This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
This newspaper page contains 6 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Alton Observer
Location
Alton, Illinois, United States of America
Date
Dec 28, 1837
Page
2
The Alton massacre and mob violence provoke scattered editorials from New York to Illinois. Papers condemn lynch law while defending press freedom, urging justice against perpetrators and praising Lovejoy's defense of free expression.
The Alton Observer notes the public murder of Elijah Parish Lovejoy in November 1837 for defending freedom of speech press and anti slavery stance. It proclaims him a martyr for American liberty and rights. The item frames the act as a crime against liberty and invokes religious and civic duty themes.
Announcement from editor E. W. Chester requesting immediate collection of all dues and urging renewed effort to extend circulation. Calls on former agents to continue work, promises advance payment if settled within one month, and asks non renewing readers to return the next issue to Cincinnati, Ohio. Upper Alton December 1837.
Special notice discusses publishing costs and subscriber terms for the Alton Observer at Cincinnati, urging compliance to cover debts. It explains anti slavery societies seek abolition on moral grounds and defend open, peaceful discussion, denying revolts or covert aims.
The document records a heated Senate discussion on petitions demanding abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. Clay advocates petition reception and reference to a committee while Calhoun opposes it, arguing for limited discussion. The debate highlights Northern and Southern tensions, ending with the petition laid on the table by vote and a brief session on petitions and resolutions.
The Alton Observer notes the shocked reaction to the murder of Lovejoy. Editors denounce the act as a grave breach of law and liberty, while warnings arise that abolitionist sympathy may be questioned to appease slaveholders. The piece contrasts mob violence with calls for defense of ministerial rights and law.
We want people to find what they are looking for at NewspaperArchive. We are confident that we have the newspapers that will increase the value of your family history or other historical research. With our 7-day free trial, you can view the documents you find for free.
People find the most success using advanced search. Try plugging in keywords, names, dates, and locations, and get matched with results from the entire collection of newspapers at NewspaperArchive!
You can also successfully find newspapers by these browse options. Explore our archives on your own!
Browse by location and discover newspapers from all across the world.
Browse by date and find publications for a specific day or era.
Browse old newspaper publications to find specific newspapers.