The Connecticut Courant Advocates for Independence
The April 1, 1776 issue of The Connecticut Courant
Posted on April 1, 2026
The Connecticut Courant Advocates for Independence
In the early months of the Revolution, the majority of Americans were not fighting for independence. Many still saw themselves as British subjects loyal to King George III and believed that their quarrel was only with Parliament. They hoped to defend their rights with arms, then negotiate with Britain for a more equal union. As the war went on, though, the once-radical idea of independence gained traction.
On April 1, 1776—250 years ago today—Ebenezer Watson published a new issue of his paper, The Connecticut Courant. The four-page issue was packed with news and opinions about the war. The Courant was one of the most prominent Patriot papers in New England after Boston’s papers were disrupted by the siege of the city. Watson supplied his readers with the war news they wanted to hear. He also printed commentary that advocated for independence.
The first page of the issue contains an essay by the pseudonymous author “Candidus”. Candidus spends his essay eviscerating the moderate faction’s desire for an reunion with Great Britain “on equitable terms”. He rejects the metaphor of America as Britain’s child, describing Britain as exploiting its colonies and using force, not reason, to exert its power. “What then are the honest, industrious, and independent freemen of America to do in this case? My guide I have so long followed tells us, Declare independence immediately!”
Attitudes towards King George shifted along with views on independence. While moderates respected him as their head of state, radicals viewed him as part of the problem. One report on British treatment of American prisoners printed in this issue addresses him directly without formality: “Oh! George! Who is the savage?… can any man blame the Americans should they retaliate?” Even in the radical Courant, though, not all contributors had identical views. Dispatches from Canada and Cambridge refer to the “ministerial troops”, implying that the British troops waging war had been sent by the king’s ministers, not George himself.
Learn about this newspaper (object ID MS.7331, property of Robert Nittolo) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/31131