,%* ^. ..^„ -"^J -i^,':..-!* ^ .0 .O -o^. '^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) e fA i^ LO !^«^K I'M I.I 2.5 m m 2.2 H^ I4S ill 10 WUk III 1 1.25 1.4 ||||i/> ^ f,» ^ ^ v^ ^;. o c^l s o 7 pi 'hotographic Scien(«s Corporation ^'4^ 23 WEST MAIN <) REIT WEBSTER, N.Y. <4S80 (716) 87')-4503 l^ CIHIVI/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/iCMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut cana'lien de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in th? reproduction, or which mav significantly change *he usual method of filming, are checked below. n D n □ n Coloured covers/ Couverture de cculeur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde ' Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pete s|)ecial attention •• to " the material occuri'iices of the American " Colonies and Wi'st Indiiin Islands." We cannot but wonder, with our modern ideas of the claims u|ion mnvspaper space, at the promise to perform so much in a wei^kly pub- lication of the size of this paper. Hut it is a stiiUing e\idence of the marvellous progress which tilt? hist (•(■iitiiiv lias witnossod. whon wo liiid that, when Ihc iKlvciitiinjiis piiiitcrs startrd the lirst ]ic\vsj)ii|ic:' in (sld Ciiuiidii, ovon St) many suhjccts as 1 hnw qut)tod were not sntlitifiit tor Ihi'ir wants. I Fere is a par- a.i;ia|ili t)t this addiTSS tti the pidilic, wliifh alltinls an intfifsting picture tit' the fDnipIftc isiilatitin tif llif country : — "Tlie rigour oi' winter prevent hi}; the arrival of ships ironi lUiropc, ami in a (.Ti'at ni'-asure inlcriiiptiiivr l lie mdinai'.v inu rconi'sr witli I lie soutlii 111 pri)\ iiiccs, iluriii<; tliai scastiii, it will he necessary, in n i)aper desi^nctl lor freneral ami |iiil)lic utility, to lU'Dviile soiiie thiiiu^sDl' {general eiiicitairinunt, iiulependeiit Dll'oreimi illteijifi 'I u'c ; we sliall, tlierelt )!•(', on siicli occa- sions, present our rcadi's witli sncli oriirinals, botli in pi'osc ami verse, as will please Hic i- ancv ami ins, met ilic .lunti.M kni'. And here we l)et; lea\ (• to ohserve, I hat we sliali lia\i' iiDtliiiiir so iniicli a' hear',, as t lie siippofi of viurui', and AltiKAMi V, and il-e nol)le cause of Limkk- TY", Tile lelilletl anuiseinellls of tilTKUA'rrui;, ami the iileasiii}; veins oi' well pointi-d Wiv, shall also l)c coiisidend as necessary toih ■ eol- leciion: interspersed witli oilier clioscii pi' -es ami curious essays, exiraci'd lYoiii the iiiosi eel el II a led aul liors ; so lliai lileiidiiivr I'm l.o.so- I'ln with l't)i,i IKS, llisroin , itc. ilie youth lU' both sexes will he improved ami persons of all ranks a^reeahly and usefclly cnlcrlainetl. Upon the whole wc will lahour lo attain to all t he i^xactiiess llial so much variet\' will perm it , ami }rive as much variety as will consist wlili a reasoii;d)Ie exactness. And a> ihis pari of our projeel cannot lie carried inio exccinion Wlthoil! I he coi'i'cspomlelicr of ihe ] .Nt: l.NKU'S, we shall lake all o|'l">rtunities of a"kiiowleil^- infj; our oliii;;al ion .o Ihtise who ^hal I take I lie trouhit! t)f luriHsliinn- any nialter which shall teiul to entcrtainmeiii or inslruclion." Aiitl all this was It) he acconi[ilislictl w itiiiii the lour coriieis tilu I'oiir pa;;e wtnUly paper. each iia.i^e incasiirin^' luit lu hy K! iiulies! Tlie latest news iu this lirst niinihor from Europe was ot the 11th April, two mouths ami leu days het'ore thi; appearance ol' the pajier. Aiiioue' the I'uiu'lisii news is a short aceniiiit ot llie tliscitssioii iu the British Par- liament oil tlie selieme tif taxation of liie Anierieaii (Colonies, which, suh- Keniieiitly eiiforeed, n^sulleil so disastrously to Ihitish power ami presti^'c on ihis eoini- iieut, caiisiiie- the nulciiendciiee of the thirteen cuilonies ; and an aeetitint of a iiro.es- sitiii of several thousiuul silk weavers frtim Spital-heltls, wiiieh waited ti[ion his Majesty tilt? kin,i;' witii a pelilitin reiirescntiii,^ the mi,-eni!ile ctnulition tlicms Ives ami liiinilies were reduced to by the eiandesiiue importa- titiii of Kreiieh silks. The Qneiiee (ln-./'llc eoutiniied tti he piibliHlieil until a few years a,i;ii, wiicii. on (hetleath of my tilt! personal Irieiid, ,Mr. Uohert .Mitlillettiii, wiio, with Mr. DawHoii, was its last puhlisiier, it ceased to appear. It jilayed an important role, especiall\' iiiitler the etlitorsliip tif the Htm. .roliii Ncilstiii. in Ihe polities tif the I'rovince of < jtiehcc. and was tme of ce tainly less than a ilo/en news[)ain;rs in tlit; uorlil that was in a position tti issue a centennial niimlier. When it made its lirst appearance there were but twenty newsji.ipers in the Hiitish i'lo- vinces t)f America, airtl of these ntit one was in existtaice in 1H.")2, when i commented my cartier as a Jtatrnalist as suh-titlitor, under tht; late Stewart Dcibyshire, of the (^Jnehec (i(izi:lic. For the lirst liftecn years tif its ex- istence it was without a competittir in Canada, ami, aecordinj;' to Mr. Uerin, who is iiuotetl by Mr. Suite in his historical and lit- ei'ary miscellanies, during the lirst sixteen nionihs of its existence " it tlitl not ctuitain ■'theshatlow t(f a iioiitical tipiniun, and we '• are hap[)y when wc lind iu it taie or two " facts. The reatlers wen; rcfjfuhirly kcjit iu- •' formetl of the actions t)f the Imliaii tribes " of lihotle Island ami of Delaware, which •• were resisting;- the ihiti,^li rule, luit they were " left ignorant of e\eiits which were lakiug " iilace iu the capital of Canada."' .MoNria:At,'s t'lusT m:wsi'ai'i:h. Jlontreal jtairualism tlatcs frtun the y(?ar 1T7H, the lirst newspaper imlilishetl in the town, the Mo.NTiuiAi, CiAZKTTi:, having made its a[ipearamf on the 3rd of June of that year. I 1 have hcie tiie lirst volume, or ralher the I lirst two voliinies, bouud iu tine. The ciirum- ' staiices whit ii letl to the publicatitm tif the [ tiAZKTTi: are wtnlli stating. A; the tini ■ tif the American revolution, things in (\-inatla wen? aiiparently favorable tt) the cause of the revti- littionisls. Althtitigh the luipulation, u little tiver 7."), Olio, was almost exclusively Freiich- Cauatlian, tlieic were a suflicient number of iMigiish rcsitlents, churning on that groiiml Ktiperitir atlvantagi?s, and tieating the majo- rity in nalitiualily aiitl religion with souie- lliiiig approaching to ctmtemjit. to exciti; in tliiin feelings tlu! reverse of loyal. IJntler these circumstances an altemp; was matle to iniliice the Canadian ctilonists tti join iu the revtilitlion. Colonel Ha/.en, who took ctnu- niaud at Montreal tin the 1st A[)rit, 177(i, set ahoiit to tibtain a lu-w engine of war. He w rote It) Oi'ii 'fal Schuyler on the neccs-ity of scmling to Canatla gootl generals, a .-;,idng army, a gtiod rotnul sum in silvci' ami a lainter. Neither army, generals nor money wert! sent, but the priiitii- came, A coiiiinis- s',.ii comiioscd of lieiijamin I'^ranklin. Samuel Chase ami the Ueverend Charles Carroll, stiirtc(l fioiu l'liilit(l"li)liiii tor Ciiuiulii to in- duce llir (Jiuiiidiuus to join tli(! (joiii^rcssioiuil ciiiisi; and lo foiiiul a newspiincr. Witli tliis IfitiiT oliji'ct tliey brought niiitciiiii for a priutiuij; ol'tico and a i)i'intL'r niitncd Flcury M('si)l('t. wlu) had hceii ia the omph)y of Fiaiikliu at IMiiladelpliia. On the 'I'Ah of Apiil till' commissiou and the l^rhitiug material airivcxl in Mont- real, but the commissiou discovered at on('cthat their canst; was a hoi)ele'ul)lle adver- tis(!menls and other alfairs inimediali'ly con- | ('(UMiing trade and commerci', to which will be addi'd SOUK! diversltled pieces of literalure. 1 dart; tlatter myself, as I hope, (xentlcmen, ,von wlll.eneouragt> this, my leel)le heglnning, that you will in a short tinn; stii; with satlsiiicMon not only a great variety of notices anil lulver- ' tlsements, but also a collection of facls, both , entertaining and instrut^tlve. I will cntleavour to procure a choice collection of the newest pieces, antl 1 don't tloubt but this will stir up the genius of many wlio have remained in a state of luactlou, or could uot ooiumuuicale i ill 'ii- prod lie lions without I h'' help of i h" pres<. " I will insi'r! in the abovu papei- or ( i.v/.K rri-; eve.yihiiv^ i hat one or l.io/i' geut lemen will be pleaded to cominunicale to m '. providetl, al- ways no menilon b • made of religion, (Jovern- meiit, ornews con-i I'uing thejiresent atlairs, unless [ was authorised from (iovernment for soiloing; my i nteniion being only to conllne myself in what t'ontvrns atlvertisements, com- mercial antl literarv ailairs. "If tht; title of •• IJoard of Inlolligence, or (-'ommerelal and Ijiterary Oazelte," which I propo.se to give this periixlical pajn'r, he not. fouiul convtmieni, 1 will hi; glad to receive any gentleman's ailvlc on the suhj ect. as ;il,>o any ob.ji'ctions which might be made against the ff)llowin!i ctmilitlons : — "conditions. " Tlio subseriiition money will be two and a half Spanish tloUars per annum. "The siihscribers will i)ay one Spanish dollar for evei'y advei't iseineiit inserted in th'' said l)ap r during three weeks suet essively. "Those that are not suhscribers will pa.v one and a half Spanish tloUars for every advertlse- meni printetl thrice as above. " Fvery one that is not a subscriber may have tlie papei- at ten coi)p '>'■•. "The saitl paper will be prlntt»il on a ipiarto sheet of paper, and will be ilelivered evi;ry Wednesday, to begin on .Iiiie; liril, 1778. " .\.ll persons who i-boose to sui)^cribe are de- sired to Ijt me know Ibeii' nameaiul their i)lace of abotle. " I have the lionour to be, with a sliicero de- sire to coniribule as much as is in my power to the advantagi' and public satlsfaciioii, " Geiii lemen, " Your mos! oi)edient "and humble servant, "!<'. AlKSi-miir, l^rintcr." Sucli were the words and proinise-i witli which the first pa|)er printed in Montreal was launched upon the sea of public favour. Tiie pajier, as 1 have said, was printed ii^ Freni;h, and in this respect dilfers from its namesake, I he Quebec Gaze'le, from wliieii it may be inferred that iu tliose days the En^dish- speakini:; |)oniilation was relatively ji;reatcr in (juebee than in AIoutri;al. Tlieri' is another distinction, however, in the " Aildresses" whicli ushered the two papers respectively into existence, which may bo saitl to Jiavo been a i)ri)phecy of the fiiluie. At that time, there is no question that Quebec was com- mercially the more ini|)ortant town, alliioiigh in obetUence to a law which seems universal, anil which causes the ocean vessel to pene- trate as far inland as tin; comlitions of navi- gation will admit, shiiis struggled up to this l)ort. Yet in the prospectus of the (iut^lH;c (fiincKe IK) prominence is given, no mention ovini is matle of commercial interests ; while iu that of the Montreal (rt/2''//*;tliis teature is made a distinctive oiu^, the first object mentioned being tliat " trade and commerce will hv car- ried ou witli a greater facility,'' and iu each 6 paiafinipli mention Ik made of it, even the name of tht; paper Iming the "Commorcial and Litorary Gazette.' I am bound, how- ever, in all candour, to way that trade and coniniercc! ar<; scar-ely referred to in tiie volume liefore me. Tli(^ printer stn-ms to have fell tills dilticulty, for in his salutatory article, in the tirst number, he said ; — " I bad proposed to fill the sheet with public a(lverliseiiieiii>< !iii(l with inatt<>r wliieb nii^bt l)e iiilerestlnjr lo comnieree. Both are wautinsi for the present. Few advertisements, seeing tliitt tlie paper i.s not yet liuown; you know as well as inc. <4entl(Mneh, the present positinn of oiii" eoimuriee; in eonseipienee^ I l)clieve 1 will liave no (•<»)uplaiiits aj^ainst me in respect of these two matters." One of ■rill': KAiii.iKsr ai)vi;utis1';mionts. prinli'd riuiiiids us of a condition of thinj^s now hai)|)ily passed away. It is of a runaway slave, ai)d is in these words : — " SIX DOLLARS REWARD. •' UiiM iiway on the 14th instant, a slave be- loiij^inj; to the widow Duly Desaulnier, agi'd ahout f liirty-(l ve years, ilres.sed in striped calico of tlie ortlinary cut, of tolerable stoutness. Whoever will briuf; her back will receive a re- ward of six dollars, and will be repaid any costs that may hi' jiroved to have been Incurred in lindiuii her." It is evident that a very high value was not placed ui)(>n slaves in those days, Avheu the reward for the recovery of one was less than is now i)aid lor the recovery of a favorable l)oodle do^;. Mui h of the [)aper was taken up with contro\H'rsy between corresi)ondents, in which the printer, signing himself as such, oi'casionally intervened, on the sidiject of an Academy of Siieuce which existed at the time, and particidaily in relations to th(^ works of Voltaire, which then, as now, were the sub- ject of lively discussion in Montreal as to their admissability as works for students. Vol- taire found some sturdy defenders, and some equally stiu'dy opponents, amcmg the latter being the printt'r of the |)apcr, Mons. Mesplet. Auctitmeers, who in these days are only taxed by the (lovernment, were hi those days aj)- poiuted by them as well, as appears by an ad- vertisement of Mr. .Iose[)h Howard, annoimc- ing that lie had been named by His Excel- lency Goveiiior Carlctun, " Vendue-Master" for the town and district of Montreal, and in- viting ''all such as may have occasion to dis- " pose of either houses, lands, teneminits, <' household finiiiture, merchandise, orelfects " of any kind by public auction in the said " district, to apply to Mrs. Howard, who will " dispose of the Hame in the absence of her " husband." Then, too, as now COVKHXOH.S CAME AND WENT, and addresses in those days were, if not iii words, certainly in sentiment, identical with those which have recently, been presented to Lord Lome and Lord Lans(h)wne. In the Gazktte of the -Jnth July, 1778, is the foUow- ing address to Governor Carleton, on his de- parture frtmi the colony : — " To Ifi.s Krccllcncji, Hir Guy Carleton, Kiti(/ht of till- Most Honorable Order o/ the Jiath, (rovi'mor of the Province, d'c. ; " The happy days which we have enjoyed under the mildness of your (iovernment have passed away ; but the regrets wliich your de- parture cause to all honest and faithful Cana- dians will never l)e etl'aced from our hearts. That whicli alone consoles us Is the thought that His Majesty will call you to All a more distiuguislie'd position than tliat wlilch our Province affords. We beg Your Excel bncy to accept our sincere iukuowledgments, and to convey to His Majesty the assurance of our Zealand attachment. We will do our best to (!ontinue tlienx to our new (iovernor. We have the honor to Ije with profound respect, " Your Excellency's " M(jst humble and most " Obedient servant.s." "!)th September, 1778." The merit of tiiis address, as distinguishing it from those with which we are all familiar, is its brevity and directness. The reply was equally remarkable in these respects : — "tiUKBKC, 15th .July, 1778. " (iKNTLKMKN',— I bavc abundant thii.nks to offer you for your kind address of the 9th inst. I wish you all kinds of liapj)iness and prosper- ity. It is to me a spe(!ial satisfaction that I ieav(,> you under the care and protection of a General whose experience and virtues afford you th(! happiest anticipations of a wise and equitable government. " Mr. Sevestre will have the goodness to com- municali- the above reply to the gentlemen of Alontreal who, with him, signed the address of the Otli inst. I am with the greatest esteem, " Your most humble " And obedient servant, " Guy Cakleton. " Col. Sevestre. "tJommanding the Militia at Montreal." The number of the lOth August, 1778, contained a co[)y i>f the address of welcome to General Haldimand, the in-coming Gov- (irnor, with an account of the reception of His Extellency in Montreal. By this descrip- tion it appears that ' ' la Boiugcoisie Anglaise' ' ot'cui)icd a tirst place, followed by the mili- tia and the regular troops, and u feature of the reception was the presence of six hundred ^? Indians. TJio r.ddiefiH is a model in its way, and I cannot do better than give it : — " In roiigragtulatinf? your Excellency upon your happy arrival in this city, we have to applaud the choice, always enlightened, which our most august Sovereign has miwle for the government of this province. The kindness of heart, the matured wisdom, the military ardour which eharairterize vour Excellenc^y, can only assure us our well-being. It suffices us to repeat with joy the exclamation which our heart dictates: LoNO Live the Kinu ! Long Lfve His Excellency!" (Signed), " Neveu Sevestre." TUOUBLKS OK AN KUITOll IN 177H. The jealousies between this two cities of Quebec and Montreal hiul made their appear- ance in those early days, with this difl'ereiice from the jealousies of to-day, that Quebec beinjr the more important place, the jealousies were on the i)art of the people in Montreal ; and the printer was compelled, in a commu- nication in his own paper, to defend himself against the charge of hiiving unduly favored a couple of Qiiebecers. "The preference " given to two gentlemen of 'iaebec have " been the subject of jealousy. But why, " Montrealers. have you not conducted your- " selves with equal i>r(>in-iety,'' Printers in those days had their troubles because of the practicid censorship under which they labored. In the Gazkttk of the 21st April, 1779, Mr. Mesplet was obliged to state his position very definitely, in consequence of a remark from the Bench by Judge Rouville, reflecting upon something which had appeared in his columns ; and here is his profession of conduct, address- ed to the contributors to the pai)er : — "There will not be printed in the paper asin- gle i)aragraph tending to procure public in- struction. " Nor any reflection on the conduct of per- sons proposed by the Government for the ad- ministration of .justice, their judgments, even though they should he known and provt^d to be against the laws, because this is none of our business, and you should suhmit and consider their judgments with the eye of faith. "Nor any work which would tend to destroy, or even to cast the least doubt upon their in- fallibility. "Nor any writing in which it api-ears that ' we seek to diminish the civil despotisn\ whieh they attribute to themselves; you should re- spect it. "Nothing, finally, which (-ould oblige indi- viduals to keep themselves witliin the limits of duty, of power and of honesty." There is a vein of satire running through this profession of conduct, which, however, gives us an insight into the condition tinder which publishing a newspaper a hundred years ago in this good city of Montreal was carried on. THK "(JAZETTK'" I.V 1788. But I have dwelt alreiuly too long upon this first venture in ni;wspaiier i>ublishiug in this city. The next volume of which I have seen a copy was ten years later, 1788, and the growth of the English-speaking popida- tion may l)e inferred from the fact that it is l)rinte(l in English as well as French. Its lirsl numiier is dated the .'ith .June and the latest news from Europe contained in it is of the •J7th of the preceding February, and from Boston of the 28th April. This latter was an account of some riots in Xew York, the cause of which is stated in these words ; "On last Monday afternoon a most violent riot took plac(; i:. this city, whicii was occa- sioned Ijy a number of .young stutlents in p'.iysic, who have committed great excesses In taking up persons from the chureli-yaril for disser tins Province, Nova Scotia and New Mruns- wick, and to command me to estutjlisli a regu- lar conveyance b.v post between Ciuebe<; and Haiifa.x for tlie benefit of commerce, by facili- tating correspondence, .and for the convenience of all His Miijesty's subjects. "It is lienjtjy notified, that from and after the l'2th da.vof this moudia mail for Halifax, to pass tlirough Predericlon and tlie city of Saint .Tolm, in the Provincre of New Hrunswick ; througli Digby, Annai)olis, Horton and Wind- sor, in Nova Scotia, will be closed at this ofiice ev(>r.v Saturday evening at ft o'clock. " The American post of letters directed for England, Scotland or Ireland, must l)e paid be- fore they can be forwarded from any post ofBce in this Province. HUGH FINLAY. Deputy Postmanter-Oeneral for the Province." Mails were slow in those days. The latest news from Europe, in the Gazktte of June 5th, was of date the previous January 4th, but 8 I tloiilit not i't way rcid uiili as imuli avidity as is ti'c iK'Ws pii'ilisiicd now ot' t-vciits tran- K[»iriii;^ ill ail iia.'tn of t/io world up to the \■^^vy time of tin? nowsi>apor soini,' to press. For instance, ihv Postmaster of Montreal ,^•ave notice on the L'otli November. 1 TSS. of th(! sous. The lirown loalOf li lljs. at 15d. or ;iO sous. And tliat tire several bakers of the city d suliurlis do conlorm tlieroto, and mark tlioir bread wiili tlie initial letters ot tlicir names. Hy order ol tlie .fust iees, .1. RKAn, (Mk. 1'. f)n the lUli June. ITHIi, Mr. George i'ownal, the Troviiicial Secretary, gave notice by tom- inand of His Kx.-ellency the Governor, that ••the ports of this Province were open to the importation of thmr, meal, vice, hiscuit and Indian corn, until the lirst Jannary following, fioiii the I'nited States or other countries liy the gulf iiud river St. Lawrence, on ships or vessi'ls built, owned and navigated according to law." And persons desirous of engaging in such importations were reqnested to apply at the secretary's office at (juehec. for further information. Ilohert Burns had just risen to fame, and several of his poems are printed in the GAzi-rn'E of that date, among them his "Man was made to Mourn " -'Winter" and othei-s. At th<; end of one of these is the printer s foot note as follows : — " POKTA NASSlTI'U .VOX FIT'' is all oUl maxim, the truth of which has never been douhted, and of which this poet is a striking instance ; he was born and bred in one ;)f tlie lowest stations in life in the south part of Scotland, and seems by several hints thrown out in his performances, to have been all his lifetime struggling hard with poverty. The hook 'nnn which the above is extracted, and from wliieh we intend to select pieces for tlu' amusement of our readers in the dearth of news, is a large octavo volume printed hy Huhscription at Edinburgh, 1787, with the names of nearly 2,000 subscribers [irctixed thereto, among whom are the most disting- uished ladies, noblemen and gentlemen, in and out of the kingdom." THE QUKliKC "MEUCUllY," 1805. The third paper which made its appearance in this province was the Quehcc Mercuri/, the lirst number of which was printed on the ath .laiiuary, 180,"), hy Mr. Thomas Gary, puh- lisher. The pajier has remained in tlie same family ever since, being now printed hy Mr. George T. Gary, the grandson of its original founder. From the first it was regarded as a society pajier, its editor heing a man of cul- ture. In reply to some one who complained that he had used a capital instead of a small letter in his prospectus, he said "his mode "of using these letters is not the result " of ca|)ricc or accident, hut of principle and "system, arising from study, sujierior exam- " pie and (experience. Let it not be thought," said the editor in his own defence, " that he ' ' has passed all his days at a state or count- 9 "inif-lioiiso (K'sk. No, i\o hiis kept whole "and UnVfi night viuils, and thnsc not fi few, "with Kcribhleis, (■(iniiiilcrs and printcis " devils.'' Tiif first article in tlie j)ai)er, tiie Kiilntution to its reiulers, is in some respects a <|iiaint prod'.Ktion. In tlu! coniniencoment of the present eeiitnry. it is toleraiily evident, the |io|)iilitr ini[)ression tiuit everyhixly could edit a paper uiiuh better thai, tiie man ^vh^ was trained to and charj^ed with the perfor- mance ot that duty, was about as prevalent a-; it is to-day. Thus Mr. (.'ary, e.vpressiiij;- his thank> for the eneourau'eiiient he had received and the suggestions which hail been ottered to jiim, said : — '• Tliougli by tlieir eoiniu)» from opposite and various cliaraetc^rs ami interests, tlie.v are >o multil'erious, and some of them so eontriidie- tory, in tlieir natures, tliat lie is pUu'ed in a tar worse predieament than the old man. his .son and his ass in the fable. If ever an apo- loijiie was realized, this most assuredly is in i lie ease of an t'ditor of an open periodical pajjer, in a sniall soeiet.v, peculiarly constituted like ours, and that inan agt?ravate"d decree. StrauKe to tell ! even law.vers and doctors administer advice (/ratis. .Vll are anxious to see them- selves in print. Tlie Parliament man, in his debates: the law.yer in reports of his ar-^u- meiits ; the soldier in tlu; list of promotions ; the merchant in details of his exports and im- ports. The European wishes to be iiilormed of the marriages, l)irtlis, deaths, and all tiiat re- lates to Ills Irleiids at home. To him hisiic- (lualntance is the wliole world. Out; says ' 1 •! your i)aper he ;>, jirop to tlie (iovernment '; ano- ther cries, ' We do not, want a Government pa- jier ; we liiiist have a free ,: i.'wr.' Kvei'y man is desirous of heiii;;; f?ratit1i J in his own way. .Vll which is very natural. (Jentlemen, as tar as it is here praclical)l(\ to the best of the I'di- tors abilities, your wills shall all he done. Jiut have candour, have mercy, have induljieiice." And with these ccmvictions of his ditticnl- ties, Mr. Gary sent his paper out to tiie iiuh- lic. IIow news was to be (>btained in a locality wliere happenings were so few and far betwei'n was of course a difficulty, but the editor met the difficulty thus : — "The want of a minister i''" bait; oi a party to support or asperst' ; of local revf)lutions, in- siirrecMons, tre(iueiit eartluiuakcs, huri'ieani's, inundations, hauKim^s, drownings, horrid luui'- ders and such accidents is, to be sure, matter of niucli lamentation and regret to an editor who wishes to interest his reafk'rs. To fabricate both tliem and i)olilical events might, perhaps, be a very arduous task ; but it is to be aiijire- liended that in such eas<; tiueliee currency might sink in value, even below New York cur- rency. However, if we cannot have them on tlie si)ot, nor faliricate them without hazarding our rfi)ulation, wi' must be conteni with [lur- loining them wlu'revcr tlie.y an; to be fouiul." The latest news from abroad in this num- ber of the Mcrcitrii is of date 18th October, or about eleven weeks old. There are extracts from two manuscripts written by the .lesuits, whi( h had come into the hands of the editor, giving the origin of tiie names Canada and tjueliec, the hist liaving been given by the Spaniards to the country which they " liml •• already visited, iftheyareto be believed, •• and which they despised. sa\ ing that there •• was nothing to be done or to be got h)r '• them, in so sad a climate. Hence the word •• Canada, which in Spanish siguities nothing " here :" and the other from the contraction of the river at that point '• from wlieiico the '• inhabitants of the coiintiy called it (.Quebec, •• which means contraction or refrcrixufmeii/.'^ The 8pu(;ch from tlu; Throne at the open- ing of the liCgislature on the iith January, IHi)."). contains but one paragia[)h of directly local interest, apart from the recommenda- tion of measures in view of the disturbed con- dition of alfairs in Kurope, and the ])os- sibiiity of danger to the Ibitish provinces in America. That paragraph was as follows : '•] have received and shall order to be laid bi'fore you, representations relating to th(> in- sulHcienc.v of the gaol at Montreal, which tvnd to provt! tlie immediate necessity of your tak- ing this subji'et into your most seiMous con- sideration ; and which, I trust, will lead, witli- out fiirthi.'r delay, to the coinpletio i of an ob- ,ject, alike interesting to tlie feelings of humai.- ity, and important to the public security." The improvement of the city gaol accom- modatiou as the chief feature in a vice-regal utterauce, is rather suggestive alike of tlie paucity of practical ([tiestions and the early develoimient of a criruiual class in the popu- lation. There i.s MfCH WIT .\.Vr) Hl'MOU volinne of tho Jlerciin/, but one ill this first instance of which I have time to give. It is a notice headed " Female Promotion," and it is in the following terms . — " Tlie Brevet for old maids will appear in our iie.xl. It is therefore re(iuested that all ladies, of the ag(> or;i() and upwards, will .send in tlieii names, pist i)aid, to Mr. Thompson, hair- dresser; in order to their promotion from the disconsolate rank of Mi.ss to that of Mi.stre.s.s. " A'fi^c.— This is the last time of asking." In subsequent numbers follow amusing letters in response to this notice, signed "Elvina," "Tabitlia Bramble," "Jemima Foiidlechikl," "Liicretia," "Sarah Sap- less," and a number of other equally sugges- tive names : the trick ot the traxle, which is sometimes resorted to even yet, of provoking correspondence upon some interesting or amusing topic of local concern, being evi- dently of very old date. Quack medicines were in those days construoted apparently wa 10 li mu-li iil>er tin; liisliion of the picHcut day. In tlu! Mrrcii-i/ of Ktibnmry lUtli, 18i)r), there is very clever satin' '-ou the boiiibastic Ntyle of reeommendiii.u; (Hiaik jnedicine ad- vertisements." It i., of J)r. Simon Ram- r(>'i's discovery of the '■ ilssential Tnutnre of (Jridiron. otherwise called Nature's Grand liestorative," and it endiodies a nuniher of certiticates oi cures only a couple of which I have time to (iuotc : — "Not lonu' since, ridiuRon the higliway. my horse stumhU'd anil Cell, anil so lamed himself as to be unable to proceed. I heard of a phial of the Tinctin-r uf (frhliron in the neighbour- hood, and suddenly found my.self at the end of my Journey without fur'.her trouble. ".lONA HPEEnWEI-r.." And htu'e is a still stronger certificate : — "■Walkiufi not long since near the machin- ery of :i miii, I was caught and carried between two cog-wheels, and every bone in my body broken to pieces. A phial of Ramrod's Tinc- ture of (Jridiron, being thrown int(} the mill- pond, I found myself restored, and ius whole and sound as a roach. " DICK WHIRIJGlCi." But I have lingered long enough -ni this first volume of Mercuri/, which is full of interest and of cu'ious information. I have Keen the i)ress upon which it is said that tirst number was worked, an okl-fashiontd wooden piess, the ink being distributed by a pair ef composition balls, instead of rollers. There is not iruchof local interest to be found in these old nev/spupers outside of tlie ail vert isements which tell ot the advance- ment of trade iuid couimcrce. A correspond- ent, however, urges, the Provincial Parlia- ment Ijcing in session, th it the occasion was a lilting one to introduce the subject of a baidi. ''The utility ot such an institution,'' nays the co'responcU'ni, who signs himself <' An Englishman." "seems to be generally "admitted, iuid, as we are all suit'ering for "want of f'irculiiting capital, no period c;iii " be more projier in which a remedy should " be attempted. 1 do not mean now to enter "into an argument on the merits of the "(piestion, but rather to awaken public "attention to induce merchants and " private gentlemen to lonsider how the " former can best extend their credit, and the " latter place their moneys in a permanent " fimd, from which a reasonuble interest may " be derived." And he urges that "little " local jealousies should cease, end that we " shottld unite lor our cimimon beaetit," a bit of atlvicc which has idways been ai)plica- ble to communities, but unfortunately too Huldom acted upuu. T»K I'HIXTKK'S COMPLAI.VT.S The printer in those days had to complain of the want of apjjreciation, or shall I say of common honesty, on the part of subscribers, iinu 1 tind the following pathetic appeal in verse, whicji I have no doubt will make many a publisher of to-day exclaim that human nature has I)een the same in all ages. The a])pcivl is entitled Toby's solihxpiy : — " 'Tis strange ! 'tis most prodigious strange, That our subscrihrrs are so (;akklI':.ss grown 'liout paying theirarrears. They cannot think That we alone, who publish to the world News from all nations, and delight to spread Useful information through our spacious land, ('ar., meanwhile, iicc on air. 'Tis Flesh and Blood That works the Press, and turns the blackened sheet, \V(!ll stored, and ready for their eager eyes. This Hesh and blood must be iicruitcdoft As well as t heir's, or soon the work must stop : This calls tor C?ASH. And then how many lieavm (\f Paper are struck off and scattered wide, For which no length of crt'dit will be given, If given at all — besid. ,s the ti/pe.i and ink, And many things required by those who print, F( vilege for working the same." Ol'KXl.NIi OK THK LKUISLATCUK, 1812. Onthe2iid March, 1812, the Gazktte print- ed the speech with which (Jov. I'revost opened the Legislature, and the addresses in reply to the same. The speech dealt with the tvi- um])hs of British arms in Europe, " tiie de- " liverance of Portugal and the rescue of '' S[)ain from the tyranny of the chief ruler in " France ;" called attention to the fact that while (heat Britain "had her pcditical ex- " isteiice involved in the fate of surrounding " nations," Canadians had " hitherto undis- " turbed * * viewed without alarm " the distant storm which now seems bend- " ing its (HHTse towards this peaceful "and happy region;" and it called upon the Li^gislature tomake provision for the contingency of war with which the province was t!ireatt;ned. The clause referring to the ordi- nary work of tilt Legislature waH as follows : — " I iook to your publie spirit, ami your lovt' of tlie 'ii'neral good, for the amelioration of the internal eomniunieations throughout the pro- vince for tlie increase ol'eoinineree and the en- courageineiit ot agriculture, so that the most distant inlialiitant may li«'e(>me .sensible of the solicitude entertained lor his eoinfort and wel- fare by the Government proteeting him." The reply to this speech by the two Houses of the Legislature was a thoroughly loyal one. One jiaragraph from that of the Legis- lative Council is worth ipiotiiig as embody- ing the st'iitiments of Canadians tlien, as hajtpily it has embodied them at all times siicc the country passed under British rule ; — "The astonishing changes whi(!h mark the age in which \\v live have had no inlUu'iK.'e eitiier upon the traiuiuilily or upon the grati- tude or loyally of His Majesty's Caiuuliun sub- jeets. We have witnessed the awful scenes whieli desolate F.urop! as distant siwetators, tail we liave viewed theiii is scenes In which we were ileeply <'oneernc i, and eontemplated ilicin as lessons of iiistriiciion. We have felt Unit the political exisleiKH! of Great Britain has been thri'ateued by the fate of surround- ing nations. Hut^ having also felt that our own welfare depeiuled upon hers, we have, at all timeH bueu reuUy tu MUHtalii that portion of tlie 12 evils whicli tin,' tci'ciit coiilo.'^l in wliii-li -Ik' is oDfjaficd, ;>ii(l llic cliMiic" ol' Will', may llirow U])nii us, as hi'comcs tlic dial iicliT ol Uiitish siiliii'cis and tlir nlilitjal inns of a I'avoiir- I'll "i)Co|)li'. We an' awaic of llu- iiiipov- taii! duties wliicli till' siorm tliat now sconis hi'iidiiitr its course towards 111 is liillicrto ix'aci'- fiil and liaiip.v ri'^ion. may riMjuirc ; and we ar(! pirpari-d Id (liscliai'^'i' ilii'iii with no coninion •'iKM'ii.x'. and Willi no ordiiiai'y ('xrreisr ol tliat loyally wliicli \\i- profess. And tlie Le/^islativc AKseiulily was not less eiuiiliatir. It said : — Slioiild the wiso mt'dsurcs and niaj^naniiiious conduct of tlie Piinco Rcf^eiit, tail to operiile a cliaiiLCe in thu uiilriemlly (lisi)osil ion and lioslile character of the (iov- LMiiincnl of the ilniled Slates, sensible as \vu nre that il will re(iuire no common en(!i'<;y to withstand tliese ellects and perform the im- poi'tanl duties wliich will devolve upon us, we (vmlideiitly assiin; your lOxcelleiK'v, I hat in tin' lo.\aliy, iinaMimity, and zeal of his .Majesty's Caiiatlian sul),|ec!s, .\oi! will lind ri'sourees, un- dei- the pr()le(;lion of Divino Providence, fully inlL'iiuale io the crisis." The Cfiniuliiin iieopU; wca't;, tinliappily, Kooii iii'tcr ciilU'd upon to K'v*; olUict to tlu'S(! jaotcssions ol' loyalty, ami tlieir conduct showed how siuctrt; those pfot'oKsioiis were. iirnsoN's liAV to mo.ntuio.m.. On the ',1th jMaixJi, IHl'.', there is a pani- /n'iiph aniioiinciii.u' thi! arrival iii JMoiiireal of i.Lr. JMcNal), late chief oflicer ut Siirral, one of the Hudson liay t'ompaiiy's factories, with three coiiipiinions. iifter an firdiioii.s Jotirney of seventy-si.v days. They had come from Moose Fort Factory, at the head of .lauuK ]ia)', "to inform tlu^ Hmlsou liay Company *' through the channel of the Aiiieri- •' can port.s, of tlie rnifety of their ship, " the I'rinee of Wales, which saili'd from '' Moo.se road on the loth of (.)ctoher last for " Fn.nlaiid ; and alter procee(Un^' on her voy- ',diied by II.R.H. the Prince of Wales in jierson, he would one day as rjieiiieiiaiit-( iovernoi', enter in siatethis saiiu' former residence of Chiel'-.Iusiice Sewell, while 1 lie cannon of Hrilain would raor a wel- coni,e the lUxa of Eii;?laiKl stream over his head, and a British retriment present arms to him." This reference was to Sir Narcisse Fortnna- tns Belleati, but the incident recalls a fact worfhy of remembrance, that the (Jrown of England has had liO more loyal s-ibjects than those who in those early days even went the length of taking up arms in the cause of R(!sponHiblc Government and constitutional liberty, a fact which affords a re- markable vindication of lln! wisdom of the later colonial policy of the Kmpire. The Vimlicalnr succumbed to the trottbhais times jireeeding the rebellion, and, until after the Union, no further attempt was made to revivo tm Englisli newspaper in Montreal in the same interest. The I'ilot, establisluid by Mr. Hincks in 18 11, had for its lirst printer Mr. Micliael Ueyuolds, aftorwurda Mr. Douoghue, 13 ane then in 1848 ])asso(l into the hands of Mr. | RoUo C'amplji'll. It was tlie first Rofoini paper | in tiiis city after the Union, and it had for its | editor Mr. Hincks. now Sir Francin Kineks, I wlio, aithon^h representing in Parliament an Upper Canada eonstituenoy, Oxford, took up liis residence in Montreal to fight the bat- tle of his party. Jfr. William Bristow and Mr. Matthew llj-an were lioth editorial contri- butors to the I'ilol, and the party controversies between it, and the Ihrnll^ under the editor- ship of Mr. David Kiiiniar, and the (tAZKTTK under the editorship of Mr. Abraham, and afterwards of Mr. .James Moir Ferres, were very severe. The Courier, un- der the editorship ot John Turner, was in those days a vigorously conducted l)ai)er of the extreme Tory stripe, ami the Commerciiil, Aire rt her, under the editorshiji of that incisive writer, the late Mr. Parsons, was in its time a newsjiaper of great influence. Mn. JOU.N LOVKLl's XKWSI'AI'KIl VKNTUKKS. The oldest living printer in Canada to-day, stili actively eugageil in tin' business, is Jtr. .John Jjovell, ami from him 1 have obtained the following partictilars of the Transcrqit, \\hich, in its day, was very [)opidar as a family newspaper ; — The Montreal Trnnscriut was started in is;!;"), by a yoiuiji man of the name ol' Wilson, as a ti'i-weekly, demy -i to. II was .sold lor one lienny a copy and was jjrinied l)y .Mr. ,Iolin iiovell. .\t tluM'Ud of iliree weeks it proved a failure, and on Mi'. Lovell acceplinu- (he title in payment of llie debf due liiui, .Mr. Wilson lefi the city for Xi-w York. .Mr. Lovell snceei', the late Mr. Donald Melionald became tlw owner, and eontimietl its piil)lication with a satisiactory comiiensation, as a daily, tri- weekly and week l.\- milil .Inly 1 hi;.'), when he sold to .Messrs. tiibson it .Metiratb. The.\- con- tinned pul)lical ion a( a ver.v heavy loss nntll ])eeeml)er, IStU). Mr. .lolin Lovell' lieinj,' ilui printer was compelled lo a^.snine Ibi' liabili- ties, and w.'is induced bji Jiiir iimmincs to con- tinue the />'r/7// Trdnsfriiit under llie title of J)iiii)i Xfirs. lie also coni imied the Wecklit Tridiscri/il. lie risked a larfj;e sum of nione'y in publi.shiufi' botji patters. 'I hi' line pi'omi.scs were not kept, conse- (|Ui'nll,\- In .Scpicnilier, IST'.', both pnblleallons were disconlinniil with a loss of over ,>t;tJ(t,()0(t. Jlr. Ijovell's experience has n<»t been im altogether singular oiu'. Too many papers in Canada have pioved unsuccessful as business iuvestnu^nts ; although wo may fairly look forward, with the growth of the country, to a b(!tlcr condition of things in the future. The W'iliK'ss, started in 18|(i by Mr. .lolm Doiigall, as a temperance and religious paper, and the Star started in 18(J9, by Mr. Graham, are both so familiar to the public that special reference to them is unnecessary. That they have been successful ventures is a matter for general congratulation. THE FRENCH-CAXAniAN FIIESS. A notice of the- growth of the newspaper pr(;ss in this Province and city would be very incomplete without some reference to tlio French-Canadian press and the important part it has played in the intellectual and po- litical dcvclopmcjut of the country. The first news[)a])cr published in the interest of the French-Canadians was Le Oaiuidien, of Que- bir, a newspaper which still retains its posi- tion as the leading Freiu'h newsi)ai)er of its district. Its hist number ap[)eared on the 22nd November, IHDiJ, its first editor, aiaioimced as such, being Mr. Antoine Bouthillier; although as m the case of many of the French n<.;wspai)ers, it was really the organ of a committee, the leaders of the French par'y of that dine, Bedard, l)lancliet, Borgia, Bourdages. Plante, Tas- chercau and others controlling its opin- ions. It may be said to have been the first party political newsjiaper in Lower Cana- da, iis wc understand that term to-day, being strongly opposed tci tin; govern- ing party, its editor having' been im- prisoned for a number of months and the publication of the pai)er stojuied by order of the late Chief .Justice Scwell. Its reeog- ni/.ed pui)lisher was Mr. .lacipies Viger, sub- sequently known as Commander Vigtir, hav- ing been decorated by Pope Gregory XVI. //(' Ciinadk'ii was susj)ended for some years, and on its reappearance in 182 7 had as its editor the late Mr. Etienne Parent, a. journal- ist of wond<'rful vigor, who w.as subsetjucntly and for many years Under-Secretary of State. Lti Miiierre was the first Krench pai)er — that is, th(! tirst paper published as the oi'gan of the French-Canadians — in Mont- real. It was started in 1827, by Messrs. A. N. Morin and Duvcrnay, Mr. Morin sub- se([U(^ntly playing an impoitant role in public affairs, as speaker of the Legislative Assembly during the Baldwin-Lafontaine riigimt! ; as Joint leadi'r of the Oovernmcnt witii Mr. Ilincks, no'v Sir l''rancis Hincks, and after- wards as .ludge of the (,'ourt of Queen's Mench. /.n Miiierre, on the failure of the rebellion, and flic exile of ifs piililishcrs, ceased publita- tion between 18:57 and 1842. At the time of its stoppage .Mr. .John Phelaii was its editor, and on its resumption he as- 14 suraed the same position, wliit-h he retuincd un- ' til 1844, wlieu he was rejilaeed hy Gerin JjR- joie, lie in 1847 K'viiig pliuf to Mr. I'.elinarc, the present ehief otiiceiin tiie Inland llevenne De[iartment in this city. Mr. Uehnare, who was an able and vif,M)r()US writer, continued until 18")."), when he aceei)ted a position un- der the ^(overnment. Meanwhile, another paper had lieen started. Mr. Uenjauiin Vi^er quarrelled with Mr. Latontaine in relation to : tin; action of Lord Metealfe, in the crisis of 1843, Mr Viger sustaining the (»overn- ment. In order to promote his views lie started a newspaper, L' Aiirore \ den Canada, in 1844, Mr. Barthe, who is now one of the very few survivors among those who sat in the tirst Parliament of United Canada, taking the editorship. , L'AVKXIU AXl) TIIK HOUGE PAUTV. In 1848 /y'J/>(?«//- was issued, and perhaps no paper ever issued in Canada was more re- markable for the intensity of its opinions, and for the excitement those oi)inions created. Mr. Papineau had just returned from e.\ile ; he came back a supi)orter of Mr. Lafontaine, issuing a very strong manifesto in his sup- port, and in support of the Baldwin- Lafon- taine Government. lUit within a few months he ehangetl his opinion, and issued a manifesto as strongly against them, taking decided groinid in favor of republican institu- tions, it was in connection with this that L' Avenir was started, and the Rouge i)arty formed, or rather consolidated. TIk; chief editorshii) of the paper was in the hands of the late Mr. John Baptiste Eric Dorion, who was better known by the soubriquet J/ Enfant Terrible, and who afterwards, in a newspaper which he published in Arthabaska, proudly called himself *' Jieiiactetir, cultivaleiir el rejire- , sentant du j>enple." But the columns of the paper were controlled by a committee of young men, many of whom entered Parliament in 18,")4. There were annmg them, Papin, Daoust, Laberge, Blan- chet, the three Dorions, Doutre, Latlanmie, and others, men full of conviction and of enthusiasm, but as impracticable as they were honest and enthusiastic. Tlii; tone of the paper pri)ved comi)romising to its ])arty. Its advocacy of annexation drove from it the sympathy of the British population, while its advanced views on tlu- subject of the Church, its advocacy of a [jolicy of secularism, brought down upon it the deter- mined hostility of the Uoman Catholic Bislioiis and Clergy. Mr. Do Montigny started Le Monilenr, which also was a rouge l)apei-, but somewhat more moderate in its toiii'. Neitlier of these papers lived very long, and Lc Pays was started in ISol, as the organ of the Rouge party. It was edited by Mr. Daoust and Mr. Des.saules, and afterwards by Mr. Labrttehe Viger, ancl its aim was to relieve its party from the odium which the extravagances oi L Arenir\\ajA brought upon it, a task which I trust I may be ])ermitted to say without the imiiutation of introdticing polititiji into this lecture, has been the life labour of the leaders of the jiarty ever since. OTIIlCIl KHKXCH XKWSl'Al'KUH. About the same time, Mr. Alfred Ram- beau startiul La I'alrie in the interests of the Conservatives, or rather of the section of the French party which followi'd Mr. Lafon- t^iine, and which, on the coalition of 1854, became, and has since continued to be, the Conservative party of this Province. On the death of Rambeau, the editorship was assumed by Ferdinand de la Ponterie, a gentle- man who had reccuitly come from Fiance. In 185") L(i I'alrie susjiended publication and de la Ponterie assumed the editorship of La Mimrce, vaiant by the retirement of Mr. Belniare. There wt;re s(mie other papers, such as l,e Ci)l'tnizatenr, which hiwl for editors Mr. Mou.sseau, Mr. Ailolphe Ouimet and Mr. L. O. David ; Le liecne Canadieii, established by Octave Letourneaux in 1848 ; L' Opinion Na- tional, started by the once famous Mederic Lanctot, which as])ired io be a workingman's organ, and was bitterly opposed to Confedera- tion. In enterprise the French papers have progressed quite as rapidly as their English contemporaries ; and considering the disadvantages under which they labour, the news coining to them in English, and reipiir- ing to be translated, no one who knows any- thing about tlie work of a daily newspaper otiice, can do otherwise than wonder at the Buccess they have achieved as newspapers. XKWSI'Al'KIl DKVKt.Ol'MEXT. The marked develoi)ment of newspaper en- terprise ilates back to about half a century. Fifty years ago, when tlu^ City of New York had a pojtulation of about a (juarter of a million the aggregate circulation of the eleven lunvs- pai)ers published at the time was only 20,500, the largest circ-ilation being that of the Miirnini/ Courier ami Xew York Enquirer, 4, fjOO. A very much larger circulation was in fact, in those days on this continent, an f.lmost physical imi)OHsibility. Down to 1822 15 the bettt jjiess wok the Washington, upon one of which I have worked many a ilay. Tlien came the power press of Daniel Treudwell, of Boston, tlu! first use of which was in New York by the American Bible Society and the American Tract Society. Then, in 18:50, came the Adams j)ress, which, with improve- ments, is still a favorite for book work in some printing ofticcs. In England there had been an earlier invention of the fast printing machine, the Tinifn having been printed as early as 1814 upon a cylinder press invented by Freiderich lUmig, a (iernian machinist, 'ihe tirst really fast printing macliine was used on the London Tinier in 1848, having eight impression I'viinders and turning olf from 8,000 to 12,000 impressions an hour. But fast printing machines >vere too expensive luxuries, for Cana- dian papers in those days. Indeed, it is only within the last thirty-five years tliat a cylinder press has beei. found in a Canadian newspaper ofhce. The improvements in print- ing maciiinery, the application of steam to its working, the invention of the telegraph, the multii>Iicatit)n of railways and tiie consetiucnt rapidity of inter-communication, these have been the factors in the marvellous develop- ment of newspaper enterprise. It may be that that enterprise lias, so far as Canadian newspapers are con- cerned, somewhat outrun the field. No man has made a fortune out of newspaptu' enterprise in this coimtry, Avhiie a great deal of money has been stmk in the attempt to maintain it. But the wants of the public have to be met. Tlu; passion for news, like jealousy, grows by what it feeds on, and tliis passion has developed a form of news- paper enterprise in tlusse days which I confess I am conservative and old-fashioni'd enough not to athuire. I mean TIIK 1' ASSIGN FOU HKNSATIONALISM. Tliis passion is so intense that in the effort is minister to it nothing is sacred. The in- terviewing system, an excellent form some- times of communicating valuable information t«) the public, has been so abused that it is almost a dangerous thing for a man, especial- ly if he has any public position, to venture an opinion in presence of a newspaper reporter. Even the sanctity of home is invad(^d, and the family skeletons dragged from their cujiboards, and dished up in spiciest form to mini.ster to the [jrurient tastes of the public. There is a tendency to make everything give way to the one idea of selling the paper. I ventiue to think that this is an unfortunate tendency on the part of the press, which to-day, in its influence ui)on the opinions of men and the tone of society, occupies a position far in advance of the pulpit. The tendency is American in its origin ; it is finding its d(!- velopment in the so-called society newspapers in England, and it has made its appearance in sonic (|Murters in Canada, although not to so general an extent as on th(! other side of the liiu;. There is another ])hase of develop- ment in enterprise which is, however, morc! pleasant, and to the public more valuable, namely tht; wonderful extent to which the telegraph is used in the supply of daily news. I believe, taking into account the held upon which they have to depend, that the Canadian newspapers stand in the very front rank iu this kind of enterprise. Every day news from all parts of the world, up to the very hour of go- ing to press iu th(! morning, is served up to the reader at his breakfast table. During the sessions of Parliiimeat several columns arc printed every morning of the proceedings of the night before. On one occasion, a budget night, one Montreal morning paper contained nineteen columns of matter, every line of which was written in Ottawa after five o'cloik of the l)revious evening, telegraphed to Montreal, re-written in the telegraph ofhce here, set up in type, the proofs read and corrected, the paper printed, the early mails served, and the delivery to subscribers in the city accom- plished, so that the matter could bo read at the early breakfast table. When we com- pare this with the early beginnings in news- paper enterprise, I think I may fairly say that in this form of development the citizens of Montreal have no good ground for complaint. At the close, on motion of Dr. F. W. Kellej', a hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. White for his interesting and valuable lecture.