A History of Printing in Colonial Maryland

ing the tide, "The Maryland Gazette, Reviving," and finally on February
20th appeared, "The Maryland Gazette, Revived." On March 6th came
"The Maryland Gazette" without further witty or indiscreet modification,
and from that time until its ultimate extinction more than eighty years
later, there was only one serious interruption to the issues of this celebrated
newspaper.¹ Thomas says of Green's journal: "The typographical features
of this Gazette were equal to those of any paper then printed on the con-
tinent."²

GREEN'S LAST YEARS AND HIS DEATH IN 1767

Throughout the period of his service in Maryland, Green continued to
print the session laws of the Province and the Votes and Proceedings of the
Lower House of Assembly⁸ together with such other governmental and po-
litical papers as circumstances rendered necessary. His great work, how-
ever, was the printing of that volume frequently referred to in this study,
the edition of the laws compiled by Thomas Bacon. He began the compo-
sition of this book in 1762, and worked at it steadily until its completion
late in the year 1765. In another chapter the printing of this work will be
discussed at length, but there may be quoted at this time the dictum of a
bibliographer who has been referred to several times earlier in this narra-
tive: "This sumptuous volume," says Charles Evans, "is a monument to
the reverend author, and to its printer, as one of the noblest monuments of
printing produced in the American colonies."⁴

On April 16, 1767, the following notice appeared in the Maryland Gazette:

On Saturday Evening last died, at his late Dwelling-House, Mr. Jonas Green, for twen-
ty-eight years Printer to this Province, and Twenty-one years Printer and Publisher of the
Maryland Gazette: He was one of the Aldermen of this City. It would be the highest In-
discretion in us, to attempt giving the character he justly deserved, only we have Reason
to regret the Loss of him, in the various Stations of Husband, Parent, Master and Com-
panion.

In the space beneath this modest notice of the passing of a good man
and an honest and accomplished craftsman, Anne Catharine Green begged
for the continued patronage by the people of Maryland of her press and
newspaper. That this patronage was received the further history of this,
the most famous of Maryland presses gives assurance.

¹Brigham, C. S., Bibliography of American Newspapers, 1690-1820. (Part III). In Proceedings of the American
Antiquarian Society, April 1915.

²Thomas, Isaiah, under Newspapers, Maryland.

³Until the session of May 1747, the printing of the Votes and Proceedings had been provided for by ordi-
nance or resolution of each session. It became statutory at the session named.

⁴ Evans, Charles. American Bibliography, No. 10049.

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