The Upper Canada Gazette, or American Oracle
The Upper Canada Gazette was the first newspaper published in Ontario. It was originally published in Niagara by Louis Roy, but when the capital moved to Toronto, the Gazette came too, and the first issue printed in Toronto appeared on October 4, 1798. From its initial appearance on April 18, 1793, it was published weekly with remarkably few gaps; the longest one, in 1813-1814, was caused by the damage during the American occupation of Toronto in the spring of 1813. The official government paper published by the King's Printer, it included, however, general news and advertisements as well as official proclamations and announcements. As to be expected, it was generally a strong government supporter. In contrast, its second editor, Gideon Tiffany, published more American news than Governor Simcoe thought necessary, and ended his career with the Gazette by an enterprising attack at blackmailing the administrator, Peter Russell. Through the years, there were many publishers: Louis Roy, Gideon Tiffany, Titus Geer Simons, William Waters, John Bennett, John Cameron, Dr. Robert Horne, Charles Fothergill, Robert Stanton, Robert Watson. It was called the York Gazette from 1807 to 1816. From 1821 to 1826, it was published in two parts, the official part called Upper Canada Gazette, and the second, news section called the York Weekly Post from 1821 to 1822, the Weekly Register from 1822 to 1826, and the U.E. Loyalist from 1826 to 1828. In 1841 with the union of the Canadas, the Gazette lost its unique official status, but continued "by authority" until October 1, 1849, when an act providing for the insertion of official notices in the Canada Gazette only, went into force.
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The Observer
John Carey founded this unofficial paper in Toronto on May 22, 1820. A weekly, the Observer carried good parliamentary reports. Dr. Scadding wrote that "it gave its adherence to the government of the day generally; at a later period it wavered". If this is true, and there aren't's enough copies to support or disprove it, this adherence was not particularly appreciated by the ruling clique. They found Carey's constant reference to personalities vulgar and irritating.
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The Colonial Advocate
This weekly, founded at Queenston on May 18, 11824, was William Lyon Mackenzie's first attempt at journalism. Like all papers, it was opposed to the Family Compact. The paper's publishing schedule was somewhat erratic depending on the editor's financial state. According to the Weekly Register, in its early days, it was actually printed in Lewiston, New York. In November 1824, it moved to Toronto. It appeared to be failing in 1826, and Mackenzie himself was in Youngstown when a group of young Tories smashed his press and threw his type into the bay. With the £625 damages Mackenzie received for this lawlessness, his paper had a new lease on life. In December 1833, it became the Advocate and on November 4, 1834, Mackenzie retired from publishing to devote more time to active politics. His paper amalgamated with the Canadian Correspondent to form the Correspondent and Advocate.
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The Canadian Freeman
Francis Collins, an Irish Roman Catholic, founded the Canadian Freeman in the summer of 1825, after being refused the position of King's Printer. He attacked the Family Compact mercilessly, although his sympathies lay m ore with the Baldwin Moderate Reformers than with Mackenzie and the Radicals. In 1828 a reference to the "native malignancy" of Attorney General John Beverley Robinson brought a conviction for libel, for which Collins suffered fine and imprisonment. While in jail, he continued to edit the Freeman which lasted until his early death from cholera on August 29, 1834.
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The LoyalistFrom June 3, 11826 until May 24, 1828, the U.E. Loyalist was published by the King's Printer, Robert Stanton, as the second part of the Upper Canada Gazette. From June 7, 1828, the Loyalist appeared as a separate newspaper, in strong support of the Family Compact. Stanton, who had attended Dr. Strachan's schools in company with John Beverley Robinson, James Macaulay, and other young Tories, intended to carry on political warfare on a higher plane than his rivals, but soon descended to personalities, and lost the whole-hearted support of his friends.
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Founded in Kingston by Thomas Dalton as a weekly, this was the paper of the English Conservatives and Church of England party. From December 7 1832, it was published in Toronto. It became a semi-weekly in November 1833. Dalton died on October 26, 1840, but his wife continued his paper. One of her editors was Mr. Macklin, formerly of the Manchester Guardian. Bought by Col. Edward George O'Brien in 1848, it was then edited by Dr. Lucius O'Brien and later Samuel Thompson. In April 1849, its offices were destroyed in the great fire and in October of that year, the Patriot was bought by Ogle Robert Gowan. Together with Thompson, he led the paper until it merged with the Leader in 1854. In April 1850, a daily edition was begun with its amalgamation with the Toronto Daily Express, called the Toronto Family Patriot and Express. This was in addition to its weekly and semi-weekly editions, the latter of which being replaced by the United Empire. After the Patriot was bought by the Leader, all three editions were published by James Beaty until 1855 when the Daily Patriot and the United Empire were dropped. The weekly edition was continued until 1878. The name was shortened to the Patriot in March 1834, and changed to Toronto Patriot in 1839.
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George Gurnett, publisher of the Gore Gazette in Ancaster, began this semi-weekly in Toronto in 1829 because he thought that the capital should have a paper which staunchly supported the government. It stood to reason that such a paper would be more effective in Toronto. From November 1822 until 1834, it was published three times a week. In 1837 it was bought by Charles Fothergill who founded the Palladium of British America.
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Founded on November 21, 1829, this weekly was the organ of the Wesleyan Methodists. It had a tremendous influence among all non-Conformists, pursuing a political middle of the road. Although violently opposed to the privileges of the Church of England, it generally supported the conservative side. Lord Sydenham called it "the only decent paper in both Canadas", Its most famous editor was Rev. Egerton Ryerson, who edited it from 1829-1832, 1833-1835, 1838-1840. Before Confederation, it was also edited by Rev. James Richardson< rev. Ephraim Evans, Rev. Jonathan Scott, Rev. George Frederick Playter, Rev. George R. Sanderson, Rev. James Spencer and Rev. Wellington Jeffers. The New Outlook absorbed the Guardian in 1925.
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Sapper and Miner
This weekly was founded in the spring of 1832, with John Carey as editor and G.W. Thompson as publisher. It ceased publication before the end of the year.
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Canadian Correspondent
James King began this weekly on November 10, 1832 with Rev. William John O'Grady as editor. Father O'Grady, Vicar General of Toronto, has had a series of disagreements with his bishop, Alexander Macdonell which led to his suspension. He was opposed to the Family Compact, to Bishop Macdonell particularly, and to Francis Collins and his Freeman, who backed the Bishop in the local congregation. On November 4, 1834, the Colonial Advocate amalgamated with the Canadian Correspondent to form the Canadian Correspondent and Advocate. After the Rebellion, the Correspondent and Advocate was bought by the Palladium of British America.
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U.C. Land, Mercantile, and General AdvertiserThis weekly consisted entirely of advertisements. It was published by two land agents, Joseph Talbot and James Henderson and printed by William J. Coates. More than half the advertisements are of real estate for sale by Joseph Talbot. Begun in June 1834, it lasted until at least August of 1835.
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Toronto Recorder and General Mercantile Advertiser
Founded in July 1834, this semi-weekly was published by George Perkins Bull, and continued until 1835, when Bull founded the Hamilton Gazette. It supported the Family Compact.
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Looking Glass
A fragment of a January 1835 issue is all that remains of this paper. It appeared sympathetic to Reform interests.
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Toronto Morning Visitor, Or Two-Penny Magazine
The Visitor was begun in June 1835 and was published twice a week by Collins and Ward, printers, with the hope of eventually becoming a daily. It was devoted to "natural history, biography, voyages and travels, interesting historical anecdotes, scientific subjects, the latest European news, provincial news, poetry, amusing tales, conundrums, enigmas, etc."
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No. 1 of the Porcupine! Published on September 10, 1835, consisted of extremely scurrilous attacks on all and sundry in Tory-on-Toe. It is doubtful if another issue was ever published. It is even doubtful if it were really published by George Perkins Bull, as it stated.
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Albion of U.C.
Probably founded in the autumn of 1835, this weekly was edited by James Cull and printed by John F. Rogers. It supported Constitutional, Conservative principles and excluded "low and vulgar vituperative abuse". It published good parliamentary reports, particularly after the founding of the Royal Standard. It ceased publication in March, 1837.
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