A life active and vigilant: The republicanism of Hezekiah Niles

摘要

Hezekiah Niles, the editor of Niles Weekly Resister from 1811 to 1835, was one of the most influential newspaper editors of his day, known for his non-partisan political style and comprehensive coverage of events. An advocate of the development of manufactures in the young nation and a proponent of Henry Clay's American System, Niles has often been identified by historians as a harbinger of American liberalism. The dissertation challenges that viewpoint. Through an examination of Niles' editorials and private correspondence, it becomes clear that Niles' was firmly grounded in the classical republican tradition of a virtuous citizenry, regard for the interests of the commonwealth over personal concerns, and vigilance against abuses of power in government and society.;The method is an examination of Niles' responses to major events such as the War of 1812, the bank crisis of 1819, the Missouri Compromise, the debate over the caucus and the presidential election of 1824, the tariff controversy culminating in the Nullification Crisis, and the advent of Jacksonian democracy. Throughout his editorial career, Niles consistently attempted to find solutions to society's ills through the application of republican principles such as the exercise of public reason and the cultivation of virtue within the polity. By the Age of Jackson, he became disillusioned with the liberal direction that society had taken, particularly in the loss of a sense of republican community.;A key dynamic explored in this work is the painful transition from republicanism to liberalism identified by so many historians of the early republic. Social forces such as the rise of individualism, the market revolution, and industrialization caused profound changes in American society. The world Niles knew was slipping away, and he was confounded by the result. For men like Niles, republicanism was more than platitudes, it was a culture that had to be lived every day. By examining his response to those changes, we gain further insight into the meaning of life in the early republic.