The DAILY NATIONAL DEMOCRAT, established by pro-administration Democrats protesting the pro-Douglas position of the PLAIN DEALER, first appeared on 3 Jan. 1859. Benjamin Harrington, who also replaced Plain Dealer publisher JOSEPH W. GRAY as Cleveland postmaster, was reportedly the new paper's backer, in partnership with U.S. Marshal Matt Johnson. By May, however, E. A. Munson of the CLEVELAND DAILY REVIEW appeared on the masthead as publisher. The National Democrat was edited by Chas. B. Flood. In the presidential campaign of 1860, the National Democrat found itself in the untenable position of supporting the southern Democratic ticket of Breckinridge and Lane in the capital of the WESTERN RESERVE. After the suspension of the National Democrat on 12 Feb. 1861, Flood served as the Plain Dealer's Columbus correspondent.