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A rare & desirable Loyalist newspaper... Trying to find a solution...
A rare & desirable Loyalist newspaper... Trying to find a solution...
Item # 687431
August 17, 1775
RIVINGTON'S NEW-YORK GAZETTEER; or, the CONNECTICUT, HUDSON'S RIVER, NEW-JERSEY, and QUEBEC WEEKLY ADVERTISER, New York, Aug. 17, 1775
* American Revolutionary War
* Extremely rare publication
* James Rivington - spy publisher
James Rivington, the famous printer of this newspaper, had an interesting career.
He began this newspaper in 1773 initially with an impartial stance which shifted as a revolution loomed and public opinion polarized, until by late 1774 he was advocating the restrictive measures of the British government with such great zeal and attacking the patriots so severely, that in 1775 the Whigs of Newport resolved to hold no further communication with him. The Sons of Liberty hanged Rivington in effigy. On May 10, 1775, immediately after the opening of hostilities, the Sons of Liberty gathered and mobbed Rivington’s wife's home and press. Rivington fled to safety while his office & press were destroyed, the lead type converted into bullets. Another mob burned Rivington's house to the ground.
In 1777 once the British occupied New York he returned with a new press and resumed the publication of his paper under the title of Rivington's New York Loyal Gazette, which he changed on 13 December 1777, to The Royal Gazette, with the legend “Printer to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty”.
Almost the entire front page is taken up with the continued: "Speech of Edmund Burke, Esq. on Moving his Resolutions for Conciliation with the Colonies". Burke was a moderate in Parliament who sided with the colonist on many issues and attempted to find an equitable solution for the troubles between the two countries.
This speech is replete with references to America and his thoughts on how to find common ground for a solution. the photos show just small portions of the speech.
Page 3 has many articles concerning the on-going troubles, including a mention that General Gage posted notifications in Boston concerning those who wished to leave town. A letter from Cambridge concerning recent deserters from the British army, notes in part that: "...yesterday General Gage surrendered...his command of the army to General Howe, and now acts only as civil Governor...That he is lampooned & despised by the whole army...That the army begin to clamor for their pay...We expect they will begin to bombard us in a day or two..." with more.
Then a letter from Ticonderoga with various details, and then a report from New York mentions: "General Gage's account of the unhappy affair at Lexington on the 19th of April was published in the London Gazette...and differs very little from that printed long ago in the American papers, copied from the particulars published by the General's orders at Boston, except that the former account mentions Lieut. Col. Smith & Capt. Parsons...being among the killed, whereas those gentlemen are perfectly recovered...". Also: "...said that Castle William, near Boston, has been by General Gage's orders entirely dismantled..." and then: "...says there are 2500 of General Gage's men killed and died since the battle of Bunker's Hill; they have buried 30 regulars a week for a long time...Mr. Hancock shewed me a letter from General Washington which confirms the departing of the troops...".
Other reports of interest as well, most seen in the photos.
Four pages, rejoined at the spine, very nice condition.
Category: Revolutionary War
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