The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-07-10
The National Intelligcncer.
[From the New Orleans Picayune. !


which was published at Philadelphia
when that city was the seat of Govern
ment of the United States. The Gaze
teer was folnded by Joseph Gales, sSr
an Englishman, who came intoShi cour
try in 1898 and settled at Philadelphi
as journalist. He was skillful shor
hand writer. From him his son, afte,
wards the famous editor at Washington
learned the art, which made him II,
most skillful reporter in his day Of til
debates OF Congress.
SThe esler Gales sold the Gazetteer t.
Samuel Harrison Smith, who transferre,
it to Washington, wl,en Congress removed
there in 1900. He changed its nam
to the National Intelligencer. Josepl
Gales, Jr.. who had come to the countr,
a child, with lis father, BECAME attachel
to the Office in 1907, when Just arrived a
age, as the partner of Mr.. Smith.
In 1910 Mr.. Smith sold out to Mr..
Gales, and retired; and in 1912 Mr
Gales, then twenty-four years of age, as
sociated with himself as partner Mr.. w
W. Seaton, who had married his sister
FroR that date, the National Intelligen.
Ger, under Gales & SeatSn, became the
central organ of the several admiuistra.
tons of the Government, by Madison,
Monroe, and John Quincy Adams.
During that period, the National Intel
ligencer was not only prosperous and
popular journal, but was power in the
State. Its editor was the companion
and counsellor of the great statesmen
who conducted the Government and his
paper was looked to as invariably reflect
ing the national opinions aud Indicating
the national purposes, of the Administra-
ton Public measures We're canrassed
will. him before they were decided upon,
and were never treated of in his columns
until they could be spoken ofwith author
ity, with entire certainty of knowledge,
and definite purposes. The paper was
never allowed to give out doubtful or
conjectural reports. Indeedeit did not
unirequently happen that heading articles
OF the lntelligencer were write by Cab
met Ministers themselves. This was,
however, only occasionally, for the con-
tidence in the great ability, sound opinion,
and above all, consummate discretion, Of
Mr.. Gales, wasunbounded. His partner,
Mr.. Seaton, was less known in the man.
agenent Of the paper, being the business
head oGthe establishment; but he was
little inferior to Mr.. Gales in vigor as
writer and good judgment as an editor
The lntelligencer, under their auspices,
grew 10 be very prosperous, and to have
he widest circulation of any paper in the
country at that time. 1t was read by
nearly all educated men Of all parties for
Information: aud for instruction, also,
turing its whole career; for one of it's
distinguishing traits was its maintenance
# tone of perfect courtes,, towards op-
'onents, its support cfi,s own opinions
" reasoning, and ito vindication of its
'references without rudely assailing its
.dversaries. 1t obtained a very large
lst of subscribers, to whom it was an Or
Gle. There are many men now, in all
arts of the country, advanced in life,
vho have taken the National Intelligcn
er, and been largely influenced in their
olitcal action by it, ever since they
anne to have a knowledge of political
fairs at all. The early administrations
ad tull power Of distribution over adver-
sing patronage. This was large for h
Ingle establishment to possess, although
significant compared with the enormous
now dispensed. The Intelligen-
er had all that could be given out by
le departments to Washington paper,
nd acquired also, OF course all the
usiness advertisements which went to
'asIington. The proprietors eonsequen-
y grew rich, or rather might have I
rown rich. if both of them had not had {
princely appetite for giving to every
IAN that needed or asked hel p-of len 8
ing their names and their money to J
iends-and for disposing the most un- q
ounded hospitalities. Mr.. Gales in T
articular, with a graceful wifs-a Vir. I
mia Lee-kept up an attractive house l
Old at which the best society was liber- (
ly entertained. The first break in the l
Of the Intelligencer, as poll 9
cal journal. occurred in the closing T
ear m Of MFR. Monroe's administration, r
hen the question Of the succession was Il
yitated, and three members of the Cab y
et-Mr. Adams, Secretary of State, a
r. Crawford, Secretary of the Treasury, il
I'd Mr.. Calhoun, Secretary of War v
ere rival candidates The Intellieen- a
r sustained Mr.. Crawford, . who, cot @
e nomination of tile congressional eau A
8, the last nomination made in. that jt
ay.s The friends, of Mr., Adams and il
ose Of Mr.. Calhoun established journals A
Washington each for the support ofits a
rorte. The Cabinet being divided, d
nds between tire journals were got up, n
lich rose to mutual attacks, in intem- j.
rate language. The Intelligencer n
not entirely escape controversy. 1t d
Is drawn ,into aTdirset disputation with
:. Adams, but it was carried on in II
nper that didsnot prevent the cIntelli fo
neer from giving its fall sapport to 81
:. Adam 5, when, by a junction with es
! friends Of Mr.. Clay, MIR. Adams was b
osen President BY the House Of Repre- st
itatiyesi in 1895 g = rsar5 4 m
1t then became the leading representa- W
e OF the ideas with which Mt. Adams y,
CLAY came into administrator and &C
! TO confront a powerful opposition, d.
ich at the next election, in 1929, to
srthrew the party to which the InteIli- sl
'cer had attached ITSELF For the sue Oh
ding thirty years the aIntelligencer, de
b rare intervals, has sbseh i'd opposis u
!, and, consequently, stripped Of the sh
port Of public patronage, which is on