HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY  91

Josiah Hambleton, of the Bowling Green Institute, assumed editorial
charge of the Citizen, Dillon continuing as publisher. Succeeding his
death; Hambleton continued the Citizen, as requested by Mr. Dillon,
until May 31, 1856, when the office was sold to James M. Oliver. who
removed it to Brazil. Bound volumes of the Eel River Propeller, the
Clay County Advocate and the Clay County Citizen are found on file
in the county recorder’s office. During the interval from the first of
June, 1856, to the fore part of the month of December, 1857, Bowling
Green was without a newspaper.
    The Brazil Weekly News, published by James M. Oliver, and edited
by J. Hambleton, was first issued June 12, 1856. The News was the
size of its predecessor; motto, ‘Our God and our Country ;“ issued
Thursdays. August 7, Hambleton retired, and Oliver became both pub-
lisher and editor. About the first of September of the same year, A. T.
Lansing bought the News office and assumed control, but continued
Oliver as editor until January 15, 1857. Under Lansing’s management,
the News was independent in all things, neutral in nothing. July 2,
1857, the News was enlarged to a six-column folio, and continued until
the middle of November following, when the office was sold to Daniel
W. Lusk, who removed it to Bowling Green. There are no copies of the
News on file nor in preservation elsewhere.
    The Clay County Weekly Democrat, published by Lusk, appeared
December 11 George W. Wiltse, editor, C. M. Thompson, local editor.
The following week, C. M. Thompson bought the office and became pub-
lisher, Wiltse continuing editor. The Democrat was a six-column paper,
devoted to Democracy—”the imperishable principle of progress; its
achievements are registered in the institutions of freedom.” On the first
of October, 1858, Wiltse retired, and was succeeded by A. T. Lansing,
Thompson continuing as local editor. December 10 of the same year, the
Democrat was enlarged to seven columns. On the 1st of June, 1859,
Lansing’s connection with the paper ceased, and Thompson associated
with him Thomas J. Gray and N. L. Willard, Gray as principal and
Willard as local editor. Gray, Willard & Thompson enlarged to eight
columns, published Thursdays; “a national Democratic newspaper,
devoted to politics, commerce, home and foreign news, education, choice
literature, wit and humor, progress and improvement.” Near the close of
1859, C. M. Thompson became sole proprietor of the Democrat office, and
sold it to Wheeler, Carter & Co., who established the first Republican
paper in the county. T. J. Gray then bought a new outfit and re-estab-
lished the Democrat, with John C. Major as local editor. The new
Democrat was a seven-column paper, published Wednesdays, with the
significant motto, “The mass of mankind has not been born with saddles
on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them
legitimately, by the grace of God.—Jefferson.” Under the new manage-
ment, the Democrat made its appearance February 8, 1860. During this
interval of six weeks, from December 29 to February 8, the Democratic
party of Clay county was without a paper. June 13, 1860, J. C. Major
was succeeded by “Nip-up,” who was succeeded by Thomas M. Robert-
son in August following.
    The Weekly Hoosier Patriot, by Wheeler, Carter & Co., was first
issued at Bowling Green, January 5, 1860; W. W. Carter, editor, and
Enos Miles, local. The Patriot was an eight-column paper, issued Thurs-
days, Republican in politics. As the local canvass of 1860 did not result