paper was
established and published by Hugh Gaine, at the sign of the Bible and
Crown, Hanover square. It was conducted with taste and ability, and
became the best newspaper in the Colonies. In 1763, Gaine was arraigned
by the Assembly for publishing a part of its proceedings without
permission, and withal incorrectly. He was a gentleman of a kind spirit,
and never had the power to withhold an apology when it was asked. He
accordingly apologized, was reprimanded, and discharged.

As the storm of war drew on in 1775, the _Mercury_ contained a series of
patriotic papers, under the signature of the Watch Tower. But as the
British forces drew near to New York, the patriotism of Gaine began to
cool; and during the whole course of the Revolutionary war, his
_Mercury_ afforded very accurate indications of the state of the
contest. When with the Whigs, Hugh Gaine was a Whig. When with the
Royalists, he was loyal. When the contest was doubtful, equally doubtful
were the politics of Hugh Gaine. In short, he was the most perfect
pattern of the genuine non-committal. On the arrival of the British army
he removed to Newark for a while; but soon returned to the city and
published a paper devoted to the cause of the Crown. His course was a
fruitful theme for the wags of the day; and at the peace, a poetical
petition from Gaine to the Senate of the State, setting forth his life
and conduct, was got up with a good deal of talent and humor. His paper
ceased with the war.

Another paper, called the _New York Gazette_, was commenced by Wayman,
the former associate of Parker. In 1766, Wayman was arrested for a
contempt of the Assembly, upon no other charge than that of two
typographical errors in printing the speech of Sir Henry Moore, the
Governor of the Colony. One of these errors consisted in printing the
word NEVER for _ever_; and the other was the omission of the word NO, by
reason of which the meaning of the sentence was reversed. Wayman
protested that it was a mere inadvertency; but so tenacious were
legislators in those days of 'privilege,' that an investigation was
instituted; but in the end the transgressor was discharged from 'durance
vile,' on condition of acknowledging his fault, asking pardon, and
promising to behave more circumspectly for the future.

The Assembly, however, was more rigid in this case, from the suspicion
entertained that one of the errors was intentional; but such was clearly
not the fact.

Nothing can b