Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-01-27


clare that, the grad objects of their abors
will be to disseminate useful information-to
encourage, prop, and assist industry, talents,
and virtue, generally, whether exerted in
private life or in public, in agriculture, manu-
features, commerce, the arts aud sciences, or
in any spaere where they NAV be found use
full, employed, to publish and deprecate the
teats OF vice in every shape, coming under
newspaper cognlznce; for this purpose tie
editors will extend their nquisitorial and cen
serial Offices into all the relations Of public
life. Governors in the chair of siaie-ludses
on the bench-M Ministers in the sacred stand,
and all the public functionaries Of the nation,
however elevated will be considered as law
tul subjects Of Just anmadversion.
II is the peculiar felicity Of our countrymen,
that in this land Of liberty no topic of public
moment is too sacred to grace the columns OF
a newspaper. The Press is, or at least ought
to be, the constant and vigant guardian of
the peoples rights and in fact il has ever
been considerably the Americans. as the pre-
server Of their institutions, trumpet of alarm
when those Institutions are attacked, arousng
the unsnspecting victims Of poi,f'cd intrigue
to a vigorous vindication OF their invaded
rights.
| With much concern the editors contemplate
the necessity of personal aIluscns and fire.
/ y
have no pleasure jim the WRITINGS and dstor-
tons of a wounded mind, and lame mt taa the
conduct { men is so blended with the prospc-
| l1tY Or diversity OF the public by the operation
! OF government, that an abuse Of the peoples
rights and confidence, cannot happen without
a denecton ofduty on the part oftheir agents,
who make or administer tie laws: yet, not
outstanding the unpleasant sensations they
must experience from this source, they can
never conceive themselves justified in pur-
posely toleratlng misplaced benevol ence,
/ however congcnal to their feelings, Vhich
/ would withhold the lash Of censure from. the
urfaihtul and The abeitors of corruption. Ina
government Of the people the Importance Of
the diffusion of correct information, and upon
appropriate animadversons on the conduct of
/ public servants, creates in the editors hith
responsibility, paramount to all prudential con-
siderauons or particular attachments. if any
exist, ADD they take pleasure in dsayowing
/ every attachment, either TO parties or to men,
1 which may contrayene the accomplishment of
then trds'
The novelty of the present undertaking is
perhaps manifested in tbs, as conspicnously
4 as in any other circumstance, that the editors
build upon their own foundation, or upon
none. They have sought no influential
/ fir end to Puff their merits and bluan
their way before them 10 whom they might
he unier obligations Of reciprocal favor. --On
the contrary they expect most Of enemies at
the very commencement, and those too among
the most influential characters, being those
most IN crested in the prescription Of a paper,
the avoWed object Of which is to expose the
+, multitude Of their deceptons and intrigues.
Nest papers grow up uindertht fasterii e hand
OF some powerful pattor. whose interest It is
bound 10 advocate. The editors of tbs paper
sohci the patronage OF none bat the sove-
reign people, AID that Wllhou the Interference
OF any such merceuary engines The neces-
slty OF a paper ofihis character, is apparent to
every man who is moi invcigled in thesentaIt-
clements ofpolitical clcaner and who claims
10 h'mselt the inheritance Of freeman. The
editors are therefore anXinus thai il be distinct
| ~ understood, that they throw themselves
wholly upon the patronage Of the people for
supper, whose interest It is the.l peculiar
| province to guard and protect. If any nd-
| vidual, therefore, obtains their appreciation,
| he viii be indebted 10 his merits alone, and
not 10 favor. Abhorling sycophancy, thew
| bully disclam the influence Of men actuatei
| by any KIND OF mercenafy motives They
are the tools Of no combination. and are under
no obligation to trudge in the filth of party
| amnesty.
| 1t is right in times Of tranquility that the
| press should sleep,-But wien patriotism is
absorbed in the passion Of sefinlerest, or n
gulphed in the vortex Of facion-When tie
| br,zen voice of dssention stuns our cars then
sluniber is criminal--the voice Of the lion
should be heard. The uniaithftl shonld be
dragged from their "high paces' and tie
people excited to resume their abused prern-
Lgatiyes. Trcachery, intrigue and conspira.
cies shou1 be exposed. The rotfenness
should be rooted out of denmark and s e.
ciousncss and sophistiy should be disrobed OF
their fair appearances.
The editors think that the present times
| cali for sacli labor, and they wild think them
selves happy it they succeed in removal nr and
| calling forth the energies Of The Press against
the multiplied disorders whi.h pervacie the
civil polity of Illinois
As to the great political questions which so
extensively interest our state and nation. the
editors avow themselves to be governed by
liberal and republican principles -rhey will
take a firm and nmoyabe stand agans, New
CoSvENrIoN, while possibility remains of the
admission Of slavery, for reasons too n,tme-
rons to be addaced in the limits of this Pros
pectus. The Presidential election viii next
claim their consideration. They eci dismissed
70 advocate the man who has rendered the
most services TO his country; who has cvinced
the greatest talents. and whose conduct has
been regulated by the most enlarged and lbe-
raj views of Government, and bv republican
principles. HWY CLAY, il is conceived, pos
sesses these qualifications in more eminent
! degree than any of the rival candidates His
pretensions, therefore, viii receive the I'M
! bounded appreciation of the editors who, pat
Z ternng after this llllistfos man, Initiating his
charac eristic modesty and integrity of soul,
through all the clamor and buzz of the pres-