Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-02-17
pROSPECTVS
For Publishing Heekly .AezUsbaper
IN THE Tnws.o OF BELLEyILLE, ILL.
BY FoRQUER & FORD,
To be enifled, the
Independent Political Censor

~ ''eie VI Aiio PdPNi, S'ie sitihS ~"
u will be expected. If the editors intend
ed to trudgc in the track which the generality
of their brethren Of the t, pc find it convenient
to pursue. hint of their course would be I'M
pertinent, as that would have already been as
certaned. But as the present time requires
Tin the opinion of the editors) a material
change in the friendly and docile habits OF the
Press, and as they anticipate fol- themselves Il
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 cxerted in
private life or in public, in agriculture, manu-
features, commerce, the arts and sciences, or
in any sphere where they NAV be found use
fully employed, to publish aud deprecate the
feats OF vice in every shape, coming under
newspaper cognizance; for this purpose the
editors viii extend their inqlisiinriai aud cen
serial Offices into all the relations Of public
! life. Governors in the chair of state-Jldges
on the bench Ministers in the sacred stand,
| and all the public iunctionaries of the nation.
| however elevated will be considered AS law
full subjects Of lust animadverslon.
1t is the peculiar felicity of our countrvmen.
that in this land Of liberty, no topic of public
moment is too sacred to ace the columns Of
a newspaper. The Press IS, or at least ought
to be. the constant and vigihnt guardian of
the peoples rights; and IN fact il has ever
been considered by the Americans, as the pre-
server of their Institutions a trumpet ofalarm
when those institutions are attacked, aroasng
the unsnspecting victims of political intrigue
to vigorous yindication 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 wounded mind, and lament that the
conduct of men is so blende 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
derilectioD ofdniy on the part oftheir agents.
who make or administer the laws: yet, net
wthsanding the unpleasant sensations they
must experience from this source, they can
never conceive themselves justified in pur-
posely toleratng misplaced beneyolence,
however congenial to their feelings, which
would withhold the lash of censure from the
untaithfiil and The abettors Of corruption. Ina
b p'SiihiSht Vi tiS pCoPiS titC vi
The diffusion of correct information, and upon
appropriate animalversions IN the conduct of
public servants, creates in the editors high
responsibility, paramount to all prudential con-
siderations or particular attachments, il any
exist, and they take pleasure in sisayoWing
every attachment, either TO p rites or TO men,
which may contravene the accomplishment Of
their trust.
The novelty Of the present undertaking is
perhaps manifested in this, as conspicuonsly
es in any other circumstance, that the editors
ouid upon their own foundation. or upon
none. They have sought no influential
friend to puff their merits, and bl0on
their way before them, to whom they might
be under obligations OF reciprocal favor.-0n
the contrary, they expect host Of enemies at
tie 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 intrfgues
Most papers grow up under the fostering hand
af some powerful patron, whose interest il is
bound TO alyocate. The editors Of this paper
solicit the patronage Of none but the sove-
reign people. and that without the Interference
IF any such mcrccnary engines. The neces-
slty of paper of this character, is apparent to
every man who is not inyeigled in the entan-
elements ofpolitica chicanery, and who claims
Ito himself the Inheritance OF freeman. The
editors are therefore anxious that it be distinct
y understood, that they throw themselves
wholly upon the patronage OF the people for
support, whose interest it is tn ir peculiar
province TO guard and protect. IF any ndi-
vidual, therefore, obtains their appreciation,
he will be indebted to his merits alone, and
not TO favor. Abhorring sycophancy, they
T. ~