Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-05-11
GEORGE CHURCHILL, Sec'y
From the Illinois intelligencer.
TO THE PUBLIC.

The undersigned having purchased Of
Messrs. Blackwell and Berry, the print
ing establishment of the Illinois InteM-
gencer, enters on his editorial career,
with the diI.dence and embarrassment
incident to all new employments, and
makes to the public his bow of solicta-
ton, with the assurance that, however
painful strict performance OF his duties
may sometimes be rendered by pecu
liar circumstances, that no exigencies
shall ever cause him to swerye from
them.
The present crisis, pregnant with
events SO deeply Interesting to commu-
nifty, demands from him, frank avowai
OF the leading character he designs CIV
ing to this journal.
This paper will be devoted to the i'm.
provement and perpetualon of our civil
and religious liberties f; of our enyiable
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.; to the encourage
ment of agriculture, domestic manuiac-
ture, internal imppoment, and to the pro-
motion OF our social happiness. 1t viii
be an independent press, which the edi-
tor will endeavor o make rich empo-
rum Of useful information, and faithful
chronicle Of the times; always more So
licitous to lay before his readers, such
facts and Information as will eiucillate
subjects, and announce passing events,
than to obtrude his own opinions.
To the Convention Question, which so
much exciics the people, the editor 7piH
giUe his uniform othosition and to that
end will avail himself OF the aid of every
well written temperate argument that
shall be offered; yet, be will not exclude
any because they shall be designed TO
sustain the other side of the question
His columns will be alike open to all
who will write with due respect to de-
-cency, propriety and perspicui,y, on any
subject proper for newspaper disquisi-
ton; but shall never become the vehicle
of SANDER, falsehood or personal abuse,
that would be calculated TO crafty pri-
vate spleen, and not to promote the pub
lie good. Believing it to be the du'y Of
the editor of public journal, honestly
designing to be the medium OF useful
Information, not to give one-sded views
of subjects; but to lay before the people
the facts adduced, and reasons urged for
and against measure, that they may the
more clearly understand, and correctly
decide the point in controversy: he there
fore courts free, liberal, dispassonate
discussion of the convention question.
He feels confident, that the more the
&c die cd Tho l,nr oh
ly il will be understandable larger will
be the majority against it.
The great and good Jefferson, whose
character and principles the editor re-
veres, has said, that " error may be safe
ly tolerated, where reason is left free to
combat it," This remark is strictly just;
and with regard to the convention ques-
ton, the editor feels SO confident Of the
correctness Of his principle, the undeni-
able character of the facts, and the
strength of the arguments that have, and
can be brought to bear upon it, that he
has nothing to fear in the fair field Of dis
cussion. This declaration, however, is
not the result of an overweening conf
dence in his own abilities, but is inspired
by the Justice Of the cause. et
Like liberal views, under the same
limitations, will govern the editor in re-
lation to the course he will pursue, in
the approaching county, state, and ma
tional elections, SO far as his readers will
feel any interest in them. He will be
interchangeable in obtaining. and laying be-
fore his fellow citizens, all such infor-
nation as will enable them to under