THE FIRST NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHANIES

One of the best things that can be said of our great nation is, that it has a free press. No man has to be licensed or selected by the govern ment to print a book or publish a newspaper. It is circumscribed by no law except natural selection. Any one can start a paper at any time, say almost anything he desires to say, and if he chooses not to be suppressed, there is no power to suppress him-except a "military necessity," and once in a great while mob violence.

To make the press absolutely free, especially after the centuries of vile censorship over it, was an act of wisdom transcending in importance the original invention of moveable types. This enjoyment of a free press means free speech, free schools, free religion, and, supremest and best of all, free thought. If our government endures, and the people continue free, here will be much of the reason thereof. Thomas Jefferson, who penned the Declaration of Independence, one of the grandest documents that ever fell from the pen of mortal man, wrote also: "If I had to choose between a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should prefer the latter." The Rev. Mr. Talmage, in a recent sermon, said: " If a man should, from childhood to old age, see only his Bible, Webster's Dictionary, and his newspaper, he would be prepared for all the duties of this life, or all the happiness of the next." Said Daniel Webster: "I care not how unpretending a newspaper may be, every issue contains something that is worth the subscription price." Thanks, then, a million thanks, to our revolutionary sires for giving us the great boon of a free press.

Westward the press, with the star of empire, made its way, and contributed its part toward planting the standard of civilization in the "Dark and Bloody Ground." On the 11th day of August, 1787, now a hundred years ago, was given to the public the first number of the first newpaper published west of the Alleghanies, unless we except one established at Pittsburg* a few weeks before. The coming of the newspaper and the printing press is an era always, anywhere, and among any people. In a young and fast growing community, it is an event of great portent to its future, for in it, above any and all other institutions, are incalculable possibilities for good, and sometimes well-grounded fears for evil. It was in no

*Pittsburg can scarcely be termed west of the Alleghanies.

RESOLVED, thay three members of the tald con Yention allembled, thall be a fuficient number to ad journ from day to day, and to iue writs for fuppty ing vacancies which may happen from deaths, red Tignations, or refufal so act.

o'clock in the morning, he afcened an elevated (pot
and, exclamed Iam not yet dead, and a fill
patriot

RESOLVED by the preferates in Compete within the the digbit of are or the

people of the diftrict of Kentucke, in Convente Within the raportive counties of the district of Kens
on adembled, that it is expedient for, and the will of tacke, at the time the feveral elections are directed
the tame, that the fald duftria be practed into a fepe to be beldiction of the faid members of
rate and independent Statuexed comoring the two acting magiftrates who
Prospect in the two Acts of Alfembly, one may be prefent on the day for holding the laid electi
Entitled an Act concerning the creating or the dions, be appointed commitioners to fuperintend and
trict of Kentecké foto an dependent State the othes konduct the faid action and to make returns in the
antitled an Act mating further pravifion for the erecti ma manner as the Thetists are directed to do
on of the diftria of Kentucke into alodependentState Why from the minuter
RESOLVED, that this Convention do the thir
Sift day of December, one thoufand seven bundred
and eghre eight, to be the time on which the uthos
rity of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and of its law
over the difint of Kentucke, hail ceafe, and detalean that a few days fince pumber of expeed

THOMAS TODD, CC

UTKECH 14 M

la the late rencounter we took 27prifonent, ac
cording to whole report about 1do pen on their fide
are kiled, and about 35 or 30 wounded Among the
booty obtained by the victors, ara sa offices chatte
mufketsys great quantity of ammunition, &c. &c
together with the military cheft, containing 40god
fiorins
Upon the arrival of the fugitives from the regiment
of Van Efferen, at Viane, they were difarmed and de-
xined inrifoners of war

Aaye The day before yesterday party of hor
fars and about 40 ores ofthe chaleurs of Salem, had
mart
ith a detachment of cavalry from
the reguhayl, when victory agam declared
In favoue defenders of their country. The ene
my filed her tofing feven or eight men at whom w
Yes. 17, according to report, were fent fro
being dedd one mortally wounded, were brought
imeaguen to all the regiments in the provinces of
to this cyth Exreer prifoners. A bufarhad hig
Gaelaerland and Utrecht ordering them to be in rea horfe killed under him; but the foldier who preform
dinels for marching upon the thortal notice nachaidthat piot paid deer for his victory:) for the dig

WE

FAC-SIMILE OF HEADING OF NO. 15, VOL. 1, KENTUCKY GAZETTE, 1787.

[Photographed by Wybrant, Louisville, from original in possession of Col. R. T. Durrett.]

wise different in Kentucky, then (1787) a county of Virginia.* The people of Kentucky were zealously discussing the propriety of separating from Virginia, and setting up an independent state government, and to this end a convention had been held in Danville, the territorial capital. A second convention assembled there in 1785, for the same purpose, and during its sitting it adopted the following resolution: "That to insure unanimity in the opinion of the people respecting the propriety of separating the district of Kentucky from Virginia and forming a separate state government, and to give publicity to the proceedings of the convention, it is deemed essential to the interests of the country to have a printing-press." The convention appointed a committee to carry out the spirit of the resolution, but it was two years before the matter was accomplished:

The paper was established by John Bradford at Lexington, then the most important town west of the mountains. Mr. Bradford proposed to the convention committee to establish a paper on the condition that the convention would "guarantee to him the public patronage." The convention readily accepted his proposition, and preparations were at once begun to inaugurate the important enterprise. The people of Lexington and the surrounding country manifested their interest in the matter by the most substantial encouragement. The Lexington board of trustees in July, 1786, ordered, "That the use of a public lot be granted to John Bradford free on condition that he establish a printing-press in Lexington." Bradford sent to Philadelphia for the material, but it did not arrive until in

*Kentucky became a State in 1792.

the following summer, when it was put in order, and the first issue of the Kentucke Gazette (August 11, 1787) given to the community. It was printed in the style of the times--f being used for s, and the subscription price was placed at eighteen shillings per annum. The first number was a small unpretending sheet, scarcely so large as a half sheet of fools

cap. Its contents comprised two short original articles, one advertisement and the following note from the editor:

My customers will excuse this, my first publication, as I am much hurried to get an impression by the time appointed. A great part of the types fell into pi in the carriage of them from Limestone to this office, and my partner, which (who) is the only assistant I have, through an indisposition of the body, has been incapable of rendering the smallest assistance for ten days past. JOHN BRADFORD.

When we consider the mode of transportation of that day, and the dangers attending it "by flood and field," the fact that "a great part of the types fell into pi" is no matter of wonder. They had to be trans

ported overland from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, and from there down the Ohio River by boat (a dangerous voyage, as it proved to many a band of pioneers) to Limestone, now the flourishing little city of Maysville, Kentucky. In every copse, behind almost every tree from Limestone to Lexington, lurked unseen dangers; scarcely a rod of the distance but was stained with the blood of the red man or that of his pale-faced foe. Along this dangerous trail, where ever and anon was heard the crack of the Indian's rifle or his blood-curdling yell, Bradford's types and press were transported on pack-horses to the metropolis of Kentucky. What wonder then that the types were "pied," or that they arrived at their destination at all? John Bradford, the pioneer editor of the West, was a native of Virginia, and was born in Fauquier County in 1749. He received a good practical education, which, combined with strong common sense, made him a leader among his fellows. He served in the Revolutionary War, and after it was over (in 1785), he emigrated to Kentucky with his family, and settled in Fayette County; the next year he removed to Lexington, where the remainder of his life was spent. He was a practical printer, as was his father before him, and he brought up his sons to the same business. The next year after he established the Gazette, he published the "Kentucky Almanac," the first pamphlet printed west of the mountains, and the annual publication of which he continued for twenty years. Mr. Bradford, as may be seen from the old files of the Gazette, was not a brilliant editor, but, what was better for the times in which he lived, he was a man of practical sense and sterling honesty. He held many positions of trust and honor. He was long chairman of the board of village trustees; he was for a time chairman of the board of trustees of Transylvania University; he was the first state printer, and received from the state government one hundred pounds sterling, as the emoluments of the office. He printed books as early as 1794, and some of his early publications are still to be seen in both private and public libraries. His mind was so well stored with useful and valuable information that he was considered the town oracle, and from his decisions on local topics there was no appeal. The great confidence the people had in his judgment won for him the sobriquet of "Old Wisdom," a title well merited. He was high sheriff of Fayette County at the time of his death, which occurred in March, 1830. Circuit court was in session at the time, and the presiding judge alluded to his death in eloquent terms, and adjourned court in respect to his memory. The editorial surroundings of Mr. Bradford would contrast strangely with the princely style of the great metropolitan journals of the present day. His printing office was a rude log cabin. He printed his paper upon

an old-fashioned, unwieldy hand press, which he had purchased at second hand in Philadelphia, and which, when pushed to its full capacity, would probably turn off from fifty to seventy-five sheets per hour. When he wrote at night it was by a fire-wood light, a bear-grease lamp, or a buffalo tallow candle. His "editor's easy chair" was a three-legged stool, and his editorial table corresponded in style. An ink-horn and a rifle comprised the rest of his office furniture. The advertisements to be seen in the old numbers of the Gazette are as quaint as was the office and its equipments. Spinning wheels, knee buckles, buckskin for breeches, gun flints, hair powder, saddle-bag locks, were advertised. A notice states that, "Persons who subscribe to the frame meeting-house can pay in cattle or whisky." Another notice warns the public not to "tamper with corn or potatoes" at a certain place, as they had been "poisoned to trap some vegetable stealing Indians." The following appears over the signature of Charles Bland: "I will not pay a note given to Wm. Turner for three second-rate cows till he returns a rifle, blanket, and tomahawk I loaned him." The Constitution of the United States is published, with a note to the public, that it is "just framed by the grand convention now in session." The early files show a great dearth of local items. But this is not strange when we remember that there were then no steamboat or railroad accidents-not even steamboats or railroads and that there was no telegraph connecting the different centers of civilization like spider webs; but that the editor's steamboat, railroad, telegraph and mail carrier, were all comprised in a pack mule. John Bradford's name was connected with the press of Lexington in one capacity or another, almost to the time of his death. He conducted the Gazette with great energy until 1802, when he turned it over to his son, Daniel Bradford, and he took charge of the Kentucky Herald, the second paper established in the West. This paper he absorbed, and finally merged into the Gazette, and he again became the editor. In 1809 he sold the paper to Thomas Smith, who conducted it until 1814, when it again. passed into the hands of the Bradfords. In 1825 the original founder of the Gazette, John Bradford, again assumed its editorship, but in 1829, George J. Trotter, a man of considerable brilliance, became editor. In 1835 Daniel Bradford (John Bradford had died in 1830) once more assumed