Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-02-24
PROSPECTUS
For Publishing Ueekiy NEWSPAPER
IN THE TOWN OF BELLEvILLE, ILL.
by FoRQUER * FORD,
To he entitled the
Independent Political Censor

ed to trudgc in the track which the generality
other brethren Of the type find 1t convenient
to pursue, hint of their course would be i'm
pertinent, as that would have already been as
certalned. But as the present time requires
Tin the opinion of the editors) material
change in the friendly and docle habits of the
Press, and as they anticipate for themselves a
course as widely variant from that which gene
rally prevails, as the necessity which creates
it, is, from common and tranquil occasions,
they feel justified in formally exposing their
views and intentions to the public.
The editors, therefore, with sincerity de.
clare that, the grand 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 and sciences, or
in any sphere where they may be found use
fully employed, to publish and deprecate the
feats of vice in every shape, coming under
newspaper cognzance for this purpose the
editors will extend their inquistoral and cen
serial Offices into all the relations of public
i life. Governors in the chair of state-Judges
on the Observation-Disclosures in the sacred stand,
and all the public functonaries of the nation,
however elevated will be considered as law
| ful subjects of Just animadverslon.
| 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 vigilant guardian of
the peoples rights and in fact it has ever
been considered by the Americans, as the pre-
| server of their institutions, trumpet of alarm
when those institutions are attacked, arOusing
the unsuspectlng victims of political intrigue
to vigorous yindcaton of their invaded
rights.
With much concern the editors contemplate
the necessity Of personal illusions and fire.
quent structures on individual conduct.-They
have no pleasure in the writings and distor-
tons of a wounded mind, and lament that the
conduct Of men is so blended with the prospe-
rity or adversely OF the public by the operation
of government, that an abuse of the peoples
rights and confidence, cannot happen without
derilection ofduty on the part oftheir agents,
who make or administer the laws: yet, not
whsanding the unpleasant sens tons they
must experience from this source, they can
never conceive themselves justified in pur-
posely tolerating misplaced benevolence,
however congenial to their feelings, which
would withhold the lash of censure from the
unfaithful and the abettors of corruption Ina
government of the people the Importance of
the diffusion of correct information, and upon
appropriate animadversions on the conduct Of
public servants, creates in the editors high
responsibility, paramount to all prudential con-
slderations or particular attachments, if any
exist, and they take a pleasure in disavowing
every attachment, either to parties or to men,
which may contravene the accomplishment of
their trust.
The novelty of the present undertaking is
perhaps manifested in this, as conspicuous|y
AS in any other circumstance, that the editors
build upon their own foundation, or upon
none. They have sought no influential
friend to puff their merits, and bl4zon
their way before them, to whom they might
be under obligations of reel procal favor.-On
the contrary, they expect host OF enemies at
the very commencement, and those too among
the most influential characters, being those
most interested in the prescription OF paper,
the avowed object of which is to expose the
multitude of their receptions and intrigues.
Most papers grow up under the fostering hand
of some powerful patron, whose interest il is
bound TO advocate. The editors of this paper
solicit the patronage Of none but the sove-
reign people, and that without the Interference
of any such mercenary engines. The neces-
sity of paper of this character is apparent to
every man who is not inveigled in the entan-
clements of political chicanery, and who claims
to himself the inheritance of freeman. The
editors are therefore anxious that it be distinct
~ understood, that they throw themselves
wholly upon the patronage ct the people for
support, whose interest it is their peculiar
province to guard and protect. If any ind-
vidual, therefore, obtains their appreciation,
he will be indebted TO his merits alone, ant,
not TO favor, >bhorring sycophancy, they
fully disclalm tn influence of men actuated
by any kind of mercenary motives THEY
are the tools of no combination, and are under
no obligation to trudge in the filth Of party
luminosity.
1t is right in times of tranquility that the
press should sleep.-But when patriotism is
absorbed in the passion of self interest, or en-
gulphed in the vortex of faction-when the
brazen voice of dissention stuns our ears, then
sumber is criminal--the voice of the lion
should be heard. The unfaithful should be
dragged from their "high places" and the
people excited to resume their abused prero-
gatives. Treaciery, intrigue and conspira-
cles should be exposed. The rottenness
should be rooted out of Denmark; and g. e.
ciousness and sophistry should be disrobed of
their fair appearances.
The editors think that the present times
call for such labor, and they will think them
selves happy it they succeed in renovating and
calling forth the energies of the Press against
the multiplied disorders which pervade 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.-They will
take firm and unmovable stand against NEW
CONVENTION, while a possibility remains of the
admission of slavery, for reasons too nume-
rous to be adduced in the limits of this Pros
pectus. The Presidential election will next