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A History of the Maryland Press, 1777-1790
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August 8, 1787, with William Goddard's remarks inscribed in the
corner. The first daily paper successfully printed in Baltimore was the
Daily Repository begun October 24, 1791.
In the fall of 1789, Samuel and John Adams of Wilmington, Delaware,
established a printing business in Baltimore and published an almanac
for 1790. Their arrival had been announced in the Maryland Gazette:
Samuel and John Adams,
Printers,
From Wilmington, Delaware State,
Having opened a Printing-Office in Market-Street, nearly opposite the post-office, Baltimore,
respectfully inform the public, as Book-Work, &c. is the principal object they have in view, of being
engaged in, that they are now ready to receive the commands of all those who may be pleased to
employ them in that line of business; and will only observe that their "most efforts shall be exerted
to merit the approbation and favour of their employers, and the public in general.—Hand-bills,
advertisements, all kinds of blank-work, &c. done expeditiously, with care, and on the Most Reason-
able Terms.
At said office may be had, a variety of Books and Stationary; where country store-keepers, back-
country traders, and others, may be supplied at the lowest prices. Great allowance will be made
to those who may purchase by the quantity. August 252
They operated the new shop as a branch of their larger business in Wil-
mington and presumably intended to print only almanacs, handbills
and blank forms in Baltimore. The heavy press work was probably to
have been done at the main office.
THE EXTENSION OF THE PRESS TO THE EASTERN SHORE
The printing press was set up for the first time in Easton late in the
year 1789 or early in 1790. On July 3, 1789, James Cowan published a
prospectus for a weekly paper to serve the population of the Eastern
Shore.
"To The Public.
It is of infinite importance to every free people, that they should be accurately and speedily
informed of the measures of government. A partial view of them would create discontent; an ig-
norance of them might terminate in loss of liberty..... the editor of the proposed plan takes the
liberty of observing, that a paper established at Easton, commonly called Talbot Court-house,
would, in a great degree, put it in the power of the Eastern Shore to obtain every public information
by a ready and cheap communication. His paper would reach the interior parts of each county—
and hundreds who could not choose to take more expensive and distant prints, might profit by
their communications. To the lower and more inland counties, a press at Easton would be, a source
from which political intelligence might diffuse itself, of the highest consequence......."3
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3 Maryland Gazette. August 27, 1789.
4 See Bibliography of Imprints, no. 4%.
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