Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-23

/, view that ono should he sent to every
committee in the State But it
was not to be known that the pamphlets
ca me from jefferson. for. he says, you
can readily see what a handle would be
made Of my advocating their contents
Jefferson was a great believer in the
power of the press continued Mr.. Ford.
and was continuity giving both private
and public assistance, both financial and
moral support. to editors who advocated
doctrines he believed in. and, as one
might expect, he suffered severely from
some of them aftorward. when his chick
ems came home to roost'
NATIONAL lNTELL1GENCER'S"
ORIGIN.
u. Hanley Smith. a grandson of Sam
uel Harrison Smith. has recently shown
me an entry IN the manuscript reminis-
ccnccs of the lattcrs widow indicating
that Mr.. jefferson was responsible for
Mr.. Smiths removal from Philadelphia
to Washington to establish the famous
National elligencer.' The memoran-
dun says that During part Of the time
that Mr.. jefferson was president of the
Philosophical society of Philadelphia Mr..
Smith was its secretary. A prize offered
by the society for the best system of ma
tional education was gained by Mr.
Smith The merit Of this essay first at
tractcd the notice of Mr.. jefferson to its
author The personal acquaintance which
then took place Led to a friendly inter-
course. which Influenced the future des-
tiny of my husband. And it was by Mr..
Jcfterson's advice that he removed to
WASHINGTON and established the Nation
al 1ntclligencer.
There is nothing among the Jefferson
papers confirming this statement" contin-
ued Mr. Ford. but there is no reason to
doubt its accuracy, and 1t is pleasure
to find Mr.. jefferson encouraging an able
and upright journalist. 1t cannot be said
that the ideals of Journalism We're very
high in his days. The Intensity OF party
struggles made the lowest instruments
acceptahle. Personalities were freely ex-
changed the character of no man was
safe from the assaults of anonymous
scribblers. Neither the journalist nor his
half-brother the pamphleter, was choice
| in his object or manner of attack. Will
liam Cobbctt. ono of the ablest editors OF
that day, wrote in the Political Censor
for September 1885, that that lump OF
walking tallow. strcaked with lamp-hlack
that calls itself Samuel f. Bradford. has
the impudence. etc, etc.
FRANKLIN'S NEWSPAPER IN
TERESrS.
I'm those days papers were generally
short-li and maintained for campaign
purposes only. sank into oblivion aftcl
the object of the campaign had been OBJ
Itnin"d. During the Washington admin
listration we find a cohort Of such papers
edited as Il rule, by aliens. whose records
before they rcfugeed to America were
fortunately thinly yelled in ignorance
with Just enough known to add a piquan
flavor to their personalities. TO pose "A
martyrs Of the persecution of a foreign
monarchy was an almost certain passpor
to an American editorial office. Their
: were newspapers adapted to the republi
lean palate and others to the ants. o
the latter class We're the Columbian Sen
tinel' the Hartford Newspaper" Noal
Webster's minerva" Tennow's Ga
: zctte." Davies Richmond paper etc. TIL
leading republican papers We're Adams
Boston paper, Grecnleafs of New York
Freneau's of New Jersey. Bachc'S q
Philadelphia ard Peasants of Virginia
While the publishers We're Americans
; the principal writers were Of forea
origin and represented not very hg
r type of adventurer. A plentiful suppl
of billingsgatr, intense partisanship,
trace of intelligence and bigOtcd assul
ance that the opposing party was cntirel
wrong. represented the full outfit of thes
so-callcd journalists. Webster and Col
: bctt lived long enough to exhaust the
h partisanship and turn to instruction
" the use of the English language.
LAS the head of the colonial pOsti
! service. Franklin had the appointment
postma sters, and he soon saw that TT
profit of the postofficc would be helpf'
in sustaining local newspaper. He SUI
pllcd the types and press. and it is II
marhahlc in how many newspaper
Franklin had an interest. drawing a prof
from such as were edited by postmaster
or whose editors had lucrative appon
mcnts as printers To the honorable Il
governor or to the Legislature.
John Adams admitted the influence
these men in Overthrowing the fedora
is,s-treneau, Duane. Calender. Coop
and I.yon-with their great patron al
protector /. e., Jefferson lie call'
them "a group of foreign liars. cncou
LACED by Il few ambitious native gcntl
men, who have discounted the educatio
the talents. the virtues and the prosperi
of the country"
WELL. KNOWN TO JEFFERSON.
Jefferson had intimate relations wi
some of those scrbbling immigrants
continued Mr.. Ford, william Duane vi
one OF the ablest, If not tho ablest al
his connection with jefferson lasted
a quarter of a century He came to III
country from India found an cditori
position under Bache on the Aurora
Philadelphia. and succeeded to its ma
lagement on the death Of the latter. VI
was a grandson of Franklin. Duane W
la loyal follower OF Jefferson and turn
to him in 1901 az tho life and vigor Of
political revolution
unfortunately. his support was n
SO disinterested as his protestatio
would lead us to believe. Three days +