AustLit

In line with the impartial meaning of the epigraphs displayed on the Sydney Herald's masthead and above the leader, the Leader of the first issue of the Sydney Herald states the newspaper's editorial policy: 'Our Editorial management shall be conducted upon principles of candour, honesty, and honor. Respect and deference shall be paid to all classes. Freedom of thinking and speaking shall be conceded, and demanded. We have no wish to mislead; no interests to gratify by unsparing abuse, or indiscriminate approbation. We shall regret opposition, when we could wish to concur, and bestow the meed of praise. We shall dissent with respect, and reason with a desire, not to gain a point, but to establish a principle. By these sentiments we shall be guided, and, whether friends or foes, by these we shall judge others; we have a right, therefore, to expect that by these we shall be judged.' The first editors, publishers, printers and sole proprietors of the Sydney Herald, Alfred Ward Stephens, Frederick Stokes and William McGarvie worked together on the Sydney Gazette. They formed a partnership in a printing business and imported a printing press from London. However, as J. V. Byrnes, in his biography of Stephens, 'Stephens, Alfred Ward (1804-1852)', published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography Online, writes ' ... orders being fewer than they expected, they decided to publish a newspaper instead.' McGarvie sold his share of the business to Stephens and Ward after only five issues and Byrnes writes '... although Stephens and Stokes were joint proprietors, Stephens seems to have been the acknowledged editor.' However, according to Byrnes in his biography of McGarvie, 'McGarvie, William (1810-1841)', published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography Online, McGarvie edited the first issues of the Herald. Byrnes also writes that 'McGarvie is credited with naming the paper after the Glasgow Herald'. Sources: J. V. Byrnes, 'Stephens, Alfred Ward (1804-1852)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/stephens-alfred-ward-2695/text3777, accessed 23 April 2013. J. V. Byrnes, 'McGarvie, William (1810-1841)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcgarvie-william-2400/text3171, accessed 23 April 2013.