RIVINGTON, James, American printer: b. London, about 1724; d. New York, 4 July 180Z Early in life he was a bookseller in London, but in 1760 came to America and opened a shop in Philadelphia, then in 1761 established himself in New York, and on 22 April 1773 began the publication of a newspaper entitled the New York Gasetteer,.or, the Connecticut, New Jeri sey, Hudson River and Quebec Advertiser. It was Royalist in sympathies and. circulated among the Tories, and gave to its publisher a position of some prominence, His affairs seem to have been under investigation by both the Provincial and Continental Congresses, and he himself was placed in temporary confinement In November 1775, in consequence of his constant assaults upon the _patriots, and especially Capp tain Sears, that officer Came from Connecticut with a of horsemen, proceeded to Rivington's printing office, destroyed the press and converted the types into bullets. Rivingtori
then went to England, and being appointed king's printer in New York, returned with a new press after the city had fallen into the hands of the British, and in October 1777 resumed the publication of his paper under the old ti soon changed to Rivingtos's 'New York LO Gazette, and on 13 December to the Royal a Bette. About 1781, when the success of the British was becoming very doubtful, he played the part of a spy, furnishing, Washington with important information. When, therefore, Nev York was evacuated Rivington remained in the city and changed the title of his paper to Rivington's New York Gazette and Unsversai Advertiser. The paper finally suspended pub-. lication in 1783, and he passed the remainder pf his life in comparative