The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-12-31

of the Revolution. We know that a
great many were employed on both
sides. Washington accounts de-
tails various expenditures made by
him for that purpose. In the news
papers, as we have said. are adyer-
tisements of the confiscation and sale
of property of over one thousand
persons in New Jersey who were
attained of treason in joining the
enemy" Where such persons subse-
quently returned to their former
homes they usually remained under
a cloud of obloquy, and we're looked
at askance by their neighbors. Many
years after the Revolution some of
these persons saw fit to vindicate
their regulations by publishing in the
newspapers well authenticated dec
larations that they had been spies in
Was hington's employ, while nominal
ly serving in the British ranks and
suffering themselves to be attainted
as traitors and their property con-
fiscated Such are some of the cur
ious and interesting sidelights thrown
on the Revolution by the Gazette
and Journals and 'Mercurys of the
day
Id1US. SenpN fO1IontluS,
True Patriot Farmer Freebooter
and other writers of the. day found
expression in long winded articles
almost as extensive as modern
presidential message but by no means
as lively-sometimes criticising the
army, but more frequently the leg
islature, and proposing all sorts of
Utopian remedies for lettering the
times, removing the financial strin-
gency, making the poor rich and the
rich poorer and in short for making
everybody happy. Committees of
citizens in various counties adopted
resolutions fixing the price of labor
and of the staple commodities; but
the laboring man and the owner of
the commodities refusing after
while to sell at these prices, the
schedules had to be revised from
time to time, while the fiat CONT
mental currency deprecated in value"
The newspapers of the day showed
that the election and inauguration of
Washington was hailed by the news
paper writer's as the Inauguration of
new era for the Republic. One can
see an increased confidence in the
stability of our institution. indicated
by the exploiting of new enterprises
in manufactures, commerce and in
the settlement of the new enterprises
in manufactures, commerce and the
settlement of the frontiers, all of
which, Mr.. Nelson said were clevely
advocated by enthusiastic and skilful
newspaper correspondents.
The editorial, up to that time
practically unknown Mr.. Nelson said,
now gradually made its appearance,
at first in the shape of a modest
paragraph, suggesting some course of
action or criticising what had been
already done or proposed. Toward
the close of Washington's second ad-
ministration we find the newspapers
taking opposing sides in politics in
dicating a positive and distinct cleav-
age in party lines. Much of the
partisan warfare of the day, was car
red on in pamphlet. but it is the
newspapers of the times we must
look to for history of the growth of
parties; it is to the newspapers of the
day that We must resort ii we would
find the real iniquities of the party
criticism and the merits of that add
vocated by the writer's of the times.
In these exposures of the weaknesses
and foibles of the opposing parties,
we read of the real difficulties and
dangers that confronted the young
republic.
At the same time we have a cheer
full picture in the progress chronocl-
ed in the advertisements of the day,
showing the great and steady strides
that were being taken by the country
at large in the development of man
ufactures, home industries, roads.
means of transportation, better liv-
ing, better housing, literary culture,
religious observance. and general
era of prosperity.