John Hay in 'Literature and Society', published in A New History of Western Australia (1981), describes the Swan River Guardian '... as a radical, working-class alternative to the [Perth] Gazette...' (604) and that '... although politically opposed to the Gazette, the Guardian seemed to share the former's educational philosophy, to "promote the opportunity of furthering advancement in life", differing only in the choice of class to be advanced.' (604) Hay indicates that the literary content of the Guardian was similar to the Gazette '... satiric doggerel on Hudibrastic models, optimistic celebrations of local topography such as Mount Eliza, and an invariable dependence upon English themes and conventions.' (604). Beverley Smith in Early Western Australian Literature : A Guide to Colonial Life [196-] describes the Guardian as '... largely the work of its editor, and [it] bears the decisive stamp of his personality - his energy, romantic imagination and spirit of rebellion.' (31). Smith continues, 'Clark was proud that his weekly contained original contributions concerning the colony. Apart from verse he published a history of the colony and its press, satirical dramatic sketches and articles on conditions in the colony. A frequent contributor was the missionary Dr. [Louis] Guistiniani who wrote with compassion about the aborigines and their welfare.' (31)
Attacked periodically by Charles Macfaull's Perth Gazette and by some of the government officials in the Colony, the Swan River Guardian continued to be published until 1838. The withdrawal of surety by William Lamb and Louis Giustiniani meant that Clark was no longer able to comply with a local law demanding surety against the possibility of libel. This local law, B. K. De Garis notes in 'Political Tutelage (1829-1870)', published in A New History of Western Australia (1981), was enacted 'possibly with the intention of silencing [Clark].' (312) The loss of surety and mounting debt caused the cessation of the paper.
Clark tried to continue with a newspaper entitled the Political Register, first published as a pamphlet, but could not raise surety.
Sources: John Hay, 'Literature and Society' and B. K. De Garis, 'Political Tutelage (1829-1870)', C. T. Stannage (ed.) A New History of Western Australia (1981); Smith, Beverley, Early Western Australian literature : A Guide to Colonial Life [196-]
