“An Alien or a Frenchman or an Irishman:” William Duane, the Federalists and Conflicting Definitions of National Identity in Early American Politics

Abstract

In 1798, William Duane, an American who spent much of his youth abroad in Ireland and England, became editor of the firebrand Republican newspaper the Aurora General Advertiser. Throughout his career at the newspaper's helm, Duane sought to narrow the distinction between revolutions in Europe, notably in France and Ireland, and the American political ideology, framing them as common participants in the international struggle for republicanism. In contrast, his Federalist opponents castigated Duane as highly "foreign," linking him to stereotypes of ignorant, disorderly and violent "aliens" streaming from Europe into the United States. This starkly contrasting language permeated the Aurora and the Federalist press, revealing an ongoing discourse concerning America, international politics, especially in Europe, and the conflicting manner in which republicans and Federalists defined national character.