Benjamin Franklin Bache (journalist) 2537415 210161494 2008-05-04T19:32:37Z Davidp314 2976320 '''Benjamin Franklin Bache''' (1769 – [[1798]]) son of [[Richard Bache|Richard]] and [[Sarah Franklin Bache|Sarah Bache]] and the grandson of [[Benjamin Franklin]], was an American journalist who headed the openly [[Jeffersonian political philosophy|Jeffersonian]] publication, the ''Aurora.'' As a young boy, Bache spent time in [[France]] with his grandfather, notably attending school with [[John Adams]]' son and future president [[John Quincy Adams]] in [[Passy]]. He was said to be a good student, even winning the school prize for translating [[Latin]] into [[French language|French]] at Geneva, a school in [[Switzerland]]. Perhaps due to his grandfather's habit of being away without visiting for long periods of time, Bache was described as a depressed and shy adolescent. Though sensible and reasonable, Bache was said to often come across as cold and lacking fantasies or needs. Upon returning to [[Philadelphia]], Bache was ushered into work as a printer at his grandfather's old shop, prefiguring his future career as a newspaper editor. He took lessons for a time under [[François Didot]], a well acknowledged and respected printer. Following his grandfather's death in 1790, Benny inherited his printing equipment and many of his books. He followed in his grandfather's steps by establishing, seventy years after the [[New England Courant]] was first published, ''The American Aurora''. The paper was notoriously passionate, even surpassing grandfather [[Benjamin Franklin]]'s fierce pro-French and democratic stances. Bache's articles denounced [[Federalists]]. The papers openly discredited both [[George Washington]] and [[John Adams]]. Among Bache's more controversial statements was the suggestion that Washington had secretly been collaborating with the [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] during the [[American Revolution]]. Bache was subsequently arrested after the passage of the [[Alien and Sedition Act]], an act supported by then-President Adams. This act may have been written, at least in part, as a response to Bache's statements. Bache died from [[yellow fever]] at the age of 29 before he could stand trial, and is buried in the [[Christ Church Burial Ground]] in Philadelphia. He is regarded by many Americans as an early champion of the [[Freedom of Speech]] and the [[First Amendment]]. ==External links== *[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9372697 Benjamin Franklin Bache] at [[Find A Grave]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Bache, Benjamin Franklin}} [[Category:1769 births]] [[Category:1798 deaths]] [[Category:Deaths from yellow fever]] [[Category:American journalists]] [[Category:People from Philadelphia]] [[Category:Benjamin Franklin]] {{US-journalist-stub}}