USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. II > Part 80
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Three other Newport weekly papers were short-lived-the "Anti-Masonic Rhode Islander," 1829, organ of the anti-Masonic party ; the "Freedmen's Advocate and Impartial Inquirer," 1830, which supported President Andrew Jackson's policies; the "Rhode Island Gazette," 1834, purporting to revive James Franklin's enterprise of 1732. The "Herald of the Times" was established in 1830, renamed as the "Herald of the Times and Rhode Islander" in 1846, and continued from 1849 to 1856 as the "Herald of the Times." The "Newport Journal," 1867, was established as a weekly issue of the "Daily News." Newport's first daily
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newspaper, the "Newport Daily News," was established in 1846 by Orin F. Jackson. Jackson was succeeded by William H. Cranston in 1848, and the latter by George H. Norman in 1849. Under these able editors the "News" became a strong newspaper. It absorbed in 1849 the "Daily Herald," which had been published for a short time previously by S. S. Eastman from the office of the "Herald of the Times." Another "Herald," the "Newport Daily Herald," was established in 1892 by the Herald Publishing Company. At the same time the "Providence Democrat" removed to Newport, and was continued for a short time as a weekly edition of the "Herald." The "Herald" eventually became an independent Republican newspaper. It absorbed, in 1894, the "Season," a daily paper published first in 1886, and in 1888 continued as the "Daily Observer and the Season." The "Newport Daily Advertiser" was first published in November, 1849, and printed as a daily for the last time on April 1, 1850; in January, 1850, the editor started the "Newport Weekly Advertiser," which continued until 1882. Other Newport publications included three historical quarterlies, the "Newport Historical Maga- zine," 1880-1884 ; the "Rhode Island Historical Magazine," 1884-1887 ; and the "Magazine of New England History." 1891-1893, besides a large number of periodicals that were short- lived. At the end of the nineteenth century Newport had two strong daily newspapers, the "News" and the "Herald," and two weeklies, the "Mercury" and the "Journal," the latter published by the "News." The "Mercury" was published by the veteran John P. Sanborn from 1872. The "Mercury" was acquired by the "News" in 1927, and has been issued since then as a weekly edition of the "News," replacing the "Journal." "L'Alba Russo," a weekly news- paper, was also published in Newport in 1930. The "Mercury's" original press, the same one which the elder James Franklin set up at Newport so early as 1727, was sold in 1859 to John B. Murray, who promised to place it in the Patent Office at Washington or in some other suitable place for preservation and exhibition. Instead, it was presented to the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanics' Association in 1864, on the anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth, as the first press on which Benjamin Franklin had worked. Murray placed in the Patent Office in 1841 a press on which Benjamin Franklin had worked while in London.
PARTY ORGANS-John Carter continued to publish the "Providence Gazette" as sole proprietor until 1792. He had been postmaster at "Providence" from 1772, and in 1793 formed a partnership with William Wilkinson, who had been appointed as his successor as postmaster. Both post office and printing shop were removed to the firm's new building, years afterward known as the "Old Coffee House," which had been erected at what is now the corner of Canal Street and Market Square. The partnership ended May 9, 1799, when Wilkinson withdrew. The association had not been happy, and it ended in an open quarrel. It is possible, even probable, that the appointment of Wilkinson had been political. Carter, after supporting the Revolution vigorously, had opposed the ascendancy of the paper money party in Rhode Island, and also the ratification of the Federal Constitution. In the first instance, the positions were not contradictory, but Carter failed to shift from anti-federalism when so many prominent Rhode Islanders urged ratification as a relief from economic evils attending inflation of the currency, and the rising commercial interest in the state feared the effects of isolation upon their trade. Neither the Federalist party in its early history, nor the Republican party later, hesitated to use federal patronage to promote party purposes. The combination of newspaper publisher and postmaster was ideal as a method of helping the publisher economically through the salary or fees, and of assuring a loyal party organ. John Carter had been shrewd enough to form a partnership with the new postmaster, but it is scarcely possible that he could forget the succession. Toward the end of the partnership Carter, in the columns of the "Gazette," openly accused the postmaster of withholding letters addressed to Carter. Disputes arose in final accounting, and Carter by innuendo accused his
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partner of proposing "submitting matters and things to referees" and requiring "sixteen months to manufacture tragicomic accounts for their inspection and amusement." So late as 1802 Carter announced the invention of a new system of bookkeeping not requiring "Cash book, sale book, journal, invoice-book and such like lumber" by an "ingenious projector" whom he styled "William Swindle, Esquire, Master of Arts and Professor of Legerdemain." The "Gazette" removed from the Canal Street building in 1812 to College Street. It was sold in 1814 to Hugh H. Brown and William H. Wilson.
John Carter died August 20, 1815. Walter R. Danforth was editor, 1820-1825, and Albert G. Greene, 1825. until October, when the "Gazette" was united with the "American." The press and book and job type were retained by Hugh H. Brown, who continued to maintain a printing office at the old stand, College and South Main Streets, after the partnership had been dissolved, until his death in 1863. The equipment was sold for junk in 1863. The "Gazette's" earliest competitors were the "American Journal and General Advertiser," 1779- 1781, published by Solomon Southwick and Bennett Wheeler ; and the "United States Chron- icle," political, commercial and historical, 1784-1803, published by Bennett Wheeler. A building for the "Chronicle" was erected in 1796 at Westminster and Exchange Streets; Wheeler offered "to receive of any of his customers or of any person indebted to him, ranging timber, joists, boards, plank, shingles, laths, clapboards, nails, lime, brick, stone, or mason's and carpenter's work," adding "Those who are indebted and cannot supply any of the above articles, will please to furnish a little cash, which will also be wanted." The "Chronicle" opposed Governor Fenner and was condemned in resolutions adopted by the General Assembly in 1801 for "slandering and defaming the Governor, Supreme Court and other constituted authorities of this State."
Other competitors were the "State Gazette" and "Town and County Advertiser," pub- lished in 1796 by Joseph Fry; and the "Impartial Observer," anti-Federalist, 1800-1801, published by Benoni Williams. John Carter, Jr., published the "Providence Journal and Town and County Advertiser," 1799-1802, from the "Gazette" office, then owned by his father. The "Journal" had a contract for publishing the laws of the United States, and printed them so that a half-sheet, containing only the laws, could be separated from the rest of the paper and bound in a complete volume without other matter. Practically John Carter and son were publishing a semi-weekly newspaper, the son issuing the "Journal" on Wednesdays, and the father the "Gazette" on Saturdays. The end of the century was reached with four news- papers-the "Gazette," "Chronicle," "Journal" and "Observer," all but the "Gazette" destined to early demise.
Three rivals of the "Providence Gazette," which scarcely survived the turn of the cen- tury, were succeeded by others-the "Impartial Observer," 1801-1803; "Liberty's Centinel," 1803 ; the "Rhode Island Farmer," 1804-1805 ; the "Providence Centinel and War Chronicle," 1812, the latter with George R. Burrill as editor. The "Providence Phoenix," a Republican weekly, was established in 1803, one of the owners being Senator Theodore Foster. The news- paper changed owners and editors frequently. Josiah Jones and Bennett H. Wheeler, who obtained control in 1807, changed the name to "Phenix" and later to "Columbian Phenix," and again to "Columbian Phenix or Providence Patriot." From 1814 it was known as the "Provi- dence Patriot Columbian Phenix." It was a semi-weekly from 1819 to 1832; in the latter year it was discontinued. Bennett H. Wheeler was a son of Bennett Wheeler, whose name had been associated with several enterprises since his partnership with Solomon Southwick in 1779. Bennett H. Wheeler was postmaster in Providence 1824-1831, and was removed by President Jackson in 1831. Thereafter he took little interest in public affairs ; he died in 1863. His connection with the "Phenix," or the "Patriot" as it was more commonly known, con- tinued actively for sixteen years, and the paper during that time "was a terror to the Feder-
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alists of Rhode Island." Of the "Patriot" the "Gazette" said in 1820: "The 'Patriot' has the largest circulation and their advertising patronage is the largest, notwithstanding it is a Democratic paper and the town is Federal." The paradox has been repeated in Providence in the twentieth century. William Simons, who had been publisher of the "Newport Republican," which he sold in 1825, became editor of the "Patriot" following Wheeler, continuing four years, at the end of which he became editor of the new "Republican Herald" of Providence.
The "Rhode Island American," 1808, was first published as a semi-weekly at the sign of the "American Eagle," opposite the Market, and in 1812 removed to the building previously occupied by the "Gazette." William G. Goddard, son of William Goddard, who founded the "Gazette," was editor of the "American" from 1814 to 1825, when the "American" and "Gazette" were consolidated, with Francis Y. Carlile and H. H. Brown as owners. B. F. Hallett, who had been editor of the "Journal," became editor of the "American and Gazette" in 1827. The "American and Gazette" acquired W. R. Danforth's "Microcosm," which had been established as a weel:ly in 1825, and continued the paper. The "American and Gazette" purchased also the "Cadet and Statesman," which had been founded in 1826 as the "Literary Cadet and Saturday Evening Bulletin." The name of the principal weekly paper resulting from the consolidation for a time was "Rhode Island American, Statesman and Providence Gazette." The "Providence Daily Advertiser," the first Rhode Island daily newspaper, was issued from the "American" office July 20, 1829, anticipating the "Providence Daily Journal" by one day. The "Advertiser" was discontinued a few months later. The "Gazette" was last published under the name "City Gazette." The "Daily Advertiser" printed its own death notice January II, 1833, thus: "The patrons of the 'Daily Advertiser, and American and Gazette' are hereby informed that those papers will be discontinued on February 1, 1833. The patrons may inquire what are the reasons for this sudden change? The answer is, I have hinted that a Methodist clergyman is suspected of having committed an atrocious murder in Tiverton, in this State, and have displeased the church ; and these papers I intend shall give the whole his- tory of that most foul transaction, without fear or favor, and the subscription list then, in my opinion, will be of no value. The 'Microcosm' and 'Weekly American,' not being concerned in the sin of exposing this foul murder, will be continued with unabated energy, and will be forwarded to all subscribers of the 'Rhode Island American' after the first of February. Whilst managing these papers, as a printer, I have endeavored to go by the rule I followed whilst tilling the ground-that is to deal justly in all business transactions, live soberly, and work early and late. I have made no new debts since I have been a printer, that are unpaid, to my knowledge; if there are any, I am ready to settle them. The labor and paper I have always paid for weekly. I have, therefore, a clear conscience, a stout heart, and some money in my pocket." The notice was signed by Daniel Mowry, 3d, who had become proprietor of the newspapers by dissolution of partnership.
THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL-The "Manufacturers and Farmers Journal and Providence and Pawtucket Advertiser," was issued as a semi-weekly paper on January 3, 1820. The name was shortened to "Manufacturers and Farmers Journal," May 1, 1848. The new paper was published by John Miller and John Hutchins. The first editor was William E. Richmond, a lawyer, who fifty years later wrote: "It was almost exclusively in the night season that the 'Journal' was edited, as a relaxation from the daily labors of another profession ; and it was understood from the beginning, that so soon as the 'Journal' could be considered as securely established, another editor should be procured." Successors of Richmond before 1840 were Benjamin F. Hallett, who left the "Journal" April 2, 1827, to become editor of the "American and Gazette" April 3, 1827; Thomas Rivers, who was editor when the "Daily Journal" was started in 1829; Lewis S. Clark, George Paine, John B. Snow, Thomas H. Webb, and Henry
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B. Anthony. The motto of the new paper was "Encourage National Industry," and the pro- prietors disclaimed interest in "the party or local politics of the day," since "their discussion might call attention from the main objects of our 'Journal,' and create collisions highly detri- mental to our patrons and ourselves. . . . The support of that system of domestic and foreign politics, which has obtained the approbation of all parties, and is emphatically denominated 'The American policy,' will occupy our attention. To sum all up in a few words : Our 'Journal' will be devoted to the support of the Manufacturing and American policy. It will be a medium of scientific, manufacturing and mercantile information, and a faithful reporter of the passing news. . . . . The manufacturing and agricultural interests are inseparable. A principal, and in our opinion a conclusive, argument in favor of manufactures arises from the consideration that they encourage the cultivation of the soil by furnishing a home market for its products. The manufacturing and farming interests must, therefore, rise or fall together. We pledge ourselves that the interests of the most useful and honorable class in the community will be faithfully supported in the pages of our 'Journal.'"
The paper had the support of Benjamin Aborn, William and Richard Anthony, Samuel Arnold, James Burrill, Timothy Green, Joseph Harris, Richard and George and Nathan W. Jackson, Amasa and William H. Mason, James and Christopher and William Rhodes, Samuel and John Slater, William Sprague and his sons, Amasa and William Sprague, William Valen- tine, and David Wilkinson, all manufacturers or interested as investors in manufacturing. The "Independent Inquirer," a weekly established in 1823, was acquired by the "Journal" in 1825, and issued as a weekly under the name "Rhode Island Country Journal" until 1897. The "Providence Daily Journal" was issued July 21, 1829, action being precipitated by the first printing of the "Providence Daily Advertiser" on the day preceding. The era of weekly newspapers, which ended in Providence in midsummer, 1829, may be summarized for clarity thus : The "Providence Gazette" had one competitor, the "Phenix" from 1803 to 1808; two, the "American" added, from 1808 to 1820; three, the "Journal" added, from 1820, counting only separate establishments. The "Gazette" and "American" consolidated in 1825, leaving three rival weeklies. A fourth weekly, the "Republican Herald," was published first on July I, 1828. A year later the "Daily Advertiser" was issued, and the "Journal" appeared as a daily one day following the "Advertiser." The "Phenix," in 1832, and the "Advertiser," and "American and Gazette," in 1833, were discontinued, leaving the "Journal" and the "Herald." The "Herald" continued as a weekly, the "Journal" was issuing a daily, the "Man- ufacturers and Farmers Journal" as a semi-weekly, and the "Rhode Island Country Journal" as a weekly. Four short-lived dailies-the "Free Press," 1830; the "Daily American," 1831 ; the "Public Ledger," 1831, and the "Daily City Gazette," 1833-and two weeklies-the "Literary Subaltern," 1829-1833, and the "Chronicle of the Times," 1831, had been established and discontinued. The "Free Press" was anti-Masonic, and the plant had been moved from Pawtucket. The explanation of the frequency of new ventures previous to 1860 lay in (I) the low cost and still primitive nature of the equipment necessary, and (2) the practice of hiring out the composition and press work. Instead of investing in a plant, the publishers might contract with the proprietor of an established commercial printing business to print their newspaper. Within the period of relatively a few issues the probable success or failure could be estimated accurately. The paper was discontinued if circulation and advertising patronage failed to measure up to expectations. Type was hand-set as it had been from the beginning of printing, and little improvement in printing presses had been accomplished. Market Square was the center of the printing business; the "Journal" lists the "Providence Patriot," the "Microcosm," the "Literary Cadet," the "Christian Telescope," the "Religious Messenger," the "Pawtucket Chronicle," and the "anti-Universalist" as published there in 1827; and among other papers of the period 1827-1829, the "Investigator and General Intelligencer," the "Gospel
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Preacher," the "Juvenile Gazette," the "Toilet or Ladies' Cabinet of Literature," the "Origi- nal," the "Beacon Light," the "Little Genius," the "Literary Subaltern," and the "Brunonian."
The "Patriot," commenting on the issuing of two daily newspapers in Providence on successive days, said :
There was a tremendous flurry among the editors and printers in this town on Monday last. An amal- gamation of the American and Cadet was announced, and succeeded by the eruption of daily sheets from the conjoined presses. Soon comes the Journal with a fiery handbill, announcing their intention of immediately commencing a daily-and a general alarm ensued. The weeklies, semi-weeklies and the dailies flew about the streets like frightened pigeons on the firing of a Fourth of July salute. Amidst the general confusion, our devil,* in the cock-loft, undismayed by the howlings of the storm, issued his manifesto in the following terms, which added ten fold to the terrors of the surrounding scene: "To the Public-If sufficient encouragement can be given, on and after the first day of August next, the Providence Patriot will be published three times a day, viz., morning, noon and evening-so that our readers may have a paper at each meal. For those who indulge in hearty suppers just before going to bed, we shall issue a small Night Bulletin, by way of a digester."
The "Journal" was little more prosperous than its competitors, in the beginning; there were frequent changes of ownership and removals. Knowles & Burroughs bought the paper in 1838, and Henry B. Anthony acquired an interest a short time later. Meanwhile Burroughs had been replaced by John W. Vose. The combination of Anthony as editor and Knowles as practical printer was successful, the former making the paper popular and influential, and the latter assuring economical management. For a time, while Burroughs was a partner, the "Journal" used a unique news service. New York was the news center of the country, and news gathered in New York for the "Journal" was set into type there, and shipped via Ston- ington by boat and train to reach the "Journal" office early the next morning ; the advantage lay in having type ready for printing at the time when a rival newspaper was in possession only of copy, and that involved hours while newspapers were hand set. The "Journal" utilized telegraph service for collecting news in 1848, the year in which Zachary Taylor defeated Lewis Cass for President. The first important change in mechanical equipment was made in 1856, when the "Journal" installed a Hoe single-cylinder press operated by steampower. Following the use of telegraph, the work of setting type and printing, which in early days had ended usually before supper, was shifted from day to night ; thus to use to the most advantage the new process of collecting news and printing it early. In application the same principle led to the printing of an afternoon newspaper, the "Bulletin," during the Civil War, thus to relay to the people the latest dispatches from the front. The "Evening Bulletin" made its first ap- pearance on January 26, 1863. The "Bulletin" was not the first evening newspaper published in Rhode Island.
DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPERS-The "Republican Herald" continued as a Democratic news- paper under administration of members of the Simons family. It was issued as a semi-weekly January 7, 1832. Its office was a gathering place for the Democratic politicians of the period- James Fenner, who was Governor-1807-1811, and 1824-1831 ; Dexter Randall and Jones Titus. who with Colonel Simons, editor, were called the "Big Four." The Dorr movement was not so clearly a Democratic party movement as to win support by the "Herald." As a party the Democrats hesitated to support Dorr in the critical stages of the movement, and again to rise to the possible advantages to them that lay in the extension of suffrage under the new Constitution. James Fenner, old line Democrat, became the Law and Order party candidate for Governor and was elected as the first Governor under the new Constitution. Colonel Simons, on the other hand, was a personal friend of Dorr, and the latter went to the
*The printer's apprentice.
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Simons house when returning to the state to face trial for treason. The "Herald" "explained" its position later, asserting that it had the choice of silence or destruction of its plant, and chose discretion. The Dorr movement suffered, somewhat, probably, for want of an efficient public newspaper, although the "New Age," a weekly and the "Daily Express" were issued as "Dorrite." The "Journal" at the time opposed public violence, and as the Dorr movement ran its erratic course after Dorr's initial failure to act, ridiculed the leader; nevertheless, the "Journal" favored a new Constitution as a solution of the situation, provided the new Con- stitution were drafted, adopted and put into effect by orderly processes, and the newspaper's vigorous opposition, both to the "lawless procedure" of Dorr and to reaction that might have forestalled action in 1842, did much to help the Law and Order party to find itself. The "Journal" emerged with new prestige; the "Herald" had alienated support.
A newspaper, the "Providence Daily Gazette," was issued April 20, 1844, by Joseph M. Church from the printing office of William Jones Miller. Neutral at first, it became Demo- cratic ; and in March, 1845, issued a weekly edition, the "Democratic Republican." Although the "Daily Gazette" claimed the largest circulation in Rhode Island in 1845, it was discon- tinued in November, 1846. Four years later Welcome B. Sayles, the postmaster in Providence, and William Jones Miller published the "Daily Post" and "Weekly Post." Clement Webster was editor. The new papers were Democratic. Aaron Simons was admitted to the partnership January 1, 1853, when the "Republican Herald," after nearly a quarter of a century of existence, was consolidated with the "Post." The latter was then the only Democratic news- paper and the strongest rival of the "Journal." The "Post" reached the apex of prosperity in 1860. when the size of the paper was increased and a cylinder press was installed. Gideon Bradford, Collector of the Port, had replaced Welcome B. Sayles in the partnership in 1858. Edwin Metcalf, first, and Thomas Steere, later, succeeded Clement Webster as editor. Along with the Democratic party, the "Post" lost prestige during the Civil War, and in 1863 the pro- prietor offered to sell the newspaper to Democratic politicians, with the alternative of discon- tinuance. The "Post" suspended publication on May 20, 1867, the weekly being continued as the "Herald." The "Morning Herald" was issued from the "Post" plant on May 20, 1867. Both morning and weekly papers were controlled eventually by the A. & W. Sprague Com- pany, and both were discontinued May 21, 1873, anticipating by only a few months the total collapse of the Sprague interests. The Democratic party had no newspaper for a few years following the suspension of the "Herald."
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