News of the US: Week One of February 1812
February 1: “About the first instant 2000 hogs were driven into Canada, from the American side of the lines, intended for the Montreal market.”–Richmond Enquirer, February 6, 1812
“The legislature of Maryland have raised their compensation to four dollars per day.”–Scioto Gazette, February 1, 1812
February 3: In the House of Representatives — “Mr. Mitchill presented the petition of Murray, Millbank, and others, of the city of New York, brewers of malt liquors, complaining of their business being injured by the excessive use of ardent spirits, and praying Congress to take such measures for the encouragement of their manufactory as they may judge expedient.”–National Intelligencer, February 4, 1812
February 3: “The Supreme Court of the United States met at the capitol in this city on Monday last, present Judges Livingston, Washington, Todd, Duval and Story. We are concerned to learn that Judge Marshall, by the overturning of the stage, met with an accident, a fracture of the collar-bone we believe, which prevents his attendance.”–National Intelligencer, February 6, 1812
February 4: From Salem — “The Russian Brick Stove, lately introduced among us by the patriotic exertions of one of our fellow-townsmen, is fast coming into use, and promises to be the most effectual means of counteracting the severity of winter in our houses, and saving expense in fuel, that this country has ever enjoyed. For this most valuable improvement, we are indebted to Capt. Solomon Towne, of the ship Galatea. He spent the last winter in Russia, where, with many others of our countrymen, he witnessed the efficacy of these stoves . . . .”–Salem Gazette, February 4, 1812
February 5: From Washington — “The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to incorporate Moses Austin, John R. Jones, Henry Austin and others into a company, by the name of the Louisiana Lead Company.”–National Intelligencer, February 6, 1812
February 5: From Boston — “The following advertisement is copied from the last Newport paper, and is the first we have seen, under the new war Establishment. The bounty is liberal, and the gratuity of land, if the poor fellows, who many enter the service, ever find the location, munificent. “ATTENTION!!! A Bounty of Sixteen Dollars, with one hundred and fifty acres of Land and 3 months additional pay at the expiration of the service, is offered to able bodied Citizens, who are willing to enlist under the National Standard. Application may be made at either of the Garrisons in the Harbor of New Port. Newport, Feb. 5′”–Salem Gazette, February 25, 1812
February 6: Latest from France — An arrival at Annapolis, from Bordeaux, brings letters and papers to the 20th Dec. The President’s message had been published at Paris, without comment. The appointment of Mr. Barlow had given pleasure to the French government; but nothing had been effected by him to relieve the embarrassments on our commerce.”–Newport Mercury, February 15, 1812
February 7: “The President has issued a Proclamation, dated the 7th inst. granting pardon to all deserters who shall within four months from the date thereof, ‘surrender themselves to the commanding officer of any military post within the United States, or the Territories thereof.'”–Connecticut Mirror, February 24, 1812
February 7: From Washington — “Congress are engaged in nothing of importance.”–New York Spectator, February 13, 1812
February 7: From Salem — “We are requested to mention, that the Sermon preached on the evening of the 26th ult. and the Rev. Mr. Bolles’s Meeting House by Mr. Johns is now in press; and that an Appendix is intended to accompany the Sermon containing some remarks on Missions, in reply to President Smith, of Princeton. About 1000 dollars have been collected in this town to aid in the translation of the Scriptures into the languages of India.”–Salem Gazette, February 7, 1812
These excerpts are taken verbatim from various American newspapers in the University of Texas’ Bound Newspapers Archive, now in the process of being digitized and returned to safe storage in the Library Storage Facility on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus of the University of Texas in Austin. To see the current inventory of digitized files of this important historical resource, visit UT’s online Digital Repository (Library Owned Content).
For insights into the collection and the preservation process, visit researcher Mary Bowden’s blog in Viewpoint.
About the Author
Mary Bowden is a researcher working at the Texas Collections Deposit Library at the University of Texas. A little-known but invaluable treasure of U.S. history and the history of American journalism is archived in the collection of bound United States’ Newspapers at the University of Texas at Austin. The collection began more than a century ago and has been stored in recent years in the Texas Collections Deposit Library on the campus of the University of Texas. The sizeable archive is currently in the early stages of being digitized before being moved to a more climate-controlled environment at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus of the University, on the north side of Austin.