Crown, and, in fact, the secret spy for General Washington. Be this, however, as it may, as the war drew to a close, and the prospects of the king's arms began to darken, Rivington's loyalty began to cool down; and by 1783, the king's arms had disappeared; the ship again sailed into sight; and the title of the paper, no more the "Royal Gazette," was simply "Rivington's New York Gazette and Universal Advertiser." But although he labored to play the republican, he was distrusted by the people, and his paper was relinquished in the course of that year. I have thus sketched the history of printing and of the newspaper press in Boston and New York, from the introduction of the art down to the period of the Revolution. From these brief sketches, an idea may be formed of the germ of the newspaper press, which is now one of the chief glories of our country. The public press of no other country equals that of the United States, either on the score of its moral or its intellectual power, or for the exertion of that manly independence of thought and action, which ought ever to characterize the press of a free people. CAPTIVITY OF WILLIAM FOSTER OF CHARLESTOWN. The RECORD is indebted for the following communication, to Mr. John Ward Dean, of Boston, author of the "Memoirs of Rev. Michael Wigglesworth," et cetera, and Librarian of the New England Historic Genealogical Society: WILLIAM FOSTER, a shipmaster, of Charlestown, Mass., was taken captive about the year 1671 by the Turks. Hull in his diary, notes the receipt of the news, under date of October 21, 1671, as follows: "We received intelligence that William Foster, master of a small ship, was taken by the Turks as he was going to Bilboa with fish,”1 His deliverance from this captivity and his return home in November, 1673, are also noted by Hull.' According to Cotton Mather, this deliverance was in answer to the prayers of the Apostle Eliot. The following is Mather's account: "There was a godly Gentleman of Charlestown, one Mr. Foster, who, with his Son was taken Captive by Turkish Enemies. Much prayer was employed, both privately and publickly by the good people here, for the Redemption of that Gentleman; but we were at last informed, that the bloody Prince in whose Dominions he was now a Slave, was resolved 1 Archæologia Americana, Transactions and Collections of the American Antiquarian Society, vol. III, pp. 231-2. 2 Ibid, p. 232. that in his Life-time no Prisoner should be released; and so the Distressed Friends of this Prisoner, now concluded, Our Hope is Lost? Well upon this, Mr. Eliot in some of his next prayers, before a very solemn Congregation, very broadly beg'd, Heavenly Father, work for the Redemption of thy poor Servant Foster; and if the Prince which detains him will not, as they say, dismiss him as long as himself lives, Lord we pray thee to kill that cruel Prince; kill him, and glorify thyself upon him. And now behold the answer. Captived Gentleman quickly Returns to us that had been mourning for him as a lost man, and brings us News, that the Prince which had hitherto held him, was come to an untimely Death, by which means he was now set at Liberty. Thus we now know, That a Prophet has been among us. The poor 11 2 1 There was published a small Whig newspaper, in New York, called "The Constitutional Gazette," issued by John Anderson, father of the late eminent engraver on wood, Dr. Alexander Anderson. When the British were about to cross over from Long Island, in September, 1776, and take possession of York Island, Anderson fled with his family and print ing materials, in wagons, for the home of his wife's relatives, in Greenwich, Connecticut. While passing Fort Washington toward the upper end of the Island, on his way to King's bridge, his wagons were seized by the American garrison there for the use of the army, his types were dumped upon the ground, and the blank paper and printed books that he had with him were used for cartridges. So ended Anderson's career as a newspaper printer.[EDITOR.] 2 Life of John Eliot, (Boston, 1691.) pp. 445. This work like many other publications of Mather, was afterwards incorporated into his Magnalia. It may be found in Book III of that work, Rev. Michael Wigglesworth, of Malden, Mass. author of The Day of Doom, wrote a poem of eight stanzas upon this event, which has never been printed. I transcribe it for the RECORD, from the author's autograph copy, which was lately generously presented to me by Rev. George E. Ellis, D. D. of Boston: Upon y return of my dear friend Mr Foster wth his son out of captivity unde y Moors. A Song of Praise to keep in remembrance the loving kindness of ye Lord. I Come hither, hearken unto me, All ye that God do fear, And what he hath done for my soul I will to you declare. I to y Lord fro my distress Did cry & he gave ear, 2 I shall not die, but live, and shall The works of Jah declare: The Lord did sorely chasten mee Yet mee from death did spare. O set wide open unto mee The gates of righteousness. I will go into them, & will The praise of Jah confess. 3 Bless thou the Lord, my soul, & all In me, his holy name Bless thou y Lord, my soul, & all His boundless minde the same. With me together o do yee Jehovah magnify! And let us all herein agree The God hee of Salvation is Issues of Death belong. 5 On Pinces poure contempt doth Hee He breaks y teeth of cruel Beasts Out of ye Lion's bloody jawes Thou broken hast ye iron Barrs So long as I a being have My praise shall be of thee. How beautiful Jehovah is Oh taste, & see likewise See that you selves you stay O love ye Lord all yee his saints Because y Lord ye poor doth hear An account of Mr. Foster and his descendants, by Dr. E. J. Forster and W. S. Appleton, Esq. appeared in the Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. XXV, pp 67–71. Mr. Foster died May 8, 1698. Messrs. Forster and Appleton, in the article above referred to, express the opinion that the son who was taken captive with him, was the eldest son, Rev. Isaac Foster, who was born about 1652, graduated at Harvard College in 1671, settled as pastor of the church at Hartford, Ct. 1671, and died August 20, 1682. Her Majesties DECLARATION of of WAR Against France and Spain. Hereas it hath Pleafed Almighty God to Call Us to the Government of thefe Realms, at a time when Our late Dear Brother William the Third, of Glorious Memory, had, in purfuance of the Repeated Advice of the Parliament of this Kingdom, Entred into Solemn Treaties of Alliance with the Emperor of Germany, the States General of the United Provinces, and other Princes and Potentates, for Preferving the Liberty and Balance of Eu rope, and for Reducing the Exorbitant Power of France; which Treaties are Grounded upon the unjuft Ufurpations and Encroachments of the French King, who had Taken, and ftill keeps Poffeffion of a great Part of the Spanish Dominions, Exercifing an Abfolute Authority over all that Monarchy, having Seized Milan and the Spanifb Low Countries by his Armies, and made himself Mafter of Cadiz, of the Entrance into the Mediterranean, and of the Ports in the Spanish West Indies by his Fleets, every where Defigning to Invade the Liberties of Europe, and to Obftruct the Freedom of Navig tion and Commerce: And it being Provided by the Third and Fourth Articles of the forementioned Alliance, That if in the Space of Two Months, which are fome time fince Expired, the Injuries Complained of were not Remedied, the Parties concerned fhould mutually Allift each other with Their whole Strength: And whereas inftead of giving the Satisfaction that ought justly to be expect ed, the French King has not only Proceeded to further Violences, but has added thereunto a great Affront and Indignity to Us, and Our Kingdoms, in taking upon him to Declare the Pretended Prince of Wales King of England, Scotland and Ireland; and has alfo Influenced Spam to Concur in the fame Affront and Indignity, as well as in his other Oppreffions; We find Our Selves Obliged, for Main taining the Publick Faith, for Vindicating the Honour of Our Crown, and for Preventing the Mil chiefs, which all Europe is Threatned with, to Declare, and We do hereby accordingly Declare Wa against France and Spain: And Placing Our Entire Confidence in the Help of Almighty God, in fo Juft and Neceffary an Undertaking, We will, in Conjunction with Our Allies, Vigorously Profe cute the fame by Sea and Land, being Affured of the ready Concurrence and Affiftance of Our Subjects, in a Caufe they have fo Openly and fo Heartily Efpouled. And Wedo hereby Will and Require Our Lord High Admiral of England, Our General of Our Forces, Our Lieutenants of Our feveral Counties, Governors of Our Forts and Garifons, and all other Officers and Soldiers under them by Sea and Land, to Doand Execute all Acts of Hoftilityin the Profecution of this War agamft France and Spain, their Vaffals and Subjects, and to Oppofe their Attempts; Willing and Requiring all Our SubJects to take Notice of the fame, whom We henceforth ftrialy Forbid tahold any Correfpondence or Communication with France or Spam, or their Subjects; But because there are Remaining in Our Kingdoms many of the Subjects of France and Spain, We do Declare Our Royal Intention to be, That all the Subjects of France or Span, who shall Demean themselves Dutifully towards Us, fhall be Safe in their Ferfons and Estates. Given at Our Court at St. James's the Fourth Day of May, 1702. In the First Year of Oar Reign. God fave the Queen. LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill, and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceas'd, Printers to the Queens moft Excellent Majefty, MDCCII. "QUEEN ANNE'S WAR." The war between England and France and Spain, known in American History as "Queen Anne's War," and in which the American colonies of the respective belligerent governments were involved, was declared by Queen Anne on the 6th of May, 1702. In Europe, it was known as the "War of the Spanish Succession." Its immediate ostensible causes were the acts of Louis the Fourteenth of France, the great champion of the Italian church in Europe, who had given shelter to James the Second of England, when he was driven from the throne in 1588, and was succeeded by the Protestant William of Orange, and Mary the Protestant daughter of James, who was a Roman Catholic. Louis, on the death of James in September, 1701, acknowledged his son, Prince James Francis Edward (commonly known as the Pretender) to be the lawful heir to the English throne on which the Protestant Queen Anne, sister of the late Queen Mary, then sat. This was, undeniably, a violation of the treaty of Ryswick, in 1697. Louis had also offended the English by placing his own grandson, Philip of Anjou, upon the throne of Spain, and thus extended the influence of France among the dynasties of Europe. These and some minor causes compelled the Queen to declare war against France and Spain, and hostilities were carried on from 1702 until the treaty of Utrecht in 1713. A printed copy of the Queen's proclamation was sent by the Earl of Nottingham, one of her principal Secretaries of State, to the Governor of each American colony, with a letter, a copy of which, from the original manuscript is given below. On the preceding page is given a perfect fac simile of that Proclamation printed on a broadside. It is about onefourth the size of the original in possession of the writer of this. That war involved the English and French colonies in America, in bitter hos their dreadful warfare was carried on so vigorously, especially on the frontiers of New England, that blood flowed in almost every Valley. Deerfield and other villages were ravaged and destroyed, and the inhabitants killed or carried into captivity. The New Englanders were aroused to carry on an offensive war against Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, but with disastrous effect. Peace followed the treaty of Utrecht in the Spring of 1713. The following is a copy of the letter of the Earl of Nottingham above referred to: "" 'Sir, "Whitehall, May the 7th 1702. "The Queen having been pleased to constitute me one of the Principal Secretary's of State, it is necessary that I should inform You of it, that for the future You may direct to me such Letters as relate to Her Majesty's service; and I desire you from time to time to acquaint me with such things as occur in Your Parts. "And I am commanded to acquaint You that Her Majesty has declared Warr against France and Spaine, as You will see by the enclosed Declaration, and to signifye Her Majesty's pleasure to You that you cause it to be proclaimed in the Places under Your Government, that Her Subjects, having this Notice, may take care to prevent any mischiefs which otherwise they might suffer from the Enemy, and do their duty in their severall stations, to annoy the Subjects of France and Spaine. "I must also acquaint You, that the Emperor1 and the States Generall have also declared Warr against France and Spaine. I am Your most humble Servant," Nottin gram 1 Joseph the First, son of the Emperor Leopold, and mon tilities. The Indian tribes on the Anglo- arch of Germany. American front joined the French, and 2 The official title of the government of Holland. ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. BURNING OF THE GASPEE. I send for the RECORD, the following Manuscript Song, which I found among my Grand-Father's papers. I think it has never been published. On the back of it, in my Grand-Father's hand writing are the words-"Writ by Capt. Swan of Bristol." H. L. S. Providence, R. I. SONG. 'Twas in the reign of George the Third, That played the part of pirates there, But what they would let some shot fly; Which made the stout coxcomb surrender; Here set the men upon the land, And burnt her up, we understand. Which thing provoked the king so high, 1 The Gaspe was a British armed schooner sent unto Narragansett Bay in the spring of 1772, to enforce the revenue laws, and put a stop to the illicit trade carried on in those waters. Her appearance excited the people, and Governor Wanton sent the sheriff to Duddington, commander of the schooner, with a written request to produce his commission without delay. The haughty Briton was shocked at the impertinence of a provincial official, refused compliance, and sent the Governor's letter to Admiral Montague, at Boston, who wrote a blustering and insulting letter to Wanton. The latter made a spirited reply, and the people took up the matter warmly. On the 9th of June, 1772. Captain Lindsay, in his packet the Hannah, when passing between Newport and Providence, was fired upon by the Gospe because the provincial vessel did not take down her colors when passing the petty tyrant. The Hannah went swiftly before a south wind, with her colors flying. The Gaspe gave chase and in her eagerness ran aground on Namquit (now Gaspè) Point. Lindsay arrived at Providence at sunset, and gave information of the grounding of the schooner. An expedition for her destruction was immediately organized under Captain Whipple. Boats, with sixty-four well armed men went down the Bay in the night, and reached the Gaspè at about two o'clock in the morning. A sentinel hailed them. No reply was given. Duddington came on deck and fired a pistol at the boats. A musket shot was returned, which seriously wounded him. Then the Americans boarded the schooner, sent the crew and their effects on shore, and burned the vessel. Governor Wanton offered a reward for the discovery of the perpetrators, but no clew was obtained notwithstanding the crown also, offered a large reward. It afterward leaked out that Captain Whipple was the leader, and four years afterwards, Sir James Wallace, a British naval commander, then near Newport, wrote to that patriot, then a commander in the Continental service, saying: "You, Abraham Whipple, on the 9th of June, 1772, burned his majesty's vessel, the Gaspè, and I will hang you at the yard arm. To this Whipple replied: "To Sir James Wallace; Sir, Always catch a man before you hang him.-Abraham Whipple.' The Song above given is printed in the Phode Island Colonial Records, Vol. vii., page 191.- EDITOR.] |