1835-1836
Founded by Samuel B. “Steamboat” Churchill, Col. Charles Keemle and William Preston Clark, with Keemle serving as editor and publisher. By the end of 1835, Keemle and Churchill had departed. By 1840 Oliver Harris was part of the ownership team. At first it was published three times a week and a subscription was $5.00 per year. It was a four-page publication, three of which carried commercial information. The fourth page of each issue was devoted to literature.
Keemle left the paper before the year ended, as did Churchill. W.P. Clark took over the operation, and on August 23, 1836, he began publishing it daily.
Charles G. Ramsey became a partner with Churchill and turned it into an organ of the Whigs. Later Oliver Harris took an ownership position, but it was sold to V.P. Ellis. He transformed it into an organ of the Native American party and changed the paper’s name to the Native American Bulletin in 1842.
From the first issue:
“Whilst the Editors take no part in the party politics of the State, or General Government, their columns shall faithfully and impartially publish upon all sides of the great question. Yet, let it not be supposed that the neutral ground which they occupy has been selected from any apathy or indifference to the interests of the public. For the prosperity of their country, they will always feel the liveliest solicitude, and will be ever ready to sacrifice every selfish consideration to its welfare; but they are no partisans, and their motto must be, ‘Our County, Our whole Country, and Nothing but our Country.'”
Var: Daily Commercial Bulletin; St. Louis Commercial Bulletin
