Glasgow Argus

The Glasgow Argus was a Scottish newspaper, published biweekly from 1833 to 1847. It took a reforming editorial line, supporting abolitionism and opposing the Corn Laws.^[1] The Argus was perceived as the paper of the supporters of the Glasgow merchant and politician James Oswald.^[2]

History

The Glasgow Argus was inaugurated at a meeting on 4 February 1833, chaired by Colin Dunlop of Tollcross, Charles Tennant, George Crawfurd and James Lumsden.^[3] At this meeting, it was agreed that the business would be floated on the joint-stock principle. Two hundred shares were issued at a value of £20 each. Shareholders were only permitted to hold a maximum of ten shares.^[3]

Initially, the journal was printed by Robert and James Hedderwick, but in 1833, a printing department was created, ostensibly to save money.^[3]

The first editor, William Weir, not only made the Argus the recognised organ of the "Clique", as Oswald's Whig and Liberal supporters were known, but pursued a radical editorial line of his own.^[4][3] Eventually in 1839 he was sacked for his radical stance on free trade, incompatible with the Whig views of the proprietors; Weir wished Whig parliamentary candidates to pledge immediate repeal of the Corn Laws.^[5][6] Weir had also upset the shareholders of the paper by printing material critical of leading Whigs including the Lord Advocate, Andrew Rutherfurd.^[7]

At the time of the 1847 United Kingdom general election, Charles Mackay disagreed with the paper's management on the choice of local Liberal candidate, and left the position of editor.^[8] Although the newspaper had been recently enlarged, it was still making a loss and it was decided to wind it up on 29 November 1847.^[7]

Editors

• 1833–1839 William Weir,^[5] an Edinburgh advocate. He took a salary of £250 with 20% of the profits. He resigned in 1839 having been perceived as being too radical. He went on to be editor of the Daily News in London.^[3]
• 1839–1840 Thornton Leigh Hunt^[9]
• 1840 - 1844 William Lang^[10][3]
• 1844–1847 Charles Mackay^[11]
• 1847 John Hill Burton^[3]