Democratic banner., 1849-12-03
To the Citizens of NORTHEASTERN
Missouri,

Banner is closed. How l have demeane,
myself in that position; and whether m,
humble efforts as the conductor of an un
pretending country journal, have been pro
ductive ofgood or Of mischief to the grea
party to which / profess to belong, l leave
for you to determine. For nearly FIVE year.
have freely and candidly conversed will
you. All my thoughts and frelings-th.
convictions of my judgement and The EN-.
otions Of my heart have been unreservedly
given you. My whole conduct for that peri.
cd, now passes in review before you'll
may at times have been wrong, for human
nature is fallibie, and we De all liable to
err My Unly purpose. however, has been
by my feeble efforts, in an honest and
straightforward manner, to contribute to
the advancement of principles which
hold dear as the life-drops Of my own heart.
The great, the pure, Interchangeable, eternal
principles ofdemocracy have been my chart.
By it I have boldly directed my course
straight on without turning to the right or
to the left, at the bidding of this man, or
that clique. And whenever l have seen
those principles assailed, no matter by
whom, whether by an individual in high or
in humble station, as a solemn duty which I
owed to you, to myself and to my country,
I have fearlessly applied to him the lash,
with all the power that my feeble arm could
WELD. If in the discharge of this duty I
have unnecessarily inflicted a wound upon
the feelings Of a solitary individual, I cen
but regret it, and trust that it may be for
gotten. Believe me, the writer Of this, has
had to bear and forbeat much-no one
knows hoy much, but he who may have
occupied a similar position. In the heated
discussion of political principle, by persons
Of nervous temperaments, strife is some
times engendered, even when the parties
themselves would wish to avoid it.
To every respectable brother o. the press
l have always desired TO extend a liberal
courtesy, which I have felt it my duty to
demand at the hands of all. In the dis
cussion Of political questions, tart replies
and ~rejoinders have passed between some
OF u savo-ing, perhaps at times. too much
of a personal character. But they are past
they are with the things that were-there
let them remain. I now cherish not one
unkind feeling towards any brother editor,
but can freely extend the parting u to ALL
IcanRot take my leave as an editor, with
out an expression ofgratitude to some per-
sonal friends in. Pike and Lincoln, who have
stood steadfast and firmly by me from the
first day of our acquaintance to the present
hour. Not to political friends only but to
those who from no selfish motives, Though
they differed from me politically have
generously extended to me the warmest
personal friendship. The sense Of the OBJ
legation is for that reason the more lively,
a2d believe me, though l cannot find words
to express it, the impression which It has
made upon my mind and my feelings, will
never be effaced.
l have now only to say to the democrat
ic party Of this County, that I believe their
press will be placed upon a frmer and bet
ter footing than it has aver had heretofore,
and consequently that its usefulness will be
Observation-Disclosures, it would not nov
pass from my hands. Messers. P1cKEss &
ROBINSON, it, new proprietors, are both prac-
teal printers, who have learned their trade
in this Office, both natives of Pike, well
known to most Of her citizens, and demo.
Gratis devoted to principle. Under their
management, with a liberal, patronage, It
must prosper. No one who knows them,
will doubt but that the proPrietors will do
their duty, their whole duty, and hat the
Banner will still be the exponent of dem
ocratic principles. It's ability, however, to
advocate those principles, will mainly de-
pend upon the support, which it may re.
eeivs st your hands. Let me then bespeaE
fop Them agenerous patronage. Surely ev-