Introductory Newspaper Catalog: Antebellum Americana

` Introductory Newspaper Catalog: Antebellum Americana

Presented for sale by Phil Barber, Cambridge, Mass. 02139 Telephone (617) 492-4653

www.historicpages.com

Antebellum American Newspapers Introductory Catalog

About This Era and its Newspapers

The inhabitants of the United States have, then, at present, no national literature. The only authors who I acknowledge as American are the journalists. They are indeed not great writers, but they speak the language of their countrymen, and make themselves heard by them. -Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1831.

In this category I list newspapers from the time of the "Penny Press" revolution of the 1830's up to outbreak of the Civil War. In the Jacksonian populist Thirties, a revolution in mass communication took place, as radical as the change in the national government. Unprecedented advances in printing and paper making technology led to an explosion of newspaper growth, resulting in the emergence of the "Penny Press". It was so named because it was now possible for the first time to produce a daily newspaper that could be sold for just a cent a copy. Previously, newspapers were the province of the wealthy, literate minority. The price of a year's subscription, usually over a full week's pay for a laborer, had to be paid in full and "invariably in advance." This sudden availability of cheap, interesting reading material was a significant stimulus to the achievement of the nearly universal literacy, and more participation by all classes in the political process, now taken for granted in America.

A newspaper is a combination of good things, an excellent feast; and what, I ask, can appear more interesting than to see the members of a family sitting on a cold winter evening, around a good blazing fire, listening to the voice of one who reads to them the news of the day? A family without a newspaper? Why, the very idea of it seems to involve an absurdity. What, a man living in a free land, among a free people that elect their own rulers, and govern themselves, and take no paper? Truly of such persons it may be said "eyes they have, and see not" the things which they ought to know and understand... -Editorial in an 1844 Boston newspaper.

The industrial revolution, as it transformed all aspects of American life and society, dramatically affected newspapers. Both the numbers of papers and their paid circulations rose dramatically in this period. The differences in the earliest issues and the latest in this period are quite startling. The true modern newspaper slowly takes shape, decade by decade, in response to improvements in reporting techniques, printing and paper making technology, and to changing social values and interests.

These three decades embrace a period of rapid change that is quite breathtaking. As the first generation born in liberty matured and took its place in the nation's leadership, a great gulf in political opinion came about. Just as the Federalists and the Republicans could not agree on the meaning of "liberty" a generation earlier, American public life was torn between men (for women could not yet vote) of vastly different political, social, and economic ideologies. That drama still plays out daily in the 21st century.

In our time, radio and television have so completely replaced newspapers as the nation's primary information sources that it may be difficult for the modern journalism hobbyist initially to fully appreciate the pivotal role that newspapers have played in our history.To read them now can furnish the modern collector with most interesting insights of how dramatic our history has been, and how rapid, almost overwhelming change has been the norm, rather than the exception, of the American experience.

About The Catalog Listings
All items in this catalog are unconditionally guaranteed to be genuine and accurately described. Any item may be returned within seven days of receipt for a full refund. No reason for return is ever required.They are in fine used condition and are complete with all pages as issued. All papers are free of damage or objectionable defects. I am are sure you will be delighted with their exceptional state of preservation. I purchase only the finest condition newspapers that can be found to offer to my valued friends and customers.

About These Newspapers and Magazines
The peridocials offered here are what are called "atmosphere" or "type" issues. They were printed on those ninety-nine days in a hundred that nothing of great historic note occurred. They are still of great value (and quite modest price) for the intimate glimpse they provide into a long-vanished world. Their articles detail what was important to Americans of those days, be it politics, wars, social values, or any ol the other enduring human concerns. Even the ads, so modest by our standards, speak to us of the never-changing human wish for novelty, status, comfort, and security.

The newspapers are full folio size unless described as quarto or octavo, which are respectively smaller in format, the latter being the standard size for most magazines. Most newspapers have been carefully removed from bound volumes and may exhibit characteristic minor spine weakness or separation without significant paper loss.

Each catalog entry is very briefly described for the general appearance, historical significance, and content of the title. Every issue contains hours of additional historic reading and insights into the world preserved on its pages, much more than I could find the space to describe here.

I pride myself on the quality and accuracy of my catalog descriptions, and strive to provide all the information needed to enable you to make an informed selection. Please consult my collector information pages and glossary of terms page linked below, if you are not sure of what any of the descriptive terms mean.

Pictures of Cataloged Items
Digital photos are available of some of the items in this catalog. Please note that the camera flash tends to exaggerate foxing and spotting, some degree of which is normal in old paper and which is not so dramatic in person!

Glossary of Terms Page | Collector Information Page | Want List Page | Home Page

Important Update 2022

My Introductory catalogs of "atmosphere issues" of historic old newspapers are now offline. This category has been very popular with my customers and collecting friends but I am no longer able to acquire new stock to replenish my inventory at reasonable price levels.

I continue to present individually described issues of special historic interest and value in my regular catalogs, along with a few selected atmosphere issue offerings as stock allows. Links to those pages are the foot of this page and on my home page.

I am keeping this page online for information purposes, as considerable effort went into researching the descriptions of the titles in it. I hope you will find the information useful, and a good starting point into further study of the history and heritage of journalism.

Retirement Catalog
Some are telling me that after forty plus years, it is time for me to consider retiring. As I ponder this (less than enthusiastically, I might add), I am considering the possibility of producing a "retirement catalog" of especially nice items from inventory, wholesale offerings, and so on. To see if this plan has gone beyond the thinking stage, please click here or send me an email if you think it's a good idea.

N-405. THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, 1831 to 1838. [Washington, D.C., complete issue of 4 pages, large folio]. One of the great early newspapers, founded in 1801 as the de facto public relations organ of the Jefferson administration. The issues offered here are selected for their highly collectible advertisements, at least one per issue, offering slaves for sale or hire, committed to jail on suspicion of being runaways, or offering rewards for the return of runaways to their masters, making this powerful first-hand documentation of the reality of slavery in America. The frequent appearance of runaway ads demolishes the slaveholders' propaganda of the docile, contented "servant", which is the euphemism often used. The ads also bring to mind the admission by great human rights activist Fred Douglass that he was a criminal in the eyes of the law - guilty of the "crime" of stealing his own body from his "master"!
The appearance of runaway ads in this nationally-circulated paper, emanating from the capital of the only nation on earth that promised "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as the purpose of its government, was so controversial that the editors discontinued accepting them by the early 1840's. Bills proposing the outlawing of slavery in the District of Columbia itself were the only abolitionist petitions seriously considered the Federal Congress, until slaveholding interests imposed a "gag rule" forbidding Congress to even discuss these popular petitions. It was this attack on the democratic process itself, rather than a humanitarian concern for the rights of the slaves, which aroused Northerners into recognizing slavery as an intolerable threat to the liberties of all Americans, and which ultimately provided the spark that would light the holocaust of civil war.

THE BOSTON ATLAS.. [Boston, complete issue of 4 pages, very large folio]. The leader of the influential New England Whig press, this newspaper was established by those following the principles of Daniel Webster. It offers fine news coverage, political and social commentary, and very many fine advertisements for a wide variety of goods, services, rail and shipping lines, etc. We offer them by date as follows

N-483. THE NEWARK DAILY ADVERTISER, 1838 to 1842. [Newark, N.J., complete issue of 4 pages, folio size]. Excellent Penny Press sheet from a scarcer state, with unusually fine ill. ads, full news coverage. There are less than half a dozen holdings of issues from these years cited in the Union List, making this quite a scarce find. Nice fine condition with slight disbinding nicks in the gutter affecting no content. Before this hoard was discovered there had been no New Jersey papers of this vintage on the market, and when they are gone it is doubtful that more will soon surface

THE QUINTESSENTIAL NEWSPAPER of VICTORIAN AMERICA
THE NEW-YORK TRIBUNE. Edited by the great Horace Greeley, this highly influential newspaper is essential to an understanding of the America of the era. It was said that there was scarcely a home in America that did not possess a Bible and a subscription to the country edition of the TRIBUNE. Its influence was so great that Presidents were obliged to reply to his open letter editorials when Greeley questioned their policies. Indeed, Greeley himself ran for President, though, unsuccessfully, in 1872. The news coverage is fully and detailed, the best of its era, and there are hundreds of ads, many opinion pieces, Greeley's own classic editorials on every imaginable topic, and more. We offer early dates of this great American newspaper as follows:

N-514. BROTHER JONATHAN, 1841 to 1844. [published at New York, complete issue of 28pp in quarto size].
Before "Uncle Sam" personified the United States, the young nation was symbolized by the brash "Brother Jonathan", especially in the political rivalry with stuffy old "John Bull", England's national symbol. The original Brother Jonatahn was in fact Connecticut Governor Jonothan Trumbull, who had given so much aid to the beleagurede General Washington during the Revolution that he came to be known by this nickname.
This paper accordingly celebrates American achievements, in the letters, sciences and the arts. It features lots of gossipy local city items, theatrical reviews, the latest fiction and good news briefs. There is also a lovely display Masthead, which includes a highly unusual engraving of an open bound volume of the paper.
Condition is fine, perhaps a trifle of spine irregularity affecting no contents

One of the Earliest Hawaiian Newspapers
N-536a. THE FRIEND, Issue dated 1846 to 1848, printed at Honolulu, Kingdom of the Sandwich Islands, by Samuel Damon. Complete issue of 8 pages, quarto sized.
This weekly newspaper was printed by the American missionary community in the Hawaii, while the island kingdom was still governed by its native Kings and Queens. Its content chronicles their progress together with extensive news of the island and its people, the South Seas and the sailors that frequented the islands and that storied part of the globe. There are also U.S. news items, months old by the time they reached the islands and appeared in print. The newspaper hails from the only state that was once a kingdom, and is just the fourth newspaper printed in Hawaii. The issues presented here have the desirable provenance of having been released from the Friends' editor Samuel Damon's personal file. These early dates, by far the most elusive and in demand by sophisticated modern collectors, are from the first few years of Hawaiian journalism. Few are known to survive anywhere. They were printed by Damon on the only press he could afford, an antique printing press with old-fashioned type that dated from the 1830s, giving them a charmingly anachronistic appearance.
Condition is generally quite fine with very minimal toning or foxing.

War with Mexico!
Like the War of 1812, the Mexican War was an extremely controversial chapter of our history. Some saw it as the righteous doctrine of "Manifest Destiny" in action, while others, among them Henry Thoreau and a freshman Illinois Congressman named Abraham Lincoln, perceived it as unjustifiable aggression against an inoffensive neighbor for the purpose of adding more slave states to the federal union.

In 1844 U.S. diplomat (and future Confederate envoy) John Slidell was sent to Mexico offering $25 million for New Mexico, California, and an agreement accepting the Rio Grande boundary. Mexican government officials refused to meet the envoy. The United States annexed the former Mexican province of Texas in 1845, by Joint Resolution of Congress, neatly bypassing the Contitutional requirement that all treaties be ratified by the Senate, where pro-Texan forces could not command the necessary 2/3s vote. In 1846 Zachary Taylor and a force of 3,500 soldiers was sent by President Polk to patrol the Rio Grande border. On May 8, 1846, Polk met with his Cabinet at the White House and told them that if the Mexican army attacked the U.S. forces, he was going to send a message to Congress asking for a declaration of war. When news arrived of the first skirmish at Matamoros, on land recognized as Mexican under international law, Polk sent a message to Congress on May 11 alleging that Mexico passed the boundary of the U.S. and shed American blood on American soil. Two days later Congress declared war on Mexico.

Editorial coverage in the following newspapers reflects the intense difference of opinion, while the military news often contains names which will become legends in 1861 - 1865. The tactics of this war, massed infantry charges and artillery bombardments, set the pattern for Civl War strategy, but would largely be responsible for the horrific and unnecessary casualties which came about due to the immense improvements in range and accuracy of these weapons between 1848 and 1861. Issues below are dated between the May 13, 1846 Declaration of War and the final reports published in February, 1848. All are clean and complete and are selected for their coverage of the campaigns of the war.

N-550. THE NORTHAMPTON COURIER, 1846 to 1848. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Northampton, Mass.] Whig commentary on the war and its actors appears in this nice oversized newspaper frm the western Mass. city, a center of progressive activity and in the uncompromising spirit of liberty that characterized nineteenth century American progressives, and an often-sharp critic of the expansionist agenda of the slaveholders. Contrary to popular myth, Congress never debated abolishing slavery in the states where it was legal, focusing instead on containing the evil in those areas exclusively. Slaveholder theoreticians proposed the conquest of Central and South America, so Old Glory would wave over a slave empire comprising the entire western hemisphere, a prospect that appalled most Americans. Nice illustrated ads.

Rare Antislavery Newspaper by John Greenleaf Whittier
N-564. THE NATIONAL ERA, 1848 to 1859. [Washington, D.C., complete issue of 4 pages, large folio]. An uncommon and highly collectible anti-slavery newspaper co-edited by the great American poet John Greenleaf Whittier (1807 - 1892). Whittier had parted company with the radical faction of the Abolitionist movement, to advocate an end to the institution through political action, "working within the system" in the modern idiom. He was one of the earliest supporters of the Republican party when it was created to achieve the progressive objectives that the established parties were unwilling to endorse. His newspaper contains all the latest on the movement's success and failures. Later mythology has overemphasized the impact of the antislavery forces; unfortunately, for all their passion and the absolute justice of their cause, they were a fringe movement despised and feared by most Americans, without influence in a national government totally dominated by slaveholders and their allies. Some minor foxing is present, inevitably, due to Washington's humid climate, otherwise these big newspapers are in very fine condition

Unique Issues from a New England Factory Town
N-573. THE DAILY GAZETTE, 1849. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large quarto size, published at Taunton, Mass.] An uncommon title from the Yankee mill town, famous for its shoes. Lots of excellent illustrated ads plus full news coverage in great "Penny Press" style. Each issue offered here is unique, the only known specimen of the date and title known to be existence, formerly held by the Old Colony Historical Society and purchased by me directly from them when deacquisitioned.

The Great Weekly Science Reporter
N-578. THE THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, 1848 - 1849. [New York, complete issue of 8pp large quarto] The great American "high tech." weekly newspaper, full of the latest in scientific progress, in feature articles and illustrations of the newest inventions and improvements in this era of technological development. Quite nearly in the paper's extraordinarily long life; the premier number appeared in 1845. At this period the paper is an eight page large quarto newspaper with a generous amount of woodcut engravings. The title is extraordinarily elusive this early. Some foxing, else very fine.

Superb Nationalistic Display Masthead
N-583. THE YANKEE BLADE, 1849 - 1850. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at ] A weekly newspaper of varied content, this paper is distinguished by a magnificent large Masthead engraving, which depicts the seated figure of Liberty as seen on the era's silver coinage, with shield and liberty cap. Surrounding her are vignettes of the nation's principal seaports, Boston, New York, Charleston, and New Orleans. Great display issue with lots of good reading, news items, anecdotes, etc. 4 pages, large folio size; very fine .

A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWSPAPERS
N-588. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL ADVOCATE [4 pages, quarto size, Boston]; THE YOUTH'S PENNY GAZETTE (Am. Sunday School Union, Philadelphia, 4pp quarto); SUNDAY SCHOOL GAZETTE (Boston, 4pp quarto); THE WELL-SPRING (Boston, Mass. Sabbath School, Society, 4pp quarto); and THE CHILD'S PAPER (Am. Tract Society, New York, 4pp 4to). All dated 1849 to 1860. This handsome collection of five different weekly newspapers is a fascinating study of American childhood in the mid-Victorian era. There are tales of adventure and travel, of past history and future hopes, Biblical lessons, and more. Each is nicely furnished with quality woodcuts and a decorative masthead. Excellent specimens of the genre. Here are the genuine American "family values". Fine, quite a remarkable collection that would be hard to duplicate!

N-592. THE NEW-YORK ORGAN AND FAMILY COMPANION, 1850. [Complete issue of 8 pages, large 4to size, published at New York] This fine family weekly is devoted to the temperance cause, and has in its masthead a charming woodcut of an American family evening together: father reading the newspaper aloud while mother and the children listen. This actually is, by all accounts, how families interacted until the race to modernity robbed them of their leisure and peace of mind. Numerous articles on the cause, and on other allied social movements in this era of great optimism, when American sought to better themselves and their world. Fine, scarcer, just a handful of holding survive for its 16-year life.

N-597. THE MESSAGE-BIRD, 1850. [Complete issue of 16 pages, quarto size, published at New York] Subtitled "A Literary and Musical Journal" this unusual weekly is dedicated to music, with extensive articles on the great composers as well as more current music writers and artists. as well as the latest concerts, halls, events and personalities of the American music scene. Also included is a page or more of sheet music to be played on the family pianoforte. There are ads for instruments, musical instruction, and more. Delightful paper from that vanished era. The paper was renamed The Musical World in 1851; only some five scattered holdings survived of this original title.

N-602. LIFE ILLUSTRATED, 1850. [Complete issue of 8 pages, small folio size, published at New York] A fine weekly paper of stories and features, with a generous amount of woodcut illustration and a beautiful Masthead depicting scenes from the title experience. Uncommon.

N-611. THE BAY STATE, 1850. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Lynn, Mass.] An appealing name for Massachusetts history buffs with all the day's news (emphasis on local goings on) plus features and ads.

The Newspapers of a President of the United States
N-615. THE DAILY NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, typical issue printed between and 1851. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Washington, D.C. by Gales & Seaton].
I am pleased to be able to offer most historic association issues. belonging to James Buchanan, our fifteenth President. The papers were originallydelivered to the future President at his "Wheatland" estate in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His name, written by an Intelligencer subscription clerk appears in the masthead (nameplate) are of each issue, as seen in my scan above of a typical issue. "The venerable old newspaper had been founded in 1801 and was one of the nation's great papers of the era. It contains all the news and politics of that most tempestuous era, plus official Government notices and many other ads. Buchanan (1791 - 1868) enjoyed a long career in public service, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (1821 -1831), and later as Minister to Russia, U.S. Senator, Polk's Secretary of State, Minister to Great Britain. He won the Presidency in 1856 on the Democratic ticket, garnering 45% of the popular vote in the three-way race by endorsing a strict conservative interpretation of the Constitution to settle the raging slavery controversy. The later years of the Buchanan administration found the aged chief executive embroiled in charges of corruption and incompetence, most notably in the Covode scandal and in his inability to deal decisively with South Carolina's secession. After taking part in Lincoln's inauguration in 1861, Buchanan returned to Wheatland, where he led a very private retirement. He died of pneumonia in 1868. PROVENANCE. After Buchanan's death his files of newspapers passed to Jeremiah Black, a close personal friend of the bachelor President and Attorney General of the United States in the Buchanan administration. The Black family library was subsequently donated to the Library of Congress; this paper was recently de-acquisitioned and sold privately by the library.
Condition of the issues is generally quite fine, with light normal foxing typical of papers from the humid nation's capitol. Letter of authenticity and provenance is included with each issue.

N-621. THE NATIONAL AEGIS, 1850 - 1852. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Worcester, Mass.] The distinguished journalism heritage of this western Massachusetts publishing center lives on in this aptly-named newspaper. "Aegis" is the Classical Greek word for "shield". This editor, one C. Buckingham Webb, too saw himself as a defender of his country's freedom. It columns contain much on the politics of the era, the success and shortcomings of the crew in Washington, plus news and feature articles of all kinds. I see lots of big ads for patent medicines, the bane of the era. These "medicines" cured nothing but they sure made you forget your aches and pains - they contained mostly alcohol and many were generously laced with opium!

N-626. THE BOSTON DAILY JOURNAL, 1850 to 1852. [Boston, complete issue of 4pp large folio]. Progressive Whig politics and principles are upheld in this huge format "horse blanket" newspaper, which offers lengthy local and national news and fine ads, some of which include small woodcuts of clipper ships offering passage to the California gold fields. This paper was in print for seventy years and was widely respected and highly influential

A Classic Brooklyn Rarity: One of Two in Existence
N-630. THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, 1850 to 1859. [Brooklyn, N.Y., complete issue of 4 pages, folio size]. This great New York newspaper comes from the time when Brooklyn was still an independent city, not as yet absorbed into the sprawling metropolis across the river. It was termed "the chief of the Long Island journals" in its time and was an essentially conservative Democratic organ. Every issue is filled with local color and national news, plus many fine ads for all manner of goods and services. The title is quite rare; there are only two holdings in the Union List of Newspapers, and the issues offered here are from one of them, making each one almost certainly the only one that can ever be available for collectors. Spinecut, affecting no content

N-635. THE AMERICAN UNION, 1851. [Complete issue of 4 pages, oversized folio size, published at Boston, Mass.] This weekly paper of "polite reading" has wide variety of tales amusing, instructional, and inspirational, taken from a multitude of sources. Its great feature is a magnificent large woodcut in the masthead that shows so forcefully the great pride that Americans had in their beloved Union, for which they would fight so gallantly in ten years. It depicts the medallion Coats-of-Arms of all the states, surrounded by vignettes of the Stars and Stripes and two perched American eagles. A must for any decorative masthead collection. The engraving measures full 7" x 19", on this massive paper which measures a huge 19" x 27" per page! Nice Fine, slight fold rubbing or edge wear as is normal for large "horse blankets"

N-642. THE MASONIC MIRROR AND AMERICAN KEYSTONE, 1852 - 1853. [Complete issue of 8 pages, large quarto size, published at Philadelphia] This fine weekly newspaper contains articles of interest to Freemasons as well as current news and a wide variety of feature articles. There is also a weekly woodcut of some person or place of interest. Volume I issue, from the first year of publication. It lasted until 1860, and just five surviving holdings of Volume I issues exist, according to the definitive Union List of Serials (pg. 2948). Interestingly Masons had been the target of a serious political witch hunt in America just a few years earlier, as some saw this secret organization as a front for a sinister plot to take over the world. Conspiracy theories, the more bizarre the better, have always been a feature of American culture

N-645. THE BUNKER-HILL AURORA, 1852 - 1859. [Complete issue of 4 pages, folio size, published at Charlestown, Mass.] Charlestown, site of the battle of Bunker Hill, was for many years an independent city. It is today a part of Boston, absorbed in the late 19th century. These issues come from the independent city days and offer a nice glimpse into life in the historic town, most of which had been burned by the British in 1775. The natives' commitment to and pride in their valiant history is most evident. News, ads, features, nice example of smaller municipal journalism. Scarcer. Although the paper ran 1827 to 1890, there are few surviving issues in private hands. VG, original state, never bound, some foxing or fold rubbing

N-649. THE CHRISTIAN REGISTER, 1851 to 1858 [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Boston]. This newspaper was a prominent spokesman of the controversial new Christian sect, the Unitarian Universalists. On its pages are reported the progress of the new reformed faith. At this time American Christians began to transform their faith into social activism in response to the whirlwind of economic and social changes that seemed to threaten the very fabric and founding ideals of American society. Excellent documentation of that dynamic era.

N-652. THE AMERICAN WHIG, 1853. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Taunton, Mass.] An attractive American eagle woodcut graces the masthead of this very late Whig political newspaper. It contains all the news of the day plus two pages of advertisements, many for patent medicines.
The name "Whig" was first used to denote the pro-independence movement of the 1770's, and was adopted by a splinter group of the original Republican Party in 1824. It remained a potent political force in American life until 1854, after compromise between Southern and Northern factions proved impossible. This paper's name was accordingly changed to the American Republican in 1858, and it ran 42 more years (having started as the Bristol County Republican in 1821). Scarce, the issues offered here are from one of only two known holdings (ULS, page 300).

N-659. THE JOURNAL AND MESSENGER, 1853. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Cincinnati, Ohio] This western Baptist newspaper has many articles of interest on current events, News, missionary efforts, and more. The state and progress of the Baptist Church in Ohio and Indiana, then quite the "wild west", is reported in detail, a counts coming in from churches across the sates telling of their adventures, successes, and losses, etc. There is also comment on the passing political and social scene and columns of general national and international news. Scarcer title, few issues survive from its remarkable ninety year life, in print 1821 to 1920!

N-664. THE BANGOR JEFFERSONIAN, 1853. [Complete issue of pages, folio size, published at Bangor, Maine] From Maine comes a fine weekly of news, features, and commentary, with a fine name evocative of the passion for liberty that characterized the U.S. in those days when we were the only democracy on earth, the world's beacon-light of freedom and opportunity unfettered by aristocracy. Uncommon.

N-668. THE PORTLAND PLEASURE BOAT, 1854. [Complete issue of 4 pages, quarto size, published at Portland, Maine] Boldly proclaiming in its Masthead "Truth against Error - Victory of Death" This unusual weekly paper of commentary on the passing scene. Editor John Hacker continues the nautical motif styling himself "Master and crew", while the various departments are headed "Cabin" or "Office" as befits their content. It would seem that Hacker was a Quaker as he dates his issues, for example, "4th month" instead of "April", in the Friends' tradition. Handsome addition to a Collection of eccentric titles. This odd little weekly was published for quite a respectable 31 years, but few have survived the passage of time.

N-673. THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, 1854 to 1857. [Albany, N.Y., complete issue, 16pp quarto] This paper is an excellent representative of the weekly agricultural press, where most Americans got news of the larger world. It contains news summaries of current events, of course everything to do with agricultural science, and is complete with old family recipes, homespun anecdotes and advice of all kinds. Charming memento of a way of life that was already disappearing from the American scene in the 1850's as the Industrial Age changed everything

"Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except Negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except Negroes and foreigners and Catholics.' When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty -- to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure and without the base alloy of hypocrisy." - Abraham Lincoln

N-678. THE UNION, 1854 - 1857. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Washington, D.C.] This Democratic newspaper from the nation's capital passed through the control of a series of prominent southern editors. On its pages is preserved the distinct flavor of southern journalism, extolling the virtues of the slave system, denouncing Abolitionists and Yankees in general. At this time, the Southerners with their northern allies held a slim majority in the Senate and were able to defeat the popular will time and time again, issuing gag rules that forbade even the discussion of limiting slavery, much less abolishing it. It was largely public disgust with Democratic corruption (certainly not sympathy with the Abolitionists!) that gave the Republican Party its victory in 1860, and the slaveholders their excuse to put into action their long-plotted dismemberment of the Union.

N-683. The Northampton Courier, 1855. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Northampton, Mass.] The western Mass. city is ably represented by this fine oversize folio paper, replete with news of the day, Republican-leaning commentary (though its editor would probably have called himself a progressive Whig), nice illustrated ads.

N-687. THE AGE, 1855. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large 4to size, published at Augusta, Maine] The Coat of Arms of the state of Maine appears in the Masthead of this interesting tri-weekly political sheet. Its position is conservative Democratic, with comment on the dangers of the human rights movements of This impassioned decade. Much reporting of the doings of the sate legislature, ads, and miscellany. These issues have the subscriber's name "J. B. "Stuart" inked in the margin of Page One. My research reveals this to have been a Downeast sea captain, rather than the Confederate cavalryman! VF in the original state, never bound or trimmed, quite amazing to find thus.

N-689. [Journalism]. THE NEW-YORK HERALD, 1854 - 1856. [N.Y., complete issue of 8 pages., folio size]. In this great newspaper Scottish-born editor James Gordon Bennett (1795 - 1872) virtually created what we know as the modern newspaper, introducing such things as quick reporting, page one headlines, and illustration into the previous proper and rather staid world of newspapering. He started the Herald in May, 1835, with little working capital. The paper was an immediate success, because of its comprehensive and piquant coverage of local news, its detailed reports on the stock and money markets, and its highly independent editorials on all manner of subjects. Bennett was the first to make extensive use of the newly-invented telegraph for the fastest possible news reporting. For the most part the paper was Democratic in outlook, but in 1856 Bennett came out for Fremont, the first Presidential candidate of the brand-new Republican Party. Each issue is filled with news, ads, and opinion, and all are worthy examples of this true American classic. The ads are quite fascinating, and vividly reflect the customs and wants of that long-passed generation.

N-692. THE BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER, 1855. [Boston, complete issue of 4 pages, elephant folio]. In enormous folio format, fully 21" x 29" page size, containing news and opinion of the day, in this dramatic decade of rapid growth, social unrest, and political controversy, plus literally hundreds of advertisements. Many of these are for the sailing ships that filled a bustling Boston harbor at the time, and are illustrated by small stock woodcut engravings.

N-697. THE PUBLIC LEDGER, 1844 to 1859 [Philadelphia, complete issue of 4 pages, folio size]. The first successful penny paper of the Quaker City, filled with crime reports and full news coverage. Attempting to give less offense to the "respectable" reader than other papers of the genre, it grew and prospered along liberal Democratic principles (in an era when the Democratic Party was the voice of conservatives). All the news of the day, opinion and commentary, hundreds of ads

N-702. THE DEMOCRATIC PHAROS, 1854 to 1859. [Logansport, Indiana, complete issue of 4 pages, large folio] A conservative Democratic newspaper upholding slavery and "The Constitution as it is" in this decisive decade of the slavery crisis. Lengthy attacks on dangerous new movements such as the antislavers and women's rights, and full accounting of the opposition point of view. There is also full news. Very scarce title. Indiana newspapers dating before the Civil War are rarely found in any condition, and these are choice, bright and clean
The alliance between northern Democrats and southern slaveholders enabled the latter to effectively control the national government for its first eighty years; and when they lost, in 1860, they withdrew from the Union itself rather than trust in the democratic process to uphold their rights.

N-703. THE NEW-YORK LEDGER, 1857. [Complete issue of 8 pages, folio size, published at New York] The first of the great American weekly "story papers" this title became so popular that it made Irish immigrant owner Robert Bonner one of the richest men in the country. Modeled on the sophisticated London weeklies, the paper was an instant success and appeared every week for 51 years. Bonner recruited the leading American writers of the time to fill the columns with the best of the era's popular literature, stories of adventure, travel, romance, etc., that always ended with an uplifting moral lesson. Now all but forgotten this paper was an essential part of life in Victorian America. Nice graphic layout, with decorative borders and frontpage illustration

N-711. THE DAILY CLEVELAND HERALD, 1857. [Ohio]. Fully size newspaper of the booming metropolis and industrial and transportation center. All the news of the day, plus many ads, some illustrated, including nice railroad ads. Ohio newspapers before the Civil War are quite uncommonly hard to find and highly prized today. This is a scarcer title with only two libraries in the U.S. holding 1857 dates. 4 pages, large folio size

N-716. THE PRESS, 1858. [Philadelphia, 4pp large folio., complete issue of 4 pages] A fine blanket folio daily newspaper, conservative Democratic in outlook, with good detailed news reports and interesting opinion, mostly against the many reformist social movements of the turbulent decade that preceded the outbreak of war. Editor Forney is ranked among America's greatest nineteenth century journalists. Lots of excellent ads

N-725. THE SENTINEL OF FREEDOM, 1859. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Newark, New Jersey] An interesting political weekly of "the Opposition" to the Democratic Party conservatives, yet not as radical as the new national party, the Republicans. It was produced as the weekly edition of the Newark Daily Advertiser for political reporting and serves the purpose admirably, being filled with news and opinion in these final days of the first American republic. The title is a fine example of how seriously newsmen once took their craft. Uncommonly seen title, though it was in print from 1796 to 1909!

N-730. THE DAILY NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, 1859 - 1860. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Washington, D.C.] Fine example of the important newspaper from the nation's capital at a time when the headlong rush to sectional war is the dominant fact of the day. The speeches in Congress by men of both factions are quoted in full, plus there is news coverage of all the day's events, editorial comment, and lots of ads. In oversized horse blanket folio, nice item

N-735. THE MANUFACTURERS AND FARMERS JOURNAL, 1860. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Providence, R.I.] This fine paper is the semi-weekly edition "for the country" of the Providence Daily Journal, one of the nation's leading Republican organs. It is filled with reporting of several days' worth of news, making it especially interesting to the historical hobbyist. The paper enjoyed an extraordinarily long publication life of 1820 - 1907; Sixties issues are scarce .

N-740. THE NORTHAMPTON FREE PRESS, 1860. [Complete issue of 4 pages, folio size, published at Northampton, Mass] From the western Massachusetts town, then as now a center of higher learning, comes an excellent Republican daily paper. Its columns tell of that moment that seems now suspended in history, that final year of the first American Union, that would be shattered by internal insurrection and reassembled into an entity vastly different from what the founders had envisioned. This is also the Volume I first year of the paper and its buoyant optimistic style belies the terrible news its pages will be telling in just a year's time. It ran until 1874. The issues here are from a holding not cited in the Union List, ex Forbes Library, and are very likely the only examples in existence of 1860 dates of the title.

N-749. GLEASON'S LITERARY COMPANION, 1860. [Complete issue of 16 pages, large 4to size, published at Boston, Mass.] This fine early weekly was printed by the great Boston publisher Frederick Gleason, fresh from his triumphant creation a few years earlier of America's first illustrated weekly. This paper carries on the tradition is size and style but is filled with reading matter, stories of all kinds to please readers young and old. I see tales of adventure, romance, crime, adventure, chivalry of old, together with comment on the passing scene, a column of jokes, ads, and more. Masthead Eagle on the Union shield, guarding the open books and liberty of thought that this paper symbolizes.

N-754. THE STAR OF THE NORTH, 1860. [Complete issue of 4 pages, folio size, published at Bloomsburg, Penna.] Here is a fine newspaper with a most evocative title: the north star was the beacon in the night sky that fugitive slaves used in their death-defying attempts to escape bondage, and for northerners and lovers of freedom it came to symbolize the struggle for liberty in a land whose government was controlled by the forces of oppression. Its editor was an ardent supporter of the Republican party and its ideals. There is news of all kinds and commentary to suit. Fine item from the last of the old America, excellent example of small town journalism as well. VERY SCARCE TITLE, just four single issues and a small scattered holdings are reported in all U.S. libraries!

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