T.T. Howard founded the Watchman on January 21, 1850. It was a religious and literary weekly supporting Protestant dissent, but not the official organ of any denomination. In 1852, it was called the Watchman, Literary Miscellany, Sons of Temperance Vindicator and General Advertiser. Its name changed in 1853 to Canadian Watchman and it was devoted especially to temperance reform.
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Canada Presbyterian
Combining religious events, inspirational writing and secular news, this weekly was published by L.J. Seeley for the proprietress, Mrs. Eliza Henderson. The first issue appeared in January of 1850.
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Toronto Daily Express and General Commercial Advertiser
First published by L.J. Seeley on February 23, 1850, this daily paper was strongly critical of the Baldwin government and of the policies of the Globe. On April 15, 1850, it merged with the Patriot to form the Toronto Daily Patriot and Express.
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William McDougall first issued the North American as a semi-weekly in May 1850 becoming a weekly in September 1850. From October 1851, there were both weekly and semi-weekly editions. It was the organ of the Clear Grits and demanded such reforms as an elective upper house, universal suffrage, secret ballot, biennial elections and free trade. After George Brown joined forces with the Clear Grits, the North American amalgamated with the Globe in February 1855 and McDougall joined the Globe editorial staff.
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Canadian Sons of Temperance and Literacy Gem.
Beginning in February 1851, as a semi-monthly and changing publication every ten days in September 1851, the paper became a weekly in January 1852. It was edited by Charles Durand and included literary and agricultural articles and an epitome of general news, as well as temperance policies.
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Canadian Family Herald
First issued on November 29, 1851 by D. McDougall, the Herald was a family weekly devoted to agriculture, art, science and literature with no political writing. The activities of the Mechanics Institute were reported fully. It cost a dollar a year and lasted at least until December 1852.
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Echo and Protestant Episcopal Recorder
This weekly was an evangelical Church of England paper founded in opposition to the Church which it accused of Tractarianism and Romanism. Until 1854, the editor was Rev. Jonathan Shortt of Port Hope; it was then edited by a committee of clergymen, then by Rev. H. C. Cooper of Etobicoke, then by Rev. John Irwin. It was printed in Port Hope until 1854, from 1854 until about 1861, it was published in Toronto by Maclear and Company, Sellar and Halse, and Thomas Sellar. After 1861, it was published in Montreal by Thomas Sellar.
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Begun in April 1852, this paper was published twice a week by Samuel Thompson and Company at the Patriot office. It supported the Tory position and the British connection, but according to the Reform Mirror, it was "little likely to exercise influence in a rational community, or to resuscitate a defunct party". The Mirror also adds, mysteriously, that it was not edited by the Rev. Robert Jackson MacGeorge of Streetsville. In 1854, the editor and proprietor was Ogle Robert Gowan and it was, in essence, the semi-weekly edition of the Patriot. After the sale of the Patriot to the Leader in December 1854, James Beaty continued the United Empire until 1855.
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Published by James Beaty and edited by Charles Lindsey formerly assistant editor of the Examiner, the Leader in 1852 was the fifth Reform paper in Toronto. It supported the Hinksite Liberals and after the Liberal-Conservative coalition of 1854, it became a moderate Conservative paper. The semi-weekly edition began on July 1, 1852, the weekly on July 7, 1852 and the daily on July 11, 1853. The semi-weekly ceased publication in 1864, the daily and weekly in 1878. It acquired the Patriot, United Empire, British Colonist and Toronto Watchman, all of which it published for a time.
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British Canadian and Canada West Commercial and General Advertiser
A strongly Orange, Conservative paper, this was probably owned by John Hillyard Cameron and was edited by Edward Taylor Dartnell and printed by A. Burke Townley. Although it used the same masthead as the earlier British Canadian, it had apparently no other connection. Founded in September 1852, it was published twice a week for the first year. From September 20, 1853, it was published three times a week, with a weekly edition as well, called the Protestant Guardian, or Weekly British Canadian.
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Mackenzie's Weekly Message
This paper was published somewhat erratically by William Lyon Mackenzie, beginning with a free issue on Christmas in 1852. Professor Kilbourn writes, "With a stubborn and eccentric independence, Mackenzie denounced the working of Responsible Government and the politics of the railway age. In so far as he supported any political group, it was the agrarian radical fringe of the Clear Grits. Though the Message carried more than one personal vendetta, it contained a good deal of knowledgeable criticism of the detailed operations of government". From August 16, 1856 to July 2, 1859, it was called the Toronto Weekly Message. Its last issue was September 15, 1860.
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Provincial Freeman
Founded in Windsor on March 24, 1853, this weekly was devoted to anti-slavery, temperance and general literature. In March 1854, it moved to Toronto and in June 1855, to Chatham. Established to advocate the interests of the non-white people in both Canada and the U.S., it was edited while in Toronto by Rev. Samuel Rongold Ward. Its publishing agent was M.A. Shadd; its Canadian contributors were J.J. Carey and Amelia C. Shadd of Toronto and A.B. Jones of London, with correspondence from friends in Chatham, Windsor and Buxton. In March 1855, its name changed to Provincial Freeman and Weekly Advertiser. The last known issue appeared on September 15, 1857.
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Begun in September 1853, this weekly had two special features-it carried local British news for recent British immigrants and it concentrated on Canadian news and information of particular interest to possible emigrants and others in Great Britain. In 1858, its circulation of 600 in Great Britain was said to be the largest of any Canadian newspaper. It was edited by Rev. Henry Hope. A semi-weekly edition was begun before 1858 and about 1857 its name was changed to Toronto Times.
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British Colonial Magazine
A weekly devoted entirely to literary efforts, this was edited by William Henry Smith and published by Henry Rowsell. The annual volume was called "Gems of literature".
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Catholic Citizen
First published on January 5, 1854, this weekly was edited by Thomas Hayes, later by Michael Hayes and printed by Robert L. Thomas. It advocated the British connection, the rights of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, separate schools, universal suffrage, a vigorous immigration policy, free trade and the Government railroad policy. It was opposed to George Brown and also to D'Arcy McGee, as an adventurer fomenting dissension among Irish Catholics. It was bought out by the Canadian Freeman.
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Mackenzie's Voter's Guide
William Lyon Mackenzie published this paper on July 10, 1854 calling it a weekly. It was a Reform, anti-Hincks paper.
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Canadian Baptist
First published in Brantford on October 6, 1854, this weekly was founded by Deacon William Winter and was called the Christian Messenger. In 1859, it was bought by Rev. Robert A. Fyfe, who moved it to Toronto, and in 1860 changed its name to Canadian Baptist. In 1863, he was succeeded by Rev. Hoyes Lloyd. Like the other denominational papers, it contained general, political, commercial and agricultural news, as well as religious and inspirational writing.
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The first German language paper published in Toronto appeared in November, 1856. It was a weekly edited by William C. Scheulter who formerly edited the New York Democrat. It was a Liberal paper.
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Canadian Mail
A strongly Conservative weekly, this was begun on June 5, 1857. Its aim was to be "a real Canadian and not local or section paper".
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Christian Journal
This weekly was the organ of the Primitive Methodists and was edited by a succession of clergymen including Rev. Robert Boyle, Rev. John Davison and Rev. John Compton. For a time in 1860, it was published by Alfred H. St. Germain under whom it was "devoted to literature, news, commerce and religion", and was not "intensely denominational".
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Grumbler
This humorous political weekly was started by Erastus Wiman in March 1858, and published by him until 1861 when it ceased publication for about a year. It was revived by John Ross Robertson in December 1862 and published by him until January of 1865. Again revived in January 1869 when at least one issue appeared, consisting mainly of a slashing attack on John Ross Robertson.
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