About The Sussex gazette. (Georgetown, Del.) 1838-18??
Georgetown, Del. (1838-18??)

The Sussex Gazette

The Sussex Gazette was established in Georgetown, Delaware, in 1838 by Joseph Marsh. The newspaper's motto was "Let All the Ends Thou Aim'st At, Be thy Country's." Published every Friday, the Sussex Gazette was a decidedly political newspaper at a time when the country's political party system was in flux. With the election of Democratic Republican Andrew Jackson in 1828 and 1832, the National Republican Party floundered and the Whig party emerged in 1834. As a result, votes were now divided among three parties, and in 1836, Democrat Martin Van Buren won the presidency.

The Sussex Gazette remained firmly National Republican in its writing and opposed Van Buren's administration. During the 1838 Congressional elections, the Gazette encouraged citizens to vote due to tight races, arguing that "Each individual has more or less influence and with a proper exertion and a pull and pull together, we have no doubt of victory to the American Republican Party." TheGazette also included articles on Congressional races in other states such as Vermont, Illinois, and New Jersey and reprinted political articles from other Delaware newspapers. It also printed information about Delaware school district elections.

While its coverage was largely political, the Sussex Gazette also published local news as well as a small classified section. The latter included advertisements for a lawyer, job printing, and wool carding. It also printed a notice from a man whose wife had "left my bed and board without any provocation whatever" and reward notices for a runaway slave missing from Salisbury, Maryland. It is unclear when the Sussex Gazette ceased publication.

Provided by: University of Delaware Library, Newark, DE