AustLit

Publishes poetry, and occasionally prose, by colonial authors often under the banner of 'Original Poetry' as well as verse, presumably reprinted from other sources, under the plain title 'Poetry'. Includes extracts from overseas established authors eg Charles Dickens; re-told anecdotes from America and Europe.

On the first page of the first issue of The Bathurst Advocate, published 5 February 1848, Benjamin Isaacs, the publisher, printer and sole proprietor of the newspaper, sets out his 'Prospectus' thus: 'In this enlightened age and Colony, it seems desirable that so large, wealthy, and respectable a portion of the community as are settled in and around Bathurst, should be regularly supplied with a vehicle for the general diffusion of knowledge, communication of sentiment, and interchange of ideas. Nor can the Proprietor of 'THE BATHURST ADVOCATE' anticipate aught but encouragement, to a plan which will afford the Inhabitants of this populous District, the means of registering local events relating to their own and other Districts, and furnishing some useful and interesting information respecting passing events in this Colony, as well as those connected with it. The Proprietor of 'The Bathurst Advocate' will spare no pains or expense to furnish his Subscribers with the earliest news; he proposes occasionally, to give selections from the most esteemed writers, as well as literary and other articles from the British, Foreign and Colonial newspapers, and to add an accurate compendium of the most material political intelligence, local, foreign and domestic - a correct Price Current; a register of Shipping, together with a list of Births, Marriages and Deaths. With respect to Politics, the Proprietor begs sincerely to ensure the Inhabitants that 'THE BATHURST ADVOCATE' shall maintain an independent position, and shall never become the Tool of a Party, but whilst its columns shall be ever opened to every temperate expression of opinion on the various subjects of colonial policy, he is determined to pursue the true principles of independence, and as far as possible, endeavour to protect the best interests of the District.'

On the second page of the first issue, in a column, titled 'To Our Readers', Issacs writes that: 'He is fully aware that many entertain a notion, that a newspaper published in Bathurst may be come a vehicle for disseminating personalities and slander, causing ill-feeling and endless squabbles. The proprietor, however, pledges himself, that the columns of his paper shall, on no occasion, be open to personalities, except in cases of great flagrancy, and that he will not suffer himself to be made a cats-paw of for the gratification of private pique, or ill-feeling.' Unfortunately for Isaacs, the sentiments expressed in his opening address to his readers proved not to be the case. A poem 'Jack Crib and His Family Crew' published in the 26 May 1849 issue of the newspaper was the cause of a successful libel case brought against Benjamin Isaacs as the publisher of The Bathurst Advocate by Mr Davies the chief constable of Bathurst. On 27 September 1849 the court found Isaacs guilty of publishing certain libels in The Bathurst Advocate defamatory to the character of Mr Davies. Isaacs was sentenced to two months gaol, fined forty pounds and one shilling, and bound over to keep the peace for 12 calendar months. The court case led to the demise of the The Bathurst Advocate (the final issue published on 29 September 1948) and the formation of The Bathurst Free Press.