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.

NEWSPAPERS—​CONTINUED.

The first newspaper published between Kingston and York, was the Hallowell Free Press, of demy size, the first number of which was issued 28th December, 1830, by Joseph Wilson, Esq., now of Belleville; W. A. Welles, Esq., editor, a gentleman from Utica, New York. Attempts had been made at Cobourg, Port Hope, as well as at Hallowell, prior to this, to establish papers, prospectus having been acknowledged by the Kingston Gazette. A letter in the first number of the Free Press, signed “Recluse,” says, “a number of attempts have been made to publish a journal in this county, proposals circulated, subscriptions obtained to a considerable amount, and the expectations of the public wrought up to the highest degree, yet every attempt hitherto made, has proved abortive, except the present; repeated imposition has, no doubt, had a tendency to create in the public mind, a spirit of indifference and apathy respecting newspapers.”

Mr. Wilson had his press of wood, made by one Scripture, of Colborne. Although a very indifferent affair, it was used for a year, when Mr. Wilson procured an iron press from New York. Probably one of the first iron printing presses in the Province. The Free Press was continued for five years. Mr. Welles was editor for a short time only. This journal was evidently intended for the public weal. No one can read the first issues of the paper without being convinced that the proprietor was intent upon rendering service to the public. He allied himself to no party: the contending political aspirants of the 359day, had equal access to the columns of the Press, and could thereby challenge unbiased attention. “The Traveller, or Prince Edward Gazette,” published every Friday, by Cecil Mortimer, Editor and Proprietor, “John Silver, Printer,” 12s. 6d., per annum, in advance. Commenced April, 1836, and continued about four years, when the printing press was removed to Cobourg. In 1840, the Prince Edward Gazette appeared, J. Dornan, Publisher. It was continued under this name by Rev. Mr. Playter. In 1847, and in 1849, Mr. Thomas Donnelly became Editor and Proprietor, changing the name to the Picton Gazette, which name it still bears. Mr. Donnelly was succeeded as editor in 1853, by Maurice Moore, and he again by S. M. Conger, in 1856, who still continues to publish this old and popular journal. The Picton Sun, established in 1841, by Mr. J. Douglas, who was succeeded in 1845, by J. McDonald, and he again in 1849, by Mr. Striker, who removed it to Cobourg in 1853. The following year Dr. Gillespie and R. Boyle commenced the Picton Times, which still continues to be published by Mr. Boyle. The North American removed from Newburgh in 1861, published by McMullen Brothers. The New Nation succeeded it in 1865.

The Anglo Canadian was established in Belleville in February, 1831. It was “printed and published by Alexander T. W. Williamson, Editor, and W. A. Welles. Printed at four dollars per annum, payable in advance.” A copy of this paper is before us, and is very respectable as to size and quality, and is readable. This was the first journal published in Belleville. The Phœnix arose from the ashes of the Anglo-Canadian. It was first issued in the early part of July, 1831, “published every Tuesday by T. Slicer, Editor and Proprietor, at his office, Water Street, Belleville, U. C., 20s. per annum—​if sent by mail, 22s. 6d., payable half-yearly.” A few copies before us resemble, in appearance, its predecessor, the Anglo-Canadian. In one of the early copies is a prospectus of the Canadian Wesleyan, the subscribers to the announcement are “H. Ryan,” and “J. Jackson,” dated Hamilton, August, 1831.—​(See first clergyman, H. Ryan).

The last number of the Phœnix issued July 3, 1832, and which was “published by William A. Welles, for the Proprietors,” says, “As the present number completes the year, it is intended to give the paper a new name; which, though less classical, may be considered more appropriate.” The name selected was the “Hastings Times,” No. 17, of the Times now before us, was published by Rollin C. Benedict, every Saturday.

“The Reformer” of Cobourg, published every Friday, J. Radcliff, Editor, was first issued, June, 1832.

360“The Intelligencer, of Belleville,” was founded by George Benjamin, in September, 1834, who continued its editor until 1848, when McKenzie Bowell, Esq., now M. P., succeeded him, who remains the proprietor. Mr. Benjamin was an Englishman, born 1799, and died 1864. He was a gentleman of more than ordinary ability, a consistent politician, and a true friend. He held the highest municipal offices, and was Member of Parliament from 1856 to 1863. He had talent to adorn any position.

The Victoria Chronicle was founded in 1841, by S. M. Washburn and Sutton, who had removed from Brockville. Sutton remained partner for two years. In 1849 the establishment was purchased from Washburn by E. Miles, Esq., who, with T. R. Mason, Esq., continues proprietor. The name was changed many years ago from Victoria to Hastings Chronicle.

A Magazine of cheap miscellany was issued monthly, by Seth Washburn, &c., Belleville, 1847 & 8.

Playter, writing of the year 1824, says, “books, periodicals, and newspapers were scantily supplied to, and not much desired by the people as yet, the country was not old enough to give much encouragement and support to literature. Still, in the Methodist connection, the Magazine, (Methodist) was tolerably well circulated, no less than seventy subscribers were among the friends on the Bay of Quinté circuit at once. Newspapers were on the increase; nineteen were now published in Canada, and six of them twice a week. Quebec printed four, (of which one was French); Stanstead one, Brockville one, Kingston two, York two, Niagara one, Queenston one.”

The Colonial Advocate was issued in the latter part of 1824, by William Lyon McKenzie.

We have a copy of the Upper Canada Herald before us, dated June 27, 1832, vol. xiv. which gives us the period at which it was started.

Barker’s Canadian Magazine, published at Kingston, by Edward John Barker, M. D., commenced May, 1846.

—​—​The Victoria Magazine, a monthly periodical, was issued first in September, 1841, by Joseph Wilson, of Belleville, formerly of the Hallowell Free Press. Like many a one subsequently commenced, the Magazine had but a brief existence. It continued just one year.

The editors were Sheriff Moodie, and his accomplished wife, whose writings have gained for her a European reputation of no ordinary standing. Mrs. Moodie may be regarded as the pioneer of Canadian literature, and, as a long standing inhabitant of the Bay, she claims a brief notice in these pages, to give which 361affords the writer but a meagre opportunity to express his own high estimation of, and gratitude to a personal friend, whose kind words of encouragement has so frequently been a stimulus to action, when his energies flagged in this undertaking.

Morgan, in his Bibliotheca Canadensis, a most useful compilation, says: Mrs. Moodie is “well known in Canada and Great Britain for her works, and as an extensive contributor to the periodical literature of both countries. Born at Bungay, County of Suffolk, England, sixth December, 1803. She is a member of the talented Strickland family, of Beydon Hall, in the above County; four of her sisters, Elizabeth, Agnes, (the best known), Jane, and Mrs. Trail, have each contributed to the literature of the day. Both Mrs. Moodie and her sisters were educated by their father, who is represented to have been a gentleman of education, refined taste, and some wealth. Mrs. M. was only in her thirteenth year, when her father died. As early as her fifteenth year, she began to write for the press generally, for annuals and for periodicals, contributing short poems and tales for children. About 1820, she produced her first work of any pretension—​a juvenile tale, which was well received by the public and the press. In the following year she married Mr. Moodie, a half-pay officer from the 21st Fusileers, and, in 1832, emigrated with her husband, to Canada. They bought a farm near Port Hope, which, however, they only held for a short time, removing to the back woods, ten miles north of Peterborough, where they settled. There they remained for a period of eight years, experiencing all the trials, mishaps and troubles incident to early settlers, and which are so graphically narrated and depicted by Mrs. M. in her “Roughing it in the Bush.” In 1839, Mr. Moodie was appointed Sheriff of Hastings, (an office from which he retired a few years since,) and, with his wife, took up his residence at Belleville, where they have since lived. During the existence of the Literary Garland, (Montreal), Mrs. M. was the principal contributor of fiction to its pages. For some years she edited the Victoria Magazine, (Belleville). Her contributions to these and other annuals, magazines, and newspapers, would fill many volumes.”

The work for which Mrs. Moodie became more especially famous, was “Roughing it in the Bush;” but other volumes are exceedingly interesting, as “Flora Lindsay,” “Mark Hurdlestone,” “Geoffry Moreton,” or the “Faithless Guardian,” and “Life in the Clearings.”

“John Wedderburn Dunbar Moodie, formerly Lieutenant in 362the 21st Reg. of Fusileers,” saw action in Holland, where he was wounded; he was a writer for the United Service Journal, Literary Garland, (Montreal), and author of “Ten Years in Africa,” and “Scenes and Adventures as a Soldier and Settler, during half a Century.”

The Victoria Magazine was succeeded by the Eclectic Magazine, Joseph Wilson being Editor and Proprietor. This monthly was also continued only one year. Mr. Wilson now commenced a “family paper called Wilson’s Experiment,” and soon after, in connection with it, Wilson’s Canada Casket. These were issued alternately every two weeks, and were continued for two years. They had a large circulation, as Mr. Wilson avers, at the last about 6,000. The subscribers were not only in Canada, but in the Lower Provinces. The journals were discontinued, not because they did not pay; but in consequence of embarrassment from other causes.

The Bee was the first newspaper published in Napanee, in 1851, by the Rev. G. D. Greenleaf, Editor and Proprietor. It was a small sheet, and semi-political, at one dollar per year. It was printed on a press of the owner’s own construction, and continued two years, when it was succeeded by the Emporium, published by the same person, at the same office. It was somewhat larger than the Bee, and was two dollars a year. Its existence extended but little over a year.

The Standard was the third journal established at Napanee, 1853, by a joint-stock company. It was in the interest of the Conservatives. Its first editor was Dr. McLean, formerly of Kingston. Subsequently, the paper came under the management of Alexander Campbell, Esq., and continued for a few years. It then passed into the hands of Mr. A. Henry. It is still published by Henry and Brother.

The next paper, after the Standard, to be issued was the Reformer, by Carman and Dunham. There have subsequently been published the North American, The Ledger, and the Weekly Express. Besides the above, there was published, in 1854, continuing for two years, The Christian Casket, by E. A Dunham.

Trenton first possessed a newspaper in 1854. It was published and edited by Alexander Begg, and its name was the Trenton Advocate. The first number was issued March 4, 1854. About a year, afterward, the paper changed owners, and took the name of British Ensign. It was continued about two years longer.

We have before us several copies of The Canadian Gem and Family Visitor, published at Cobourg; and edited by Joseph H. 363Leonard, 1848. It is very readable, and exhibits no little enterprise. Also, we have The Maple Leaf; published at Montreal by R. W. Loy, 1853. Mr. Loy died not long after its issue. This also contains many interesting articles of a local and general nature.

In 1853, 158 papers are mentioned in the Canada Directory, of which, 114 are issued in Upper Canada. At the present time the number has much increased. Respecting the newspapers of Canada, Mr. Buckingham, who visited Canada in 1840, says that they are generally superior to those of the Provincial towns of the United States.

The following cannot fail to be of interest:

A Boston paper says, “Died—​In the early part of the year 1813, Wm. Berczy, Esq., aged 68; a distinguished inhabitant of the Province of Upper Canada, and highly respected for his literary acquirements. In the decease of this gentleman, society must sustain an irreparable loss, and the republic of letters will have cause to mourn the death of a man, eminent for genius and talent.”

Canadian Idioms.—​The loyalist settlers of Upper Canada were mainly of American birth, and those speaking English, differed in no respect in their mode of speech from those who remained in the States. Even to this day there is some resemblance between native Upper Canadians and the Americans of the Midland States; though there is not, to any extent, a likeness to the Yankee of, the New England States. While the Yankee, and to some extent, the whole of the American people have steadily diverged from the pure English, both with respect to accent and idiom, as well as in the meaning attached to certain words; in Canada this tendency has been arrested by the presence of English gentlemen, often half-pay officers, and their families, by the officers of the Army and Navy, and as well by the school teachers, high and low, which were often from the old country. The accent of Canadians, and their idioms to-day, are to a certain extent peculiar, sui generis, which peculiarity is constantly increasing, even as the British American is assuming in appearance a distinct characteristic. Taking all classes of Canadians, it may be said that for a people far removed from the source of pure English, that is the Court, they have a very correct mode of speaking, the criticisms of English travelers to the contrary, notwithstanding. As education becomes more diffused among the masses there will ensue a very decided improvement in the mode of speaking among Canadians. Listening to the children at any school, composed of the children of Englishmen, Scotchmen, Irishmen, 364Americans, and even of Germans, it is impossible to detect any marked difference in their accent, or way of expressing themselves.

Superstition.—​Although a few of the settlers had books to read, many had none. And as there were no school teachers very many children grew up without being able to read, or at most very little, and entirely unable to write, unless it might be their name. The writer has been struck with the difference between the composition and penmanship of many of the settlers and that of their immediate children, the former being good, the latter bad; while the parent could write a bold signature, and express himself in writing a letter, intelligibly, the offspring either could do nothing of the kind, or else made a very poor attempt. The result of this was, that the mind, starved for want of mental food of a wholesome nature, did not become inactive, but sought other kinds of pabulum. They derived a certain amount of information from the legendary tales told and retold of former days of happiness and plenty. Excluded from the world of literature, and secluded in a forest of eternal silence, except the tones uttered by the voice of nature, sometimes whispering in the gentle murmurs of the sighing wind, and sometimes thundering forth in the loudest voice,—​shut up with nature they listened to her words, and not educated to understand her meaning, they undertook to interpret her speech, and oftentimes superstition of the deepest kind took possession of their minds. This prevailed perhaps more especially among the Dutch. Belief in ghosts, or “spooks” was a common thing, and before the bright and flickering light of many a hearth fire, during the winter nights, were told “stories” which lost nothing in their relating. And along the Bay were many old houses, once the homes of the settler which it was declared, was occasionally visited by the spirit of the builder, who returned to discharge some duty which rested heavily upon him in the spirit world, or who desired to reveal the place of concealment of some hoarded gold which had been so safely buried in some cranny nook.

A company of neighbours spending the evening would take their turn in telling of what they had seen or dreamed, or heard told; and at last when the bright sparkling fire had sunk into subdued embers, the consciousness of having to go home through the woods, or past a grave yard, would arouse the talkers. Shuddering at the thought, with imagination heightened by the conversation, they would set out on their path. It was at such times that 365the spirit of some recently departed one would be seen hovering over the grave, or floating away at the approach of footsteps. Strange voices came from the midst of the darkness, and unnatural lights flashed in the eyes of the midnight traveler. Should no sound or sight present themselves on the way, there was still a chance to experience much in dreams, when revelations of the gravest import would be made, which only had to be repeated three nights in succession to obtain the status of absolute certainty.

The traditions and recitals made known to the children were sometimes, not alone exaggerated, but untrue. The old soldier, or loyalist in his great hatred to the rebels, would sometimes unduly blacken the character of the fathers of the American Republic; for instance, the writer has heard it several times, told as a fact, that Washington was the illegitimate son of King George.

By some means a belief obtained, that at a place called Devil’s Hill, at the Indian Woods, was concealed in the earth, a quantity of money, and parties used to actually go and dig for it. There was a huge rock here which was supposed to cover the precious metal, and a “bee” was formed, on one occasion to overturn it, but they found nothing to reward them for their pains.

366