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Hugh Gaine, a prominent New York City printer, bookseller, and newspaper publisher, navigated a complex career marked by his divided loyalties during the American Revolution. Gaine began his business in 1750 and launched the New York Mercury on August 3, 1752, later renaming it Gaine’s New York Gazette and Mercury in 1767. An industrious publisher, Gaine personally handled many aspects of production, including typesetting, printing, folding, and delivering his newspaper, which reached a circulation of approximately 400 copies.
Initially, Gaine suspended publication in 1765 to protest the Stamp Act, aligning with colonial resistance. However, his neutrality during the Revolutionary period drew criticism. Despite his claim of impartiality—advertising that his press was open to all perspectives—the Sons of Liberty attacked his shop in November 1775. This hostility prompted Gaine to relocate to Newark, New Jersey, where he published a moderately pro-independence newspaper. However, after the British took control of New York, Gaine returned and adopted a pro-British stance, prominently displaying the Bible and Crown in his newspaper's masthead. His perceived opportunism provoked satirical criticism from patriot poet Philip Freneau.
Beyond newspapers, Gaine ran a successful bookshop with Samuel Loudon and excelled in book publishing, even as his newspaper ventures faltered. After the Revolution, Gaine sought and received permission to remain in New York City. Although his divided allegiances left a controversial legacy, he remained a significant figure in early American printing.
