Steeven Daye being the first that sett upon Printing, is graunted 300 acres of land, where it may be convenient without prejudice to any town."

Printers at that early day, like those of the Craft in more modern times, were by no means exempted from the ills of life-for in 16 42, it appears from the Records, that Daye was under the necessity of pledging one of his lots in Cambridge, to secure the payment for a cow, calf, and heifer"-that in 1643, for some dereliction of duty, the particulars of which are not stated, the "Court ordered that Steeven Daye, shall be released, giving £100 bond for his appearance." In 1649, he becoming embarrassed with debts, was succeeded by SAMUEL GREEN. In 1668, Daye died.

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