It would be past tense because when you say something occurred you are saying that it has already happened
The one that is correct in here is the second option because in "our town" <span>Crowell delivers the paper in Act 2 and his brother, Joe delivers it in Act1, So Joe is not anymore the paperboy in the second one </span>
If you're looking for a certain portion of this excerpt that restates the main idea, I would have to say that the first few words explain it very well: "<span>I demand that my books be judged with utmost severity..." The writer of this statement is saying that they wish for their books to only be judged by those who are educated in grammar and logic. </span>