Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-08-22
A NEWSPAPER RELIC.
Journalism In Washington When This Gel
tury Was a Babe.

Journalism In Washington When This Gem
fury Was q Babe.
Some quaint reminders of events and
conditions in this country eighty-slx
years ago look out from the dim pages
of worn and faded copy of the National
Intelligencer and Washington Adver-
tiser, bearing date of May 25, 1904 The
paper was printed in Washington City
by Samuel Harrison Smith. 1t is much
smaller than the one-cent evening
dailies now circulated in this city and
Is printed on a quality OF paper that
would be regarded as very poor wrapping
paper in these days. Its subscription
price was SIS per annum.
Ten lines of large type, double loaded,
gives the latest news in this venerable
paper as follows: "As testimonial OF
the Presidents high opinion of the gal
liant conduct Of Lieutenant Decatur in
taking and destroying the frigate the
Philadelphia, commission to him as
captain in the navy has been duly issued
and will, without delay, be transmitted
to Commodore Preble to be presented to
him." Following this piece OF news is
an extract from letter to the Secretary
of the Navy, dated Havana, April %,
announcing that the Governor of Cuba
has manifested his friendly disposition
toward the United States by prohibiting
French privateers from bringing Amer
lean prizes into any of the ports of Cuba.
The official returns of the April cleo
ton for Governor of New York are given
by counties, showing that Morgan Lewis
received majority Of S,7S2 over Aaron
Burr. In an adjoining column is call
for the citizens of Washington to exercise
their privilege of voting for eighteen
characters" to represent them in the city
council. Dispatches from New York
dated six days before the day of publ
cation announce the safe arrival in the
metropolis of General Wilkinson, Com
mander-in-Chief Of the army Of the
United States, and several officers in his
suite
Thomas Bailey, Maryland sheriff,
advertises that he has captured run
away negro woman, who is imprisoned
in the Baltimore county Jail, and finer
owner does not release her she will be
sold for her Jail fees according to law"
John T. Mason advertises that he wants
to sell a strong, healthy negro boy,
fifteen years old, whose conduct has
been such as to oblige me to part with
him" There are other advertisements
offering rewards for the recapture Of
runaway negroes.
A nd-a-half-month-old report
presented to Congress by the Committee
of Commerce and Manufactures occu-
pies two full columns on the first page
of the National Intelligencer. 1t sets
forth the grievances of American sea-
men in their own country, claiming
that although taxed for hospital duties,
they were refused admittance into the
infirmary The committee concluded
shat the seamen Of this country ought
to be distif guished when in distress
from common paupers" and recommend
ed that steps be taken to increase the
permanent fund for the relief of super
animated and decrepit seamen.
One-haf of page of this old paper is
given up to sketch of General Moreau,
"a young hero lately brought before the
public in consequence of his supposed
friendship and connection with General
Pichegru." A letter from CONSTANT
nople, dated the previous Christmas,
fills column. 1t tells about the plague
that had ragged in Turkey, and discusses
vaccine incubation from skeptical
point Of view. A batch OF general Euro
pean gossip six and eight weeks old is
printed, including the statement: "a
new class OF people will be formed in
Russia, under the title of Free Farmers,
in consequence of an imperial decree
which allows land owners to grant
freedom to their peasants in order to
raise money to pay their debts. IN. Y.