Missouri Republican

TheMissouri Republicanwas a newspaper founded in 1808 and headquartered inSt. Louis, Missouri.Its predecessor was theMorning Gazette.It later changed its name toSt. Louis Republic.

Missouri Republican / St. Louis Republic

Founded	1808(1808)
Ceased publication	1919(1919)
City	St. Louis, Missouri
Country	United States
Media of the United States List of newspapers

After supporting theWhig Party,the paper became aligned with theDemocratic Party.

In the late 19th century, theRepublichad the second-largest circulation in St. Louis, surpassing papers that would survive it, such as theSt. Louis Post-Dispatchand theSt. Louis Star-Times.Its final owner wasDavid R. Francis,a prominent political figure. In 1919, after years of losses, Francis sold theRepublicto theSt. Louis Globe-Democrat,a longtime rival paper supportive of theRepublican Party,which closed it.

History

TheRepublicanwas founded byJoseph Charlessin 1808 as theMissouri Gazette and Louisiana Advertiser,using the first printing press to be set up west of theMississippi River.The name was changed toLouisiana Gazettein 1809. It was changed back toMissouri Gazettein 1818 after a change in owners.

Charless's prospectus for the weekly newspaper said, in part:

...we conceive it unnecessary to offer anything like professions to the public, but rather let the columns of the GAZETTE speak for themselves, and the print live or die by the character it may acquire, but its intended Patrons have a right to be acquainted with the grounds upon which their approbation is solicited.

Three columns of the paper were to be reserved for news in French, as many of the residents of the city were ethnic French who spoke that language.

The printing press came from Philadelphia, and the type fromLouisville, Kentucky.The only paper available in St. Louis measured 8x12 inches, so that was the size used for the first issue, on July 12, 1808. There were 170 subscribers.

The first printer to work in theWestwas a Mr. Hinkle, who set up the first form of theGazettein a little one-story building on Main Street... .the inking of the forms, as well as operating the press, was a task to be performed by hand. The oldRamage press...served to supply the public with their newspaper until 1827.

TheGazettehiredHenry Marie Brackenridge,son ofHugh Henry Brackenridgeand his wife, as the firststaff correspondentfor a St. Louis newspaper. His father was an attorney, chaplain, editor and more, based inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania.The younger Brackenridge was educated in part by living for several years with a French-speaking family inSte. Genevieve, Missouriwhen young, and then on another occasion. After reading the law and passing the bar inBaltimore, Maryland,Brackenridge had practiced there and in Pennsylvania, but grew restless and returned to the West in 1810, settling in St. Louis.

In the winter of 1810–1811, he wrote a series of articles for theGazetteabout the Louisiana Territory.In 1811 he traveled withManuel Lisato the upper Missouri forfur trading.Brackenridge wrote "descriptive letters" for theGazettefrom locations along theMissouri Riverduring these months.

In 1820, Charless sold theGazette,with its one thousand subscribers, to James C. Cummins, who had recently arrived from Pittsburgh. The latter held the paper for 18 months; in 1822 he sold it to Edward Charless, the oldest son of the founder. Edward Charless changed its name toMissouri Republican.Joseph (or Josiah) Spaldingof Connecticut was made editor and partner.

Nathaniel Paschallbecame an apprentice printer in 1813 and became associated with Charless in March 1818. He eventually became the editor.George Knappwas another important figure inRepublicanhistory who began as an apprentice, in 1827.

TheRepublicanbecame a daily newspaper on September 20, 1836.

In July 1837, Charless and Paschall sold the concern to A.B. Chambers, Oliver Harris, and George Knapp. Harris withdrew in August 1839, and the paper continued under Chambers and Knapp. In January 1840 Joseph W. Dougherty became a proprietor, but he left after a brief time.Chambers died on May 22, 1854, and George Knapp became sole owner a year later.

In August 1854, Nathaniel Paschall and John Knapp were admitted as partners. Paschall died in 1866, andWilliam Hyde,who had been hired as a reporter in 1857, was promoted to editor.

It eventually becoming known as theSt. Louis Republicin 1888. After supporting theWhig Party,the paper became aligned with theDemocratic Party.In the late 19th century, theRepublichad the second largest circulation in St. Louis, surpassing papers that would survive it, such as theSt. Louis Post-Dispatchand theSt. Louis Star-Times.Its final owner wasDavid R. Francis,a prominent political figure. In 1919, after years of losses, Francis sold theRepublicto theSt. Louis Globe-Democrat,a longtime rival paper supportive of theRepublican Party,which closed it.

Symbol

The symbol of the newspaper was a figure of a "coon couchant," always mentioned inheraldicterms, or araccoonthat was posed lying down.

In 1840, the newspaper had supportedWilliam Henry Harrisonas the presidential candidate.

with such effectiveness and zeal that in the midst of that... campaign[,] an emblem, a symbol as it were, was bestowed upon the paper by the admiringWhigs.TheRepublicanwas called "the Old Coon." The name was accepted promptly. The emblem, a metallic figure of a coon couchant, was hoisted high over the building... Perched over the smoke stack[,] the coon was visible from all parts of the city.... The emblem survived two disastrous fires. When the paper was moved to Third and Chestnut streets, occupying a new building which ranked with the imposing architecture of the city in its day, the coon found a place in the iron arch of the main entrance. The figure was also carried above the building.

When the building was torn down in 1932, the doorway symbol was presented to theSt. Louis Globe-Democrat,the successor to theRepublican.

Politics

In 1856, theRepublicansupportedJames BuchananforPresident of the United States.It was Democratic in politics, but vigorously opposed tosecession.After the election ofAbraham Lincoln,it did not support his administration in many measures.

UnderAndrew Johnson,theRepublicanadvocated a "passive policy" or "possum policy" for Democrats, with the support ofCarl Schurzand hisWestliche Postamong the many German immigrants and their descendants. In practice, the publishers of the two newspapers conducted a national convention of Liberal Republicans which met inCincinnati, Ohio,and nominatedHorace GreeleyandBenjamin Gratz Brown.

TheRepublicanwas instrumental in establishing astate lotteryin 1871. It succeeded in bringing the1876 Democratic National Conventionto St. Louis.

In 1873, it propounded its political stand as

a fearless and independent advocate of Liberal Democratic principles. It is bound, however, by no ties to the support of unworthy men, nor by party discipline to any action it may deem unwise of impolitic.... It will studiously strive, as in the past, to avoid sensational and prurient journalism, and will without sacrificing spice and piquancy, aim to make itself worthy of admission into the purest circles.... It will also be enlivened with a variety of miscellaneous matter, and by features of interest to be found only in this paper.

Circulation

In January 1876, the newspaper had a circulation of more than 240,000.

First fire and second building

The firstRepublicanbuilding, including all the books and files, was destroyed by fire on May 17, 1849.

The firm moved into a new, five-story building, plus basement, which had just been completed. The basement held all the printing paper, and two news presses, one an eight-cylinder and the other a four-cylinder. There were two engines and two boilers as well.

The first floor held the counting room, two large fireproof vaults, file and paper cases, and back copies of theRepublicanandDemocrat;second floor, a job bindery and the office of the job department; third floor, editorial rooms and the job printing office; fourth, more of the job office, material and machinery; and top floor, the news department, typesetting and makeup quarters, where some thirty-five printers, or "typos," could work. The job department included the office and back shop of theIrish News,which appealed to the many ethnic Irish in the city.

Second fire and third building

On the evening of May 24, 1870, the five-storyRepublicanbuilding, on Chestnut Street between Second and Main streets, was destroyed by fire. The supply of water was insufficient to throw water any higher than the second story of the four-floor building until mud was forced out of the pipes.

Managing EditorWilliam Hyderushed to his room to save the valuable books in his library. He was accompanied by a self-possessed compositor named Fisk, who began to assist him in throwing books out at the windows. They had not thrown out more than a dozen... before their retreat was wholly cut off....

Most of the books were destroyed, including several rare and valuable volumes. Crowds of spectators witnessed the debacle, emptying theaters to rush to see the intense flames engorge the building, which eventually collapsed.A four-cylinderHoe presswas saved, being protected in a fireproof vault. Only one day of publication was missed. A temporary building was constructed on the same site.

A five-storyRenaissance stylereplacement building was opened on Wednesday, January 8, 1873, on Third Street at Chestnut.

Page size

In its later days, theRepublicanhad the largest page size of any newspaper west of theMississippi.The years and page sizes were: 1822, 20x22 inches; 1828, 22x32 inches; 1835, 24x34 inches; 1843, 27x46 inches; 1844, 28x48 inches; 1851, 31.5x52 inches; 1853, 33x56 inches.

Archiving

TheSt. Louis Republicis archived at the St. Louis Public Libraryand is part of theLibrary of Congress's Chronicling America collection.

Notable people

• George Brown,"the highest-salaried newspaper reporter in St. Louis about 1875."
• William Hyde,managing editor
• William Marion Reedy,whose "daily assignment was the school board offices in the old Polytechnic building at Seventh and Locust streets." He became a "writer of more than local fame."

External links

• St. Louis Republicfinding aid at theSt. Louis Public Library