Samuel Loudon

Politically, Loudon was a staunch Whig and patriot before and during the American Revolution.[12][13] He was awarded a contract for the official printer for the state and printed orders and other documents for the Continental Army.[14] Loudon, though a devoted Presbyterian and committed Republican, began printing a pamphlet written by Bishop Charles Inglis in March 1776 that was highly critical of another pamphlet entitled Common Sense, which was written by Thomas Paine. Paine's popular but controversial work was highly critical of the British Crown, Parliament and their dealings with the colonies, and strongly advocated the rebellion and the cause for American independence. Paine's work became one of the most influential works prior to the revolution. Inglis's critical pamphlet of this work was entitled The Deceiver Unmasked ; or Loyalty and Interest United. Various people in New York's extralegal committees warned Loudon against printing the incitetful pamphlet.[15] As a printer who strongly supported the ideal of free speech, however, Loudon saw nothing inconsistent with his advocacy and support for American independence by publishing a Loyalist tract criticizing Paine's work. Loudon had announced publication of The Deceiver' in several newspapers. This action caused him to fall into disfavor with the Sons of Liberty[lower-alpha 4] in the city. Loudon's fellow Whigs were surprised and alarmed at his action and subsequently a meeting was called where the concerned parties met. After voicing their disapproval with one another, and while drinking rum during the session, Alexander McDougall, and others, set out to Loudon's house on March 19, forced their way in, pulled Loudon out of his bed, and seized and destroyed the whole original manuscript and carried off and burned 1,500 impressions of the controversial editorial.[lower-alpha 5] In response Loudon, who had invested time and money into the printing, and though a strong advocate of American independence, strongly asserted his patriotism and voiced his resentment to it being challenged in an open letter, "To the Public", which he published in the April 11, 1976 issue of his New York Packet. Loudon exclaimed that an affront to the freedom of the press had been committed, and at a time when the question of independence was still an open question.[2][16]

The New-York Packet and The American Advertiser, founded and printed by Samuel Loudon.

Loudon founded and published a newspaper in New York City, The New-York Packet and The American Advertiser, on January 4, 1776, which he had printed on Thursday mornings. The newspaper was largely devoted to the cause for American independence.[7][17] The heading of the newspaper had an imprint which read: "Printed by Samuel Loudon, in Water-Street, between the Coffee-House and the Old Slip."[17]

British forces arrived at New York City in August 1776.[18] As the war unfolded and British troops also began to occupy various cites along the east coast, many printers were forced to pack up shop and relocate if they wished to save their printing presses and continue printing articles advocating the revolutionary cause.[19][lower-alpha 6] As a result of the war paper for printing was often difficult to acquire and sometimes caused delays in Loudon's newspaper publication.[20]

Loudon suspended publication of The New-York Packet on August 29, 1776, and fled New York City, and moved his large family and printing press first to Norwich, Connecticut just before the British entered the city. Once in the city British forces confiscated the printing press of Hugh Gaine.[21][22] While in Norwich he was a merchant for a short time and then moved to Fishkill, New York,[2][23] where he opened a store and print shop. During the war Fishkill was the location of the largest supply depot for the American army. He took on the responsibility of becoming the local postmaster as part of the duties of a printer, where he managed the handling of mail and decided on the various postal routes.[18] At that time in America it was not unusual for a printer to also be a postmaster. He resumed publication of The New-York Packet on January 16, 1777.[2]

In 1779 The Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania procured a subscription to London's New York Packet, and Secretary Mallack wrote to have it dispatched on a regular basis, "in order to have the files compleat" to which Loudon replied as follows :

FIshkill, 25th Feby. 1779.
Sir, Agreeable to your desire the paper shall be sent to you. I have published but few papers for
the past three months, owing to scarcity of Paper, but now have a parcel on the way hither and
in two weeks shall begin to forward them to you. I am sr
Your h'ble serv't
SAM LOUDON.[20]

Articles from the State of New York American Revolution Bicentennial Commission show that Fishkill became the first post office in New York state after the Americans took over the former British system in July 1776.[24] Fishkill then was considered the post office for the State of New York, and there were only eight post offices in the thirteen states. That post office was at the Isaac Van Wyck house on the Albany Post Road, where Loudon also published his newspaper. He did not tell his readers about the situation at the Fishkill Post Office in the Revolutionary War years when the little hamlet was a supply depot for American troops, and a meeting place for generals, or that it was the first New York State post office.[24][25]

A ledger of Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin notes that the revenue raised by two of the thirteen post offices for the first report period under the Americans on July 28, 1777. The post offices were at Fishkill and Fredericksburg, Virginia. The report shows Flshkill's revenue in that period was 1,237 pounds, 7 shillings and 8 pence, while the same period showed Fredericksburg's post office had a revenue of 62 pounds, 8 shillings and 9 pence.[24][lower-alpha 7]

Loudon's printing shop in Fishkill became of great service to the Continental Congress and various statesmen during the Revolutionary War. Loudon's newspaper featured various congressional resolutions that were enacted from time to time. In 1776 he printed "An Address of the Convention of the Representatives of the State of New York", dated December 23, 1776, from Abraham Ten Broeck[lower-alpha 8] to their constituents. Printings of the manuscript copy of Broeck's address were also forwarded to the Continental Congress on December 28, with notice that they had intended to have it translated into German.[26]

In a letter dated January 25, 1779, Major General Alexander McDougall submitted a letter to George Washington informing him of his orders for permits of provisions for his troops, and his proposed regulations of military prizes, requesting Washington's approval. Along with the letter, McDougall had enclosed copies of the orders, and also had them printed and published by Loudon on a two-page broadside in Loudon's newspaper when he was in Fishkill.[27]

During the Revolution, Fishkill was the site of Washington's headquarters and a large supply base, which supplied the northern department of the Continental Army, who were stationed there to prevent the British from advancing north from New York City.[28] While at Fishkill, Loudon corresponded with George Washington in the early 1780s over matters concerning supply stations for the American troops, and post riders and the mail sent to and from Washington. In 1781, Washington dispatched a letter to Loudon, dated July 10, requesting that Loudon publish a proclamation in his "useful newspaper", The New York Packet, informing the inhabitants of the Fishkill area that his army thereabouts "remains in its present Position, from Day Break till Noon", and that two market places will be open to aid in the supply of that army. The proclamation also assured that, "All Persons, who will bring any Articles of Provisions & Small Supplies for the Use of the Army..." would be protected from any subsequent repercussions that might result from their aid to the American army.[29]

In a letter dated July 30, 1782, Loudon informed Washington that he had been alerted by Ebenezer Hazard, postmaster in Philadelphia, that he had erroneously dispatched three letters from Washington intended for "Gentlemen in New Jersey", in with the mail sent to Philadelphia, and that along the post road his letters, and along with the rest of the mail, were intercepted by the British. Accepting full responsibility, Loudon had asked for Washington's understanding and pardon over the matter, along with an explanation from Loudon that such an oversight had never happened before, and with his assurances that this would never occur again.[30]

The New York Packet, November 1, 1781 issue

The Siege of Yorktown transpired over a period of more than three weeks, culminating in a victory for General Washington and his French allies, and the surrender of General Cornwallis in Yorktown, Virginia.[31] During this time various newspapers covered the siege, along with giving thanks and praise to Washington for his victory.[32] Several newspapers carried the same exact proclamation, with ornamental framing, in the headings, including Loudon's New York Packet and the American Advertiser. Ten days after Cornwallis' surrender Loudon featured the event in celebratory tones on the front page of the November 1, 1781 issue of The Packet. Just below the heading the Latin phrase LAUS DEO was inscribed in large bold letters, meaning "Praise be to God".[33][34]

Loudon returned to New York City after the British had surrendered and evacuated the city in August 1783. He reestablished The New-York Packet and his popular circulating library of pre-war days when he was a bookseller and librarian.[35] In the July 11 issue of his newspaper he had devoted an entire page to the printing of The Declaration of Independence. Loudon had it printed using a large font and framed it with decorations. It became the most elaborate printing of any government document. As the State Printer he printed New York's first Constitution in 1777 and after the revolution printed the "Laws of the State of New York" in 1786. He also printed Noah Webster's American Magazine for 1787–1788.[36]

Laws and Ordinances of New York state, 1786.

In 1783 Loudon printed the famous Newburgh letter[lower-alpha 9] in with a pamphlet called A Collection of Papers relating to Half Pay to the Officers of the Army, which he had reprinted several times. In 1784 Loudon printed and published Letters from Phocion by Alexander Hamilton, who wrote under the assumed name of Phocion. Hamilton's letters criticized the way in which Loyalists after the war were treated in New York State.[39]

Loudon as a merchant used his New York City print shop as a consignment store. The sale of personal property on commission was a common practice by Loudon. On September 20, 1784, he printed the following advertisement in The New York Packet and The American Advertiser": "German Flutes of a superior Quality to be sold at this Printing-office." The advertisement for the sale of John Jacob Astor's musical instruments was periodically published by Loudon in his newspaper to March 10, 1785.[40]

In 1784 Loudon printed and published a twenty-eight page tract, entitled A Letter from --[lower-alpha 10] in London, to his friend in America, on the subject of the slave trade : .... It was written by an anonymous writer in London, which castigated the practice of slavery and the slave trade in the American colonies.[41] Beginning in 1785 Loudon became an active member of New York's Saint Andrew Society and for many years was an elder of the Scotch Presbyterian Church on Cedar Street.[42] He was also an honorary member of the Society of the Cincinnati.[43]

Loudon published in 1786 the Laws of the City of New York, and another edition of the City Charter granted by Grovenor Montgomerie. In 1787 he took his son, John Loudon, into partnership, to form Loudon and Son. In 1792 Loudon retired from the business.[7] In February 1792, Loudon, with his son, started publication of The Diary or Loudon's Register, which was issued daily, but its publication was short lived.[44] Loudon was commissioned in 1793 by Edmond-Charles Genêt, who had obtained asylum in American during the French Revolution, to print various letters he had written to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in the Loudon's Register.[45][lower-alpha 11] Loudon's Register also covered the events and public and political opinions surrounding the Whiskey Rebellion which ended in 1794.[46]

In 1793 a yellow fever epidemic broke out in Philadelphia, which affected nearly everyone in that city. Not understanding its cause and knowing no other recourse, Presbyterian minister John Mitchell Mason commissioned Loudon, though retired, to print a sermon he had written, which was read in New York on a day set aside for public fasting and prayer for the people in Philadelphia.[47]

The idea for the need of a strong federal government to unify the newly established states was promoted in the 1780s by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay and other members of the Federalist Party in a series of eighty-five essays in support of the ratification of the United States Constitution, commonly referred to as The Federalist Papers.[48][lower-alpha 12] Loudon sided with the Federalists[50] and his newspaper, The New York Packet and American Advertiser, was one of four New York newspapers initially chosen to publish the federalist essays.[51][lower-alpha 13] They were published beginning October 27, 1787 until August 1788, during the ratification sessions. Accordingly, selected essays appeared in the various issues of Loudon's The New York Packet during this time period. Their publications were met with mixed public reaction, and also resulted in an editor war among many of the newspapers of the time.[52] Hamilton wrote many of the Federalist essays in haste under great pressure. Loudon was one of the few people that knew Hamilton was writing under the assumed name of Publius. Hamilton's life long friend Robert Troup once noted Loudon in Hamilton's study waiting to take numbers of the Federalist as quickly as Hamilton turned them out, so they could be printed directly in the next issue of Loudon's New York Packet.[53] The Packet proved to be a pro-federalist newspaper inasmuch as the essays it featured advocated ratification of the proposed Constitution and written for a newspaper readership which included editorial comment from Hamilton.[54][55]

After the United States Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788 the competition over the public printing contract for the newly established government became stringent among the leading printers in New York. Along with Samuel Loudon, there was Francis Childs, Thomas Greenleaf, Archibald McLean, and John Fenno who all submitted petitions for this important contract. In a letter of May 22, 1789 Loudon wrote to Alexander Hamilton and outlined what he felt were his advantages over the other printers and why he should be awarded the contract. His letter reminded Hamilton "for the sole reason, because I took sides with the Federalists, I had been told during last summer, that I would have the printing business for that very reason." His letter also pointed out that he had the largest print shop in the city and that he had experience in this field as a former official printer for the state of New York.[50] Beginning in 1789, however, Francis Childs and John Swaine were awarded contracts for printing the laws and various official documents for the United States Government, including the Standing Rules and Orders of the House of Representatives, 1789 and the Acts Passed at the First Congress, 1789.[56][57][58]