The Omnibus and Sydney Spectator ceased publication with the issue of 1 April 1843. The following Saturday, on 8 April, a single issue of the Satirist and Sydney Spectator was published. This issue contained an article deemed obscene by the Attorney General and Charles James Gogerly, printer of the Omnibus, faced an obscenity charge before the New South Wales Supreme Court.
Gogerly disputed the evidence that he was the publisher of the newspaper. He said he was 'merely employed as a labourer and servant ... for which service he received the weekly sum of 25s.'. The prosecution produced an affadavit in which Gogerly is identified as the proprietor, printer and publisher of the Omnibus and Sydney Spectator. The prosecution also produced a copy of the Satirist and Sydney Spectator, bearing Gogerly's signature, in which it is stated that the Omnibus had changed its name to the Satirist. The case against Gogerly was proved and he was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment in Berrima Gaol.
Further information on the case can be found in the Sydney Morning Herald, 17 April 1843 and 19 April 1843.
This editorial begins: 'The Public is respectfully informed, that new arrangements having been made by the proprietor of the Omnibus and Sydney Spectator, for the conduct and management of that publication, from the present number, the system on which it has heretofore been carried on will be completely altered'. The writer continues that the newspaper will be 'conducted on different principles to those on which it formerly relied' and says that the present proprietor will not be 'accountable for the sins of our predecessor'.
The writer goes on to denigrate the other Sydney newspapers of the day, including the Sydney Herald, the Australian, the Chronicle, the Observer and the Sun. Without 'wishing to be too severe', the other papers are accused of failing to furnish 'all that is expected or looked for by the Sydney public'.
The future object of the Omnibus will involve satirising 'the lesser follies and frailties which abound', but the paper will not descend into 'malicious innuendo', 'obscenity' or 'indecency'. The Omnibus has 'one end in view': 'to use the words of a great master of our craft ... "to reprove folly, to check vice, and to amend the morals of the town".'
The editor of the Omnibus and Sydney Spectator outlines the governing principles of the newspaper. The Spectator is said to be unaligned with any government, religion or political party; it favours the policies of Sir George Gipps, it opposes monopolies; it favours a constitution enshrining a representative legislature; it favours a 'suffient Police' and a resumption of convict transportation to supply the labour market.
The Spectator intends to provide 'all the dometic news of the week up to the hour of publication, compiled from the other papers and collected by our own reporter' and will include reports from 'some of the leading journals of Europe'. Social and fashion news will be covered together with 'intelligence respecting the state of the markets, strayed and stolen cattle,etc'. There will also be police news, shipping updates and sports reports.
This editorial begins: 'The Public is respectfully informed, that new arrangements having been made by the proprietor of the Omnibus and Sydney Spectator, for the conduct and management of that publication, from the present number, the system on which it has heretofore been carried on will be completely altered'. The writer continues that the newspaper will be 'conducted on different principles to those on which it formerly relied' and says that the present proprietor will not be 'accountable for the sins of our predecessor'.
The writer goes on to denigrate the other Sydney newspapers of the day, including the Sydney Herald, the Australian, the Chronicle, the Observer and the Sun. Without 'wishing to be too severe', the other papers are accused of failing to furnish 'all that is expected or looked for by the Sydney public'.
The future object of the Omnibus will involve satirising 'the lesser follies and frailties which abound', but the paper will not descend into 'malicious innuendo', 'obscenity' or 'indecency'. The Omnibus has 'one end in view': 'to use the words of a great master of our craft ... "to reprove folly, to check vice, and to amend the morals of the town".'
