Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-02-08
Editorial Conventions.
proceedings concluded from last paper. ]
Thursday Erening, Jan. Is.

n,
presented Repor, and Resolutions, which
after some debate and amendment, were a.
dopted in the following form:
he Committee TO whom was referred the
subject oil the relations Of publishers and
their subscribers, with instructions TO report
the existing evils, and 10 propose suitable re-
NEEDLES; submit their views in the following
report, which, with The resolutions annexed.
they recommend 10 be adopted by the Con-
vention.
II has long been generally understood and
admitted, that the arduous Iahors and large
expenditures requisite for publishing news
papers and other periodicals, have been paid
for by the subscribers, on the genera. aver
nge, with less punc,usIiiy and certainty, and
with more abatement Of the Just amount, by
partial or total losses ofdues, and by the cost
OF postage and OF commissions, and other ex>
Penses OF collections, than in any other trade
or business OF importance and necessity to
The public. The principal Causes OF the
greater losses sustained in this branch of in.
dustry, are presented in the following cir.
cumsances
Different from every other kind Of bust
ness, The furnishing Of newspapers and mag
hzines TO those who subscribe for them, is
done in this country almost wholly on Gre
dtt-aud, moreover, the debts so incurred,
or thousands of different individuals, remote
Iy located ard widely dispersed-wh Who are,
for the far greater number, altogether IN
known 10 their creditor and who therefore
OF course, are finally often found To be en-
tIreiy irresponsible far such obligations, The
magnitude Oi these causes of loss, has not
peen appreciated, and scarcely can be pro-
rerly appreciated, by any except those who
nave suffered the consequent injuries But,
II II be but supposed that any other business
no matter in what department Of industry,
and though now il be among the most pros
porous and proftable-were placed on the
like footing, as TO the small amount of each
customers annual purchases the great num-
Der and small amount of the debts so made,
and the general absense of any real account,
ability of The debtors, or of means of enfor-
c.ng ayments-then il will be readily I'M
derstood and conceded, that the previous
prosperous and safe condition OF the suppos.
ed business, would be speedily and certainly
changed 10 loss, embarrassment, and finally
10 bankruptcy.
Owing 10 such causes, the heretofore usual
and average losses of subscription money
sustained IN conducting newspapers and 9th.
er re rIodical publications, have not been less
chan one fourth Of The whole amounts sub
scrihed and legally due. Many publications.
have lost much more than fourth But this
former and usual rate ofloss. has been great
iy augmented by the recently produced, and
stu existing disordered state of the curren-
cy, and general depreciation OF bank paper,
and the pecuniary embarrassments Of the
country in general. Every trade, and in :
deed every individual, has sustained enough
OF difficulty and loss from this condition Of
the currency, 10 form some conception ofthe
enormous addition OF loss that it must max e
to whatever was before imposed on priniere
and publishers OF periodicals. The great
and irregular depreciation, within this State,
oil the Bank paper Of most other States, has
opposed new and considerable difficulty ia
making payments for subscriptions, even 10
The mos! punciual and conscientious of re-
mote debtors; and il has furnished plausi.
Bile excuse for delay and failure of payments,
which has been :ully awaited OF by many Of a
different character.
The genera! credit system which has been
established in the printing business, and the
long extensions Of time for which debts for
subscriptions have been permitted TO remain
unsettled, and without The debtors being g.
ven heard from, have served 10 give import
apce&great increase 10 another class ollosses.
hlany posimasters, alike disreg the re
QUESTIONS OF the law End the instructions un
der which they act, their oath of office, and
the Plainest moral obligations, suffer publ.
cations 10 be sent 10 their respective Post
Offices for times OF considerable length, and
sometimes even for years together, directed
TO persons who have moved away, or are
dead, or who otherwise fail or refuse TO take
the numbers sent 10 them. In many cases
subscriber is thus made, by the miscon-
duct OF the Postmaster, TO appear 10 be an
uDfailhful, or fraudulent debtor, when. in
fact, he has been guilty of no fault, save The
careessness Of trusting 10 a Postmaster to
discontinue bis subscr iptioD, who fails 10 do
so-or afterwards 10 give 10 the publisher the
proper legal notice, strictly enjoined in every
case oil publication being addressed 10 a per-
son who refuses or fails TO take il from the
Oihce. Without such notice, and under the
existing lax credit system, in all such cases
the journal is continued TO be sent and il is
only perhaps, after one or two years, that the
publisher learns, by chance, or by tardy
notification from the delinquent Postmaster
or bic successor in Office, that he has been so
long defrsuded OF his labor and property, and
has no means ofredress worth resorting 10.
Before The discovery is made, perhaps the
supposed (snd unconscious) debtor has been
long resident Of distant State, or is dead
land even the Post Office directed 10, NAV
have long been disCon linued, and the cont;n-
uation Of the neglect or fraud be then carry
ing on at some other place, and by another
person.
Many OF the losses incurred belong TO-, and
ore inseparable from the business of pub.
fishing journals on subscription. Bot there
are many others which may be miiigated ii
not entirely guarded against. Among the