Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-04-15
We have been favored with the perusal Of

. letter, written to friend of ours in this
kace, in which the writer makes several per-
tinent enquiries concerning our principles, and
the future political course which will be taken
by this paper. This letter was handed to us,
with the request, that we should give, through
our columns, such information as we should
think proper in answer to the several ques-
tions propounded. We hasten, with plea
sure, to the task of making an exposition of
our principles, and intend to embody in the
following lines, the information required, as
well as such other remarks as shall suggest
themselves on the spur of the occasion. Oc-
cupying, as we do, a frontier position in the
great American republican, great distance
from the political metropolis of the country
with limited means of obtaining the earliest
information concerning the political move
ments of the different parties--having no I'M
portant offices in our immediate vicinity--liv-
ing in section of country where the lines of
party distinction have not been drawn with
any great degree of certainty, and possessing
moderate talents, and small degree of infor-
nation upon political subjects, we were not
long in foreseelng the entire futity of an at
tempt to make our paper leading political
journal. To become the miserable retailer of
the slang and falsehoods of others, we had no
ambition. The country has already too ma
ny such editors, who, wanting the talents, the
means, and every thing but the ambition to
become leaders, have degraded themselves,
destroyed their own influence and prostituted
their papers to the basest and worst of pur-
poses. .......
These are the two extremes; the one we
cannot initiate, the other we will not We
prefer to give our readers notice of all the
important political movements of the day, and
if after thatwe leave them to draw inferences
which they are well qualified to do as we our
selves, they have no reason to condemn our
course.
When we undertook the editorial manage
ment of this. paper, we took into serious oon-
sideration the course which we ought TO pur-
sue, and weighed carefully every argument in
favor or against the stand which we haye ta-
ken; and while we determined not to rush
rashly into the arena of political conflict, we
also resolved never to finch from an entire and
full exposition of our principles and motives of
action. Nay, more; we resolved to take
stand upon the eminence> which we have at
present chosen, above the reach of the polit-
cal tempest, and to watch with wary eye the
movements of the world below, ever ready to
bare our weapon in the defence of the right.
And if ever the time comes when we can do
--ggeod to our country, and aid the cause of vir-
tue, liberty and equal rights, by entering the
political field, we shall enter and it is then
that we shall take a political stand.
At present, we see before us an immense
and almost unknown country--rich, beyond
the powers of the Imagination, in her agricul-
tural resources, containing in her bowels min
eral treasures enough to enrich world-un-
equaled in her commercial facilities, and pos
sessing the means of supporting manufacto-
res to an almost unlimited extent. The nu-
merous and unparalleled improvements start
ing up, with an almost startling rapidity in all
parts of this section of the country--the COM
mercial prosperity and the agricultural wealth
Of a tract Of territory large enough for an Eu-
ropean empire, have SO occupied our mind
and engaged our patriotism, that we have
been constrained to undertake the manage.
ment of a newspaper, for the purpose of rath.
er proclaiming the benefits which may accrue
to alw ho choose this country for a place of re.
,sidence, than of strengthening the prejudices
and fomenting the dislikes which one portion
: of our citizens may entertain for another
{ We intended our paper for the farmer, the
mechanic, the manufacturer, the merchant
and the dealer in real estate, and we have
brought to our task moderate share of learn.
ing, but great degree of zeal, and we would
fatter ourselves proper measure of industry
and if we succeed in pleasing, instructing
and beneftting these numerous portions Of
our fellow citizens, we shall be content. To
the generalreader we hope to make our paper
interesting by large amount of Judiciously
selected miscellaneous information which il
will contain--to ourpatrons who reside abroad
we shall serve up, weekly, the intelligence
| which we may collect concerning the growth
improvements, prospects, and trade of oul
sseighborhood- the agriculturalist we shal
| give nntieesr OF the latest improvements, il
I the modes and implements for cultvating the
soil, and to the merchant we shall lend oul
labors for the purpose of giving him the ne
cessary intelligence concerning the state o
! the markets and other matters generally inter
esting land if BY these labors we shall ado
to the general stock Of information, or shal