The Daily State Journal (Alexandria, Va.)
Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.
1,003 issues from 1871 to 1874, published in Alexandria, Virginia, digitised for Chronicling America.
The Daily State Journal was among a handful of Republican papers printed in Richmond during and immediately after the Civil War. The State Journal was first published under the title Virginia State Journal in Alexandria, in 1862. By 1868, its publishers, Charles Whittlesey and Bosanquet Wesley Gillis, moved the paper to Richmond to serve as the party’s official organ. Most of Virginia’s Republican papers were located in Richmond, one of the party’s few sources of strength in the state. Many Republican editors moved to Richmond during Reconstruction.
The Daily State Journal took a more moderate tone than other Republican papers. Editorials and articles, although sympathetic to the Republican cause, strongly opposed Reverend James W. Hunnicutt, the radical editor of the rival Republican Richmond New Nation. It is not surprising that the State Journal took a cautious stand given Richmond’s largely Democratic populace during the chaotic aftermath of the war.
According to the newspaper’s bylines, Whittlesey left the State Journal in 1868. Gillis was its part or sole owner and manager through 1871 when Edward Daniels took the reins as editor. Among Gillis’s parting words were: “The Journal has been devoted unwaveringly to the support of Republican principles. Beginning in a period of flagrant war, it has survived that most terrible calamity, and has lived to see a restored Union and a triumphant and assured nationality.” Gillis continued, “I shall always reflect upon its career…
- Genres
- News
- Published in
- Alexandria, Virginia, United States
- Language
- English
- Collection
- Chronicling America
- Licence or status
- None stated by the archive
- Rights
- The Library of Congress believes that the newspapers in Chronicling America are in the public domain or have no known copyright restrictions. Newspapers published in the United States more than 95 years ago are in the public domain in their entirety.
- Credit
- Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities
- Who can read it
- Teens profiles and older (placed by Invisible Network from what the archive says; archives give no ratings)
- Archive
- Library of Congress