The Library of Congress has a website with digitized old newspapers dating back to the founding. It is called Chronicaling America. Newspapers from all states are represented. Many states have similar newspaper sites.
I have been reading newspapers from the 1800’s. I am amazed at the quality of writing and the in depth content of stories about the major issues of the day.. Even in poor rural counties the quality of journalism is astounding by today’s soundbite standards. The adults educated in one room schoolhouses in the 19th century were more literate than today’s college graduates. They were also much better informed about the key issues of the day affecting their communities, states and the nation.
Reason, not emotional hyperbole, drove the policy debates of the day. Certainly there was partisanship and passion involved in public discourse of the time. However debates involved facts and reasoned conclusions from the facts. The public was into the details, thanks to the quality of writing, depth of reporting, and the higher journalistic standards of the time. Furthermore the people were curious, valued reason, and treasured good citizenship.
link?