[citation needed] Thomas C. Cushing[1] was the original publisher of the Salem Gazette, however he relinquished the publication to William Carleton on October 14, 1794.

William Bentley, an outspoken columnist known at the time for his eccentric, but unspotted character in writing.

The Salem Mercury was a newspaper that was published by John Dabney and Thomas Cushing.

It printed weekly on Tuesday onto demy sheet, four columns to a page, and predominantly on Long Primer type.

William Bentley's columns were never published again, most likely due to political tensions between Cushing and Carleton.