Classified Ad:
Ran away from the subscriber on the 14th an indentured boy, named Luther Eastlen, 18 years old, light complexion, light short hair with a long queue; had on when he went away a short sailor jacket. This is to forbid all persons harbouring or trusting him on my account, as I shall not pay any debt of his contracting after the time he left me. Whoever will take up said fellow, shall receive one cent reward, but no charges paid.
JOHN ALEXANDER
Brattleboro', February 18, 1799
(from the archives of The Federal Galaxy, Brattleboro)
"Church and State"
In Connecticut, ecclesiastical tyranny has long kept the people in abject vassalage. There, eleven federal weekly papers, two annual federal fast and thanksgiving sermons in every parish, two annual federal electioneering pamphlets thrust into the hand of every parishioner of every federal clergyman after service on Sunday before every election, two annual federal speeches, and two federal proclamations from the Governor--form together so weak a barrier against the revolutionary sentiment which spreads with the increasing circulation of the Mercury and Witness (the only republican papers in Connecticut), that piety and federalism have robbed Mr. Babcock (publisher of The American Mercury) of nearly all his property, and hold Mr. Osborn (publisher of The Witness) in a dungeon, more effectually to shut every avenue to truth or the free discussion of any political question. All these oppressions failing to effect the object of federalism, it represents Democracy as "a stench in the nostrils of a holy God"--Repbublicanism and infidelity as synonimous--And the frowns, denunciations and anathemas of federal priests, against every parishioner who, from accident or curiosity, gets into his hands a Mercury or Witness, to frighten the poor deluded mortal, that he casts the unholy sheet into the flames, does penance for his sin, promises to relinquish his desire for investigation, and thus is kept in the worst of all slavery, the slavery of the mind.
Mr. Osborn says, that "Connecticut, politically, resembles the shadow of the late solar eclipse--a dark spot, surrounded with light. But this darkness will as inevitably pass away--the sun of truth will as gloriously burst upon us with renovated splendor--the birds of night will as suddenly cease their temporary exultation--and men as cheerfully resume their activity and energy."
In Vermont the people cannot be enslaved, because our constitution gives no power to the Governor--our presses are unshackled--and our priests worship the God of our fathers instead of federal election dinners.
from the newspaper, The Epitome of the World, March 3, 1807 (publisherd by Benjamin Smead, Bennington, VT)
by Benjamin Smead (publisher of The Federal Galaxy):
...Has called very loudly, two or three times, for a settlement with his delinquent debtors. It must considered useless to ask for his dues the fourth time in the same mild way. It is needless to tell the world that he has many pressing demands against him, which must and ought to be settled immediately. It is too intolerable to hear the frequent din of injured dunning creditors, and bear the daily blast of credit, when at this moment he has due to him, from the inhabitants of this county, upwards of 1000 dolls. lying principally in 1/2 dollar and dollar debts, contracted for books, advertisements and newspapers.
To such as owe him for these or any other articles, he now tells this short, plain and just TRUTH: That if every debt, however diminutive, shall not be paid by the 8d day of May next, he is determined to catch then at the last dark and gloomy resource--to stop the publication of the Galaxy here, and collect, by law, every Cent which may at that period remain due.
Thus thrown out upon the wide world, and out of business, by a negligent public, his distresses, he presumes, will vindicate him from implications of rash precipitancy.
Brattleboro', March 3, 1799, The Federal Galaxy
Classified Ad:
Just received, for sale, a NEW SELECTION of GOOD BOOKS, to be exchanged for RAGS at this Office (of the Federal Galaxy). Printing, in all its branches, executed decently, by B. Smead.
Brattleboro', May 7, 1799