One of the first newspapers in Upper Canada, east of Kingston, was the Recorder. Says Adiel Sherwood, Esq., in a letter to the writer, it was “the first and only paper of note, of early date in this district. It was first got up in 1820 by one Beach, who continued but a short time when he sold out to William Buel, Esq., and about 1848 Mr. Buel sold out to the present proprietor and editor, D. Wylie, Esq. It was got up as Reform paper, and has ever continued as such.”
The following is extracted from an American paper:
“In 1818, D. McLeod, a retired soldier,” who had fought at Badajoz, and other places in the campaign under Wellington, and at Queenston, Upper Canada, Chrysler’s Farm, Lundy’s Lane, and then under General Picton, at Waterloo, “purchased a farm in Augusta, a few miles back of Prescott, moved on it, and commenced the business of farming; not succeeding well in his new avocation, he removed to Prescott and opened a classical school, at which the late Preston King received his rudimentary Greek lessons, and subsequently accepted the appointment of Clerk of the new court of Commissioners, for the collection of debts. He purchased a printing establishment and commenced the publication of a paper at Prescott, called the Grenville Gazette, taking a decided stand against the “Tory Compact” administration, and continued a zealous advocate of reform until the insurrection broke out in December, 1837, when he was forced to leave the country, when his press, type, and the various paraphernalia of the printing office were seized by the Tories. A mob of Tories visited his house, after he left the place, at midnight, to the terror of his unprotected family, seized, and carried off his books, letters, and other papers, and his elegant sword, as the trophies of their midnight raid. He was chosen by the insurgents as their major-general, and acted in that capacity during the continuance of the insurrection. At this time large rewards were offered for his arrest on each side of the line, on the Canadian side, for his rebellion against that government; on the United States side for an alleged violation of the Neutrality Laws,” in being supposed the leader of the party of men who captured and burned the Canadian Steamer, “Sir Robert Peel,” Well’s Island.
McLeod settled in Cleveland, Ohio, and is yet alive, being upwards of eighty-four years of age. The Cleveland Herald, from which we learn the above, records the celebration of “General D. McLeod’s fiftieth anniversary of his marriage.”
The Prescott Telegraph, “The first number” said an exchange “published by Messrs. Merrell & Miles, (1831) is now lying before us. From the appearance of the first number, and the known ability of the proprietors, we anticipate that the Telegraph will be a valuable acquisition to the best of newspapers in this Province, and also to the principles of reform.”
The Christian Guardian was established in the year 1829. Rev. E. Ryerson being the Editor.
The following were so-called “Reform” papers: The Colonial Advocate, by McKenzie, The Canadian Watchman, The Brockville Recorder, and The Hamilton Free Press, &c.
CHAPTER XLI.
Contents—First paper between Kingston and York—Hallowell Free Press—The Editor—“Recluse”—Fruitless efforts—Proprietor—Wooden press—Of Iron—Free Press, Independent—The Traveller—Press removed to Cobourg—Prince Edward Gazette—Picton Gazette—Picton Sun—Picton Times—New Nation—Cobourg Star—Anglo-Canadian at Belleville—The Editor—Price—The Phœnix—Slicer—Canadian Wesleyan—Hastings Times—The Reformer—The Intelligencer—George Benjamin—The Victoria Chronicle—Hastings Chronicle—Extract from Playter—Colonial Advocate—Upper Canada Herald—Barker’s Magazine—Victoria Magazine—Joseph Wilson—Mrs. Moodie—Sheriff Moodie—Pioneer in Canadian literature—Extract from Morgan—Literary Garland—“Roughing it in the bush”—Eclectic Magazine—Wilson’s experiment—Wilson’s Canada Casket—The Bee at Napanee—Emporium—The Standard—The Reformer—North America—Ledger—Weekly Express—Christian Casket—Trenton Advocate—British Ensign—The Canadian Gem—Maple Leaf—Papers in 1853—Canadian papers superior to Americans—Death at Boston—Berczy—Canadian idioms—Accent—Good English—Superstition—Home education—Fireside stories—Traditions.