Dr.
Bailey, and was accepted. He entered upon his duties as editor in chief
of "The National Era" in January, 1847, with the Reverend Amos A.
Phelps, now deceased, and John G. Whittier, as corresponding editors,
and L. P. Noble as publishing agent. "The Daily Herald" and "The Weekly
Herald and Philanthropist" were transferred to Messrs. Sperry and
Matthews, with Stanley Matthews as editor; but the political ambition of
the latter prevented his continuing the paper in the steadfast
antislavery tone of his predecessor, and it soon ceased to appear.[B]

The establishment of the National Era, while it furnished a most
appropriate field for Dr. Bailey's talents, also marked an era in the
antislavery history of the country. At the centres of all governments
there is found a fulcrum whose value politicians have long since
demonstrated by its use,--too frequently for the most unworthy purposes.
There had always been organs for conservatism at Washington, but none
for progress. There were numbers of bold thinkers throughout the
country, who had found, here and there, a representative of their ideas
in the government. But they had no newspaper to keep watch and ward over
him, or to correctly report his acts to his constituents,--no vehicle
through which they could bring their thoughts to bear upon him or
others. This was furnished by the National Era. But this was not the
only direction in which it proved useful. It enabled the friends of
emancipation everywhere to communicate freely with those against whose
gigantic system of wrong they felt it their duty to wage war, where such
were found willing to read their antagonists' arguments, instead of
taking them as perverted by proslavery journals.

The first effect of the Era upon the local antislavery journals which it
found in existence was, unquestionably, to excite not a little
apprehension and jealousy among their conductors. Naturally they felt
that the national reputation of Dr. Bailey and his assistants, aided by
a central position, was calculated to detract from their own importance
in the estimation of their patrons. But, besides this, there was the
actual fact of the Era's large supply of original and high-toned
literary matter, added to the direct and reliable Congressional news it
was expected to furnish, which stared them threateningly in the face.
And we well remember now what pain these petty jealousies gave to the
sensitive nature of our departed friend. But these