Tag Archives: Civil War

How William Duane Eluded Authorities

In November 1798, after the yellow fever epidemic had subsided Margaret Bache, Benjamin Bache’s widow, continued to publish the Aurora.  She appointed William Duane as the new editor.  He was Bache’s assistant and an associate of Carey’s.   Duane was an … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Newspaper Politics, Secession | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How William Duane Eluded Authorities

How Newspaper Politics Lead to Federalist Attacks on Other Newspaper Editors

  John Fenno wanted to publish an official government newspaper.  He was a penmanship teacher from Boston who had failed at keeping an inn, managing a shop, and working in the export business before working as a journalist for the Boston … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Newspaper Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How Newspaper Politics Lead to Federalist Attacks on Other Newspaper Editors

How the Federalists Attacked Mathew Carey and His Brother

Mathew’s brother James established the Daily Advertiser in Philadelphia.  He was an avid Democratic-Republican.  He had been involved with the Evening Star, mouthpiece of the United Irishmen in Dublin.  Inevitably, he attracted the attention and venom of William Cobbett.  Cobbett … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Newspaper Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How the Federalists Attacked Mathew Carey and His Brother

Roger Griswold and the “Spitting Lyon”

The Federalists had long denigrated Vermont congressman Matthew Lyon as being a lower-class Irishman and former indentured servant.  Then, in February 1798, Roger Griswold, a representative from Connecticut, implied that Lyon’s service during the Revolution had been less than exemplary. … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Newspaper Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Roger Griswold and the “Spitting Lyon”

Those “Wild Irishmen” and the Alien and Sedition Acts

This is not the first time America’s two parties have been contentious.  The government shutdown, coupled with the controversy over illegal aliens, brings to mind the Alien and Sedition Acts.  The Federalists tried to silence the Democratic-Republicans.  Mathew Carey was part of the struggle.  … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Newspaper Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Those “Wild Irishmen” and the Alien and Sedition Acts

Were New England’s Federalists Really Abolitionists?

During the 1780s Massachusetts abolished slavery.  After that, the abolition society in Massachusetts stopped taking part in Philadelphia’s annual abolition convention.[1] After the economically crippling policies of Jefferson and Madison, the Federalists regained power in New England.  The authorities segregated … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Secession | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Were New England’s Federalists Really Abolitionists?

How Opposition to the Three-Fifths Clause Merged with a Moral Campaign

Opposition to slavery, as a tenet of Congregationalism, began with Samuel Hopkins.   Hopkins (1721-1803) graduated from Yale College in 1741.  As a senior, he was attracted to the revivalism of the Great Awakening, a movement led by the Congregational clergyman Jonathan … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Secession | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How Opposition to the Three-Fifths Clause Merged with a Moral Campaign

How the French Influenced Sectional Discord

First with the Constitution, and next with the Jay Treaty, the more liberal New England Federalists migrated to Jefferson and Madison’s Democratic-Republican Party.   That caused the more conservative faction, the Essex Junto, to gain prominence.   Fisher Ames, one of the post-revolutionary leaders … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Secession | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How the French Influenced Sectional Discord

How Jefferson’s Newspaper Politics Challenged New England’s Federalists

By 1800, the state of Massachusetts was split politically between Jefferson’s party and the Federalists.  Roughly 20,000 voters were Democratic-Republican.  About 25,000 voters were Federalists.[1] Following the election of 1800, Democratic-Republicans set their sights on augmenting their gains in New … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, Newspaper Politics, Secession | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How Jefferson’s Newspaper Politics Challenged New England’s Federalists

How the Jay Treaty Affected New England

A Recap of the Jay Treaty Issues: The British impressed American sailors—an issue especially important to New Englanders More than two hundred merchant ships were confiscated by the British—another issue important to New Englanders Merchants wanted trade reopened in the … Continue reading

Posted in From The Desk, House Appropriation, Secession | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How the Jay Treaty Affected New England