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Newspaper Owyhee Bullion (Silver City, I.T. [Idaho]) 1866-1867

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About Owyhee Bullion (Silver City, I.T. [Idaho]) 1866-1867

Silver City was founded in Owyhee County, Idaho Territory, in 1864 after large silver deposits were discovered at nearby War Eagle Mountain. The boom town grew quickly and was soon one of Idaho Territory’s major cities.

The Owyhee Bullion was a short-lived newspaper appearing in Silver City from November 14, 1866 until November 7, 1867. The Bullion was published weekly on Thursdays by E.W. Buchanan and George W. Carlton. It was edited by lawyer Nathan T. Caton until July 1867. The four-page, five-column paper had 200 subscribers. Although the Bullion‘s motto was “Independent in all things, neutral in nothing,” in practice the newspaper was highly partisan in favor of Democrats and their policies. The Bullion covered news of the Reconstruction Era from this perspective. The second page of each edition featured a drawing of two hands clasped over the Constitution. From the Bullion‘s first issue until May 1867, quotes from prominent Democrats were featured under the drawing. The first was taken from Stephen A. Douglas during the Lincoln Douglas debates: “I hold that this Government was made on the WHITE basis by WHITE men, for the benefit of WHITE men and their posterity forever, and should be administered by WHITE men, and NONE OTHERS. I do not believe that the Almighty made the Negro capable of self-government.” The second quote was taken from President Andrew Johnson’s impromptu address for George Washington’s birthday in 1866: “I repeat, I am for the Union; I am for preserving all the States. I am for admitting into the council of the nation all their Representatives who are unmistakable and unquestionably loyal. A man who acknowledges allegiance to the Government, and who swears to support the Constitution, must necessarily be loyal. A man cannot take that oath in good faith unless he is loyal.”

After a year in publication, the Bullion ceased operations in November 1867. The publishers explained, “We have nothing to complain of. Our relations with this community have been pleasant and agreeable. But our year is ended, and it is not thought advisable to commence another volume of the Bullion in this place, consequently with this number we make our obeisance to the public, and as proprietors of the Bullion, retire in good order. We leave you in good hands. The Avalanche will attend to the Interests of Owyhee much more affectually [sic] than we could.” Buchanan and Carlton moved their press to Boise, where they published the Boise Semi-Weekly Democrat from 1867 to 1869. After the Bullion‘s closure, the Owyhee Avalanche solidified its position as Silver City’s primary newspaper.

Provided By: Idaho State Historical Society

About this Newspaper

Title

  • Owyhee Bullion (Silver City, I.T. [Idaho]) 1866-1867

Dates of Publication

  • 1866-1867

Created / Published

  • Silver City, I.T. [Idaho] : Buchanan & Carlton

Headings

  • -  Silver City (Idaho)--Newspapers
  • -  Idaho--Silver City
  • -  United States--Idaho--Owyhee--Silver City

Genre

  • Newspapers

Notes

  • -  Weekly
  • -  Began with Nov. 15, 1866 issue; ceased with Nov. 7, 1867 issue.
  • -  Archived issues are available in digital format from the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
  • -  Description based on: Vol. 1, no. 23 (Apr. 18, 1867).
  • -  Boise semi-weekly Democrat (DLC)sn 88056066 (OCoLC)18665756

Medium

  • volumes

Call Number/Physical Location

  • Newspaper
  • AN2.I2 O99

Library of Congress Control Number

  • sn86091168

OCLC Number

  • 13154794

ISSN Number

  • 2637-7195

Succeeding Titles

Additional Metadata Formats

Availability

Rights & Access

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. Any newspapers in Chronicling America that were published less than 95 years ago are also believed to be in the public domain, but may contain some copyrighted third party materials. Researchers using newspapers published less than 95 years ago should be alert for modern content (for example, registered and renewed for copyright and published with notice) that may be copyrighted. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Owyhee Bullion Silver City, I.T. Idaho -1867. (Silver City, ID), Jan. 1 1866. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86091168/.

APA citation style:

(1866, January 1) Owyhee Bullion Silver City, I.T. Idaho -1867. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86091168/.

MLA citation style:

Owyhee Bullion Silver City, I.T. Idaho -1867. (Silver City, ID) 1 Jan. 1866. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn86091168/.