Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-05-15
THE GOVERNMENT PRESS

The institution Of Government Press began
with Gen. JAcKsoN's administration. A history
of these matters is given in the National ln,eii-
gencer of Saturday. 1t is of interest and impor-
tance enough to warran, special reference.
After touching briefly upon the administrations
of WASHINGTON and ADAMS, neither of whom es-
,ablished or endowed any paper by government
patronage, the lntelligencer speaks of Mr.. JEr-
PERSON, who came into Office at the time Of tho
removal Of the seat Of government to Washing
tom where no newspapers were published except
weekly paper and the National In,elligencer,
both issued by SAMUEL HARRISON SMITH.
The lntelligencer became Of necessity the or
gan Of communication between the Executive
and the People, and justly enjoyed the confidence
OF MIR. Jefferson from the beginning to the end of
his administration. "rhe publisher of it, how
ever" 1t is added, ''dd not become the exclusive
printer, either for the Executive or Congress- the
printing for both being distributed between him
and o,hers.'
The lntelligencer soon after passed into the
hands of its present Proprietors. II says;
"During the whole OF the administration of
Mr.. MADISON, this paper was the medium of
country, the Proprietors receiving from that il
iustrlous man unvaryingly such evidences of
kindness and friendship as they must ever ac.
knowledge with most grateful remembrance
But during the whole of this term Of time, though
the paper was necessarily the receptacle of pub.
nc advertisements, II had neither monopoly nor
fair share Of the Executive printing. nor any
thing at all to do with that of Congress; MANY
things, moreover, which have in later DAYS been
paid Tor as public advertisements being then pub.
lished gratuitously. Much less did the Execu-
i've ever undertake to interfere with the manage
ment or control the conduct of the paper.
On the accession of MIR. MONROE to the Presi-
dency, In 1917, the National lnteligencer con-
lnued TO be the medium of publication of the
laws and public notifications; but, no more than
during the preceding Administrations, had it any
snare worth speaking Of in the printing for the
Executive offices, nor did il derive any emolu
ment from what has since been considered as 90
vernment patronage of the press. So far from
being controlled by the Executive, or influenced
In It's course by considerations Of what advantage
1t might derive from Executive patronage, it SO
happened that serious difference arose between
the Executive and the conductors of this paper n
year or TWO before the expiration of Mr.. MoNnoE' 8
term OF service, which was only reconciled after
that distinguished and excellent patriot became a
private gentleman"
The administration Of Mr.. ADAMS made no es.
sen,ial change in the relations existing between
the Government and the press. But the access
sion oil Gen. JACKSON to power proved the begin
ming of new order Of things. The United States
Telegraph became the recipient of all the Govern.
ment patronage, in the way of printing, and was
recognized as the organ of the administration
us supporter and defender. But the Telegraph
having SIDED with Mr.. CALHOUN in the quarrel
between him and Gen. JACKSON it was discoun.
tenanced, discarded and silenced the Globe be-
came then the Government press.
How 1t has happened that the Globe came to
be supplanted by the Union the language of the
late Proprietors of the Globe may show. "The
Globe" says their card of April H. "had its ORR
"gin in the will of General Jackson, and owes to
"hlm and Mr.. Van Buren,, and their political
"friends, the success which has attended il
Through hiteen years of conflict, closed by the
"late triumph of the Democracy, which efIaced
"the disaster of 1910. 1t has been the misfor-
'tune OF the Globe, in sustaining the strong adj
administration of General Jackson, the uncompro.
"mising administration of Mr.. Van Buren,, and
"in opposing the abuses Of Mr.. Tyler's admins
"tration, to make enemies of some who united
with the Democracy in its last struggle
That may suffice to explain the matter. But
who or what shall explain why it is that the re-
lations of the government and the press are so
changed from what they once were? How has
1t come to pass that the Independence of the
press has 80 utterly persisted under the influence
OF government patronage? The progress of
things is marked by indications like these.
Baltimore american.
THE SPOILS.
in