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Letter to Editor
February 2, 1776
The Virginia Gazette
Williamsburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
A letter to Mr. Purdie criticizes Lord Dunmore's newspaper as a tool of the British ministry, highlighting its biased coverage of the king's speech, servile parliamentary addresses, a proclamation urging coastal residents to remain and supply provisions, and the cannonade and burning of Norfolk, contrasting it with impartiality on the Great Bridge incident.
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Full Text
Mr. Purdie,
I HAVE seen one of lord Dunmore's newspapers, in which there is the king's speech and the addresses of both Houses of Parliament, a proclamation of his lordship's, an account of the cannonade and burning of Norfolk, and some other pieces of less importance; but all of them serve to show what an engine of state a PRESS is when in the hands of the ministry, or its tools. The addresses are the most abject and servile echoes of the speech, evidently the production of the same author. The proclamation is an artful invitation to our countrymen on the sea coast and rivers to continue where they are, and an exhortation to them not to retire up the country, where he says they will have exorbitant rents to pay (by the bye, to the shame of some of our countrymen, there is too much truth in this) but to take care of their plantations, and to sell provisions to the ships and army. The Norfolk affair is related with the same truth and impartiality with which that at the Great Bridge was told.
I HAVE seen one of lord Dunmore's newspapers, in which there is the king's speech and the addresses of both Houses of Parliament, a proclamation of his lordship's, an account of the cannonade and burning of Norfolk, and some other pieces of less importance; but all of them serve to show what an engine of state a PRESS is when in the hands of the ministry, or its tools. The addresses are the most abject and servile echoes of the speech, evidently the production of the same author. The proclamation is an artful invitation to our countrymen on the sea coast and rivers to continue where they are, and an exhortation to them not to retire up the country, where he says they will have exorbitant rents to pay (by the bye, to the shame of some of our countrymen, there is too much truth in this) but to take care of their plantations, and to sell provisions to the ships and army. The Norfolk affair is related with the same truth and impartiality with which that at the Great Bridge was told.
What sub-type of article is it?
Political
Persuasive
Provocative
What themes does it cover?
Politics
Military War
Press Freedom
What keywords are associated?
Lord Dunmore
Kings Speech
Parliamentary Addresses
Norfolk Burning
Great Bridge
Press As State Engine
British Proclamation
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Purdie
Letter to Editor Details
Recipient
Mr. Purdie
Main Argument
lord dunmore's newspaper serves as a biased engine of state propaganda under ministerial control, with servile echoes of the king's speech, an artful proclamation to retain coastal support, and partial accounts of events like the norfolk burning.
Notable Details
King's Speech
Addresses Of Both Houses Of Parliament
Proclamation Inviting Coastal Residents To Stay And Supply Provisions
Cannonade And Burning Of Norfolk
Contrast With Great Bridge Account