Albert McFarland edited the Daily Evening Tribune of Portsmouth, Ohio, which was aligned with the Scioto County Whig Party in the 1840s and 1850s. In 1854, McFarland's decision to print a runaway slave advertisement for a 19-year-old woman named Harriet created a controversy, which led McFarland to reveal additional information regarding the circumstances of Harriet's escape, while also stating his general opposition to the activities of the Underground Railroad.