Everyone should read up on early American politics. The Founding Fathers ended up knowing everything there is to know about the subject. The press abuses of the late 1700's/early 1800's would make your head spin.
They ended up knowing all there is to know about most functions of government. Studying their writings and times proves that there truly is very little new under the sun with regards to human behavior.
Your right the smears then were worse than they are now. It was a different game though. Everyone knew they were smears and most people knew who wrote the various articles since it was usually a well known individual publishing under a false name.