Presidents and the Media: Benjamin Franklin Bache
The phenomenon of a news media entity siding with one party or one political philosophy is not a recent one. It was a problem that President George Washington had to face right from the time when his administration split into two factions or parties, namely the Federalists and the Ant-Federalists (or Democratic-Republicans). The latter group was supported by a number of newspapers, and perhaps the most prominent of the time was the Philadelphia Aurora. It's editor was a man named Benjamin Franklin Bache, who was named after his famous grandfather, Benjamin Franklin.
The Philadelphia Aurora was published six days a week in Philadelphia from 1794 to 1824. Bache was the newspaper's founder as well as it's editor until his death in 1798. It was sometimes referred to as the Aurora General Advertiser. William Duane was a co-founder of the paper. The Aurora's articles denounced Federalists, a often viciously attacked George Washington and John Adams.
Bache was the son of Benjamin Franklin's only daughter Sarah "Sally" Franklin. Sally's mother was Deborah Read. Sally married Richard Bache on November 2, 1767 and on August 12, 1769 she gave birth to the future editor of the Aurora. Benjamin Franklin was also bache's Godfather. On October 29, 1776, Bache accompanied his famous grandfather on his diplomatic mission to France. Bache was seven when the party sailed for France. Soon after arriving in France, Franklin enrolled Bache in a local boarding school. He later attended the same school as young John Quincy Adams. In the spring of 1779, Benjamin Franklin sent Bache to Geneva. The young man returned to Paris in 1783 where he learned be a printer until they left Europe to return to Philadelphia in 1785. Bache was a good student at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the school in 1787
On his return to Philadelphia, Bache began working as a printer at his grandfather's shop on Market Street. As his grandfather's health began to falter, Bache supervised the print shop’s operations. When Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, Bache inherited Franklin's printing equipment and many of his books. It was then that he founded The Philadelphia Aurora. It was a newspaper that held fierce pro-French and democratic position. Bache claimed to be fair and balanced, stating, "This paper will always be open, for the discussion of political, or any other interesting subjects, to such as deliver their sentiments with temper and decency, and whose motives appears to be, the public good. The strictest impartiality will be observed in the publication of pieces offered with this view."
The paper first published on October 1, 1790. It was then called the General Advertiser, and Political, Commercial, Agricultural and Literary Journal. In the paper, Bache and many other democratic-republicans criticized Federalist policies and practice. On January 1, 1791, Bache dropped the word “Agricultural” from his paper’s title and removed the motto – “Truth, Decency, Utility” – from the nameplate. He enlarged the size of the paper's pages and narrowed the paper's focus to mainly political matters. Later that year, Bache also dropped the words “Political, Commercial and Liberty Journal” from the name of the paper. In November 1794, Bache renamed the paper The Aurora and General Advertiser. and adopted the motto, “Surgo Ut Prosim” (I rise to be useful).
Bache was an ardent supporter of the French Revolution. He wrote an article in the January 25, 1793, contrasting the difference between the French and American Revolutions in which he said:
There is that difference between the French and American Revolutions, that the latter was not opposed by cunning priests, nor cruel aristocrats determined to overthrow every principle of honesty and humanity, for a chimera misled by common sense—A royal puppet on this spot, did not dance on the wire of a band of courtiers; the most despicable and abandoned wretches that ever disgraced mankind. The focus of both despotism and nobility was far from this land of liberty, and its glorious adherents could not be infected with the pernicious breath of mad royalty and impudent aristocracy. The popular cause was opposed openly, sword in hand, and victoriously fought by the friends to the rights of men; had the French republicans met with such opponents, they had not done those excesses, the king, the nobles and clergy have roused them to by the most perfidious contrivances. A king did not forswear himself in America, nor had the American people more than one Arnold; their tempers were soured neither by misery nor by a complicated system of treachery, framed coolly and pursued with the greatest obstinacy. The American people were not loaded with enormous taxes that had reduced millions of their fellow citizens to the utmost misery to maintain haughty plunderers in sloth and profligacy. All this odds must be reckoned by impartial men; to explain the difference insidiously delineated between the two revolutions, by some desperate royalty, or a narrow minded plan.
Bache was one of the first and most vocal of George Washington's critics. He denounced the Federalists and attacked both Washington and his successor John Adams. Perhaps his most controversial claim was when he accused Washington of secretly collaborating with the British during the American Revolution. The Aurora was constantly attacking Washington for having what Bache called monarchical tendencies, for his hostile actions toward France, for having contempt for the public, and for his friendly relations with Britain. Bache did not present any appearance of impartiality. His articles were full of praise for Jefferson and hostile to Washington and Adams. This was so despite the fact that Washington had enjoyed a close relationship with Franklin.
In a letter sent by Washington to Henry Lee on July 21, 1793, the president said that he considered Bache's writings to contain "arrows of malevolence," and that "the publications in Bache’s papers are outrages on common decency; and they progress in that style in proportion as their pieces are treated with contempt and are passed by in silence, by those at whom they are aimed."
During the Presidency of John Adams, the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed in 1798. This legislation provided for the arrest of those who were critical of the government. Bache was arrested under this law. He wrote articles claiming that the federal government had fallen into the hands of an aristocratic party aligned with Britain, and that the Federalists (particularly Washington and Alexander Hamilton) were promoting their own interests at the expense of those of the general public. Bache objected to the US Senate's holding its meetings behind closed doors, which fed his conspiracy theories. For example, he argued that discussion about the Jay Treaty should have been open to the public and that its secrecy was proof of some nefarious intent.
Bache was also the target from Federalist supporters. This hurt Bache financially and he was often unable to pay his own employees in a timely manner. Federalists withdrew business from him, as did many who were not Federalists, but who thought his criticism of Washington to be unfair. In 1798, he encountered financial problems. Bache was criticized by other journalists in their papers. William Cobbet, who wrote under the pen name "Peter Porcupine", wrote intensely personal and mean-spirited articles about Bache and about Franklin. This became so intense that Bache's friends became concerned for his personal safety. In April 1797, while Bache was researching an article about the construction of the ship USS United States, Clement Humphreys, the son of the ship’s architect, physically assaulted him. Bache escaped with minor injuries. He then printed an accusation that the ship's carpenters were taking bribes. In May 1798, Bache’s residence and office were threatened by an angry mob. They smashed the glass door leading to his office, but refrained from vandalizing his home.
Bache was physically assaulted by John Ward Fenno for criticisms that Bache had published about Fenno's father. Fenno confronted Bache, demanding that he publicly apologize to his father and when Bache refused, Fenno assaulted him. Generally, Bache did not seem to be intimidated by such threats.
Bache was arrested on June 26, 1798 and charged with “libeling the President & the Executive Government, in a manner tending to excite sedition, and opposition to the laws, by sundry publications and republications.” Even after Bache was arrested for violating the Alien and Sedition Act, he was not deterred. He was jailed for his offence, but managed to post bail. After his release, he publicly condemned the Act in print as a violation of the First Amendment. The matter did not proceed to trial however. Before being tried, Bache died in 1798 at the age of 29 from yellow fever during an epidemic that hit Philadelphia. He was buried in the Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia. He is regarded by some as an early champion of freedom of speech and the First Amendment, while others regard him as an early example of the worst type of partisan journalism.
The Philadelphia Aurora was published six days a week in Philadelphia from 1794 to 1824. Bache was the newspaper's founder as well as it's editor until his death in 1798. It was sometimes referred to as the Aurora General Advertiser. William Duane was a co-founder of the paper. The Aurora's articles denounced Federalists, a often viciously attacked George Washington and John Adams.
Bache was the son of Benjamin Franklin's only daughter Sarah "Sally" Franklin. Sally's mother was Deborah Read. Sally married Richard Bache on November 2, 1767 and on August 12, 1769 she gave birth to the future editor of the Aurora. Benjamin Franklin was also bache's Godfather. On October 29, 1776, Bache accompanied his famous grandfather on his diplomatic mission to France. Bache was seven when the party sailed for France. Soon after arriving in France, Franklin enrolled Bache in a local boarding school. He later attended the same school as young John Quincy Adams. In the spring of 1779, Benjamin Franklin sent Bache to Geneva. The young man returned to Paris in 1783 where he learned be a printer until they left Europe to return to Philadelphia in 1785. Bache was a good student at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the school in 1787
On his return to Philadelphia, Bache began working as a printer at his grandfather's shop on Market Street. As his grandfather's health began to falter, Bache supervised the print shop’s operations. When Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, Bache inherited Franklin's printing equipment and many of his books. It was then that he founded The Philadelphia Aurora. It was a newspaper that held fierce pro-French and democratic position. Bache claimed to be fair and balanced, stating, "This paper will always be open, for the discussion of political, or any other interesting subjects, to such as deliver their sentiments with temper and decency, and whose motives appears to be, the public good. The strictest impartiality will be observed in the publication of pieces offered with this view."
The paper first published on October 1, 1790. It was then called the General Advertiser, and Political, Commercial, Agricultural and Literary Journal. In the paper, Bache and many other democratic-republicans criticized Federalist policies and practice. On January 1, 1791, Bache dropped the word “Agricultural” from his paper’s title and removed the motto – “Truth, Decency, Utility” – from the nameplate. He enlarged the size of the paper's pages and narrowed the paper's focus to mainly political matters. Later that year, Bache also dropped the words “Political, Commercial and Liberty Journal” from the name of the paper. In November 1794, Bache renamed the paper The Aurora and General Advertiser. and adopted the motto, “Surgo Ut Prosim” (I rise to be useful).
Bache was an ardent supporter of the French Revolution. He wrote an article in the January 25, 1793, contrasting the difference between the French and American Revolutions in which he said:
There is that difference between the French and American Revolutions, that the latter was not opposed by cunning priests, nor cruel aristocrats determined to overthrow every principle of honesty and humanity, for a chimera misled by common sense—A royal puppet on this spot, did not dance on the wire of a band of courtiers; the most despicable and abandoned wretches that ever disgraced mankind. The focus of both despotism and nobility was far from this land of liberty, and its glorious adherents could not be infected with the pernicious breath of mad royalty and impudent aristocracy. The popular cause was opposed openly, sword in hand, and victoriously fought by the friends to the rights of men; had the French republicans met with such opponents, they had not done those excesses, the king, the nobles and clergy have roused them to by the most perfidious contrivances. A king did not forswear himself in America, nor had the American people more than one Arnold; their tempers were soured neither by misery nor by a complicated system of treachery, framed coolly and pursued with the greatest obstinacy. The American people were not loaded with enormous taxes that had reduced millions of their fellow citizens to the utmost misery to maintain haughty plunderers in sloth and profligacy. All this odds must be reckoned by impartial men; to explain the difference insidiously delineated between the two revolutions, by some desperate royalty, or a narrow minded plan.
Bache was one of the first and most vocal of George Washington's critics. He denounced the Federalists and attacked both Washington and his successor John Adams. Perhaps his most controversial claim was when he accused Washington of secretly collaborating with the British during the American Revolution. The Aurora was constantly attacking Washington for having what Bache called monarchical tendencies, for his hostile actions toward France, for having contempt for the public, and for his friendly relations with Britain. Bache did not present any appearance of impartiality. His articles were full of praise for Jefferson and hostile to Washington and Adams. This was so despite the fact that Washington had enjoyed a close relationship with Franklin.
In a letter sent by Washington to Henry Lee on July 21, 1793, the president said that he considered Bache's writings to contain "arrows of malevolence," and that "the publications in Bache’s papers are outrages on common decency; and they progress in that style in proportion as their pieces are treated with contempt and are passed by in silence, by those at whom they are aimed."
During the Presidency of John Adams, the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed in 1798. This legislation provided for the arrest of those who were critical of the government. Bache was arrested under this law. He wrote articles claiming that the federal government had fallen into the hands of an aristocratic party aligned with Britain, and that the Federalists (particularly Washington and Alexander Hamilton) were promoting their own interests at the expense of those of the general public. Bache objected to the US Senate's holding its meetings behind closed doors, which fed his conspiracy theories. For example, he argued that discussion about the Jay Treaty should have been open to the public and that its secrecy was proof of some nefarious intent.
Bache was also the target from Federalist supporters. This hurt Bache financially and he was often unable to pay his own employees in a timely manner. Federalists withdrew business from him, as did many who were not Federalists, but who thought his criticism of Washington to be unfair. In 1798, he encountered financial problems. Bache was criticized by other journalists in their papers. William Cobbet, who wrote under the pen name "Peter Porcupine", wrote intensely personal and mean-spirited articles about Bache and about Franklin. This became so intense that Bache's friends became concerned for his personal safety. In April 1797, while Bache was researching an article about the construction of the ship USS United States, Clement Humphreys, the son of the ship’s architect, physically assaulted him. Bache escaped with minor injuries. He then printed an accusation that the ship's carpenters were taking bribes. In May 1798, Bache’s residence and office were threatened by an angry mob. They smashed the glass door leading to his office, but refrained from vandalizing his home.
Bache was physically assaulted by John Ward Fenno for criticisms that Bache had published about Fenno's father. Fenno confronted Bache, demanding that he publicly apologize to his father and when Bache refused, Fenno assaulted him. Generally, Bache did not seem to be intimidated by such threats.
Bache was arrested on June 26, 1798 and charged with “libeling the President & the Executive Government, in a manner tending to excite sedition, and opposition to the laws, by sundry publications and republications.” Even after Bache was arrested for violating the Alien and Sedition Act, he was not deterred. He was jailed for his offence, but managed to post bail. After his release, he publicly condemned the Act in print as a violation of the First Amendment. The matter did not proceed to trial however. Before being tried, Bache died in 1798 at the age of 29 from yellow fever during an epidemic that hit Philadelphia. He was buried in the Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia. He is regarded by some as an early champion of freedom of speech and the First Amendment, while others regard him as an early example of the worst type of partisan journalism.